₦airaland Forum

Police in Anambra on Monday killed an arsonist in a gun battle in Ogidi in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The deceased, who stormed the police station in the area with his gang in an unmarked Toyota Hiace bus, a Toyota Hilux and three motorcycles, attempted to gain access to the station when he was shot dead.

The Nation gathered the hoodlums took to their heels immediately they were overpowered by the police.

Confirming the incident, Police spokesperson, Tochukwu Ikenga, said no loss of life was recorded on the part of the police, adding that the area has been reinforced by the Command’s tactical teams.

He said: “Today 13/2/2023 by 2:15 am, Police Operatives foiled an attack by armed men on the Ogidi Police station, demobilize one of the armed men, and recovered many expanded cartridges and 25 litres of PMS.

Read Also: Gunmen kill three cops, set vehicle ablaze in Anambra
“The hoodlums/arsonists came in their numbers with an unmarked Toyota Hiace bus, a Toyota Hilux and three motorcycles, started shooting indiscriminately and attempted to gain access in Ogidi Police Station, Idemili North.

“They were fiercely resisted by Police Officers on duty and due to the superior gunfire of the operatives, the hoodlums flee the scene while one of the armed men was neutralized by the operatives.

“The Police facility is intact and no casualty was recorded on the side of the Police. The area has been reinforced by the Tactical teams of the command, and operation is still ongoing.”

•PoS operators, hawkers sell naira notes in cities
•Emefiele’s action political, says Reps leader
Naira is now on sale, no thanks to the scarcity of both old and new notes in bank halls and their Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) terminals.

In many cities, Point of Sale (PoS) operators, bureau de change agents and emergency currency hawkers sold old and new notes to desperate Nigerians in need of cash yesterday.

Many ATM terminals in Lagos and Abuja, for instance, were empty. The few that dispensed old and new notes had crowds waiting to make withdrawals.

At a terminal along Fatai Atere Way in Matori, Mushin, the struggle to secure positions in queues resulted in fisticuffs.

The situation at the banking halls was nearly the same.

In Lagos, Bureau De Operators cashed in on the scarcity by selling the new notes.

An operator offered to sell N50,000 worth of new notes for N65,000 to a resident.

At one of the PoS points in Lagos, a resident was charged N1,000 for N10,000 worth of old notes.

In Abuja, a PoS operator collected an extra N600 charge from a resident for the N2,000 because he asked for new notes.


In Bauchi State, gunmen invaded a PoS centre in Zaki Local Government Area, snatching new notes at gunpoint. An unidentified PoS operator and two others sustained injuries.

Bank customers expressed frustrations over the scarcity of the redesigned notes across all payment channels and over-the-counter transactions.

Those who thought the 10-day extension for the use of the old notes by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will bring relief to customers were disappointed.

At Ilupeju, Lagos Mainland, there were long queues in many banks’ ATM points and banking halls, with customers rushing to deposit old notes to collect new ones.

At Town Planning, Ilupeju branches of GTBank, Access Bank and Keystone Bank, many customers who were unable to make withdrawals from the ATMs quickly rushed into the banking hall for over-the-counter transactions. They were also disappointed.

They were paid with N100 and N50 notes, irrespective of the amount they wanted to withdraw, and were further advised to do transfers.

By 11 am, the only functional ATM point in the branch had stopped dispensing cash.

At the Ajose Adeogun branch of GT Bank and Zenith Bank, only one ATM was working in each of the branches as of 4 pm.

Many customers were seen patiently waiting for their turns in the long queues at both banks’ ATMs.

A customer, Maureen Amosun, said she spent one and a half hours making N10,000 withdrawals from the GTBank ATM.

Banks receive less cash

An industry source said banks send N1 million new notes to each of their branches daily for the ATMs.

The funds are usually loaded in one ATM point, from where they are dispensed to cardholders.

Some bank branches with less customer traffic get N1 million in new note supplies every other day.

“Our branch receives N1 million daily from the headquarters. Once the money is received, it is loaded into one ATM and dispensed to customers. Once the fund is exhausted, customers will have to wait till the next day,” the source said.

Before now, banks loaded their ATMs with cash regularly, based on transaction volume and traffic at their branches.

“What we expected was for the CBN to supply enough new notes to the banks, which will be subsequently sent to the branches.

“But what we are seeing now baffles us. The notes are rationed, and cash transactions are highly restricted,” the source added.

Chaos in banks

A visit to commercial banks in Ayobo, Egbeda/Akowonjo, and Matori in Lagos showed that most of the ATMs were not dispensing cash.

The few that dispensed cash had long queues with customers waiting for hours to make a cash withdrawal.

Esther Okon, a customer of Zenith Bank, said only one ATM point was dispensing cash.

“All you see around here are Point of Sale (Pos) operators.

“Sometimes, they number up to 15 appealing to people to come and withdraw money. They too don’t have the new naira notes to give to customers,” she said.

A middle-aged woman, who simply identified herself as Mrs Ebunoluwa, while narrating her experience in a bank in Ogun State, simply described it as “harrowing”.

“I went to my bank today to deposit the old notes and also with the hope of getting new ones. To my surprise, the teller said there was no new notes except I would take old notes since it has been extended. I was livid and retorted by asking her what it meant and she quickly kept quiet,” she said.

Although she was able to deposit the old notes, she, however, left the banking hall after two hours of waiting without any hope of getting the same in sight.

Across several banks in Akute, Ogun State, the same scenario played out. Several customers queued waiting for new notes.

In one of the banks, a customer, Hakeem Muse, said he wanted to withdraw N20,000, but was paid N5,000.

“When I asked the teller why, he politely told me that it was a strategy to ensure that more customers got new notes because they don’t have enough money. I had to leave the place,” Muse said.

The queues at the ATMs around the area surpassed the ones in banking halls in Akute.

All the ATMs in the area had dried up since last week.

As of yesterday afternoon, the few dispensing ATMs dried up just before 10 am, even as customers milled around the machines hoping that it will dispense.

At the Access Bank ATM gallery in Akute, the crowd was overwhelming as cash-strapped customers waited in vain to withdraw money.

“If this bank (Access) ATM is not dispensing, it means it has dried up and that means there is trouble with the new note availability because this bank’s facility serves us extremely well here,” a customer, Bola Akinwuni, said.

The situation is not different at the First Bank of Nigeria, Matori Branch.

The banking hall was chaotic as customers struggled to get the new notes.

Its ATM gallery as of 1 pm was not dispensing cash.

The PoS operators, despite increasing their service charges, still dispensed the old notes.

Also, most of the banks’ online payment platforms did not function optimally.

Customers on banks like GTCO (GTB) and Access Bank platforms expressed frustration as they were unable to use the online payment platform.

At GT Bank, Matori, Mushin branch, many customers who wanted to withdraw cash were enraged as the bank declined to pay them in old or new notes.

The cashiers explained to the customers that although they were receiving the old notes, they had been instructed by the CBN not to pay them out.

A lady who wanted to withdraw N10,000 said she would not leave the bank until she was paid as she did not have any cash to eat or to pay for her transportation home.

She created a scene for the cashiers to gather an almost mutilated amount of N3,000 to pay her.

She was paid in denominations ranging from N20, N50 and N100, which she received excitedly because, at least, she had the money for transportation.

DSS fingers bank officials, arrests syndicate

The Department of State Services (DSS) said it intercepted some members of organised syndicates involved in the sale of the newly redesigned naira notes.

The spokesman of the agency, Dr Peter Afunanya, said in a statement that some bank officials were aiding the economic malfeasance.

“Consequently, the Service warns the currency racketeers to desist from this ignoble act.

“Appropriate regulatory authorities are, in the same vein, urged to step up monitoring and supervisory activities to expeditiously address the emerging trends.

“It should be noted that the Service has ordered its commands and formations to further ensure that all persons and groups engaged in the illegal sale of the notes are identified. Therefore, anyone with useful information relating to this is encouraged to pass the same to the relevant authorities,” the statement said.

Traders welcome deadline

Traders in Enugu and the Federal Capital Territory, however, praised the CBN for extending the deadline for the exchange of old naira notes.

They said the decision had brought back life to their business activities as they have restarted accepting the old notes.

One of the traders in Enugu, Vivian Dele, said the scarcity of the new naira notes at ATM terminals had stagnated businesses.

“I sell foodstuff at Ogbete Market and I stopped collecting old money on January 28, which has affected my business as I accept only new money and transfers.

“Many of my customers complained of the queues at the bank’s ATMs and at times, transfers will not even go,” she said.

A bank manager, who pleaded anonymity, said the rush at the banks and its ATMs was a “Nigerian factor.”

“Our challenge is Nigerians who love the last-minute rush,” he said, adding that in the last two weeks, only a few customers deposited their old currency with the bank.

Some customers in the FCT said with the deadline extension, the new notes would circulate adequately.

Lawmakers seek a six-month extension
•Tuesday deadline sacrosanct, apex bank insists
The controversy over the January 31 phaseout deadline for old naira notes has not abated.

Senators and House of Representatives members asked the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to grant a six-month extension and allow the redesigned notes to remain legal tenders alongside the new N1000, N500 and N200 bills.

But, the apex bank insisted that the date remains unchanged.

The lawmakers’ request was based on outcry from their constituents that the new notes are scarce and difficult to get from the banks

But the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, insisted that the Tuesday deadline to phase out the use of the old notes is sacrosanct.

The Senate and House of Representatives are suggesting a gradual phase-out of the old currency.

It was, however, unclear how the National Assembly plans to get the CBN to accede to the extension request.

This is because the CBN Act guarantees its independence to initiate and implement monetary policies.

The CBN Act saddles the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) with the responsibility for formulating monetary and credit policy.


The curtain dropped yesterday on the MPC’s 289th meeting, its first meeting for this fiscal year.

At the end of the meeting, the MPC raised the interest rates by 100 basis points from 16.5 per cent to 17.5 per cent.

Restating the January 31 deadline after the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting in Abuja, Emefiele said the 90 days window given by the CBN for Nigerians to deposit their old currencies was enough.

He said: “We called on the Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) to extend their working hours and to work on weekends. There is no reason to talk about a shift. The new currencies are available.”

Emefiele said the apex bank had mandated banks to feed the new notes into their Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) for Nigerians to have equal access.

He said: “We have increased disbursement of the new notes to them. There is an adequate quantity of new notes available.

“Our mint is producing and we are supplying the banks. We have super agents in underserved areas like riverine communities, and CBN staff members have been out on mobilization.

“We believe that by January 31, the new naira notes would have permeated the nooks and crannies of the country.”

According to him, the apex bank has so far received about N1.5 trillion of the old naira notes.

He urged Nigerians to accelerate the process of taking their old notes to the banks before the deadline, adding that they should not fear harassment for security agents.

Emefiele added: “We have begged the EFCC and the ICPC to allow Nigerians to deposit their old naira notes.”

But, it was learned yesterday that some banks were rationing the redesigned notes for customers who could not withdraw above N20, 000 of the new notes from the ATM.

At the Senate, Senator Sadiq Umar (APC-Kwara North) moved a motion on the floor of the Red Chamber for CBN to extend the use of old naira notes till July 31.

The upper chamber had on December 28 last year advised the CBN to extend the phasing out of old currency notes as scheduled for six months.

In his lead debate, the Kwara senator said the call has become necessary, in view of the financial hardship the “rushed” phasing out of the old naira notes would inflict on Nigeria, especially the rural populace, who don’t readily have access to banking facilities.

He argued that the redesigned bills have been scarce and therefore not available for those wishing to change their money to the new notes.

The senator said: “This is a motion for the extension of the use of the old naira notes from January 31, 2023, to July 31, 2023.



“The Senate recalls that we had a resolution in this chamber on December 28, 2022, for the CBN to extend the use of the old notes for six months as well as increase the maximum withdrawal limits permissible.

“The Senate is aware that the withdrawal limit has been increased to N500,000 weekly for individuals and N5 million weekly for corporate organizations.

“However, the CBN is insisting on terminating the use of old naira notes by the end of this month, which is barely a week away.

“Observes that there are not enough new notes in circulation and in fact, the banks’ ATMs that should be dispensing the new notes are still dispensing only the old notes, and citizens still have a lot of old notes that they are unable to deposit in banks. And right now, there are uncontrollable queues in several states in the country.

“The Senate notes that experiences around the world have shown that such abrupt decisions if not controlled as being planned by the CBN created chaos and plunged the economies into crises, a very good case in India.

“However, in countries that operate with the order as seen in the United Kingdom, new notes are currently in circulation and they are running smoothly along with the old currency.

“The Senate, therefore, resolves that the CBN should immediately extend the use of the old notes by six months – that is from January 31st to July 31st, 2023 with immediate effect.”

The motion got the backing of many senators in their contribution, but Senator Sam Egwu (PDP- Ebonyi North) opposed it.

In the Green Chamber, members urged the apex bank to review the cashless policy and review the deadline.

The House called a phased withdrawal that would last for six months in line with global practice and not force out the currency.

Adopting a motion of urgent public importance brought to the House by Rep. Sada Soli (APC, Katsina), the House called for President Muhammadu Buhari’s intervention and ensure that the apex bank review the policy in the interest of the people.

The lawmakers resolved to meet with representatives of the managing directors of the banks today to find out the availability of the new notes since the CBN has insisted that the new notes were available for the banks to take.

Soli argued that the January 31 deadline, if allowed to stand, would bot a lot of rural dwellers who lack access to banking services.

He argued that globally, currencies are phased out and not forced out of circulation, pointing out that what the CBN is trying to do is to force our old currency from circulation.

The lawmaker cited the complaints from across the country of traders rejecting the old currency notes, leading to an increase in prices of food items, while the banks complain that the new currencies are not available.

He regretted that despite appeals by the National Assembly, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), and other stakeholders, the CBN has remained adamant, insisting that the old notes must be phased out by the end of the month.

House Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila said even though the CBN is making efforts to enlighten Nigerians on the policy, the efforts may not have been enough as certain things should have been put in place before the policy comes into effect.

He said while the policy is a good policy, the modus and time frame remain the major challenge and therefore, the need to review the policy since it will not amount to a policy summersault.

