₦airaland Forum

Abdulkarim Chukkol, Acting Chairman, EFCC

Following Tuesday, June 14, 2023, suspension of Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa, as Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission by the Federal Government, Mr. Abdulkarim Chukkol has stepped in as Acting Chairman of the Commission.

Until this new role, he was the Director of Operations of the Commission.

A pioneer staff of the Commission and an illustrious member of the EFCC Cadet Course One, Mr. Chukkol is a consummate and vastly experienced investigator with specialty in cybercrime and money laundering.

His Command appointments in the Commission include spells as Head of the Advance Fee Fraud and Cybercrime Sections of the Lagos and Abuja Zonal Commands between 2011 -2016, pioneer Commander of the Uyo Zonal Command in 2017 and Commander of Port Harcourt Zonal Command in 2020.

Chukkol has participated in several special operations with international law enforcement organizations and maintains close relationship with Law enforcement agencies such as the FBI, UK National Crime Agency, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), United States Secret Service, Australian Federal Police, Dutch Police, German Police, South African Police etc.

The acting EFCC Boss has worked closely with other Governments to develop law and infrastructure for carrying out law enforcement actions. He is Nigeria’s Contact person at the International Mass Marketing Fraud Working Group representing key Government regulatory, law enforcement, prosecution, immigration and customs, financial intelligence, consumer protection agencies as well and trade and competition bureaus dealing with mass marketing-related issues from Spain, Nigeria, Belgium, Europol, Canada, United Kingdom and the United States.

He has attended several courses, seminars and workshops on Public Corruption, Advance Fee Fraud and other economic and financial crimes both locally and internationally, including the Oxford University, United Kingdom, in 2022.

His work and initiatives over the years have earned him several awards and commendations both locally and internationally, including “the Most Outstanding Award in Operations” by the EFCC and the “Outstanding Performance Award” by the United States Department of Justice, among others.

The acting EFCC Chairman, holds a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Maiduguri (2000) and Post Graduate Certificate in Criminal Justice Education from the University of Virginia, United States as well as Graduate Diploma in Cybersecurity and Spectrum Management from the United States Telecommunication Training Institute, Washington DC, United States.

He is also an alumnus of the FBI National Academy, Quantico; European Center of Security Studies, Germany and a Fellow of the War College, Nigeria.

Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court (FHC) in Abuja has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to fish out persons behind breaching his privacy through text messages on his phone in a fraud suit against Sen. Stella Oduah and others.

Justice Ekwo, who gave the order on Thursday, shared copies of the messages to lawyers representing the parties in the open court.

The earlier plan to arraign Oduah today was, however, suspended by the judge over alleged threat to his life by yet to be identified persons.

He brought out a publication by the group in which his life was severely threatened over the planned trial.

He held that proceedings would not commence in the matter until the culprits are produced in the next adjourned date.

The judge also directed the deputy chief Registrar of the FHC in charge of Litigation to liaise with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to obtain the identities of the promoters of the offending organisation for the purpose of arresting them.

He said that sanctity of the court must be maintained adding that Nigeria was not a banana republic or animal kingdom where acts of lawlessness could be condoned.

He ordered the prosecution to produce the culprits in court as part of the efforts to also ensure that the defendants in the case are safe and well secured to stand the trail.

Counsel to EFCC, Ofem Uket, expressed sadness over the development and vowed that the anti-graft agency would do the needful to bring the culprits to book.

He however prayed the court not to allow unknown person’s acting as external third party to scuttle the trial.
The judge consequently adjourned the suit until July 17 for a report.

Justice Ekwo had, on June 5, warned those sending him private messages in the N5 billion suit filed by the EFCC against Mrs Oduah, who was former Aviation Minister in the government of President Goodluck Jonathan, to desist from intruding into his privacy.

The EFCC had sued Oduah alongside Gloria Odita, Nwosu Emmanuel Nnamdi and Chukwuma Irene Chinyere.

Others include Global Offshore and Marine Ltd, Tip Top Global Resources Ltd, Crystal Television Ltd, Sobora International Ltd and others.

The Senator, who represented Anambra North Senatorial District at the 9th National Assembly, was scheduled to be arraigned on alleged N5 billion fraud and financial misappropriation while she served as minister during the Jonathan Administration.

In the 25-count charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/316/2020, they are accused of conspiracy, money laundering and maintaining anonymous bank accounts with a commercial bank.

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered that criminal summons be issued on Senator Ifeanyi Ubah and his company, Capital Oil and Gas Limited.

It ordered the duo to appear before it on 18th October 2023 for arraignment.

The Federal Government commenced in 2019 criminal prosecution of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah in an 8-count charge over his indebtedness to Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON sometimes in 2019.

Among others, government accused Uba of making false claims in relation to the actual values of certain assets he transferred to AMCON under a consent judgment obtained in 2012, contrary to Section 54(1) of the AMCON Act.

When the case came up on Tuesday, counsel to AMCON, Babatunde, told the Court that the defendants had been served with the amended charge and hearing notice.

He also told the Court that at the last adjourned date, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah was not in court and hearing notice of that day was also communicated to him.

Consequently, he urged the court to issue bench warrant against him.

However, the defence counsel, Ifeoma Esom, told the court that the matter was for report of settlement/plea taking.

