₦airaland Forum

Ex-Governor Nasir El-rufai has warned President Bola Tinubu that if ECOWAS troops launch a military attack on Niger, it is a declaration of civil war against northern Nigeria.

Mr El-Rufai, who has been publicly silent on recent political developments in Niger and ECOWAS’ reactions, gave this warning in a tweet Tuesday morning.

TUESDAY THOUGHT: As ECOWAS beats the drums of war, I recall the 1970s rock classic by Dire Straits – ‘Brothers in Arms’, because a war within our subregion is a war between brothers. Indeed, the people of Niger Republic are one and the same with those living in Northern Nigeria.…

— Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai (@elrufai) August 22, 2023
“As ECOWAS beats the drums of war, I recall the 1970s rock classic by Dire Straits – ‘Brothers in Arms’, because a war within our subregion is a war between brothers,” Mr El-Rufai said.

He added that “indeed, the people of Niger Republic are one and the same with those living in Northern Nigeria. Let us bend therefore over backwards to avoid this civil war between brothers.”

Mr El-Rufai’s warning comes after he fell out with Mr Tinubu over ministerial appointment, weeks after ECOWAS charged its troops to be on standby to restore constitutional order in Niger, following the ouster of President Mohamed Bazoum by members of his presidential guards in July.

On August 10, at the second extraordinary summit on the socio-political situation in the Republic of Niger held in Abuja, ECOWAS president, Omar Alieu Touray, gave a directive for the regional bloc’s forces to be on standby to attack the beleagured country.

“We direct the committe of defence staff to activate the ECOWAS standby force with all its elements immediately,” Mr Touray said, adding that the action was to “restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger.”

Mr Tinubu, the ECOWAS chair, at the summit pointed out that the ongoing political crisis in Niger Republic was a threat to the stability of Nigeria and other West African countries.

Comrade Shehu Sani, a former senator, has described the immediate past governor of Kaduna state, Nasir El-Rufai as “a Rastafarian and Reggae artiste”.

Sani said this while reacting to a post of El-Rufai on X social media platform, on Sunday.

El-Rufai, who has not been active on social media since the failure of the senate to confirm his ministerial appointment, put up a post about late Reggae legend, Bob Marley’s song: ‘Who The Cap Fit and The Wailers.’

“VIDEO – Bob Marley of blessed memory is one of the most talented musicians of all time. My love for reggae music is connected with his songs and music.

“Who The Cap Fit – Bob Marley & The Wailers is one of my favorites from the 1970s. Enjoy your Sunday with the song and lyrics that are timeless. – @elrufai.”

He posted the full lyrics of the songs and the YouTube links.

“Man to man is so unjust, children
Ya don’t know who to trust
Your worst enemy could be your best friend
And your best friend, your worse enemy
Some will eat and drink with you
(Some will eat and drink with you)

“Then behind them su-su ‘pon you
Then behind them su-su ‘pon you)
Only your friend know your secrets
So only he could reveal it
And who the cap fit, let them wear it!
Who the cap fit, let them wear it!”

In his reaction, Sani took to his X handle to taunt El-Rufai, saying, “I have turned him into a Rastafarian and Reggae artist…yeah man.”

The ex-Senator had earlier bantered about El-Rufai’s travail in the ministerial race after reports broke that the ministerial nominee had lost interest in the job.

“James applied for a job. James wrote exams for the job. James attended an interview for the job. James failed the exam and failed the interview. James came out to the gate and told his friends that he has withdrawn his interest in the Job,” Sani posted with a laughing emoji.

Both men fell out after the 2015 elections which led to the emergence of El-Rufai as governor and Sani, a senator.

All efforts to reconcile the duo did not yield result and El-Rufai vowed that Sani would not return to the upper legislative chamber of the National Assembly.

Incumbent Governor of Kaduna, Uba Sani, who is a close associate of El-Rufai, took over Sani’s senate seat, having won the APC ticket for Kaduna central following the disqualification of the former senator from the race.

El-Rufai’s associate eventually won the general election.