Also yesterday, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) faulted the introduction of the cash swap scheme just a week before the January 31 deadline for demonetization of the old notes.

The group sought a one-year extension deadline for all Nigerians, especially those in remote and unbanked areas to exchange their old notes for new ones, citing the example of the United Kingdom, which unveiled its new notes on December 20, last year, but gave a 2024 deadline for banks to still swap old pound sterling for the new ones.

TO the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council (APC PCC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar lacks the character to be Nigeria’ President.
The PCC insisted that the one-time vice president is unfit to lead the country because he can be an easy target for compromises that will be against the national interest.

It was reacting to the opposition party’s call on the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to investigate Tinubu.

In a statement by its Director, Media and Publicity, Bayo Onanuga in Abuja, the APC PCC said Atiku lacked the moral justification to make such demand.

Onanuga maintained that by his action and utterances, the PDP flagbearer has shown that he cannot be trusted to manage the resources of Nigeria.

The statement reads: “It is obvious that the PDP and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar are yet to recover from the bombshell released last week by the APP PCC, which questioned the morality of the candidate to remain in the race, following his damaging self-confession.

“At the press conference, we called on the security agencies to arrest, investigate and prosecute Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president for running Special Purpose Vehicles (SPV) used to loot the treasury of the country, in what is now known as #Atikugate.

“Since the scandal broke out, along with legal action to compel anti-graft agencies to perform their role, Atiku and his party, PDP have laboured in vain to deflect and cover up with their series of ad hominem arguments.

“Instead of Atiku to apologise to Nigerians for abusing his office and position of trust in the past, Atiku’s spokesmen continue to dig deeper into the hole they already found themselves in by raising many false allegations against our candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“The latest chapter in Atiku and PDP’s comedy is the rehash of old tales and fables that have no basis in facts and reality against our candidate.


“Our stand remains that Atiku Abubakar lacks the character to be the president of Nigeria.

“He is unfit to lead our country because he can be an easy target for compromises that will be against national interest.

“Atiku in deeds and words has shown that he cannot be trusted to manage the resources of Nigeria.

“And we believe that the characters who still parade themselves as his spokespersons have lost their minds. This is why they think Nigerians can be swayed by all their deliberate falsehoods and the lies they manufacture every day against Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to deceive the public when they should all be remorseful for the legendary corruption of their boss.”

Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello has said the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, will convincingly win next month’s election.
Bello, who was featured on Channels Television, Politics on Sunday, said because he believes in the capacity of APC’s standard bearer, he and other leaders in the north were solidly backing Tinubu and working for him to record a landslide.

The governor, who denied the rumour that he was no longer supporting Tinubu, urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to investigate and bring to book media houses spreading falsehood.

The governor said he remains committed to the Tinubu and Kassim Shettima ticket, saying he could envision what the duo would do for the country.

Bello said: “I woke up to see that statement in the air. In this particular instance, there is no fire, talk less of smoke. It is totally fake news. It is unfortunate.

“The current electoral law empowers INEC to investigate news like this and consequently punish anyone who has been found to have gone against the law.”

He said those spreading fake news were indirectly popularising the APC and his candidate, Asiwaju Tinubu.

The governor said: “I contested for the ticket of the party, but God almighty gave it to our leader, Asiwaju Tinubu. And I have been learning from him because he is the general of the game.

“Immediately after the primary, I was the first to openly come out to give my blessing and endorse Tinubu. I believe in him. I study and envision what he would do for this country.

“My prayer and determination are to continue to do all my best for Tinubu to win in this general election.


“Those spreading fake news are making the presidential campaign of Tinubu smoother and we are going to deliver overwhelmingly.

“The victory is going to be supersonic and a landslide for our candidate, party and all other candidates.

“I can tell you that all other APC governors in the north are working together to ensure that we record a resounding victory. All of us from the north, keep fidelity and our promises and we don’t deceive.

“My commitment to Bola Ahmed Tinubu is over 100 per cent and I remain an ardent supporter, mobiliser, campaigner and driver of our leader and the president-in-waiting, Asiwaju Tinubu, and my brother, His Excellency, Senator Kassim Shettima.”

On the fake news, Bello said: “Of course, you can come up with fake news, but it is incumbent on all agencies to quickly take action against perpetrators of fake news.”

He gave the media house 24 hours to retract and tender an unreserved apology for the gaffe it committed.

“I am expecting that the management and that media house (not The Nation) will retract that publication and tender a widespread public apology within 24 hours, else I’ll brief my lawyers to do the needful,’’ the governor warned.

The Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu yesterday urged Nigerians to disallow the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from regaining power.
He also asked the Jigawa State electorate to vote for responsive and responsible leadership in the February and March elections.

Tinubu spoke during the APC presidential campaign rally held at Mallam Aminu Kano Triangle, Dutse.

He told the cheering huge crowd that having voted out the “jackals and hyenas” in the PDP in 2015, it would be disastrous to give them another opportunity back to power.

“You did the courageous job of chasing away the locusts eight years ago. Do not trust their deceptive promises. Do not let them back into power. Like locusts, they will devour everything in their path!” he said.

“Instead, vote for the people that have a track record of delivering prosperity to the people. We did it in Lagos and Borno, and with your help, we will do it again for Nigeria. Vote for the people with the vision, capacity, competence and integrity to do what is right.

“Vote for responsive and responsible leadership. Vote for us. Vote for the APC on February 25 and March 11.”

He said his administration would build on the achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari and bring the country to flourish.

Unveiling his plans, the frontline presidential candidate promised to revamp the agricultural sector while also giving great attention to developing infrastructure across the country.

He said: “The vast arable land in Jigawa will be activated to make this state a place to reckon with in agro-business and agro-allied industries.


“We will build upon the gains already recorded in agriculture in this state. We will invest in the expansion of irrigation and water management systems to increase productivity and reduce the impact of extreme weather, drought, and flood cycles on crop yields.


“Our initiatives will ensure Jigawa farmers can cultivate their lands all year round.

“If you elect me, I will consolidate the ongoing infrastructural revolution by networking our entire country with good roads that would spur development. We will use the road network to connect our major agricultural and industrial hubs.”

Reiterating the importance of securing the nation for economic growth, the APC candidate promised to provide all critical security agencies with all they require to secure the nation and make it habitable for Nigerians.

“Most importantly of all, we will secure our nation and defeat the menace posed by evil criminals, kidnappers, bandits and terrorists. We will sweep them away. Broom!” he said.

“We will do so by recruiting and deploying more security personnel across the various agencies, improving their equipment and training and deploying top-shelf technology to improve ground and aerial surveillance in key and dangerous areas.”

Overwhelmed by the tumultuous crowd, Tinubu thanked them at every turn, saying Nagode, Nagode (thank you, thank you).

Jigawa State Governor Badaru Abubakar expressed appreciation to the people of the state for turning out in large numbers to receive the presidential candidate and other party leaders.

He described Tinubu as his dear father who would soon become the “father of the nation.”

“You know me, I know you. You know what we did before and what we are doing at present. You know right from President Buhari and me, your governor, we are doing well for you. Baba Asíwájú will take over from there and double our party’s delivery for you”

Present at the rally were Tinubu’s running mate, Kashim Shettima; Senate President Ahmed Lawan; House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila and the Director-General of the campaign and Governor of Plateau, Simon Lalong.

Also at the rally were Chairman, Progressive Governors’ Forum and Kebbi State Governor Atiku Bagudu and Governors Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Umara Zulum (Borno), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe) and Bello Matawalle (Zamfara) as well as the two Deputy National Chairmen of the party, Senator Abubakar Kyari (North) and Barrister Emma Enekwu (South).

It took the double-decker bus conveying Tinubu, Shettima and other party stalwarts to the campaign ground some time to arrive the venue, owing to the traffic jam caused by the movement of party supporters.

The high point of the rally was the formal defection of the governorship candidate of the Labour Party in the state, Comrade Abdullahi Tsoho and 20 candidates for the House of Assembly of the party to the APC.

Tosoho said they decided to team up with the APC because of their love for Tinubu.

Klington:
In Africa, even at the point of death, nobody ever resigns from their position to take care of their failing health.

Wishing him quick recovery.

They won't resign when they can use government money to treat themselves plus its an avenue to steal money...

Olanipekun raises concern over Section 65 of Electoral Act
•Agbakoba seeks clarification on Section 134 of 1999 Constitution

Next

Stay

Two legal luminaries — Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) and Olisa Agbakoba — yesterday expressed reservations about certain provisions of the Electoral Act  and 1999 Constitution capable of threatening the February and March polls.

Olanipekun, Chairman of the Body of Benchers, said the power vested in Returning Officers by Section 65 of the Act can threaten free and fair elections.

Agbakoba urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to clarify the commission’s position on Section 134 of the 1999 Constitution.

He said Section 134, which provides requirements to be met by a presidential candidate before being declared winner, should be clarified.

Olanipekun faulted Section 65 of the Electoral Act, saying it was capable of being abused.

The section provides: “(1) The decision of the Returning Officer shall be final on any question arising from or relating to – (a) unmarked ballot paper; (b) rejected ballot paper; and (c) declaration of scores of candidates and the return of a candidate provided that the Commission shall have the power within seven days to review the declaration and return where the Commission determines that the said declaration and return was not made voluntarily or was made contrary to the provisions of the law, regulations and guidelines, and manual for the election.

“(2) A decision of the Returning Officer under Sub-section (1) may be reviewed by an election tribunal or court of competent jurisdiction in an election petition proceedings under this Act.”

Olanipekun, a former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), wondered why the section was inserted into the Electoral Act and passed by the National Assembly without thorough scrutiny.

He believes it is a booby trap for a free and fair election.

The foremost legal luminary spoke in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, when he visited Governor Biodun Oyebanji.

Olanipekun said it would amount to grave disaster for the electoral process, should the returning officers begin to review already announced results.

He argued that the officers were not law courts or tribunals with such powers.

The legal luminary noted that the controversial section left much to be desired and posed a potent threat to the nation’s democratic process.

The provision amounts to usurpation of the powers of the judicial arm constitutionally mandated to adjudicate on electoral matters.

Olanipekun said: “To me, it is a very dangerous section, so novel in the sense that, here you have a section that empowers a Returning Officer to review his decision within a period of seven days.

 ”The Returning Officer is not a court of law, not a tribunal, not vested with jurisdiction to exercise quasi-judicial powers or to assume jurisdiction over any matter that is judicial in nature.

“By implication, the Chief Returning Officer, the Chairman of INEC, can return someone as President today, and tomorrow, when there are agitations here and there, he may withdraw his decision, saying: ‘I am revising myself and I am now returning somebody else’.

By that section, you are giving a returning officer in an election, and by extension INEC, the power to do and undo.

“I am of the firm belief that vesting them with such power to return candidates and review their decisions poses a danger to the polity.”

Olanipekun urged the National Assembly to, as a matter of urgency, to delete the controversial section to avert a political crisis capable of consuming the country’s democratic and electoral process.

Also yesterday, another former NBA president, Dr Agbakoba said he was awaiting INEC’s response to his letter in which he raised issues concerning a section of the 1999 Constitution on the declaration of a presidential candidate as the winner.

In the letter to the INEC chairman, Agbakoba said he was “a little worried” about the correct interpretation of Section 134 of the 1999 Constitution that provides requirements to be met by a presidential candidate to be declared the winner.

The section provides: “(1) A candidate for an election to the Office of President shall be deemed to have been duly elected, where, there being only two candidates for the election – (a)  he has the majority of votes cast at the election; and (b) he has not less than one-quarter of the votes cast at the election in each of, at least, two-thirds of all the states in the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

“(2) A candidate for an election to the Office of President shall be deemed to have been duly elected where, there being more than two candidates for the election – (a) he has the highest number of votes cast at the election; and (b) he has not less than one-quarter of the votes cast at the election in each of at least two-thirds of all the states in the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.”

Agbakoba stated that a careful review of Section 134 leaves possible interpretations that raise three significant questions.

He said: “(1) The requirement that a presidential candidate must score not less than one-quarter of the votes cast at the election in each of at least two-thirds of the 36 states of the federation: does this mean that the FCT Abuja is incorporated in the 24 states? 

“(2) The requirement that a presidential candidate must score not less than one-quarter of the votes cast at the election in each of at least two-thirds of the 36 states of the Federation: does it mean that the presidential candidate must also score not less than one-quarter of the votes cast at the election at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja?

“(3) Can a candidate that scored not less than one-quarter of the votes cast at the election in 36 states of the federation, but failed to score one-quarter of the votes cast at the election at the FCT, be duly elected as President of Nigeria?   

“Finally, Section 134(1)(a) provides that a candidate for an election to the office of President shall be deemed to have been duly elected, where, there being only two candidates for the election, the candidate has the majority of votes cast at the election.

“But Section 134(2) provides that a candidate for an election to the Office of President shall be deemed to have been duly elected where, there being more than two candidates for the election, the candidate has the highest number of votes cast at the election.

“The constitution describes the winner in two different languages. 

“One, the winner must score the majority of votes and the other, the winner must score the highest number of votes. This is confusing.

“To be honest, I am not quite sure of the right answers to my questions.  I just thought to bring this to your attention as something you might wish to clarify to the public.”

Speaking during a chat on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, Agbakoba said should the election end in a run-off, a winner would emerge through a simple majority.

He said: “This is the toughest election that we are going into, very uncertain. We have for the first time a very serious third force.”

INEC has declared its ability to conduct a run-off, should that happen.

In the letter to the INEC chairman, Agbakoba said he was “a little worried” about the correct interpretation of Section 134 of the 1999 Constitution that provides requirements to be met by a presidential candidate to be declared the winner.

The section provides: “(1) A candidate for an election to the Office of President shall be deemed to have been duly elected, where, there being only two candidates for the election – (a)  he has the majority of votes cast at the election; and (b) he has not less than one-quarter of the votes cast at the election in each of, at least, two-thirds of all the states in the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

“(2) A candidate for an election to the Office of President shall be deemed to have been duly elected where, there being more than two candidates for the election – (a) he has the highest number of votes cast at the election; and (b) he has not less than one-quarter of the votes cast at the election in each of at least two-thirds of all the states in the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.”