She said the defendants were just informed that settlement had failed and it was on the basis of settlement that the Ifeanyi Ubah was not in Court.

The prosecutor objected on the ground that settlement cannot be reported on the matter as it is a criminal matter.

He said while parties may choose to settle, they cannot make that part of the business of a criminal court and the best that can happen is plea bargain

He also noted that settlement outside court does not give Senator Ubah, the authority to be absent from Court.

The Court declined to issue a bench warrant, but ordered that summons be served on Uba through his counsel, to appear in Court on the next adjourned date.

The Court also stated that if Senator Ubah fails to appear in Court, a warrant may be issued for his arrest.

Thereafter the presiding Judge adjourned the matter till 18th October 2023 for arraignment.

The Niger State Government has revoked the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) issued to Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) University in Suleja area of the state.

Godwin Emefiele, suspended Governor of the Central Bank is in DSS custody, associates, family sources insist, despite denial by the DSS. Say he was taken into custody Saturday morning

STATEMENT

10th Assembly: Hon Ogah and Aguocha's position on APC's zoning formular, President Tinubu's leadership, personal not party position.

The attention of the leadership of the Labour Party has been drawn to interviews granted by two of our House of Representatives members-elect, Hon. Amobi Ogah and Hon. Obi Aguocha wherein they expressed their satisfaction with the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the zoning formular of the All Progressives Congress, APC on the leadership of the 10th Assembly.

The members-elect had in their different interviews said that they alongside some of their colleagues have "agreed to go towards government and party decision" on the zoning of the leadership of the national assembly.

Though as newly elected lawmakers on the platform of the Labour Party, the Members-elect made the utterances which are clearly within their rights as individuals as enshrined in the laws of the land however, the party has a view quite different from what the honourable members were quoted to have said.

As individuals, the lawmakers do not have the mandate to speak for the party and therefore cannot claim to be standing on the platform of the Labour Party to speak, giving views that are diametrically opposed to ideals for which Labour Party stands for.

Labour Party is presently in the tribunal hoping to retrieve our mandate which was expressively given to our presidential candidate on the February 25, and every testament emanating from the tribunal points to the fact that Labour Party clearly won the election but was robbed. We have remained resolute to our belief that justice will be done and so soon.

For the records, Labour Party has nothing against the personality of President Tinubu, however, we are challenging both the process and final outcome of the presidential election. We as a party insist that the route to His Excellency must be excellent and anything other than that amounts to a mockery of democracy.

We therefore caution the two lawmakers and by extension, any other member elected on the platform of the Labour Party who chose to walk outside the agreed position and ideals of the party to desist from such trajectory and vain glory.

The party has given a clear directives and will not condone any of its members who will not subsume to the supremacy of the party. We therefore demand that the affected lawmakers retrace their steps and tender unreserved apologies to the leadership of the party.

SIGN

Obiora Ifoh
National Publicity Secretary
LABOUR PARTY.

9-6-2023

The leadership of the Labour Party (LP) has disowned one of its House of Representatives members-elect, Hon. Amobi Ogah, over his comments commending President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

In a statement on Friday, Acting national publicity secretary of LP, Obiora Ifoh, said Ogah’s position on President Tinubu’s leadership is his personal opinion and not that of the party.

After a meeting with Tinubu on the leadership of the 10th National Assembly, Ogah had expressed delight, saying he never knew Tinubu was so intelligent.

“Today is my best day. Today, I’m so happy that I’m an elected member seeing my president talking. In fact, I’ve never known that this man is so intelligent,” he said.

“I never knew that this man is so prepared to serve this country. I saw the love, character, and charisma — the belief that Nigeria can be a better nation. So I’m so glad that the meeting we had today is going to take us a little bit to a more stabilised house. Now, even without talking to us again, we have agreed that we are going towards the government’s decision.”

But in his statement, the Labour Party spokesman said, “Though as a first time and newly elected lawmaker, the member-elect made the utterance which is clearly within his rights as an individual as enshrined in the laws of the land however, the party has a view quite different from what the honourable member was quoted to have said.

“As an individual, he does not have the mandate to speak for the party and therefore cannot claim to be standing on the platform of the LP to do same, giving views that are diametrically opposed to what LP stands for.

“Labour Party is presently in the tribunal hoping to retrieve our mandate which was expressively given to our presidential candidate on the February 25, and every testament emanating from the tribunal points to the fact that Labour Party clearly won the election but was robbed. We have remained resolute to our belief that justice will be done and so soon.”

According to him, while LP has nothing against the personality of President Tinubu, however, the party is challenging both the process and final outcome of the presidential election.

He said, “We as a party insist that the route to His Excellency must be excellent and anything other than that amounts to a mockery of democracy.

“We urge millions of our party members who are offended by Hon Ogah’s interview which has since gone viral to maintain their cool as the lawmaker has regretted his actions and has tendered unreserved apologies to the party.”

FROM G-5 TO G-STRING: HUSTLERS UNITED!