I am for Waziri Atiku today and tomorrow. However, President Tinubu is showing too much weakness. How can there be a military coup in your next door neighbour, and prominent citizens, as well as influencers, are calling for a coup in the traditional and social media, and they are still sleeping in their houses?

If I were the President, by now, such people would be in an underground DSS cell, where they won't see sunlight for a week, and they will lose track of time before being hauled to a court to answer for treason charges.

Nobody consolidates power by showing weakness. Nobody! Freedom of speech does not include calling for a military takeover. Buhari was a disaster in the area of the economy and security. Still, I have every confidence in him and President Obasanjo that if you tried this under them, you would pray for death because of what they will use their legal powers to do to you.

If you want to be President of Nigeria, you cannot be nice. Niceness is for useless things like #BBNaija, owambe, and flirting. But to be a leader, you must punish even the slightest hint of disloyalty to the state and reward good behaviour. If even the Pope misyarns, underground bunker straight! Otherwise, you are sending a very wrong message to people who are looking for weakness.

Mo ti so temi!

#TableShaker

Why will Russia be warning Nigeria and ECOWAS about intervening in Niger? Did we interfere when Russia invaded Ukraine? Did we poke our noses when Putin invaded Crimea? What is Russia's business with West Africa? Did Putin not panic when Wagner and Yevgeny Prigozhin attempted a coup against him? Did he not appeal to the Belarusian President to intervene to save him? Did he not try to rally the Russian people to defend their 'democracy' such as it is? So, if a coup in Russia is not welcome, why should a coup in Niger be welcome? Was Nigerien the President, Mohamed Bazoum, not democratically elected? Honestly, African leaders tolerate too much interference! This is not a Western or Russian issue. Mind your businesses and leave the ECOWAS to mind theirs.

#TableShaker

The Nigerian Army has approved an upward review of monthly ration allowance to soldiers, taking it from N1,000 to N1,200 ($1.50) in a memo shared on social media.

The approval, which decried rising challenges for troops following the removal of fuel subsidy by President Bola Tinubu, came on July 27, according to the memo signed by Emmanuel Emekah, a major-general, on behalf of the chief of army staff, Taoreed Lagbaja. How the memo leaked on social media was unclear, but officers confirmed its authenticity to Peoples Gazette.

“Sequel to the recent removal of fuel subsidy by the federal government of Nigeria, with its attendant rise in the prices of goods and services across the country, the COAS has graciously approved upward review of ration cash allowance of troops from N1,000 to N1,200 with effect from August 2023,” Mr Emekah said. While the allowance is separate from monthly salaries, soldiers have already started grumbling about the poor remuneration in the military.

“Members of my unit are already complaining that the allowance is just too poor,” a lieutenant told The Gazette by telephone Wednesday afternoon. “They were expecting about N5,000 in ration allowance because their salaries are too low already.”

“Most of them earn less than N70,000 per month,” the lieutenant added under anonymity to comment on internal brass decisions. A spokesman for the Nigerian Army did not immediately return a request seeking comments about the announcement.

The development memo surfaced as Nigerians are groaning over the new subsidy regime, which has seen commodity prices rise exponentially following Mr Tinubu’s decision to stop subsidising petrol for Nigerian households.

Protests were held across the country as part of efforts among labour unions to force the president to reconsider the policy, which was first introduced in the 1970s when the Nigerian economy became increasingly dependent on crude exports.

Residents in Osun and Ekiti states have appealed to the federal government to provide special funds to states to assist in ameliorating the effects of the fuel subsidy removal on the economy.

At the twilight of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, the federal government announced that the country could not continue to sustain subsidy on fuel importation.

Subsequently, at the inauguration of President Bola Tinubu’s government on May 29, he announced the removal of fuel subsidy while the official pump price of fuel increased from N185 to N500 per litre and barely two months later increased to N617 per litre.

The increase in pump price of fuel and its attendant effect led to rise in cost of transportation, foodstuff and other services, thus affecting every sphere of the nation’s life, on account of which some state governments directed that civil servants should report to work only three days in a week.