Agbakoba stated that a careful review of Section 134 leaves possible interpretations that raise three significant questions.

He said: “(1) The requirement that a presidential candidate must score not less than one-quarter of the votes cast at the election in each of at least two-thirds of the 36 states of the federation: does this mean that the FCT Abuja is incorporated in the 24 states? 

“(2) The requirement that a presidential candidate must score not less than one-quarter of the votes cast at the election in each of at least two-thirds of the 36 states of the Federation: does it mean that the presidential candidate must also score not less than one-quarter of the votes cast at the election at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja?

“(3) Can a candidate that scored not less than one-quarter of the votes cast at the election in 36 states of the federation, but failed to score one-quarter of the votes cast at the election at the FCT, be duly elected as President of Nigeria?   

“Finally, Section 134(1)(a) provides that a candidate for an election to the office of President shall be deemed to have been duly elected, where, there being only two candidates for the election, the candidate has the majority of votes cast at the election.

“But Section 134(2) provides that a candidate for an election to the Office of President shall be deemed to have been duly elected where, there being more than two candidates for the election, the candidate has the highest number of votes cast at the election.

“The constitution describes the winner in two different languages. 

“One, the winner must score the majority of votes and the other, the winner must score the highest number of votes. This is confusing.

“To be honest, I am not quite sure of the right answers to my questions.  I just thought to bring this to your attention as something you might wish to clarify to the public.”

Speaking during a chat on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, Agbakoba said should the election end in a run-off, a winner would emerge through a simple majority.

He said: “This is the toughest election that we are going into, very uncertain. We have for the first time a very serious third force.”

INEC has declared its ability to conduct a run-off, should that happen.

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has detailed his plans towards quelling secessionist agitations and unrest across the country.
Obi made his stance known yesterday during a media briefing at the Chatham House, in London. Various secessionist groups such as the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Yoruba Nation have unleashed mayhem on Nigerians, which has induced insecurity amongst the populace.

In response to a question regarding the situation, Obi vehemently refused to criticise the movements, while detailing the cause of such agitations. He said: “When 40 per cent of your population is unemployed, there will be all sorts of problems which is what caused this agitation and this is as a result of leadership failure over the years and once there is good leadership; these problems will be solved.

“So, yes, I will talk and speak with all agitators.”

Obi also pledged to prosecute saboteurs who have held the country’s power sector hostage, while ensuring the elimination of fuel subsidies to boost revenues from other crucial sectors.

He said: “Monies have to be put into crucial areas, which is why I am insistent on the elimination of fuel subsidies. This is why we need to dismantle the structure of criminality holding the country back. I am going to declare war on those holding the country back, especially in the power sector.

“We are committed to building a New Nigeria for the youths in order to bring back the Diaspora,” Obi revealed.”

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has explained why he won’t join the campaign train of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi.
Obasanjo, in his New Year message to Nigerians, entitled: “My appeal to all Nigerians particularly young Nigerians,” pledged his support for Obi.

The former President, who spoke on Thursday, at a virtual engagement organised by Africa Leadership Group with theme: “Leadership and nation-building,” stated that he had no regrets about leading Nigeria.


He outlined that character, attributes, attitude, skills, and most importantly, fear of God are needed for leadership.


He said: “Nigeria is where we are because of leadership.

“We must decisively look for men and women who have the character, attributes, skill and attitude that we need for leadership, that will deliver in this country.”

Speaking on why he won’t join Obi’s campaign train, Obasanjo noted that he has done his best by writing his endorsement plainly.

Obasanjo said: “I am not in campaign train. I’ve used benefit of my experience and I’ve put plainly.

“I do not belong to any political party. I will not join any campaign train. I’ve said what is best for the country”.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it has registered 93, 469,008 voters for the 2023 polls.
A breakdown indicates men constitute 52.5 percent while women make up 47.5 percent of the total figure.

This was contained in the final list of registered voters released to political parties by the electoral body on Wednesday at the Commission’s Headquarters in Abuja.

Arewa Community in Lagos yesterday endorsed All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his running mate, Senator Kashim Ibrahim, for next month’s poll.
The Northern groups promised to mobilise Northerners in Lagos and network with their kith and kin across the country to vote for the ruling party.

Members of the Arewa Group under the aegis of Arewa Support Movement and ‘Arewa Community in APC’ converged on Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, for a rally attended by Tinubu and Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.

The Northern groups were led by Alhaji Saadu Dandare, Chairman of Arewa Community in Lagos APC, and Kabiru Abdulahi, Lagos State Commissioner for Waterfront and Infrastructure.

Ganduje, who hailed the huge crowd for its solidarity, described Tinubu as adetriabalise Nigerian and a product of unity.

After the rally, Tinubu stormed the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos for a special prayer organized by an Islamic Movement, Al-Jamahatul Quadiriyah Islamic Movement of Nigeria.

Also yesterday, Kwara State Governor AbdulRahaman AbdulRazaq said Tinubu is unstoppable, adding that the state will vote for him.

At the Onikan rally, Ahmed Tinubu promised to honour his campaign promises to Nigerians, to foster national integration and be fair to all ethnic groups constituting the heterogeneous country.


The APC candidate said under his leadership, Nigerians will live in peace, despite their ethnic and religious differences.

Tinubu said: “My respect for this country will continue to increase, and I will honour all my pledges that we all will live in harmony. We belong in each other’s hearts.”

He also assured that his government would be for all Nigerians, not favouring any religion or tribe.

Tinubu recalled that when he was governor of Lagos State, he appointed people into the State Executive Council from other regions of the country.

He said: “From the moment I enlisted in politics, I have always been nationalistic and detribalised in my approach. I do not operate on the basis of ethnicity, region or religion. I have friends and associates in all corners of this country.

“As governor of Lagos State, I constituted a cabinet, comprising competent people from all parts of Nigeria. We had the Yoruba, as we had the Igbo and Arewa. What was important to me was not your ethnicity or creed, it was your competence and the value you would bring to governance and people.

“To replicate this feat for the country is why I have offered myself for the presidency.”

On his plans for the country, most especially the North, Tinubu promised to tackle the security situation across the country, stressing that the economy cannot thrive in an insecure environment.

Tinubu added: “If elected president, my highest priorities shall be the protection of our land and prosperity of its people. I shall tackle this nation’s problems with a commitment to solving them.

“I will give priority to confronting security, making the economy one of widely shared prosperity and paying special attention to agriculture like the present government of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“On security, my policy is not an artificial one created to sound good for this campaign. Our security policy is based on dedicated study and long conversations with experts in this field.

“I used the same approach to tackle the bad security situation that faced me when I became governor of Lagos. I created programmes and institutions to solve the real and dangerous challenges Lagos faced. I shall increase security personnel and better equip them. Advanced air and ground surveillance technology will identify, track and attack the criminals until they are utterly defeated.”

Tinubu also promised to provide jobs for youths, while also ensuring that electricity generation is improved to allow more people to set up small businesses to feed their families.

He said great attention would be given to agriculture, to ensure that there is increased food security through enhanced productivity and improved farm incomes, thus returning farming to its prominent position.


The standard bearer also promised to invest in road and rail infrastructural development to ensure easy movement of goods and products while also strengthening the education sector to guarantee the future and guide the youth toward better lives.

Tinubu said: “We will invest in the Kolmani Oil Wells Project inaugurated by President Buhari and indeed, in all vital infrastructural projects such as the Mambilla Power Project, the AKK gas pipeline projects.

“We shall revive our inland waterways through the dredging of the River Niger and make sure we cut down on our steel import bill by making the Ajaokuta Steel Company work.”

Ganduje said Nigeria is a country of diversity, nothing that Tinubu has demonstrated that he could utilise the country’s diversity for development and prosperity.

He said: “He is a symbol of unity, a product of unity in diversity. He is the right person to be endorsed by Arewa and the best for the presidency.”

Arewa community leader Dandare said Tinubu had done a lot for Lagos and Nigeria, adding that if the country has more of him in each geo-political zones, it will be a better place and people will not be flocking Lagos.

At the prayer session at the National Stadium, Tinubu urged Nigerians to emulate the patriotism of the Al-Jamahatul Quadiriyah Islamic Movement of Nigeria.

He said: “Al-Jamahatul Quadiriyah Islamic Movement, the Lagos chapter, has shown us that we should always help our neighbours with prayer, either they are in good condition or they are still striving for good living.”

Ganduje, who also accompanied the presidential candidate to the event, said the Quadiriyah movement had exhibited peaceful co-existence among Nigerians, adding that the motive for praying for the nation teaches indiscrimination and religious tolerance.

He said: “Al-Jamahatul Quadiriyah Islamic Movement, Lagos chapter, has replicated what Bola Tinubu will add to his national propagation if he is elected into office.”

One of the leaders of the Islamic Movement, Khaleefah Ahmad Rufai, Naqeebul-Ashraf, said Quadiriyah had prayed for a thriving economy and national security in Nigeria because a country with good human welfare will attract local and foreign investment.

He said: “We wish Bola Tinubu long life; prosperity and an increase in godly wisdom in sound health.”

APC candidate unstoppable, says AbdulRazaq
Abdulrazaq said Tinubu will win the poll, adding that nothing, but God can stop Tinubu from winning.

Abdulrazaq said this in Ilorin, Kwara state capital, during a special prayer organised by North Central Agenda for Asiwaju/Shettima (NCAA).

Represented by his Deputy, Kayode Alabi, Abdulrazaq said: “Tinubu is a good man. He is a great man. There is no way you can have that kind of heart that God will not bless you.

“Asiwaju Tinubu was the governor of Lagos State between 1999 and 2007. How many governors in Nigeria are still relevant as Asiwaju up till now? None. Do you know why? Because he is a good man.

“I told the wife when they came for women rally in support of Asiwaju’s presidential ambition last year that her husband’s victory is a done deal. I told her that ‘God has blessed your husband.’

“I am saying it again now that nothing can stop Asiwaju from winning the February 25 presidential election except God. And I know for certain that God will not stop a good man. Nobody is perfect. Everyone of us here is not perfect. Only God is perfect. Don’t talk about his imperfections.

“Once he wins the election, we will also win the March 11 governorship/ House of Assembly election. It is will have bandwagon effect.

“I urge you all to vote for Tinubu, National Assembly candidates, Governor Abdulrazaq and House of Assembly candidates so that I will be deputy governor for another for years.”

SWAGA Chairman Senator Dayo Adeyeye said Nigeria needed Tinubu’s services in this time of emergency.

He said: “In times of difficulty in the life of a nation is when the services and intellect of a great leader are needed. The great leader will turn the situation around.

This is actually the time we need Asiwaju. When things are rosy; when things are good; when the economy is doing fine, you may afford not to have a fantastic leader.

“But in times of difficulty, when the nation is sickly, when things are bad and when hope is lost, you need a leader like Tinubu to bring the country out of debts and take the country to higher level. This is the time we need Tinubu to steer the ship of state to a safe harbour.”

Those campaigning in Rivers State for the election of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in cannot have access to the public facilities secured rallies by the local chapter of the party.
The state chapter paid N95 million to get the government’s approval to use public places, especially school premises.


Confirming the payment, spokesperson of the State PDP Campaign Council, Ogbonna Nwuke, said the places were secured for campaigns the party’s governorship, national and state House of Assembly rallies.

The state PDP, led by Governor Nyesom Wike, reportedly paid the money to cover all campaigns for the party’s candidates in line with the provisions of the Order 21 issued by his administration.

It was gathered that the N95 million only covered all public facilities the Wike-led PDP had booked to campaign for its state’s candidates, excluding the presidential standard bearer.


The Order requires that any party intending to use public schools for campaign must apply to the Commissioner for Education and pay a non-refundable fee of N5 million, which will be used to clean, maintain and repair the schools after the rallies.

It was learnt that Atiku’s men, intending to campaign for their candidate under the auspices the PDP Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) as well as other political parties like the All Progressives Congress (APC) were expected to meet the Order 21 requirements.

Nwuke said the money was paid to demonstrate PDP’s belief in and obedience to the laws of the state.

He advised other parties to toe a similar path arguing that if the party controlled by the governor could pay the money, others had no excuses to flout the order.


Nwuke said no party desiring to use a public facility for rallies including those campaigning for Atiku under the auspices of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council was above the law of the state and must comply with the order.


He dismissed the reports that the N95 million was paid by Atiku’s campaigners as preposterous and a twisted narrative sponsored by the enemies of the state.

The Commissioner for Education, Prof Chinedum Mbom, had through a letter addressed to the Rivers PDP acknowledged the receipt of N95 million from the party leadership.

In the letter, Mbom said: “I hereby acknowledge receipt of your deposit of N95 million only into the state government account, being the required precautionary deposit for the use of your indicated public schools’ facilities in Rivers State.

“Sequel to your compliance with the directive as contained in our letter dated 6th December, 2022, I hereby convey to you, my approval of your request for the use of State-owned schools’ facilities as indicated in the annexure to your application.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned Nigerians about a fake portal purportedly used for the recruitment of ad hoc staff for 2023 general election.



According to the Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi, the portal is fake as the commission is no longer recruiting for the election.



The statement read;



“The website/blog below is advertising ad hoc staff positions for the 2023 general election.

“However, the commission is no longer recruiting ad hoc staff for the 2023 general election.

“The INEC ad hoc staff recruitment portal was officially shut down on December 14 2022.

“Therefore, the site, with the URL –http://www.yournewclaims.com/Inec-Recriutment/ is fake. It is intended to defraud unsuspecting members of the public. Nigerians should disregard it.”

Banks holding majority stakes in six electricity distribution companies (DisCos) yesterday got a marching order from the Federal Government to divest within 12 months.


Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu, who gave the ultimatum, said the government was monitoring the operations and divestment process of the six DisCos to ensure compliance with the core objectives of restructuring the power firms.

He said the banks have been mandated to find serious investors to sell their 60 per cent equity in the Abuja, Kano, Kaduna, Benin, Ibadan and Port Harcourt DisCos.

Aliyu spoke in Abuja at the 11th edition of the ‘PMB Administration Scorecard Series (2015-2023)’ organised by the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture.