From so-called Powerful “G-5” Governors to Perforated G-String Ex-Governors (except for Makinde who is a serving governor). The hustle is real. @GovWike is now dealing with the reality of his wicked and corrupt existence, just like the ex-Abia Gov. Isi-Slippers, and that loudspeaker and Mr. Do-Nothing from Benue who used “Fulani” as an excuse to never get anything done, not even salaries of his workers. Like the Bourbons of France, “They had learned nothing and forgotten nothing.” #Revolutionnow

The Labour Party (LP) says it plans to vote en bloc in the election of the Speaker of the 10th assembly of the House of Representatives.

Rep. Victor Ogene, the LP leader in the House said this when he spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.

Ogene said the LP had yet to decide on a particular aspirant, saying however, that once a decision was made on that, it would be a bloc vote.

“The LP has yet to decide on a particular candidate, but I can assure you that we are going to vote en bloc, the consultation is on. I do not know those we will vote for yet, but I know those we will not vote for,“ he said.

Ogene said that at the end of the day, one candidate would emerge and it was going to be from the ruling APC.

‘’I just want to tell you that we will not be railroad in choosing anybody; it will be a conscious decision,’’ he said.

He said the LP members would be opposed to any undue interference or influence in choosing the speaker, adding that they would go for a speaker that would be accountable to all members of 10th national assembly.

“A speaker is first and foremost a member, so the LP will do all within its power to ensure it unite behind a candidate who would not kowtow to the whims and caprices of the executive.

“If someone is imposed from outside it does not go well, he has lost his legitimacy from member, so he will always rush back to where he got his endorsement.”

He said if members were allowed to choose freely, there would be a free atmosphere to operate, adding that such a speaker would be accountable to members who elected him and the citizenry.

Asked what the LP would do if the main opposition party, the PDP decided to go with the ruling party, Ogene said the LP would stick to its position of not letting Nigerians down and unite behind a candidate.

“People who got elected on the platform of LP did not just get elected, they got elected on a waive and a movement of the Nigerian people and they cannot afford to let the people down.

“Nigerians are watching, yes it is election of presiding officers of the House of Representatives where we belong to, but it also concerns everybody.

“So for LP, if the other parties are cool jumping in bed with the governing party, I can assure you that the LP will not do that even if it means standing alone, we will be ready to make that statement.”

A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, restrained the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) from detaining Sen. Abdul’aziz Yari pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

Justice Donatus Okorowo, who gave the order in a ruling he delivered on an ex-parte motion moved by Michael Aondoaaa on Yari’s behalf, also stopped the Department of State Services (DSS) from detaining the senator-elect.

Justice Okorowo, hence, ordered the the respondents (EFCC, ICPC, DSS) to show cause in the next adjourned date on why the prayers sought on the motion ex-parte should not be granted.

“The respondents are however restrained from detaining the applicant until the return date for the order to show cause,” he ruled.

The consequently adjourned the matter until June 8 for the respondents to show cause.

Yari, the former Zamfara Governor, had though his team of lawyers which include Abdul Kohol but led by Mr Aondoakaa, filed the ex-parte motion marked: FHC/ANJ/CS/785/23.

In the motion dated and filed on June 2, Yari sued the EFCC, ICPC and DSS as 1st to 3rd defendants respectively.

The former governor prayed the court for an order, restraining the respondents, their officials, whosoever and howsoever described from arresting and/or threatening to arrest and detain him in order to prevent him from participating at the Proclamation of the 10th Senate by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on June 13.

Yari who gave 15 grounds on why the application should be granted, averred that he was desirous of contesting the position of the president of the Senate of the 10th National Assembly in accordance with the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and pursuant to the Senate Standing Orders 2022 as (amended).

He said his aspiration to contest the position of President of the Senate had received overwhelming support from the general public and amongst distinguished senators-elect irrespective of party affiliations.

He said the support which the applicant has continued to garner across party lines has drawn consternation from some members of his political party, the APC who have allegedly resorted to using the respondents and their agents to harass and threaten to arrest and detain the applicant on trumped-up charges for the period leading to the First Sitting of the Senate when nominations and election of presiding officers shall be constituted.

“The respondents and their agents have threatened to violate the applicant’s rights as enshrined in the constitution by unlawfully threatening to arrest and detain the applicant.

“The respondents and their agents are mandated to operate within the ambit of their establishment laws, and to respect the fundamental human rights of the Applicant as enshrined in the Constitution,” he said.

Yari said if the order was not given, his rights would have been breached by the respondents.

KOGI SDP CANDIDATE ESCAPES GOV BELLO LED ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

The candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Alhaji Muritala Yakubu Ajaka this afternoon luckily escaped assassination when his motorcade was attacked by gunmen personally led by the Governor of Kogi State Alhaji Yahaya Bello.

Alhaji Ajaka and some vehicles accompanying him were approaching Lokoja at the vicinity of the ram market at about 300pm when two powerbikes and Toyota Hilux overtook his car and forced it to a stop.

This assault was heralded by a Mercrdes Benz Limousine with Bellos official crest accompanied by an open pick- loaded with masked and hooded men bearing AK 47 Assault Rifles.

The men jumped down an began shooting at Ajaka's car and all other cars in the motorcade. They shot for over 5 minutes at Ajaka's bullet proof car unprovoked.

All this while Bello's car was parked a few meters in front and was used to barricade the road while the gun men had a field day.

When they ceased, Ajaka's car, a Lexus SUV though a bullet proof was totally damaged and demobilised.