A survey conducted in the three states shows that many Nigerians have abandoned the use of their vehicles as a result of the exorbitant cost of petrol, preferring to commute to their destinations.

Respondents to the survey appealed for speedy implementation of government palliative, including provision of commercial buses by to cushion the effect of the removal of fuel subsidy.

Olawale Rasheed, the spokesman of Gov. Ademola Adeleke, said that the state government would soon unveil palliatives to cushion the effect of the recent subsidy removal.

Mr Rasheed said that the planned intervention would include support to public transport owners, monitoring of fuel stations and review of public sector work time.

He said top officials were finalising the state palliative plan in line with the directives of Mr Adeleke.

“The governor’s plan is to be sustainable, impactful and result-oriented.

“Mr Governor is set to announce the state plan to cushion the effect of the hike in fuel price. Our Governor is pro-people and pro-worker.

“He wants an all-encompassing intervention in which all strata of the society will benefit,” he said.

Mr Rasheed also stressed that the governor was working tirelessly to make life bearable for the people of the state.

He also explained that the meagre resources available in Osun were being used to provide social amenities across the state.

In Ekiti, a member of civil society organisations (CSOs), Gbenga Ilori, urged the government to strive to revive its moribund transport company, “Ekiti Kete Transport Company”.

This is just as he also called on the federal government to evolve a system or programme to help states in this direction in order to cushion the effect of the removal of fuel subsidy on Nigerians.

He described the hardship the removal had caused the masses as unprecedented, saying something drastic needed to be done to alleviate it.

According to him, many residents, especially workers, are currently finding things difficult as they now spend more money on transportation to their workplaces than what they earn, while many others have resorted to trekking long distances.

Also, an engineer with the state ministry of works, Fatai Alaba, suggested the adoption of alternatives to fuel-powered vehicles for Nigerians.

“Federal government can import or make gas-powered vehicles for Nigerians to cushion the effects of hardship on the people,” he said.

A civil servant, Sola Kehinde, advised the state government to resuscitate transport companies in their states and ensure they pick their staff at different locations to their workplaces.

“We don’t have such facilities in Ekiti state, though there used to be one called “Ekiti Kete Transport Company.

“I am using this medium to call on our governor to resuscitate the moribund company, so as to make life easy for the common man.

“I spend more on transportation these days and this is fast affecting my family. At times, I walk far distance before I can get to work,” she said.

Another resident, a retired teacher, Isaac Adewale, urged the Federal government to urgently put in place measures to assist the people most affected by the removal of the fuel subsidy and prioritise addressing widespread hunger, high unemployment and the rapidly falling standard of living.

He said that government at all levels should consider implementing targeted subsidies, saying these subsidies can be directed towards vulnerable groups, such as low-income earners and unemployed people.

The retired teacher further said that by providing financial assistance to those most affected, the government would help ease the burden and ensure that basic needs of the citizens were met.

He also suggested to government to put in place price stabilisation measures to prevent excessive price fluctuation on essential goods and services, saying this can be achieved through mechanism such as price control or regulations that prevent unjustified price hikes.

Mr Adewale said that by ensuring that prices remained reasonable and within the reach of the average Nigerian, the government would be doing the populace a lot of favour towards cushioning the impact of fuel subsidy on the cost of living.

A caller on a radio programme on Fresh FM, 102.9 Akure, on Thursday, broke down in tears as reactions continue to trail the steep increase in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) otherwise known as petrol, by President Bola Tinubu-led federal government.

Identifying himself as ‘Awilo’, the radio caller, who described the increase of petrol to N500 to N617 per litre as “satanic”, said the development has made life unbearable for his family and many other poor Nigerians.

“How do they want us to survive this hardship with this increment again? It’s satanic and this is also unfair, it’s a big punishment for the Nigerian masses. What exactly is our offence? Did we vote for this man (Tinubu) to suffer us? Why always the poor? We can’t cope any longer. Honestly, we cannot cope. This hardship is just too much. We’re in pain,” he cried, as the anchor begged him to control his tears on radio.

He explained that with the increase in the pump price, the living standards of the people would now nosedive even as the government was yet to provide the necessary palliatives to the citizens to mitigate the effect of the subsidy removal.