He said the government sacked the previous core investors to make them more responsible, adding that the government was determined to put the DisCos on their feet.

According to him, restructuring of the six Discos included the sacking of the previous core investors due to poor performance and the composition of a new board and management to run them.


The minister said: “For the benefit of the doubt when I say we have restructured the Discos this is just saying it mildly.

“Restructuring means that we have sacked the core investors. We have sacked the management and allowed the lenders to take over.

“Either banks or the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) hold the franchise.


“So the banks have taken over 60 per cent ownership. We have allowed the banks, the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to take control.

“The lenders provided the chairmanship of the Discos. The BPE provided part of the management, including the managing directors and then the CBN provided the chief financial officer (CFO) and the auditor.

“So this is the position we are now with the six discos. They are Abuja, Kano, Kaduna, Benin, Ibadan and Port Harcourt. One may ask why only six? What about the rest?

“You know we have 11 of them. Three out of the 11 Discos are performing well, that is two in Lagos and one in Enugu. They are not doing badly.

“Jos Disco was re-concessioned in 2022 and Yola was re-concessioned last year. These two Discos are working very hard to improve. So we have to give time to settle down.

“In a way, we have restructured the whole of the 11 discos in one way or the other. Now, it is to help them since we have made them more responsible.

“We are trying to help them to get on their feet.”

The minister spoke about the Nigeria Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP).

He said: “It is a loan of $500 million which initially we refused to take for the Discos because of their situation. We don’t trust the way things have been handled.

“So, the loan has been there with the World Bank since last year but we did not take it until when we were able to restructure.

“Even now that Mr. President has approved through the Federal Executive Council, the DISREP, there are some conditions tied to them so that we can remove the risks attached to it. This is the situation.

“I hope and it is not going to be forever because banks are not in the business of providing electricity.

“So we have given them six months to one year to find someone serious to sell their 60 per cent equity to those in the business of electricity. This is the situation now and we are monitoring.”

He said the administration of President Buhari will bequeath 22,000MW capacity to the nation before leaving office next year, adding that Siemens was engaged in the power sector to raise the operational capacity from 7000 MW to 11, 000MW and 25, 000MW in 2025.

On tariffs, he said electricity is not a cheap commodity the world over.

He said Nigerians can cut costs by being careful about how they manage and use electricity, noting that the government was doing its best to protect lower-income citizens because of the nexus between lack of access to electricity and poverty.

The minister said: “We have service band from A to E. Accordingly, Band A will be provided with 22 hours of service. But they have to pay for it. Electricity is not a cheap commodity the world over.

“The cost of gas to power is being subsidised by the government by more than half to cushion the effects of electricity cost to the end users.

“The government used to fill up the gap. It used to be N600 billion per annum for the shortfall. But through some reviews we have been able to reduce it to N152 billion.

“Even at N152 billion the government pays in N152 billion, they take loans to pay in order to cushion the effect for all of us. And you know the situation of government finances nowadays. The government may not be able to continue doing that. We have to gradually live up to that.

Read Also: ‘Allow DISCOs operate as private companies’

“We have to be more careful about how we use electricity and how we are able to manage the electricity in order to reduce the cost by ourselves by using it when it is necessary. So this is the situation we are in.

“We have done all of this while protecting our lower-income citizens (that do not always receive adequate electricity) by maintaining subsidies for the lower tariff bands while allowing those with adequate power to pay relatively higher prices. Tariff shortfalls have been reduced by over 80 per cent and we are on the path to having a sustainable market that can pay for itself.

“We have put a focus on electricity poverty. It is proven through various studies that there is a strong nexus between lack of electricity access and poverty.

“Prior to this administration, there was no coherent policy on Rural Electrification with key provisions of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act to electrify rural populations largely ignored. “This administration established the Rural Electrification Fund that provides up to 70% grants for rural mini-grid and solar home systems. Currently REF has electrified more than 300,000 citizens in its short existence. The Ministry is working with REA to expand the Rural Electrification Fund to create more opportunities for rural access.”

According to him, this administration will bequeath to Nigerians 4,000MW of additional generating capacity. It will complete and commission the 700MW Zungeru Hydro Power Plant in the first quarter of 2023.

“We will also see to the operationalization of the 240MW Afam III and 300MW Okpai Phase II to mention a few. We will set the country on a stable path for 10,000MW of supplied energy (today we are at 8,000MW with 5,000MW on-grid and 3,000MW+ of industrial captive off-grid) and we will leave an installed capacity of almost 22,000MW.

“We also have robust programmes ongoing with facilities and investments secured of over $3 billion to eliminate the large gap between our transmission capacity and supplied energy.

“We have repositioned the Siemens Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) and after a slow start, we have begun to take delivery of critical equipment. You may recall that accelerated orders were placed for 10 power transformers and 10 mobile substations, with a delivery schedule beginning Sep’22. So far, six of the 10 power transformers have already arrived on the shores of Nigeria and we have started installation in various locations while the remaining four are expected in Dec’22 and January 2023. The mobile substations are expected from January 2023 through to April 2023.

“As far as I am concerned, it is a government-to-government collaboration between the Nigerian Government and the German Government through President Muhammadu Buhari and the previous German Chancellor, Angerla Merkel, where Merkel agreed to help in giving us a loan under concessionary terms to bring Siemens to implement the rehabilitation of our infrastructure in three phases. Phase one is to raise the operational capacity from 7000 MW to 11, 000MW to 25, 000MW.

“Phase I is supposed to be a quick one because already the TCN capacity is not matching or rather I would say the discos capacity is not matching with the TCN capacity. There are some interfaces, and infrastructure problems. You may have the capacity of TCN up to 8000MW but there is no evacuation due to some interface problem. So that is what Phase One is set out to do, to quickly take the level to where it is balanced.

“And then Phase Two is to further expand to 11, 000MW, and the Phase Three to take the whole value chain from generation, transmission to distribution through up to 2025 to 25, 000MW. So and the loan is around two million Euros.”

He said the government completed a total of 105 power transformer projects between 2015 to 2022, adding a capacity of 6,216MVA to the national grid.

He listed some of the completed power transformer/substation projects including the 150MVA 330/132kV Interbus Power Transformer at Ughelli, Delta IV transmission substation and the 150MVA 330/132kV power transformer at Ayade Transmission Substation

Others are the 2x150MVA 330/132/33kV Substation at Lafia, Nasarawa State, and the 2x60MVA 132/33kV Dawaki/Gwarinpa Substation which was recently completed in November 2022 under the Abuja Feeding Scheme.

The projects also included the 2x60MVA 132/33kV Gagarawa Substation, 2x60MVA 132/33kV Substation at Adiabor, 2x30MVA 132/33kV Yelwa Yauri the1x30MVA 132/33kV Ilashe Substation and the 1x40MVA 132/33kV Substation at Bichi, Kano State among others.

According to the minister, a number of substations and bay extensions were nearing completion and were expected to be inaugurated by the first and second quarters of 2023.

He said a total of 900km of reconductoring and construction of new transmission lines were completed during the period 2015 – 2022.

Some of the key lines, according to him, included reconductoring of the 140km 132kV Birnin- Kebbi to Sokoto transmission line (April 2021) and the completion of 330kv Aloji – Ikot Ekpene transmission line.

Others were the 132kV Ihovbor – Okada transmission line, completion of 330kv Gombe – Damaturu transmission line, among others.

The minister said some transmission line projects nearing completion and expected to be inaugurated by Q1 and Q2 of 2023 included the Kaduna – Jos Double Circuit Transmission Line and Benin-Ajaokuta 330kV Single Circuit.

He pointed out that the ongoing $2 billion electricity grid maintenance, expansion and rehabilitation programme across the country is estimated to create 45,000 direct and indirect jobs.

He said in delivering the projects, the federal government leveraged the support of the various State Governors to resolve Right of Way (ROW) issues.

He gave the example of the ROW issue recently resolved in Kumbotso-Dan Agundi in Kano which, according to him, lingered for more than 10 years.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters along Owerri Port Harcourt road in Imo State came under heavy bombardment by gunmen in the early hours of Monday.
The gunmen threw grenades through the commission’s fence, destroying several offices and vehicles parked in the premises.

However, the police stationed at the INEC office engaged the gunmen in a heavy shootout , leaving three of the gunmen wearing charms and Biafra camouflages dead.

INEC public relations officer, Dr. Chinenye Chijioke-Osuji confirmed the attack to the Nation.

Details Shortly…

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has said there is no justification for retaining the Presidency in the North in 2023.


He urged those protesting against the same faith ticket to ponder on the neglect of zoning or rotation of the president between the North and the South.

The governor said those saying that the country is not ripe for Muslim-Muslim ticket should be courageous to decry the abolition of presidential zoning in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Wike spoke yesterday at the special dedication service for the Rivers State PDP 2023 General Election Campaign Rallies, which held at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Port Harcourt, the state capital.


Also yesterday, All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Asiwaju Bola Tinubu promised to be fair to all Nigerians, irrespective of their religious inclinations.

Wike, in a statement by his Special Assistant, Media, Kelvin Ebiri, maintained that persons involved in doublespeak were trying to hoodwink some gullible few.


He said such individuals knew that they were insulting the sensibility of well-meaning Nigerians, who desired a united country to advance national cohesion.

Wike said: “You play on people’s intelligence; you say Nigeria is not ripe for Muslim-Muslim ticket, I agree. But Nigeria is ripe for presidency to remain in one zone? I mean, just look at the insult. You blow hot and cold.”

The governor asked people condemning the Muslim-Muslim ticket to also know that Nigerians were also against the retention of the presidency in the North after President Muhammadu Buhari.


He said: “Most of you just sit there, you don’t ask yourselves questions. Somebody continues to sell this kind of cheap ideas. You don’t ask the person. I agree with what you are saying, but look at what we are saying here.

“Your party wants the presidency to go to the same zone where President Muhammadu Buhari is coming from. Who is cheating who?”

The Rivers governor also reminded the church of the need to participate in the voting process.

He, however, warned them against serving as cannon fodder to any political party or actor.

Wike pleaded with the church to be careful and resist those politicians, who came to mobilise them as if there was a religious war to wage.

He said: “It is not now that politics have come, you want to come and tell the church a different story for your own personal interest.”



Tinubu: I will be fair to all



Tinubu promised to be fair and just to all Nigerians, irrespective of race, religion and creed, if elected in next year’s election.

He also pledged to retool the economy for the benefit of Nigerians.

Tinubu gave the commitment in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, during a town hall meeting with Muslim leaders from the Southwest geopolitical zone.

The President-General of the League of Imams and Alfas of Yorubaland Sheikh Kewulere Bello advised Tinubu to tackle the menace of insecurity and unemployment across the country when elected.

He advised Tinubu to tackle insecurity and unemployment, if elected.

He said: “There have been kidnapping cases in the country. Please, help us to tackle it.

“Secondly, our children have gone to school, they have graduated, and most of them have no jobs. We want you to help us to provide jobs for them when you get there.

“We also want you to help us to tackle the problem of ethnic rivalries in the country. This is our third request.”

Addressing the clerics, he promised to be “a fair and just leader”, adding: “My pledge for fairness and justice is consistent with the tenets of the Islamic faith.”

He stressed: “A leader in a plural society like ours is enjoined to be a leader of all. If elected, I shall govern honestly and democratically in harmony with our nation’s constitution.”

A statement by his media aide, Tunde Rahman, in Abuja said Tinubu cited his excellent stewardship as Lagos State governor and promised to use that experience to lead Nigeria in the “same spirit of innovation and pragmatic vision to uplift the nation and renew the hope of Nigerians.”

He described the 2023 general elections as “Nigeria’s momentous encounter with destiny”, urging the clerics to educate their followers on the importance of voting only for tested candidates with track records of excellent public service, “and not falling for the lies and gimmicks of those that have nothing to offer.”

Tinubu, who spoke in English and Yoruba, said: “This election season has been a hybrid of facts and falsehood, truth and lies. I would like the election to be one based on facts and truth.

“What is a candidate’s record of performance and what are his policies? I ask you to urge your followers to come out and vote and to do so wisely. Vote for a candidate that has a vision for a peaceful, prosperous Nigeria where tolerance and compassion undergird our constitutional and legal rights.”

On security, Tinubu vowed to end terror, kidnappings and other violent crimes by recruiting more personnel that would be trained and retrained, in addition to providing more security tools and gadgets for an effective fight against criminal elements.

The nation’s economy, according to Tinubu, would be diversified and restructured towards achieving at least six per cent growth annually.

These goals, he promised, would be achieved through the reforms of the country’s industrial policy, infrastructural enhancement, power sector innovation and significant budgetary reforms.

Tinubu said: “Regarding the economy, we seek to repair the very structure of the economy. We can no longer flourish as an economy based on natural resource extraction.

“We must become a dynamic, diversified economy where those who want to work can find a good job. But let us also be a society sufficiently compassionate to help those who cannot help themselves.

“We must revive manufacturing and industrial growth to create jobs as well as produce the goods and services that improve the daily lives of the average person.

“We seek a minimum of six per cent growth annually through reform of our industrial policy, infrastructural enhancement, power sector innovation and significant budgetary reform.”

On his plan for the agricultural sector, the APC standard bearer promised to guarantee food security through enhanced productivity and improved farm incomes to ensure that no child goes to bed without food to eat.


He said: “In the end, may no Nigerian parent send a child to bed hungry, despairing about what tomorrow might bring. Instead, let all of our children, regarding of their faith or creed, be able to lay their head down believing in a better tomorrow of hope renewed.”

Tinubu commended religious leaders in the country for their continued prayers and sermons, which he noted, had contributed to unity and peaceful coexistence.

He urged Nigerians to collect their Permanent Voters Cards (PVC) and vote for him, saying a single vote in democracy can determine who wins an election.

“I’m the only one that can do it, God will help me to fulfil all my promises to Nigerians, God is our pathfinder, God will set my foot to the right path when I get there,” he assured.

He commended Northern governors who insisted that power must shift to the South, saying he didn’t believe it initially until it became a reality.

“There was commotion when I said it’s my turn. One thing is for someone to say ‘It’s my turn’, another is for God to answer the prayer. Only God enthrones. I don’t just want to get there but to render service to humanity,” he said.