Among the gunmen is one Friday Makama a notorious thug and a former member of the House of Assembly who recently appointed Director General for Fireams Recovery by Mr Bello. Also identified among the hoodlums accompanying the governor is one Bashir Gegu the commissioner for Solid Minerals who has has a gross reputation for thuggery.

Mr Ajaka who was on his way to keep an appointment with the Mai Geri, The first class traditional ruler of Lokoja and The Attah Igala in Idah decided to abort the journey and return to Abuja after conferring with the Commander of the Lokoja Naval Base.

This again is another low scored by Mr Yahaya Bello in the exercise of crude power and brute force.

Bello is on record to have unleashed guns and gunmen on several citizens in the course of his Eight years draconian rule. Several persons have been killed by his hoodlums during electioneering while others are missing .

Ajaka until recently was a member of the APC who was forced out of the governorship nomination by Mr Yahaya Bello who used minions and proxies to obtain an injunction from a Lokoja High Court restraining him from participating in the primaries.

The brute action today is obviously in a continuation of Bello's desperation to stop Yakubu from continuing in the election.

We appeal to the new President of the Federal Republic, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to demonstrate that his administration will not permit the brigandage of the last eight years which has led to the deaths of thousands of Nigeria.

Election is still five months away, but if Mr Bello does not get a strong signal that violence would not be allowed in the new administration several of our citizens will be killed by his thugs and gunmen before the polls.

Faruk Adejoh-Audu DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

ALHAJI MURITALA YAKUBU ORGANISATION

COMMUNIQUE AT THE END OF AN EMERGENCY NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL (NEC) MEETING OF THE NIGERIA LABOUR CONGRESS (NLC) HELD ON FRIDAY, THE 2ND DAY OF JUNE 2023

On Monday, the 29th day of May, 2023 the President of the Federal Republic announced during his inaugural speech the withdrawal of Subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in Nigeria. Consequently, the price of the product which is central to transportation and power in Nigeria escalated across the nation throwing the nation into turmoil and confusion as citizens were left stranded thus increasing suffering and angst among the populace.

To this end the National Executive Council (NEC) was called to deliberate on the issues arising from that unfortunate decision by the federal Government.

The NEC-in-session considered the huge suffering pervading the nation, the outrage expressed by the majority and the increased attendant fears of the consequences of the PMS price hike unanimously condemned the actions of the federal government and reached the following conclusions:

1. That it was unlawful for the federal government to have announced the withdrawal of the Subsidy on PMS
That the 2023 Appropriation Act made provisions for the funding of the subsidy regime on PMS till the end of June, 2023.

2. That it is unfair for the government to knowingly take action that will inflict pains on the populace and workers without putting adequate safeguards in place
That discussions were already on and understanding reached with government on the conditions precedent before the withdrawal of subsidy on PMS

3. That the Local refineries especially the Publicly owned four have remained comatose as a result of government’s inability to get them operationally turned around.

4. That we cannot accept any Petroleum Product Price increase until products are refined locally
That federal government’s decision was unilateral and therefore runs counter to the spirit of national consensus and Social Dialogue.

NEC-in-Session also noted that whereas:

8. there is a subsisting judgment of the Court that voided the powers of the Nigerian state to deregulate and fix prices of petroleum products in the Country.

9. Between 1993 and 2023 about U$6b was used for Turn Around Maintenance of the Refineries without any results.

10. U$7b was given to 14 banks owned by the elite from Public treasury to keep them afloat.

11. Between 2016 and now, N26tr was given to the rich as import waivers.

12. the NNPC is still unable to tell us how it arrived at the Pricing templates and the names of the beneficiaries of the Subsidy funds. The NEC-in-session subsequently resolved as follows:

13. demand for the immediate withdrawal of the vexatious NNPCL price adjustments and revert to the old price in keeping with the 2023 Appropriation Act

14. to immediately commence effective mobilization of all workers and citizens in conjunction with the Civil Society for a robust and inclusive engagement to resist the imposition of higher prices on PMS on Nigerians.

15. to hereby affirm a Seven – Day ultimatum beginning from Wednesday the 31st day of May, 2023 to the federal Government to revert to the old price to allow Dialogue to proceed

16. to on the expiration of the ultimatum without full compliance by the federal government embark on an indefinite nation – wide withdrawal of services and mass Protests starting 00:00 Hours Wednesday the 7th of June, 2023.

17. to this end, all Affiliates and State Councils of the NLC are directed to immediately commence full mobilization of members to ensure the success of this action nation – wide.

Comrade Joe Ajaero Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja, mni
President General Secretary

It’s either President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his inner circle didn’t read my April 29 column titled “Six Agenda Items for Tinubu’s Success” or they did but dismissed it as the impractical, high-flown, indulgent musings of an idealistic diasporan Nigerian. The fifth item on my list concerned petrol price hikes amid the current agonizingly biting poverty in the land.

I wrote: “I know that there is now an artfully manufactured consent, particularly among the gilded classes in Nigeria, about the undesirability of ‘fuel subsidy.’ I don’t care what it’s called, but any policy (call it deregulation, subsidy removal, appropriate pricing, etc.) that results in an arbitrary and unbearable hike in the price of petrol without a corresponding increase in the salaries of workers and an improvement in the living conditions of everyday people will sink Tinubu.