As Nigerians continue to suffer the consequential effect unleashed on them by the fuel subsidy removal, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), on Tuesday, jerked up the pump prices of petrol to N617 per litre from N500 per litre.

Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, had attributed the rise in petrol pump rice in the country to market forces, saying that the increase was not based on a short supply of fuel.

Mr Kyari said, “They are just prices depending on the market realities. This is the meaning of making sure that the market regulates itself. Prices will go up and sometimes they will come down also.

“No, there is no supply issue. It is not a supply issue. When you go to the market, you buy the product, you come to the market and sell it at its prevailing market price. It has nothing to do with supply. We don’t have supply issues.”

But many Nigerians have refused to buy into the explanation of Mr Kyari on the new petrol price as many have continued to kick against the government of Mr Tinubu, who announced the removal of fuel subsidy on May 29, without providing palliatives to cushion the effect.

You want to remove subsidy but you won’t sell refineries that produce zero oil so that the sector can be fully deregulated but you can invest billions of dollars into Dangote’s refinery and you say this country is not jinxed? Only Atiku had a clear plan on how to solve this issue

There should be no arrogance to solving a nation’s problems. Borrow Atiku’s plan on how to fully deregulate the oil sector. You are already president. Halt the suffering in the land. Sell the useless refineries, bring back subsidy & remove it finally when refineries start working

Every human can read unlimited posts here:
nairaland.com
Twitter's under 280 character tweets are probably not as useful for generative AI as Elon thinks they are.

Sleeping President Bola Tinubu and corpse of Nigerians killed by bandits used to illustrate this story.

At least 237 persons were killed in different attacks across the country in President Bola Tinubu’s first month in office.

A summation of reported cases of killings by Boko Haram, bandits and gunmen across the country in the past 30 days since Mr Tinubu assumed office as president by Peoples Gazette confirms this.

It further shows that at least eight people were killed daily on average under the watch of Mr Tinubu, Nigeria’s new commander-in-chief, who swore to an oath to protect the lives and properties of citizens.

Mr Tinubu’s first week in office was marred by a killing spree that left at least 80 dead across Benue, Zamfara, Sokoto, The Gazette reported.

Days later, Amnesty International lamented killings across the country, estimating the number of citizens killed across the country to be about 120.

However, Mr Tinubu’s party, the All Progressives Congress, dismissed Amnesty International’s outcry as “hypocritical,” asking the human rights institution to cut the new government slack.

With Boko Haram, bandits and gunmen intensifying their nefarious activities across the country, reported cases of killings increased by 117 as of June 29, bringing the number of deaths to 237.

In separate attacks across communities, 45 people were killed in Niger and Plateau on June 10 and 13, while another 33 were killed in separate attacks in Borno and Plateau between June 16, 17 and 18. In Kaduna on June 18, five persons, including a local chief, were killed.

On June 21 and 22, 20 persons were killed in Plateau communities. On June 23, Boko Haram terrorists killed eight farmers in Borno, while three miners were killed in Plateau State. On the same day, three farmers were killed in Kaduna.

Within the period under review, the Nigerian military said it foiled some attacks and freed some kidnapped citizens, killing Boko Haram insurgents and bandits in Borno, Kaduna, and Zamfara.

Silence of the graveyard

In his inaugural speech on May 29, Mr Tinubu promised to tackle the deterioration of insecurity, reforming Nigeria’s “security doctrine and its architecture.”

He has sacked the service chiefs and appointed new ones. However, Mr Tinubu has maintained radio silence over several killings under his watch since he assumed office.

Though Mr Tinubu was quick to mourn the dead in India’s catastrophic train crash barely 24 hours after the incident, he has not even a word for his unfortunate compatriots slaughtered by Boko Haram and bandits.

His media aide Dele Alake did not respond to requests for comments from The Gazette per Mr Tinubu’s failure to publicly commiserate with beleaguered Nigerians despite sending condolences to India.