Tinubu said if elected, there would be loans for traders and there would be commodity market which would serve as an avenue for selling their goods and services.

His words: “There will also be stable power supply, Nigeria started with India in terms of electricity, India has moved forward, it is not as if they are wiser than us. Our education sector will also be taken care of, there wouldn’t be any strike in the public institution if I emerge.

“Is not good not to have doctors and equipment in our hospitals. I want to assure you that if I’m elected with your votes as the president, health of Nigerians will be prioritised.”

Folarin said though he has been having interaction with Muslim leaders across the state, they should do more by supporting the APC presidential candidate.

He said: “We are not here to market Tinubu because he is a Muslim, but his track record and capacity speak for him compared with other candidates.”

Folarin also thanked northern leaders for their role in power shift to the South.

Hamzat said only the person that knows the way should be followed, saying his past achievements distinguished him from other candidates.

He said Tinubu’s achievement in Lagos is the good reason for Nigerians to vote him as president, adding that solutions to the country’s problem are already explained in Tinubu’s manifesto christened: “Renewed Hope”.

The National Chief Missioner of Anwar-ur- Deen Movement, Sheikh Ahmad Abdulrahman, said the gathering was not to campaign or endorse Tinubu or any candidate, but ask whether Asíwájú Tinubu can still deliver for the country as he did as governor of Lagos State.”

Tinubu was accompanied to the meeting by the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr Femi Hamzat, the APC governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Teslim Folarin, former House of Representatives Speaker, Dimeji Bankole, Deputy Director-General of his campaign, Hadiza Bala Usman, Senator Fatai Buhari from Oyo State, former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Rauf Olaniyan; Malam Nuhu Ribadu; Akeem Adeyemi; Dr. Yunus Akintunde; son of former Governor of Oyo State, Olamiju Akala; and other APC candidates.

Muslim leaders at the meeting include Secretary-General, League of Imams and Alfas of Yorubaland, Sheikh Ahmad Aladesawe; MUSWEM pioneer Executive Secretary, Prof Dawud Noibi; the National chairman, JIBWIS, Sheikh Dr Abdullahi Bala Lau; Sheikh Abdulfatah Thani, and Alh. Mutiu Oladejo.

The APC candidate had earlier interfaced with Bishops from Pentecostal Churches in the 19 states of the North and the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria, where he delivered a similar message as he did to the Muslim leaders of Southwest.

He had told the Christian leaders that if elected, he would run an inclusive government that will be blind to ethnicity and religion, but fair and equitable to all Nigerians.



Buhari to kinsmen: vote Tinubu/Shettima, others



President Muhammadu Buhari has urged the people of Katsina State, especially Dumurkol and Daura, to vote for Tinubu.

The President, who spoke at the governorship campaign of the Katsina candidate, Dikko Radda, in Dumurkol, also charged them to vote for other candidates. He said voting the party from top to bottom would be a way of appreciating the party for giving the leadership of the country to one of them for good eight years.

Represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, the President said anyone who had defected from the party to another party should not deserve their vote because the person had left the platform that honoured both Daura and Katsina State by presenting Buhari as candidate twice and successfully.

Shehu said he had no doubt the ongoing campaign is a journey of success, adding: “I work with some people in the campaign train and they proved that they have capacity and they will never fail.

“Coming to campaign here is just to thank the people of Dumurkol because they need no lecture on whom to vote for to succeed President Buhari in 2023.”

Shehu added: “President Buhari said, ‘vote for Asiwaju and Shettima, Dikko Radda and Jobe for governor and also vote for Nasiru Sani as your senator and other legislators’.

“Vote for APC from top to bottom. Whoever comes here after decamping to another party and says he is with President Buhari, he is not with President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Every individual from Dumurkol or Daura or Katsina will market APC and anybody contesting under any other party should not be campaigned for because Nigeria has given Dumurkol, Daura and Katsina State what other states wanted to have and they never got because over 200 million Nigerians chose someone from this domain to lead the country for eight years.

“Nigerians have done everything to this community, Daura and Katsina State. So, nobody can shame him here.

“President Buhari has done everything to Daura and Katsina State. Just yesterday, we were on the road when I saw a trailer with a load of irons for railway tracks to be laid from Daura to Katsina, to Maradi and by God’s grace, by the end of this administration, train services will start from Kano to Daura.”

The District Head of Dumurkol, who is President Buhari’s nephew, Alhaji Musa Haro, assured Nigerians that the people of Daura and Katsina State will vote massively for Tinubu.

Haro also said they will vote Dr. Dikko Radda for governor, describing him as the only credibleble governorship candidate for 2023 election in the state.

“I know Dikko Radda for over 30 years when we were in Kaduna back in 1993. He is humble, honest and a very good person and he values relationships and can govern Katsina very well.

“He was a local government chairman under the late Governor Yar’Adua. He was the first chairman that constructed a road, more than 20 kilometres. He built schools, and hospitals and started women empowerment.

“Dr Dikko has the capacity. He was the Director-General of SMEDAN (Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria). Look at what he did across the country; the people of Katsina State are very lucky to have such a credible person as a candidate under APC.

He is a PhD holder, a lecturer and a career banker. So, he has all the qualities. Look at what happened during the primary, about nine aspirants contested for the ticket on the platform of APC, but the people decided.

On Tinubu, Alhaji Haro said: “We don’t even need Tinubu to come to Katsina. Look at what he did in Lagos, look at his network across the country.

“When he was a governor in Lagos, he transformed the state. So, I believe it’s just a tradition, Asiwaju has to come to Katsina for campaign, but in our base here in Katsina, take it from me, Asiwaju is going to win with a high number of vote Insha Allah.”

The APC governorship candidate, Dr Radda Dikko, promised to transform the state, empower women and youth and provide infrastructure development across the state.

President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to fly out of Abuja on Sunday to Washington, United States, to attend the US-Africa leaders summit.

This was confirmed in a statement signed by presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, on Saturday.

Shehu said the high-level meeting would be held between December 13 and 15.

He noted that the meeting, which is at the instance of US President Joe Biden, seeks to work with “African governments, civil society, diaspora communities across the United States, and the private sector to continue strengthening our shared vision for the future of US-Africa relations”.

Shehu said the event “is expected to demonstrate the United States’ enduring commitment to Africa, and underscore the importance of US-Africa relations and increased cooperation on shared global priorities”.

“On the first day, President Buhari will speak on the topic: Conservation, Climate Adaptation and a Just Energy Transition, dwelling directly on the ‘Just Energy Transition’ component,” the statement reads.

“He will also address some of the other sub-themes of the Summit as well as participate in the US-Africa Business Forum (USABF) hosted by the US Department of Commerce which focuses on increased trade and investment between the US and African nations.

“On the sidelines of the Summit, the Corporate Council of Africa will host the Nigerian delegation to a US-Nigeria Business and Investment Forum Business Roundtable during which Nigerian organisations and businesses are expected to sign agreements with their American counterparts.”

pex bank to sustain dollar sales to lenders
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed banks to lend at least N500 billion to non-oil export-oriented companies annually to boost the productive sector and support dollar inflows to the economy.


CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele disclosed this on Saturday at the end of the 13th Bankers’ Committee retreat in Lagos.

He said the lending plan to support non-oil exporters will require the big banks taking a larger chunk of the loan plans, and lending more to the sub-sector as part of their support for the business segment.

He called for continuous support to exporters who may need facilities to bring improvements to the way they can process their goods and make them high-standard products qualified for export due to their higher value.

“The Bankers’ Committee decided that every year, the entire banking industry must grant at least N500 billion in loans to export-oriented companies that will generate measurable export receipts to complement whatever the CBN is able to come up with. The big banks will have to take a bigger and bigger share of this pie,” he stated.

Emefiele also disclosed that the CBN will continue to sell dollars to banks to enable them to support non-oil export businesses. He spoke following an earlier threat by the regulator to suspend dollar sales to banks by this year’s end.

Emefiele said banks would continue to get dollar allocations because they have shown good faith in supporting non-oil export businesses as seen in over $2 billion in earnings from the non-oil exports in the third quarter of this year.

He encouraged banks to also begin to source their own forex to meet the needs of their customers and not entirely rely on central bank sources.

“The banks have made good progress in supporting non-oil export businesses with almost $2 billion realized from the sector in the third quarter. So far, we think that the banks have made good progress and on the basis of the progress they have made so far, the CBN will continue to support the market with foreign exchange, albeit as hard as it may be. The banks themselves are expected to ramp up their own sources of non-oil export to earn dollars through forex repatriation which they can use to fund their customers’ businesses,” he said.

Emefiele also disclosed plans to collaborate with some state governments to tackle port congestion and make the export of goods seamless. He said the Lagos Lekki Port is going through pre-commissioning processes which will help exporters.

According to Emefiele, the interest of the Bankers’ Committee is to see that more goods produced locally are exported to earn forex for the economy, thereby reducing the burden of having to provide forex for businesses by the apex bank.

“Our interest here is that they conduct their export activity in a very seamless manner. So that at the end of the day, those export proceeds can be repatriated, then for the good of the country. That will enable them to relieve the Central Bank of the burden of providing forex for businesses,” he said.

He said there had been a dearth of dollar receipts from crude oil but the CBN has the responsibility to make sure that the needs of customers are met. “There is a need for us to diversify our export revenue base instead of relying solely on crude revenues,” he said.

Emefiele also said the N15 trillion Infrastructure Corporation of Nigeria Limited (InfraCorp) will begin a road project from Lekki to Ondo to facilitate the transportation of goods from Lekki Ports to other parts of the country.

The CBN, the Africa Finance Corporation, and the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority are the promoters of InfraCorp.

He said that InfraCorp is already engaging the state governments of Lagos, Ondo, and Ogun on how it can have a passage and develop the project proposal that will enjoy their support.

Emefiele said the road would be the standard road that will enable easy movement of goods through the ports to the cities.

He said the banks will, in the New Year, begin to plan on how to fund infrastructure that will enable easy passage of goods from different parts of the country to the Lekki Ports.

The Bankers’ Committee also promised to continue to support the creative industry especially as we accelerate the completion of the ongoing project in the National Arts Theatre.

Two strong pillars of the Alhaji Atiku Abubakar political structure in the North East yesterday dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate to team up with the flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC),Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.


They are Alhaji Jamilu Gwamna who, until now, was the North East Coordinator of the Atiku Campaign organization, and a former deputy governor of Gombe State, Charles Iliya.


The duo switched camps on a day the APC intensified its campaign ahead of the 2023 elections in several parts of the country including Maiduguri,Borno State and Benin,Edo State.

Gwamna ,who was also the runner up in the PDP governorship primary in the state in May, told reporters in Gombe that he saw no future for the party in the state essentially on account of the crisis trailing the governorship primary.

The primary was won by Jibrin Barde,who is currently locked in a running battle with intra party forces against his victory.

He dismissed them all as inconsequential to his ticket.

Speaking on the issue yesterday,Gwamna said the PDP was riddled with internal crisis, poor leadership, disregard for rule of law and disunity

He said his political ideology was anchored on unity, inclusiveness, fairness and justice and “if those are not found in the party then there is no reason to be in that camp.”

Gwamna who is also the Sardauna of Gombe said the PDP and its current leadership lacked the capacity to manage Gombe State.


“In politics, internal democracy is very key and if you cannot find that playing out, then practicing democracy on a larger platform such as governing the state becomes a big issue,” he said.

Gwamna said the APC was better organised in Gombe than any political party, and has managed its affairs in a more family-like manner.

He asked his supporters to mobilise voters at the grassroots to ensure victory for the APC at all levels and with a wider voting margin than that of 2019.

Gwamna said he has been appointed as state coordinator for both the governorship and presidential campaign of the APC in the state.

Iliya,who was deputy to former Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo was unveiled during the formal take-off of the APC presidential campaign and that of the re-election of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya.

The former deputy governor was PDP’s strongman in Gombe South.

I’ll wipe out PDP from Gombe,vows Gov.Yahaya

Speaking at the campaign launch yesterday,Gov.Yahaya vowed to wipe out the PDP from the state.

He said the huge number of decampees received into the party was a testimony to the fact that the PDP no longer has a place in Gombe State.

“The history and story of any other party in Gombe State will be buried,” he said.

“There will be no more parties but one party, APC. As the dominant party, we shall deliver and we have no fear because we know God is with us.

“Coming through Gombe town, you saw for yourself what the APC has achieved. You saw happiness on the faces of our people. What we are saying is that we shall not fail you as a party and we shall not fail you as candidates.

“In 2019, we won 19 out of 24 House of Assembly members but now we are determined to deliver 24 over 24.

“Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu shall be president of Nigeria in 2023 by the grace of Allah and Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya shall be the Governor of Gombe State. Senator Danjuma Goje is our candidate for Gombe Central, Senator Sa’idu Alkali is our candidate for Gombe North and Senator Joshua Lidani is our candidate for Gombe South.”

Mammoth crowd as APC women campaign in Maiduguri

Addressing supporters at the flag off of the North-East Zone campaign of the Tinubu/Shettima Women Campaign in Maiduguri, the wife of the APC presidential candidate, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, pledged that youth empowerment and girl-child education would be given prime attention by Asiwaju Tinubu if elected next year.



“I can assure you that youth unemployment will be on the front burner of the Tinubu/Shettima administration,” she said.

Continuing, she said: “Also, women empowerment and the education of the girl-child will be tackled because education is very key to the growth of our women, not only in the North-East but in the country as a whole.

“When you educate one woman, you’ve done well for the entire household, much more the entire nation.”

She thanked the crowd especially women and youths from the North East for their overwhelming support for the party and the aspiration of its presidential candidate. She also assured them of her readiness to work with the wife of the APC vice-presidential candidate, Hajiya Nana Shettima, when their husbands are elected in 2023.


Also speaking Mrs. Shettima urged women and youths in the region to be united for the party’s victory come next year.

Mrs Tinubu and Mrs. Shettima were accompanied to the rally ground by the wives of the Speaker of House of Representatives, the First Ladies of Lagos, Kogi, Plateau, Kebbi and Cross Rivers states, and many other prominent women.