“Resuscitating existing refineries and creating conditions for robust private sector investment in building new ones are obvious, well-worn solutions to the existing order, which have been floating around for years. Any serious government would make this happen.

“No responsible government shies away from subsidizing the production and consumption of essential commodities for its people. I have lived in the United States, the belly of the capitalist beast, for nearly two decades, and I can tell you that governments at both federal and state levels heavily subsidize petrol consumption—in addition to agriculture.

“When gas prices increased dramatically a few months ago here, both Joe Biden and state governors granted tax holidays to oil companies so they could lower the cost of petrol. Biden tweeted daily about the reduction in gas prices that his policies enabled. Americans call high petrol prices ‘pain at the pump’ for a reason.

“The surest way for a government to lose legitimacy here is to allow petrol prices to go up without doing anything about it. That’s why America’s 50 states collectively spend $10 billion a year to subsidize petrol consumption.

“I know Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar, and Peter Obi said they would ‘remove fuel subsidy’—a code for they’ll increase petrol prices— if they’re elected president, but I can assure Tinubu that if petrol price hikes deepen people’s misery, he’ll have a tough time governing.”

America and Nigeria share one thing in common: they both lack a well-developed, subsidized public transportation system. America’s lack of a public transportation system is informed by the rugged individualism of its culture (in my university, for instance, 99 percent of students have their own cars even though the university has an intra-campus shuttle system), the territorial vastness of the country, and the relentless lobbying of airlines and car manufacturers.

Nigeria’s lack of a public transport system, on the other hand, isn’t a choice. It’s a consequence of deliberate neglect by successive governments who don’t give a thought to the comfort and well-being of the poor in society.

Nevertheless, the effect of high petrol prices is similar in both countries: it ignites inflationary conflagrations, wrecks the economy, deepens misery, and inflicts several negative domino effects.

That is why, in America, politicians are often acutely sensitive to fuel price hikes and go out of their way to keep prices low—even at the expense of other priorities. A January 3, 2012, TIME magazine report noted, for example, that American “politicians’ refusal to increase gas taxes in line with inflation and construction costs starves needed infrastructure of funding.”

Sounds familiar? The recurrent excuse governments in Nigeria advance to increase fuel prices is that the government needs money for “infrastructural development.” But no sensible government starves its people to death because it wants to build infrastructure. Only the living use infrastructure.

At N550 per liter, the price of petrol is now officially lower in many states in the United States than it is in Nigeria. Nigerians are now paying nearly the equivalent of $4.70 per gallon of petrol (using the official exchange rate). If we use the black market exchange rate, it’s much higher than that.

In the state of Georgia where I live, the average cost of gas per gallon is $3.4, about a dollar cheaper than it is in Nigeria. Given that the federal minimum wage in Nigeria is still a miserable N30,000 per month, which is equivalent to about $65 per month, I don’t see how this makes sense. Plus, transport fares and the cost of goods have already skyrocketed to unmanageable degrees as a direct result of the new petrol price regime.

[u]But I’ve stopped bothering myself about this. There is now a decided discursive shift in Nigeria in favor of endlessly higher petrol prices. I won’t take Panadol for other people’s headaches. If Nigerians think higher petrol prices are the way to go, or that eliminating subsidies is a bold and commendable decision, so be it.[u]

Even if Tinubu hadn’t been president, the two other alternatives to him said they would “remove subsidies” on “day one,” as Tinubu did. So, Atiku and Obi supporters lamenting Tinubu’s action are being two-faced.

The Nigerian Labour Congress that’s threatening to go on strike to protest the removal of “subsidies” is even more duplicitous. It never opposed Peter Obi, the candidate that ran on its platform, when he espoused extreme neoliberal policies, including saying “fuel subsidy is an organized crime” that he will remove “immediately, if I am elected president.” Had Obi won and removed petrol subsidies, what would NLC have done since it didn’t oppose his manifesto?

In 2016 when Buhari increased petrol prices, his supporters actually came out to protest in support of the increase and against those who were opposed to it. For the first time in Nigerian history, there were no strikes or protests in response to the increase—and subsequent ones. I called it self-annihilating stupidity then.

Perhaps I was wrong. It’s probably better to call it rational stupidity— on the model of “rational ignorance.” Maybe, just maybe, people are tired of the ceaseless elite blackmail that tells them they do not deserve being shielded a little from the negative consequences of the unchecked rapacity of the market.

And this is the cumulative result of sustained government propaganda over the years. People in power have gone on rhetorical overdrives to demonize “subsidy,” to make it into what American scholar Richard Malcolm Weaver, Jr called a “devil term.”

When you demonize a good word, strip it of all its affirmative associations, you prepare uncritical minds to accept actions that are inimical to their own interests. In their book Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media, Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky perceptively show how the ruling elite in the United States contort the English language to blackmail the poor.

Institutional benefits for the poor are ridiculed, and terms like “social welfare” are now invariably said with a tone of disapproval. But welfare packages for the rich and the powerful are called “bailouts” and have a tone of approval about them.

Just like the American ruling elite have deployed the media to demonize “welfare,” the Nigerian ruling elite have also succeeded in manipulating the public into seeing “subsidy” as unalterably bad, as an “organized crime,” to quote Peter Obi.