Ignoring killings under Mr Tinubu’s government, Mr Alake had claimed Nigerians were enjoying a “new lease of life” when asked to assess the performance of the new Nigerian leader in his first two weeks in office in an interview on NTA (a state-owned TV station).

“It’s been exhilarating. It’s been very exciting. It’s been refreshingly different for Nigerians. In fact, President Tinubu has broken all myths in this country,” Mr Alake had said. “We concluded that the title of his action plan, ‘Renewed Hope’, has actually come to reality because Nigerians have been given a new lease of life.”

‘Pure genocide’

Nigerians have continued to decry ongoing deadly violence, with Governor Caleb Mutfwang describing killings in Plateau as “pure genocide.”

Isa Sanusi, Amnesty International’s acting director in Nigeria, lamented the spate of killings, berating the government for failing to deliver on its core duty of protecting the lives and property of Nigerians.

“It is horrific that attacks by gunmen have claimed at least 123 lives mere weeks after President Bola Tinubu assumed office on 29 May. Protecting lives should be the utmost priority of the new government. The Nigerian authorities must urgently take steps to stop the bloodletting. The brazen failure of the authorities to protect the people of Nigeria is gradually becoming the ‘norm’ in the country,” Mr Sanusi.

He added, “The government said it will enact security measures in response to these attacks, but these promises have not translated into meaningful action that protects the lives of vulnerable communities. The Nigerian authorities have also consistently failed to carry out independent, effective, impartial and thorough investigations into these killings — and this is fuelling impunity.”

The exchange rate between the naira and dollar sold for an intra-day high of N815/$1 at the official Investor & Exporter Window on Wednesday, June 21, 2023.

This is the highest rate traded for the dollar on the official market since we started tracking records in 2018 when the window was launched.

The exchange rate however closed at N763.17/$ at the close of business on Wednesday depreciating from N756.61/$1 recorded a day earlier.

The disparity in exchange rates closes
Meanwhile, the disparity between the black market and the official exchange rate market closed again on Wednesday with the official rates closing at N763/$1.

This was close to the black market rate which sold for between N760-N770/$1 depending on who is buying or selling.
Nairametrics reported on Monday that the official and parallel market rates first achieved convergence on Monday, June 19th when they closed at N770.38.
By achieving exchange rate parity for the third consecutive day, analysts believe the official rate has crossed a critical first step in price discovery.
The three major phases to price discovery are the transition phase, speculation and adjustment phase and the intervention phase.

News continues after this ad

Under the transition phase, when the newly managed float regime is being implemented market participants need time to understand and adapt to the new framework.

During this phase, there may be increased volatility and uncertainty as market forces start to influence the exchange rate.
This is what we are currently experiencing in Nigeria, thus the volatility.
In the speculation and adjustment phase, market participants, such as banks, forex traders, and institutional investors, analyze economic data, policy announcements, and other relevant factors to form expectations about the future exchange rate.

They may take positions in currencies based on these expectations, leading to fluctuations in the exchange rate.
As the market becomes familiar with the managed float regime, speculative activity, and adjustments may also occur.
In the intervention phase, the central bank may intervene in the foreign exchange market to influence the exchange rate.

News continues after this ad

If the exchange rate deviates significantly from the desired level, the central bank may buy or sell its own currency to stabilize or steer the exchange rate toward the desired direction.
These interventions can impact market sentiment and influence price discovery.
Other Markets: In the peer-to-peer (p2p) market operated by Binance, the exchange rate traded for around N770/$1 late on Wednesday.

An amalgamation of support groups across Nigeria’s 36 states under the aegis of G36 Renewed Hope Support Group has called on President Bola Tinubu to compensate them with board appointments.

To underscore their frustration, the support groups said their members stole and borrowed money to oil the campaign wheels of Mr Tinubu.

“Your Excellency, you are a grassroots politician, so you are aware of all we must have passed through during the election. Many of our support groups borrowed, begged, indirectly stole and sold our properties to ensure victory for you at the poll,” stated the groups in Lagos on Wednesday at a press conference. “On this note, we are speaking in one voice, appealing to you that we deserve to be compensated.”