The event was hosted by the wife of the Borno State governor and North-East zonal coordinator of the Tinubu/Shettima Women Presidential Campaign Team, Falmata Zulum, at the Sports Centre, Maiduguri. APC Deputy National Women Leader, Hajia Zainab Ibrahim, and many high-profile women within the zone were also present. The North-East zonal rally is the fifth in the series of women’s rallies so far held by the women’s wing of the APC presidential campaign since its inauguration in October 2022.

I’ll not let down Shettima -Zulum

Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum yesterday said the APC would win the state convincingly in next year’s election in what would be his reciprocation to Kashim Shettima’s political benevolence to him.

Zulum took over the affairs of the state from Shettima at the end of his two-term tenure.

“I have no other alternative than to deliver the state to the Tinubu/Shettima presidential team and the entire APC,” Zulum said.

“I will not let him (Kashim Shettima) down,” he added,and told the story of how Shettima ,during his tenure as governor,first made him Rector of the State Polytechnic,then a commissioner in his cabinet, before picking him as successor.

He promised to “work assiduously to deliver more than 95 per cent of the state to APC.”

Oshiomhole: Tinubu is most qualified candidate to win 2023 presidential election

Read Also: Atiku no threat to Tinubu in Northeast – Bayero

The Deputy Director-General of the All Progressives Congress’ (APC’s) Presidential Campaign Council, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, yesterday described Tinubu as the best qualified to win the 2023 presidential election.

Oshiomhole, a former governor of Edo State, spoke at the kick-off of Edo South Senatorial District APC’s campaign in Benin, where the senatorial candidate, the four House of Representatives’ candidates and those of the state’s House of Assembly were unveiled.

The former President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) urged all Nigerians to massively vote for Tinubu and other candidates of APC, during the 2023 general elections.

The rally was attended by two former Edo Deputy Governors: Dr. Pius Odubu and Lucky Imasuen, who is the Director-General of APC Presidential Campaign Council in the state; APC governorship candidate in the 2020 election in Edo, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, and the state’s Chairman of the party, Col. David Imuse (rtd.).

Eminent politicians also at the rally included a former Minority Whip of the House of Representatives, Samson Osagie; ex-Speaker of Edo House of Assembly, Uyi Igbe; a former member of the House of Representatives, Patrick Obahiagbon; Edo Secretary of APC, Lawrence Okah; members of the State Working Committee (SWC) of the party; and other leaders from the seven local government areas that make up Edo South Senatorial District.

Edo chairman of APC said the people of the state would vote massively for APC as the leadership style of Governor Godwin Obaseki continues to deny the masses of the state access to basic amenities.

Imuse said: “The people governing Edo State today are pretenders. They have come to destroy Edo State. It is only in Edo State that they will destroy a library and turn it to supermarket. It is only in Edo State that they will convert a children’s ward in a hospital to another supermarket.

“Our markets are getting burnt. Last year Ekiosa market, Benin City got burnt, and today, a part of the market has been converted to Jara supermarket. They want to drive away our market women from their markets.

“We wanted to place campaign materials on billboards, they have refused to allow us to do that, but we have carefully selected our candidates. They will be led by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, so that we will win at the presidential election and win all the elected seats in the state, from senate to the state House of Assembly.”

Odubu, in his remarks, stated that APC’s candidates in Edo were young people, while urging the youths to vote for all of them and pleaded with Edo people to be patient, and assured that they would soon witness good governance from APC’s government.

Possible adjustments to the cash withdrawal limit has not been ruled out, but the January 9 take-off for the policy is sacrosanct, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said yesterday.

CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele, who dropped the hint yesterday, said the plan, which he described as the continuation of the apex bank’s monetary policy direction, has the backing of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The CBN on Tuesday unveiled a revised cash withdrawal limit with a maximum of N100,000 cash withdrawal per week for individuals and N500,000 cash per week for companies.

The limits also affect other payment channels, including Automated Teller Machines (ATM), Point of Sale (PoS) and cheque-based transactions.

The maximum cash withdrawal through ATM is set at N100,000 per week, subject to a maximum of N20,000 cash withdrawal per day.

The maximum cash withdrawal through the PoS terminal shall be N20,000 per day. Only denominations of N200 and below shall be loaded into the ATMs.

Emefiele spoke to State House Correspondents in Daura, Katsina State, after a meeting with President Buhari.

He explained that the policy is not new, adding that the fears being expressed of excluding rural people were needless.


According to him, many financial platforms that will make the operation of the policy painless have found their way to remote places in the country.

He also said the policy was not targeted at any particular person, but aimed at developing the economy.

Emefiele spoke against the background of growing opposition to the policy, with the National Assembly calling for a review.

Many stakeholders have said the new policy would make life difficult for Nigerians and can negatively affect businesses.

The House of Representatives yesterday called on the CBN to suspend the cash withdrawal limit policy until it adheres to the Act establishing it, just as it summoned the CBN Governor to brief members.

The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) also said it was worried about the timing of the policy and the impact on the ease and cost of doing business.

ACCI stated that it was concerned about the disruption the new policy would have on many Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in several big local markets, noting that the limitation on withdrawal will constrain business transactions, especially as most businessmen rely on such withdrawals for quick business engagement from one market to the other.



Buhari backs policy

Emefiele said President Buhari was “very happy” and has given his nod to the apex bank to “carry on our work”.

He also said the President told them there was “no need to fear, no need to bother about anybody”.

He appealed to Nigerians to accept the cashless policy, and assured them that the apex bank “will be reviewing from time to time how this is working”.

The CBN governor emphasised that the bank “will not be rigid, but this is not to say it will be reversed; nor that we will change the timing”.

“But whether it’s about tweaking some amount to be a little bit higher or a little bit lower and the rest of them; we will do so because we are human, we want to make life good for our people; we do not want to make life difficult for them,” Emefiele said.

To this end, he assured Nigerians that the CBN will be monitoring developments as the policy comes into effect.

“I can assure everyone that we are alive to our responsibility and we will do what is right for Nigeria and Nigerians.”

The apex bank will engage the National Assembly to underline the key policy points behind the overarching policy stance of the apex bank.

Emefiele said: “From time to time we brief them (National Assembly) about what is happening and about our policies.

“I’m aware that they have asked for some briefings and we will brief them, but I think it’s important for me to say that the cashless policy started in 2012.

“Almost three to four occasions we have had to step down the policy because we felt that there is a need for us to prepare ourselves and deepen our payment system infrastructure in Nigeria.

“Between 2012 and now 2022, almost about 10 years, we believe that a lot of electronic channels have been put in place that will aid people in conducting banking and financial service transactions in Nigeria.

“We heard people talk about some of the people in the rural areas and the truth is that even online banking, as I was coming out to Daura, I saw a kiosk that has super agent today.

“It’s because of the way we felt that there was a need for us to deepen the payment system infrastructure.

“We have 1.4 million super agents that are all over different parts of the country, all local governments, and all villages in this country.

“I have told my colleagues, some of their names are already on the CBN website and we will publish all the names of all the super agents, which is different from the banks, which is different from microfinance banks, which is different from other financial institutions.

“Having 1.4 million of them is as good as having 1.4 million banking points where people can conduct services and we think, Nigeria as a big country, the biggest economy in Africa, that we need to leapfrog into the cashless economy.

“We cannot continue to allow a situation where over 85 per cent of the cash that is in circulation is outside the bank. More and more countries that are embracing digitisation have gone cashless.

“I said it at different fora, that this is not targeted at anybody, it’s just meant for the good and development of the Nigerian economy and we can only continue to appeal to Nigerians to please see this policy the way we have presented it.

“We will be reviewing from time to time how this is working because I cannot say that we are going to be rigid.

“But it is not to say that we will reverse it. It is not to say that we will change the timing, but whether it is about tweaking some amount to be a little bit higher or a little bit lower, and all the rest of them (we will do it).

“We will do so because we are humans, we want to make sure that we make life good for our people. We do not want to make life difficult for them.

“So, there is no need for anybody to worry, the Central Bank is monitoring what is happening and I can assure everyone that we are up and alive to our responsibilities and we will do what is right for Nigeria and Nigerians.”



CBN ready for new naira note rollout

Asked how ready the CBN is for the rollout of the re-designed naira notes, which has been slated for the 15th of this month, Emefiele said: “We are more than prepared.

“The banks have received the new cash and they have started dispensing them.

“I can only just assure you that it will come round, let us just be calm. Luckily, the old currency continues to be legal tender till January 31, 2023.

“So, I want to crack a joke, both the painted (new notes) and unpainted (old notes) will operate concurrently as legal tender, but by January 31, the unpainted one will not be useful to you again, so please take it to your bank as quickly as possible.”

Asked how much of the old notes have been returned, the CBN governor said: “The CBN has taken in over N500 billion while the banks have also received another N500 billion.

“By implication, the system has been able to mop up over N1 trillion from the N2.73 trillion outside the banking system.”



Reps kick

The House of Representatives yesterday asked the CBN to suspend the implementation of the policy pending an interface with the National Assembly in accordance with the provisions of the Act establishing the bank.

The lawmakers also asked Emiefele to appear before the House at plenary on Thursday in accordance with the CBN Act to answer questions on the various policies introduced by the Bank.

Some members accused the governor of violating the provisions of the CBN Act which required a periodic interface with the National Assembly as well as relevant committees of the parliament.





Section 8 (4) of the CBN Act states that: “The Governor shall appear before the National Assembly at semi-annual hearings as specified in subsection 5 regarding (a) efforts, activities, objectives and plans of the board with monetary policy and (b) economic development and prospects…”

Leading the debate on the motion to compel the apex bank to rescind the decision, the sponsor of the motion, Hon. Magaji Da’u Aliyu, said while it is good to operate a cashless policy, about 90 per cent of Nigerians live in rural areas where there are no facilities to carry out cashless operations.

He said: “Only a month ago, we woke up to hear that there will be new currency notes and change of the currency notes.

“As far as I am concerned, there is no single bank in my constituency. I do not know how my people will go and change this money, I do not know where my people will go and get it; the best we have is the POS, and our people still deal in physical cash.

“It is good to have a cashless policy, but we seem to be borrowing ideas and policies from other countries that are far ahead of us. We are comparing ourselves with the United States and the United Kingdom.

“These people are far ahead of us. We will get there one day but this type of policy disturbs the people that voted for us.

“The issue affects everyone. Most of our people are in rural areas and everything is being done in Naira and cash and somebody will wake up and make a policy that will start tomorrow, with no consultation.

“People have forgotten that 80 to 90 per cent of our people are in the rural areas, we must do something to save the situation, if there were enough banks and facilities, why not, it will work”.

Chairman of the House Committee on Tertiary Education, Aminu Suleman, said the policy could be inimical to the lawmakers if they allow the radical decision to succeed.

“There are several government chief executives in this country that have outlived the essence of their positions because I cannot simply understand how we can wake up one day and introduce this draconian approach to businesses, giving Nigerians one month to adjust their belts.

“More than 70 per cent of communities in this country do not have a banking system, only a few like Lagos, Rivers, Kano and probably Delta states might bust of about 70 per cent banking coverage,” Suleman said.

He argued that allowing the policy could erode the successes recorded through the introduction of small scale businesses.

“I cannot understand how Nigerians will be able to manage our businesses that is predominantly in cash with a withdrawal of N100, 000 per day.”

Nnolim Nnaji said the new policy was completely against commerce.

“In the economic situation we are in now, we need more spending than savings. The only way to drive an economy in this situation is for people to be spending money not saving money, and for businesses to be moving.

“We cannot at this point subject ourselves to one man, the decision is wrong and all of us must rise and say no because it affects the people.

“Yes the CBN has the power to do so but we also represent the people and before you let such a decision out, we as the representatives should be aware so we can see how we can face the people,” Nnaji said.

Julius Ihonvbare said the policy was a clear indication that the CBN was completely out of touch and out of tune with the content and context of polity.

“I represent Owan Federal Constituency. In both local governments, there is no one bank.

“Since I came to this House, there has been no bank there, there is none today and there may be none tomorrow.

“So, even the transfer they talk about, who am I transferring to? They are farmers. Beyond the work I do in this place, there is no federal presence in my constituency and we don’t have any big agency.

“Essentially, there are many communities like that across the country. The CBN has not done anything to ensure that they get the banks to establish their branches sufficiently across the country so that someone does not have to travel for one and a half hours or more before they can perform banking services.

“I believe that we should look at the implementation of this policy to ensure that we get the Central Bank to do the right thing.

“The CBN Governor is behaving as if he is more powerful than the President and the National Assembly,” Ihonvbare said.

Mark Gbilah said the House was statutorily supposed to be receiving a briefing from the CBNN governor even before such policies are brought to bear on the economy and the Nigerian people.

“We believe that the governor has not been keeping up with statutory provisions in that regard as clearly stated in the act. I am not aware he has briefed the committees on finance and banking and currency. The act says from time to time.

“It is well within the purview of this house. The governor is somebody that has not been appearing even when asked to appear before the House,” Gbilah said.



Minority leader backs policy

House Minority Leader, Ndudi Elumelu, rose in defence of the new policy, insisting that it will help curb insecurity, corruption and banditry in the country as kidnappers will be able to demand cash for their victims.

“If you go to the communities today, they will ask them to contribute money because there is cash everywhere. If you want to stop banditry, make it impossible for them to have cash. There should not be available cash for them.

“Secondly, we passed the law on this floor, it is our law, the fact that the CBN has been sleeping all this while and never went into the law passed and followed it to the letter does not mean that it was not there.

“They are only now waking up to implement the law we sent to them. If we want to amend it, we have to amend the law, it will not come by a resolution and that is the truth.

“No matter how bad we feel, no matter how we feel that our people will be endangered, in think the right thing is to amend the existing law.

“On the issues of cashless policy, I think that is the best thing that can happen to this country even though the timing might be difficult, we may ask for an extension of time for it to be well implemented.

“The policy will help. Stories are going around Abuja, even when people go to use the POS to withdraw money, there are people waiting to cut off their hands to collect the money.

“If there is a cashless policy and people use their phones to transfer money, some of such things will not happen and that is the truth,” Elumelu said.