But what’s wrong with “subsidy”? At its root, subsidy, derived from Anglo-Norman French subsidie (ultimately from Latin subsidium), means “assistance.” In modern usage, it means “a sum of money granted by the government or a public body to assist an industry or business so that the price of a commodity or service may remain low or competitive.” According to Investopia.com, “subsidy is usually given to remove some type of burden and is often considered to be in the interest of the public.” What’s wrong with that?

Up until Muhammadu Buhari came to power, “subsidy” used to be a positive word in Nigeria. In fact, during the 2012 mass revolt against petrol price increase, a protester in Kano inscribed these pithy, profound words on the back of his shirt: “Subsidy is my soul.”

Of course, subsidies are the soul of poor, struggling people, not just in Nigeria but all over the world. Every government in the world, especially in the West, subsidizes basic goods, including petrol and agricultural products.

One of the sneaky ways Nigerian political elites hoodwink people into thinking that subsidies are bad for them is to associate subsidies with corruption. But that’s a false association. There is nothing in subsidies in and of themselves that makes them corrupt. Corruption is incidental to subsidies and can be eliminated if there’s a will to do so.

Jettisoning subsidies because it is riddled with corruption is similar to the proverbial throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Any government that can’t eliminate corruption and ensure that people who need subsidies get them has no reason to exist. But, apparently, many Nigerians think otherwise. So, let’s see how, to quote J.M Keynes, “the nastiest motives of the nastiest men somehow or other work for the best results in the best of all possible worlds.”

The Boeing 737-800 aircraft which was displayed by Hadi Sirika, former minister of aviation as belonging to Nigeria Air is back to regular flight service for Ethiopian Airlines, live tracker has shown.

Latest information on flight live tracker ‘flightrader24.com’ show the flight is back to regular service for Ethiopian Airlines on its Addis Ababa- Mogadishu route, which appears to be the same route it flew before being brought into Nigeria and presented as Nigeria Air plane.

The flight history of the aircraft show the aircraft had on Wednesday afternoon left Addis Ababa to Mogadishu and had done a return flight back to Addis Ababa by Wednesday evening.

David Hundeyin, independent journalist on Wednesday via his tweeter handle, again drew people’s attention to the flight tracker.

“The “Nigeria Air” Boeing 737-800 has had its hurried wrap job removed and is now back in regular service for @flyethiopian on its usual Addis Ababa- Mogadishu route – the same route it flew as recently as last week before being “commissioned” in Abuja by @hadisirika,” Hundeyin stated.

BusinessDay had on Sunday reported that the flight live tracker ‘flightrader24.com’ showed the Nigeria Air plane was back to Ethiopia where it was brought in from.

BusinessDay’s had earlier reported Hadi Sirika, the minister of aviation contacted Ethiopian airlines to provide an aircraft that would be presented to Nigerians as an aircraft belonging to Nigeria Air.

Ethiopian airline had obliged by repainting and rebranding one of its Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

Investigations show that the Boeing 737-800 has registration Number ET-APL, Mode S Q4005C and serial number: 40965/4075.

Further investigations show that the national carrier is about 11 years and
and first flight with the aircraft was done on 22nd June 2012 as Ethiopian Airlines aircraft.

The aircraft became Malawi Airlines on 16th February 2014 and released to Ethiopian Airlines on 12th August 2015.

BusinessDay’s checks show that the aircraft changed colours but ownership remains that of Ethiopian Airlines.

The All Progressives Congress Governors Forum, known as Progressives Governors Forum, PGF, has elected the Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma, as its Chairman.

Uzodinma succeeds the immediate past Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu, who has served out his term after a two-term tenure as the Governor of Kebbi State.

For Governor Uzodinma, it has been days of Honour and recognition.

Last Saturday, 27th May, 2023, the immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, honoured him with the State’s highest award – Grand Star Service of Rivers State, GSSRS.

On Sunday, the, 28th of May, 2023, the immediate past President, Muhammadu Buhari, bestowed on him a National honour – Commander of the Order of the Niger, CON.

Members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the governors on the platform of the party, the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) are currently in a close door meeting at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja.

In attendance are almost all the NWC members and the governors of Imo, Hope Uzodinma, Yobe, Mai Mala Buni, Kogi, Yahaya Bello, Nasarawa, Abdullahi Sule, Niger, Mohammed Umar Bago, Kaduna, Ubah Sani, Gombe, Mohammed Inua Yahaya, and Kebbi, Nasir Idris.

Although the agenda of the meeting are yet to be made public, they may not be unconnected with the controversies over the leadership of the 10th National Assembly.

The gunfire by the SSS occurred when journalists from the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) approached the locked gate to capture video footage.

The shots seemed to have been fired as a warning, and no journalists or EFCC operatives outside were injured.

The Presidential Election Petition Court in Abuja on Tuesday admitted documents in evidence accusing President Bola Tinubu of drug offences in the United States.

The court accepted the documents as exhibits in the case filed by the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, to challenge Mr Tinubu’s victory in the 25 February election.

Alleging widespread irregularities during the presidential election and Mr Tinubu’s ineligibility to contest the election, Mr Obi is also asking the court to nullify his victory.