Ruling on the motion, Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila said it was important for the House to invite the CBN Governor under the laws establishing the bank and requested that all prayers contained in the initial motion be reduced to one or two.

“If you want to comply with the act, ordinarily he should be appearing before the whole national assembly. I think you will allow me to speak to the Senate President and see whether, in compliance with the act, we can have a joint session.

“I think this is important enough for him to brief the National Assembly but if that fails, appearing before the National Assembly does not necessarily mean in a joint session.

“If he appears before the senate separately and appears before the House separately, he has appeared before the National Assembly but to save time, I will ask if that is possible,” Gbajabiamila said.

Company to draw not above N500,000
Experts speak on apex bank’s policy
Asweeping new currency management policy announced yesterday by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has put a cap on cash withdrawals by individuals and corporate bodies.

Beginning from January 9, individuals and companies will only be able to withdraw a maximum of N100, 000 and N500, 000 cash respectively in a week across the counter, the apex bank said.

The revised cash withdrawal limits also affect other payment channels; including Automated Teller Machine (ATM), Point of Sale (PoS) and cheque-based transaction.

It applies generally to all commercial banks and other cash-transaction banks such as payment service banks (PSBs), primary mortgage banks (PMB) and microfinance banks (MFBs).

Under the policy, individuals and companies withdrawing cash directly from the banking hall will pay five per cent and 10 per cent on withdrawals above the approved threshold.

The bank also pegged the maximum cash withdrawal through ATM is set at N100, 000 per week, subject to a maximum daily withdrawal of N20, 000.

In the same vein, the maximum cash withdrawal through PoS terminal shall be N20, 000 per day.

The apex bank also imposed more stringent conditions with special documentation and approval for such compelling above-limit withdrawals

“Only denominations of N200 and below shall be loaded into the ATMs,” the bank stated in the circular.


The CBN directed that third party cheques above N50, 000 shall not be eligible for payment over-the-counter but retained the N10 million limits earlier placed on clearing cheques.

According to the apex bank, in compelling circumstances, not exceeding once a month, where cash withdrawals above the prescribed limits is required for legitimate purposes, such cash withdrawals shall not exceed N5 million and N10 million for individuals and corporate organisations, respectively, and shall be subject to the referenced processing fees as well as additional enhanced due diligence and information requirements.

The policy was announced in a letter to deposit money banks and other financial institutions, signed by CBN Director, Banking Supervision Department, Haruna Mustafa.

The letter, titled: “Naira Redesign Policy- Revised Cash Withdrawal Limits” was addressed to all Deposit Money Banks (DMBS) and Other Financial Institutions (Payment Service Banks (PSBs), Primary Mortgage Banks (PMB) and Microfinance Banks (MFBs).

It reads: “Besides, individuals and companies seeking above-limit withdrawals must be made to provide and submit additional information to a special, purposely created CBN portal.

“These information include valid means of identification of the payee such as national identity, international passport, driver’s license; Bank Verification Number (BVN) of the payee and notarized customer declaration of the purpose for the cash withdrawal.

“Also, such above-limit withdrawal must be under special approval of the managing director of the drawee and an approval in writing by the managing director and chief executive officer of the bank authorising the withdrawal.”

According to the new policy directive, monthly returns on cash withdrawal transactions above the specified limits should be rendered to the Banking Supervision Department while compliance with extant Anti-money Laundering (AML) and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (CFT) regulations relating to Know Your Customer (KYC) ongoing customer due diligence and suspicious transaction reporting among others are required in all circumstances.

The CBN said that customers should be encouraged to use alternative channels (internet banking, mobile banking apps, Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD), cards/Point of Sale (POS), eNaira, among others ) to conduct their banking transactions.

The decision is not unconnected to the CBN’s determination to curb inflation, reduce money supply in the system and make Nigerians embrace alternative channels of banking transactions that promote financial inclusion.

CBN Governor Mr. Godwin Emefiele gave a hint to this development at the last Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting.

Emefiele drew people’s attention to the fact that the highest denominations in the United States (U.S.) and the United Kingdom (UK) though still legal tenders are barely in circulation and draw attention when seen in use.

According to him, this is what the CBN wants to target to promote the cashless policy and financial inclusion.

Fiscal Policy Partner and Africa Tax Leader, PwC, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, said it was clear that the CBN was trying to drive cashless economy by placing stiffer restrictions on cash withdrawals.

Oyedele said: “However, a more effective strategy could have been to enhance the cashless economy infrastructure to remove or significantly reduce the challenges and irritations that people experience when transacting using electronic payments.

“Each of us regularly experience unsuccessful electronic payment transactions either due to bad network, switch failure or even lack of electricity to charge the devices. “We can make cashless economy attractive as is the case with MPESA in East Africa so people voluntarily embrace it rather than the stick approach which will unfortunately punish many people for circumstances that are beyond their control.”

Managing Director, Globalview Capital Limited, Mr. Aruna Kebira, said the new policy was a continuation of the apex bank’s inflation-targeting stance and cashless drive.

Kebira said: “In elementary economics, we were taught that inflation is a situation where more money chases few goods. Our economy responds to the happenings in the international space because we don’t have a buffer.

“The disruption of the global supply chain by the Ukraine and Russia imbroglio left the world with high and imported inflation over the world.

“The CBN has been forced to increase interest rates in all their meetings for 2022 trying to combat and stem inflation to no avail. The only choice available to CBN is contractional monetary policy.

“What this withdrawal limit is set to achieve is to mop up as much cash as possible from the system. It believes that the much money in circulation is what is responsible for the high demand for the dollar and the attendance pressure on the naira. It is also targeted at the payment of ransom.

“It is an attempt by the CBN to make every transaction pass through the bank and to discourage the situation we just witnessed where notes that were printed in 2002 were kept outside the banking system.”

He, however, noted that the result of the decision may not be immediate pointing out that “policy is not a light bulb switch that you press and immediately there is light, policies take time to come to shape but in the end, the desired effect will be achieved”.

Former Executive Director, Keystone Bank Limited, Richard Obire, said the policy will encourage cashless economy.

He said the use less of higher denominations like N1, 000 notes will help tackle rising inflation and such higher denominations will now serve as store of value.

Obire said: “We do not need N1, 000 notes for spending. The lower denominations will be widely used in the new policy plan and makes a lot of sense.”

Managing Director, SD & D Capital Management Limited, Mr. Gbolade Idakolo, said the measure will, to a large extent, reduce the volume of cash in circulation.

He said: “The measure will also boost the value of the naira when there is less of N500 and N1000 naira notes in circulation as it is being done with the dollars, Euro and Pounds Sterling. This policy implementation will go a long way to increase the use of other means of transactions like the internet banking, dollars, ATMs and PoS to boost the cashless policy of the CBN.

“We know that our economy has been a cash economy for a long time so these measures will initially cause disruptions in the economy but things will settle in the long run and the economy will be better for it.”

The chances of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar securing votes in Rivers State are growing slimmer.
It was gathered that Atiku is distraught by the fact that party leaders who pitched tent with him against Governor Nyesom Wike, are not pulling their weight as expected.


These include former governor Celestine Omehia, as well as other leaders like Austine Opara, Lee Maeba, and Farah Dagogo.

It was learnt that Wike had grown stronger by developing unique strategies to tighten his grip on the party and take all state structures beyond the reach of Atiku and his men.

His continuous campaign for inclusiveness in the national leadership structure of the party and his portrayal of Atiku; the National Chairman of the party, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu; Atiku’s running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa and other Atiku’s men as betrayers, liars, haters of Rivers and divisive leaders, had been received by many Rivers residents across the political divide.

It was gathered that no campaign for Atiku was ongoing in any part of the state as an attempt to mention the name of the PDP presidential candidate was viewed by many people as an abomination.

It was gathered that Atiku’s pictures had disappeared from all campaign materials of the PDP in the state and anybody found with material projecting Atiku is considered an enemy of Rivers.

Rivers youths across the state including the rural areas daily combed their areas to identify and remove campaign materials in their domains belonging to Atiku and Okowa.

It was found that in the entire state it was unlikely to see any Atiku billboard, posters or other campaign materials unlike in 2019 when Wike supported the Adamawa-born politician.

The recent appointments of 200,000 advisers on polling units and over 300 local government liaison officers by the governor were said to have made any plan by Atiku and his men to penetrate Rivers a herculean task.


Besides, it was observed that all local government chairpersons, ward and unit heads of the PDP had remained loyal to the governor and were backing his political decisions ahead of 2023.

Besides, the perception of the governor as a performer and his use of project inauguration to extract a commitment from folks had made many Rivers communities a no-go area for Atiku’s men.

While campaigns for the governorship candidate of the PDP, Sim Fubara, National and House of Assembly candidates of the party were ongoing with their campaign materials dotting all corners of the state, nothing was being said about Atiku.

All pro-Atiku leaders in Rivers had fled the state and were said to be hiding in Abuja and following Atiku without any plan to return home to campaign for their presidential candidate.

Wike had continued to tell the people to vote for his candidates for other positions but to wait for his decision on the presidential poll.

The governor on Saturday night excluded Atiku, Okowa, Ayu and all Atiku’s men from the list of 162 distinguished Nigerians he conferred with state awards for their inspirational achievements, impactful life and contributions to the progress of the Rivers in particular.

Among those honoured were eight governors, nine former governors of other states, lawyers and others, whom he said demonstrated a high level of loyalty to the nation, excellence in public service, commitment to equity, equality and justice in the country and love for the government and the people of Rivers.

Wike presented the awards during the State Honours and Awards ceremony 2022 which was held at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Port Harcourt.

The awards were in four categories of the Grand Service State of Rivers State (GSSRS), the Distinguished Service State of Rivers State (DSSRS), the Governor’s Medal of Service (GMS) and the Rivers State Merit Award (RSMA).

Wike explained that the state honours and awards were solely the initiatives of Dr. Odili.

He said everyone bestowed with an award on Saturday night had distinguished themselves by their good character, personal achievements and positive contributions to society.

Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, said Wike had demonstrated that he is a true patriot and nationalist by honouring Nigerians from the six geopolitical zones, irrespective of their religious and political persuasion.

He said: “Today, in Nigeria as we match towards 2023, we are not looking at political parties, we are not looking at ethnicity, but we are looking at how we can salvage our country Nigeria, and make it greater than where we are today.

“I thank you (Wike) for charting this course and I believe that moving forward from here, all of us who are here tonight will be a catalyst to how we can make Nigeria greater, economically, politically, socially, security-wise, we will make it greater.”

Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), who spoke on behalf of the awardees, said governor Wike had taken governance to the next level.

He said: “You have indeed demonstrated what it takes to be accommodating, what it takes to be a bridge builder, a builder of bridges across the Niger.

“You have established a bridge. We are happy crossing over to come around to identify with you in the expression of excellence attributed to the service of the nation.”

Following the committal order by the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja last Tuesday, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Usman Alkali Baba, has approached the Court to file a motion to set aside the contempt proceeding and committal order.
In the motion filed before the Federal High Court in the Federal Capital Territory, the IGP extensively highlighted grounds why the orders should be set aside, including noting that he had not been appointed into office as Inspector-General of Police when the case was instituted and the reinstatement order in question granted.


He also affirmed that the contempt proceedings were served via substituted means in November 2018 and January, 2019 respectively, on the then Inspector-General of Police, and not on him as the incumbent.

According to a statement on Friday by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi: “The IGP in his disposition further noted that even before his assumption of Office, official steps had been taken by his predecessors toward complying with the reinstatement of Patrick C. Okoli, the plaintiff, as ordered by the Court. As noted by him, this was evidenced by an official letter addressed to the Police Service Commission on the approval of the then Inspector General of Police, as far back as 2015, and before the court order of November 29th, 2022, requesting the Commission to issue a reinstatement letter to the plaintiff and also effect his promotion in line with the order of the Court and in the exercise of their statutory authority in that regard. Hence, the grounds for the contempt proceedings ought not to have existed, ab initio”.

The IGP reassured Nigerians of his unalloyed commitment and steadfastness in defending the rule of law and respecting judicial authorities.

He said he will not wittingly or unwittingly disobey any order validly granted by courts of competent jurisdiction.

The federal government has insisted there is no plan to increase the pump price of premium motor spirit (PMS), better known as petrol.

This was made known in a statement released on Wednesday by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

Kimchi Apollo, general manager, corporate communications, NMDPRA, issued the clarification amid speculations on the increase in price and availability of PMS — especially during the festive period.

He said the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited had imported PMS with current stock levels sufficient for 34 days.

“Consequently, marketers and the general public are advised to avoid panic buying, diversion of products and hoarding,” the statement reads.

“In keeping with the Authority’s responsibilities as outlined in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), the Authority assures the public that it would continue to monitor the supply and distribution of petroleum products nationwide, especially during this holiday season.”

BLACK MARKET BOOMS AS SCARCITY LINGERS
In the last week, many Nigerians have been grappling with petrol scarcity with queues surfacing in filling stations across the country.

The situation has resulted in a boom in black market sales while there have been insinuations that oil marketers may be hoarding the product to force a hike in the price.

TheCable had reported that some black marketers sold the product for between N320 and N350 per litre.

“We used to sell the product for N250 before now. But as the product has increased at fuel stations, we had no choice but to increase our price to N350 a litre,” a seller in the Satellite Town area of Lagos said on Monday.

WHO IS TO BLAME?
On Tuesday, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) blamed the situation on the distribution crisis caused by vandalism of depots belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited.

Meanwhile, the NNPC Limited has said the ongoing road projects in Lagos are partly to blame for petrol queues in the state.

Adeyemi Adetunji, executive vice-president, downstream, NNPC Limited, said the situation in Lagos is affecting the availability of the product in the federal capital territory (FCT).

“The recent queues in Lagos are largely due to ongoing road infrastructure projects around Apapa and access road challenges in some parts of Lagos depots,” he said.

“The NNPC has programmed vessels and trucks to unconstrained depots and massive loadouts from depots in various states are closely being monitored. Abuja is currently being impacted by the challenges recorded in Lagos.

“NNPC retail and other key marketers have intensified dedicated loading into Abuja to restore normalcy as soon as possible.”

party launches portal to raise funds for campaign


The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) yesterday debunked the rumour that its standard bearer, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, would relocate the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) from Abuja to Lagos, if elected.


The council berated the opposition for their campaign of calumny and character assassination against the former Lagos State governor.

A statement by its Director of Media and Publicity, Bayo Onanuga, said: “Asiwaju does not contemplate any such plan and will not do anything that is so ultra-unconstitutional.”

The statement reads: “The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council hereby alerts Nigerians about the latest insidious campaign in some parts of the country against our candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“After exhausting their arsenal of calumnies and character assassination against Tinubu, the opposition PDP and their surrogate Labour Party have begun a multi-pronged desperate campaign of falsehoods.

“In one of the falsehoods being circulated, especially in the North West of the country, Tinubu is to harbour plans to relocate the Federal Capital from Abuja to Lagos on succeeding President Muhammad Buhari on 29th May 2023.


“This misinformation, according to field reports, is being given some traction by some elders on the payroll of the Peoples Democratic Party.

“We are shocked that some people could contrive such an egregious lie, all in the name of politics, to confuse our burgeoning support base in that part of the country.

“Let us say with emphasis that Asiwaju does not contemplate any such plan and will not do anything that is so ultra-unconstitutional.”


The council also noted that the same purveyors of falsehood have also been distorting the commercialization of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited by the APC government of President Muhammadu Buhari.

According to the campaign council: “The truth is that President Buhari has not privatised NNPC as planned by the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. Buhari has instead made it a commercial entity, owned by all the tiers of government, in line with the Petroleum Industry Act.

“In due course, the company will be in a position to declare and share dividends to all its owners, the way Aramco of Saudi Arabia and Petrobas of Brazil do.

“As the destined successor of President Buhari, Asiwaju Tinubu will continue the policy of the Buhari administration. Unlike Atiku, Tinubu has no plan to sell NNPC to his friends or cronies,” the council assured Nigerians.

There is suspense in the Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the presidential candidate Governor Nyesom Wike is likely to endorse for next year’s poll.
Yesterday, the governor, who urged party faithful and supporters to vote for PDP governorship and parliamentary candidates in the state, advised them to wait for his decision on the presidential candidate to adopt.

Wike, who reflected on preparation for 2023 at the inauguration of the Rukpouku-I30-Ogbodo-Igwuruta link Road, said talks were still ongoing on the presidential flag bearer to pitch a tent with.

The Rivers governor and his colleagues in the G5, also known as the Integrity Group – Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) – are locked in a protracted feud with the party leadership over the refusal of the National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, to resign, contrary to his promise to quit, if the candidate was picked from the North.

They have insisted that Ayu’s resignation is a condition for supporting Atiku in next year’s election.

Sources said the main opposition party is worried by its unsuccessful attempts at pacifying the G5, particularly its arrowhead, Wike, whose Rivers State usually voted massively for PDP in previous polls.

Recently, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, said no presidential candidate can hope to clinch the presidency without winning huge votes from Rivers, Kano and Lagos, which the PDP has not been able to penetrate.

Nwuke, a former member of the House of Representatives, said the party should embrace the G-5, correct the imbalance and approach the poll as a united family.

He said the only condition for peace tabled before the party by the G-5 was the resignation of Ayu to pave the way for a Southern chairman in line with the constitution of the PDP.

He said the condition is fair, just and equitable.

Nwuke said the entire state structure of the party in Rivers was backing the G-5, stressing that it was unacceptable for the party to claim that the imbalance would be corrected after the election.

On whether the G-5 would still work for Atiku if Ayu resigned, Nwuke said that was the only condition.

He said: “My question for this Atiku campaign spokesperson in Rivers is if truly he is a Rivers person if truly he is a Southerner, can he in all conscience defend what is happening in his party, which excludes the South?

“You have taken the ticket and we agreed. We are saying give us this one, which will create a sense of balance in the eyes of party men.

“We are saying that in the constitution of the party, Article Seven says power must rotate. We are noting the fact that there was a conversation that preceded Atiku’s victory that if a Northerner wins, Ayu will step aside.

“The G-5 has maintained their integrity and, they have been able to live up to their promises. They told you they will not leave the PDP. They have kept their promise not to leave the PDP. They have remained in the PDP and they are working for PDP candidates in their various states.

“The party should also fulfil the only condition that the Integrity Group has asked for and if they fulfil the condition and the G5, known for their integrity, does not respond, then, this country has something to ask them. What is critical is that that condition is on the table; satisfy this thing.”

Nwuke added: “You won the primary. You have the right to choose your running mate. Nobody is quarrelling with that. The G-5 is saying that in the interest of equity, fairness, justice, the balance of power and objectivity, it is wrong for the North to hold on to the presidential candidate and hold onto the chairmanship of the party.

“The question to ask is: what will the South be voting for when the chairmanship of the party is in the North and when the Presidency is in the North? The North even has all the spokespersons. So, the point we are making is, it is something unfair, something that must be addressed going forward.

“If a man makes a promise and doesn’t keep it, will he keep it after the election is fought and won? Even, Ayu has said that he was elected for four years and was not going to give it up, contrary to what the Atiku people are saying.

“Let me talk about delivering Atiku. Is it Ayu in Benue that will deliver or is it Ortom in Benue that should deliver him? Ayu does not have what it takes to deliver a candidate. So, we will leave that to the Atiku group.

“There’s this feeling that some people are born to rule, and it is time to let them know that some people are born to resist and we are resisting reasonably within the party”.



‘Wike can’t solely decide for Rivers’

The Atiku/Okowa Campaign Organisation said Wike must possess superpowers for him to solely decide who Rivers people should vote for or who not to vote for.

Aniagwu said Wike must realise that by campaigning for PDP candidates in Rivers, he is invariably campaigning for the PDP and Atiku.

He said the people have been voting for PDP since 1999, adding that they will still vote for all PDP candidates in 2023, including Atiku.

Also reacting, a member of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) reminded Wike of his assertion when he visited Edo State last May to campaign for the PDP presidential ticket.

The BoT member who spoke under a condition of anonymity recalled what the Rivers governor told journalists when they asked him why he did not visit the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, during his visit.

“Governor Wike told the journalists that votes are not warehoused in the Edo State Governor House and that the votes are with the people on the streets.

“So by the same token, Governor Wike must also realise that the votes in Rivers are not warehoused in the Rivers State Government House and that they are with the people on the streets.”

A 40-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly defiling his 9-year-old daughter in Akama village, Igbo-ukwu in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State.



The suspect, Kenneth Nwangwu, was apprehended by the Police following a tipoff by a whistle-blower.

The suspect, in police custody at State Criminal and Investigation Department (CID), Awka, however denied the allegations, insisting it was the handiwork of his enemies.



"It is my enemies at work because they are envious of me. I only feed my daughter and nothing more,” he said.

Meanwhile, a medical examination carried out on the victim revealed there was defilement.



During investigation into his life, it was discovered that the suspect has nothing tangible doing for a living and had been the only one raising the minor since his ex wife left them many years ago.



Reacting to the news, the Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Hon Ify Obinabo, pledged her preparedness to see the case through and get justice for the minor.



She decried the high rate of defilement cases in the state, encouraging everyone to, “always say something when you see something."



Obinabo assured that cases already transferred to the State High Court would receive speedy justice delivery as the Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence High Court would soon commence sitting.

Asection of the popular main market in Onitsha, Anambra State is on fire.
The cause of the fire, which reportedly started around midnight is yet to be ascertained.

A trader in the market, Obenta Jude said two block of shops within the section of the market known as Kano Street have so far been razed by the inferno.

He said efforts by fire fighters who arrived the scene shortly to put out the fire have not been successful as the fire continued raging.

Confirming the incident, Fire Chief, Engr Martin Agbili said his men were promptly deployed to the area immediately he was alerted.

He said: “At about 0220hrs (2.20am) of Monday 28-11-2022, Anambra State Fire Service, received a distress call of fire outbreak at Kano Street behind Main Market, Onitsha.

“However, we deployed our fire truck and firefighters to scene of fire and they have been working there. They have gone for refilling of the fire truck twice.”

Details Shortly…

IG orders CPs to take action •Commission seeks probe into attacks on facilities


AN ATTACK on another Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office yesterday has raised fresh concerns over the safe conduct of next year’s general election.

The electoral umpire announced last night that its Izzi Local Government Area Office, located in Iboko, Ebonyi State, was set ablaze by suspected arsonists.

Worried by the frequent attacks, Police Inspector-General (IG) Alkali Usman ordered commissioners of Police to fortify all facilities belonging to the commission across the states.

Yesterday’s attack was the third in three weeks by arsonists.

On November 10, two INEC offices in Abeokuta South, Ogun State and Ede South, in Osun State, were burnt down by arsonists.

At a news conference on November 11, INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, put the number of INEC offices attacked by hoodlums at 50. He said the attacks were recorded in 21 states.

INEC National Commissioner/Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr. Festus Okoye, said the Ebonyi State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mrs. Onyeka Pauline Ugochi, reported that the incident occurred about 10am when some unidentified persons set the building ablaze.

The statement reads: “Although no casualties resulted from the attack, the main building and all the movable and immovable items inside it were destroyed.

“These include 340 ballot boxes, 130 voting cubicles, 14 electric power generators, large water storage tanks, assorted office furniture and fixtures and yet to be determined quantities of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs).


“The attention of the Nigerian Police Force and other security agencies has been drawn to the incident and they have commenced investigation.

“Sadly, this is the third attack on our Local Government office in less than three weeks following similar attacks on our offices in Ogun and Osun States on 10th November, 2022.”

IG Usman ordered the CPs to fortify all INEC facilities under their jurisdictions ahead of the 2023 elections.

The CPs, IG Usman said, should promptly activate the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) to engage stakeholders in evolving strategies for mitigating threats to the elections within their various areas of responsibility.

“Political violence, hate speech, threats, political intolerance, misinformation, and political extremism are all potential threats to our democracy and national security interests, and therefore, urged all state police commissioners to work in synergy with other members of the ICCES to reduce occurrence and threats of violence to its barest minimum with swift prosecution of violators of extant electoral laws,” the police boss said in statement in Abuja by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi.

The statement added: “IGP has charged all commissioners of police in charge of state commands to ensure adequate and strategic deployment of officers and assets, as well as coordinate, deploy, and supervise officers from other security agencies scheduled for election duty, in accordance with ICCES directives, to fortify all facilities of the INEC within their respective areas of responsibility even as electoral materials are being relocated to such facilities, to ensure the safety and security of INEC personnel and materials before, during and after the 2023 General Elections and forestall attacks on INEC facilities.

“Similarly, the IGP has ordered a fresh distribution of gadgets, anti-riot gear, and personal protective equipment (PPE) for police officers across the federation in preparation for the 2023 general election security management duty.

“The items include non-lethal weapons such as electro-shocks, rubber bullets, water cannons, tear gas, riot guns etc., for crowd control and to minimize casualty risk in eventual confrontations with subversive elements.”

Usman reaffirmed the commitment of the Police under his watch to the protection of democratic heritage and national security interests.

An emergency meeting of ICCES, summoned by Prof Yakubu after the October 10 attacks on two of its facilities in Ogun and Osun states, was attended by the IG and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj.-Gen. Babagana Mongunu.

The NSA read the riot act to arsonists to desist from attacking INEC facilities, saying that security agencies had been given clear cut directives to deal decisively with individuals or groups working to scuttle the electoral process.

On the unending attacks, Yakubu said: “These unhappy occurrences are coming just a little over one month into the election campaign, which is scheduled to last for about five months from 28th September, 2022 to 23rd February, 2023 for national elections (presidential and National Assembly and from 12th October, 2022 to 11th March, 2023 for state elections (governorship and House of Assembly).

“The commission is worried that if no urgent and decisive steps are taken, the attacks will intensify as we approach the election date. As we all know, a peaceful election campaign heralds a peaceful election. We need to take decisive steps to stem the ugly trend.”

The NSA said security agencies have been given clear instructions “to pre-empt and deal with any situation in which any rogue organisation or institution decides to embark on what we consider to be a fundamentally criminal enterprise.”

He added: “I am aware of the fact that within a period of just one month from October 8 to November 9, we’ve had 52 cases of violence across 22 states of the federation.

“This is a bad signal. This is something that we do not want to continue. This is something that’s going to result in a lot of complications.

“We’re all aware of the fact that the President, as far as he’s concerned, is committed to upholding and safeguarding democracy. This is what the people want.

“The President has also given his directives through me to all the operational intelligence and law enforcement agencies to ensure that the 2023 elections are held in an atmosphere devoid of rancour.

“Those people who have gangsters working for them. I want to send a very, very clear warning, a categorical and unequivocal warning to each and every one, regardless of whichever political party, including the party of the President, for as long as you decide to scuttle the electoral process, the law enforcement agencies will equally be uninhibited in reacting to whatever actions you have taken.

“You will be visited with appropriate and commensurate response. I want to assure you, and I’m saying this with all sincerity, so those people who feel they have had a history of organising and controlling groups that have an inclination for excessive, immoderate and inordinate behaviour, I want to send this warning to you, please, reevaluate whatever contemplation you have been making.

“Call your people and advise them that as long as they do not behave in a manner that suggests compliance with the electoral laws, you will be held accountable.

“Therefore, it is important for you to call those people, and you know the people under your control, those trigger happy hoods foaming at the mouth, desperate to have the opportunity to undermine the electoral process.

“They will be brought to book. Already, the security agencies and intelligence agencies have been tracking these people. This I can guarantee you.

“You need to do yourself a favour; call your people, your hoods, talk to them, have a nice, quiet, fireside chat with them and tell them to lay down whatever plans they have, because whoever wins in any state whichever party that wins, that party has won.

“This is the intention of the President of this country. There will be no excuse whatsoever. So if you think you can stretch security agencies, I think you’re making a mistake. You need to reconsider your position.

“Nobody’s going to take any excuse because the security agencies have been directed to behave in the same manner. I think a word is enough for the wise.

“Those people in the position to call to order these criminal elements, I’m giving you a word of advice: please reconsider your position.”