Mr Tinubu was sworn in as Nigeria’s president on Monday, although the cases challenging his election will not be decided until September.

When the suit came up on Tuesday, Mr Obi’s lawyer, Jibrin Okutepa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, tendered some court documents purporting to be the US court’s decision awarding $460,000 fine against Mr Tinubu for illicit drugs trafficking imposed by the United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division.

The suit marked:93C 4483 was between the United States of America and Mr Tinubu.

Mr Okutepa also tendered documents to aid Mr Obi’s case of double nomination being pushed against the vice president, Kashim Shettima.

Obi’s first witness testifies
After the five-member panel of the court led by Haruna Tsammani admitted the documents in evidence, Mr Okutepa called his client’s first witness.

The witness, Lawrence Nwakaeti, said he deposed to a witness statement on 20 March at the court’s registry in Abuja.

Mr Nwakaeti, a lawyer, told the court that he voted during the 25 February presidential election at his polling unit at Umuezeala Village Square, Ihiala in Anambra State.

In his depositions, Mr Nwakaeti said Mr Tinubu was fined in the US for allegedly trafficking in narcotics.

But under cross-examination by Wole Olanipekun, Mr Tinubu’s lawyer, Mr Nwakaeti said he would be surprised to know if Mr Tinubu was not fined in the documents he tendered to the court.

Responding to Mr Olanipekun’s enquiry if the witness had been to the US, Mr Nwakaeti answered in the affirmative.

Specifically, he said he had visited Michigan in 2003.

Also, APC’s lawyer, Lateef Fagbemi, a SAN, asked Mr Nwakaeti if he was aware that a “formal clearance report” was issued by a legal attaché of the US embassy, absolving Mr Tinubu of any wrongdoing concerning the alleged crime.

In his response, Mr Nwakaeti said he was not aware of any clearance report in favour of Mr Tinubu.

After the witness concluded his testimony, the court adjourned Mr Obi’s petition until Wednesday, 1 June, for further hearing.

Background
As part of the grounds of the petition, Mr Obi argued that Mr Tinubu, “at the time of the (presidential) election, was not qualified to contest the election.”

He based this claim on the grounds that the Mr Tinubu “was fined $460,000 for an offence involving dishonesty, namely narcotics trafficking imposed by the United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, in case no:93C 4483″ between the United States of America and Bola Tinubu.

Concerning the alleged non-qualification of Mr Shettima, Mr Obi’s lawyer, Mr Okutepa told journalists on Tuesday the facts of his case were different from the Supreme Court’s decision dismissing PDP’s contention against the vice president.

The petitioner had argued in court filings that the law provided that a presidential candidate shall nominate another person as his associate who is to occupy the office of vice president.

He recalled that Mr Tinubu had nominated Mr Shettima as his vice-presidential candidate on 14 July 2022 while the latter was still representing Borno Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly.

He added that the APC nominated Mr Shettima as its candidate for Borno Central Senatorial District as of 15 July 2022, while already chosen by Mr Tinubu as his running mate.

Mr Obi said Mr Shettima should not have allowed himself to be nominated in “more than one constituency”. He said this was a violation of the provision of the Electoral Act.

He vowed to prove in court that APC’s “purported sponsorship” of Messrs Tinubu and Shettima while the latter was still representing Borno Central Senatorial district, rendered their candidacy “invalid.”

He added that “…for this reason, the votes purportedly recorded for” Mr Tinubu “at the presidential election were/are wasted votes and ought to be disregarded”.

The petitioner also contended that Mr Tinubu “was not duly elected by majority of the lawful votes cast at the time of the election.”

He argued that Mr Tinubu did not win the majority of lawful votes cast in each of at least two-third of the states of the federation and the FCT, Abuja.

Mr Obi, who came third in the presidential race, urged the court to declare him president or order a fresh poll.

Microblogging media platform, Twitter, has removed the verification badge attached to the account of President Bola Tinubu.

This is coming hours after the verification badge of the immediate past Vice-President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, was removed on Monday.

At the time of filing this report on Tuesday, our correspondent observed that Tinubu’s tag had been removed. However, the one on the account of the former president, Muhammadu Buhari, remained.

Barely 13 days to the inauguration of the leadership of the National Assembly, the former governor of Abia state and Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Uzo Kalu on Tuesday disclosed that he and Abdulaziz Yari have formed an alliance to produce the next Senate President.

This is coming barely three weeks when the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) announced that the party has endorsed the persons of Goodwill Akpabio and Barau Jibrin as President of the Senate and deputy respectively.

Addressing newsmen at the National Assembly complex in Abuja, Kalu disclosed that the Igbo presidency of the Senate is very much alive.

He further said that he has not resigned from the contest of the 10th Assembly Senate President.

Expressing concern over the lingering clamor for the position, Kalu said what happened during Saraki is likely to happen on June 13th, 2023 as he and Senator Yari are discussing who should be the Senate President and the Deputy Senate President.

He said: “I can’t step down for anybody. My group and Yari’s group are talking. No one zone can produce the president of the Senate.

“The partnership will be unveiled. We are in talks and we have decided to be talking. That talk will be unveiled by our sponsors.

“Yari and I will be happy to follow what our sponsors decide.”

He disclosed that in a couple of days, the plan of who become the President of the Senate and his deputy will be made public.

He said: “We are not looking for what to eat, we just want to support Tinubu to succeed. If people think what happened during Saraki will not happen again they are dreaming. We will congratulate who wins and if we win, they should congratulate us.”

He, however, revealed that they will support, whoever wins because, in the next four years, they are going to be sitting in one chamber.

On why he has kept such an ambition secret for some time, Kalu said, “We have the largest press but we decided to go underground. We will unveil our plans on the 13th of June. Whether Yari-Kalu or Kalu-Yari, we will not disappoint Nigerians.”

Speaking on the transition that just took place following the swearing-in of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the president of Nigeria, Kalu said he is happy Nigeria transited to another civilian government without rancor.

Kalu said: “Tinubu should look into abandoned projects. He should look at the Ajakuta steel company, Jos flour mill company, and many other abandoned projects.

“Nigeria has over 11,000 abandoned projects which are taking over our debt servicing. Ministries and parastatals that are no longer viable should either be scrapped or merged.

“Niger Delta Ministry should be scrapped. NDDC should function because they are not supposed to report to the ministry. Nigerians should be happy they have Tinubu as President today.

“All those days of stealing money are gone. Tinubu is not looking for food to eat. People like us are not looking for food to eat. We want to work for Nigeria.”

Thanks for believing in @innosonvehicles. We received a call if we can produce a vehicle for the parade and we responded immediately. Thanks once again Alex Otti for believing in Local Patronage. We are ready to work with your Government. Congratulations once again.

The Oyo state police command has arrested five members of the Yoruba Nation agitators who allegedly invaded and hijacked a government owned radio station in Ibadan.

The Oyo state commissioner of police Adebowale Williams while parading the attackers in Ibadan revealed that the attackers forcefully hijacked the said Broadcast Station, Amuludun 99.1 FM with the intent to declare liberation from the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He said in a swift response, officers of the Oyo police were able to take control of the situation and arrested the invaders.

While declaring the act as criminal, unpatriotic and a clear case of terrorism which would be meted with adequate sanctions under the laws of the land, the CP assured residents of the State that investigations are ongoing to demystify those others who are involved in the act.

He led the country without any economic direction.

He presided over a Government that failed to secure the lives of Nigerians; 63k dead, 3m IDPs & 366k refugees in neighbouring countries.

He failed to restructure as he promised.

He granted waivers to the rich & impoverished the poor.

He closed the borders for those who import bags of rice on motorcycles and permitted those who use the ships.

He built magical pyramids that disappeared after three days.

He left uncompleted projects with huge debts to service for decades.

He enabled, enriched & reinforced a cabal for 8 years.

He appointed & retained failures and reward them with extensions.

He was weak in taking decisions & runway when it’s tough.

He has no house in London but made london his home.

He left behind record inflation,record devaluation,record unemployment,record fall in GDP, record figures of poverty and record plunder of state resources.

He left behind a nation with 60m people suffering from mental illnesses.

He is leaving behind the health workers on strike.

He set up traps for the next Government in order to make his own look better.

The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Friday, in Abuja, received copies of his asset declaration form at the State House, Abuja.

Buhari received the form from a delegation of the Code of Conduct Bureau led by its Chairman, Prof Isah Mohammed, who arrived at the Aso Rock Villa Friday afternoon.

This is in compliance with the provision of the 1999 constitution which mandates all public officers to declare their assets and liabilities on the assumption of office and at the end of their tenure.

The asset declaration form is a schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) and is mandatory for all elected, appointed, recruited and contracted Public Officers.

Declarants are required by Law to state their assets/liability including that of their spouses who is not a Public Officer and children under 18 years of age and submit same to the Bureau within 30 days of the receipt of the forms.

The president-elect, Bola Tinubu, the vice president-elect, Kashim Shettima and 28 incoming governors and their cabinet members as well as the state assembly members are also expected to submit their assets forms to the CCB.

According to guidelines published on the CCB website, “failure to declare the assets may result in removal from office; vacation of the official seat in any legislative house, as the case may be; imposition of fine; disqualification from membership of a legislative house and from holding of any public office for a period not exceeding 10 years and seizure and forfeiture of any property acquired in abuse or corruption of office.”

Matawalle's $2m Bribe Hoax: EFCC Will Not Bandy Words with Suspect

The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has been drawn to a trending interview granted to the Hausa Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC, by Bello Muhammed Matawalle, governor of Zamfara State, where he allegedly made wild bribery allegations against the Executive Chairman of the Commission, Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa

Matawalle's recourse to mudslinging is symptomatic of a drowning man clutching at straws. But despite the irritation of his phantom claims, the Commission will not be drawn into a mud fight with a suspect under its investigation for corruption and unconscionable pillage of the resources of his state. If Matawalle will be taken seriously, he should go beyond sabre-rattling by spilling the beans - provide concrete evidence as proof of his allegations.

Again, the Commission wishes to alert the public about plans by some of the alleged corrupt politically exposed persons to flee the country ahead of May 29. The Commission is working in close collaboration with its international partners to frustrate these escape plans and bring those involved to justice.

PRESS RELEASE
Publication of the List and Personal Particulars of Candidates for Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi State Governorship Elections