The group’s leader, Samson Bilesanmi, noted that “we know we cannot all be your ministers, special assistants, or chief of staff, but you can appoint us into federal boards and agencies which are over 200 in number.”

It went further to call the president’s attention to how the earlier amalgamated support groups disappointed them, urging Mr Tinubu to disband them.

“Your Excellency should dissolve the amalgamated and replace it with another name,” stated Mr Bilesanmi. “This is because anything given under that umbrella would be cornered by few individuals who could not account for millions given to us during the campaign.”

Average annual hours worked:

🇲🇽Mexico — 2,128
🇳🇬Nigeria — 2,124
🇨🇷Costa Rica — 2,073
🇨🇴Colombia — 1,964
🇨🇱Chile — 1,916
🇰🇷South Korea — 1,910
🇲🇹Malta — 1,882
🇷🇺Russia — 1,874
🇬🇷Greece — 1,872
🇷🇴Romania — 1,838
🇭🇷Croatia — 1,835
🇵🇱Poland — 1,830
🇺🇸United States — 1,791
🇮🇪Ireland — 1,775
🇪🇪Estonia — 1,767
🇨🇿Czech Republic — 1,753
🇮🇱Israel — 1,753
🇨🇾Cyprus — 1,745
🇳🇿New Zealand — 1,730
🇭🇺Hungary — 1,697
🇦🇺Australia — 1,694
🇨🇦Canada — 1,685
🇮🇹Italy — 1,669
🇮🇳India — 1,660
🇮🇩Indonesia — 1,660
🇵🇹Portugal — 1,649
🇪🇸Spain — 1,641
🇱🇹Lithuania — 1,620
🇧🇬Bulgaria — 1,619
🇯🇵Japan — 1,607
🇱🇻Latvia — 1,601
🇸🇮Slovenia — 1,596
🇸🇰Slovakia — 1,583
🇹🇷Türkiye — 1,572
🇨🇭Switzerland — 1,533
🇫🇮Finland — 1,518
🇿🇦South Africa — 1,513
🇸🇦Saudi Arabia — 1,513
🇬🇧United Kingdom — 1,497
🇧🇪Belgium — 1,493
🇫🇷France — 1,490
🇧🇷Brazil — 1,481
🇸🇪Sweden — 1,444
🇦🇹Austria — 1,442
🇮🇸Iceland — 1,433
🇳🇴Norway — 1,427
🇳🇱Netherlands — 1,416
🇱🇺Luxembourg — 1,382
🇩🇰Denmark — 1,363
🇩🇪Germany — 1,349

The Naira yesterday depreciated by 16 per cent to N770.38 per dollar in the Investors and Exporters (I&E) window following a surge in demand for dollars worsened by acute supply shortage.

Data from the FMDQ showed that the indicative exchange rate for the window rose to N770.38 5 per dollar from N663.04 per dollar last week Friday, indicating N107.34 depreciation for the naira.

But in the parallel market, yesterday, the naira appreciated from N4 to N755 per dollar from N759 per dollar last week.

Related News
Court to deliver judgment in Nnamdi Kanu’s suit against DSS
I met N4m in Zamfara account, running state on debts - Dauda Lawal
BREAKING: Ex-Governor Ortom presents self to EFCC in Makurdi
Consequently, the I&E exchange rate surpassed the parallel market exchange rate for the first time since 2019, the I&E exchange rate was.

Forex market sources told Vanguard that the depreciation was majorly due to a surge in demand buoyed by over $3.7 billion matured Letters of Credit, LCs. The situation they stressed is worsened by supply shortage as the I&E window is yet to see significant forex inflow since the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, reintroduced the willing seller, willing buyer model.

According to a source, the volume of transactions is still very scant and they are from people who have urgent forex needs and are willing to buy at any exchange rate. Some of them were already used to buying dollars at the parallel market rate, and hence are used to buying dollars at above N700 per dollar.

The development in the I&E window follows the new forex measures announced by the CBN on Wednesday.

Announcing the new measures in a statement titled, “Operational Changes to the Foreign Exchange Market”, Director, Financial Markets, Dr. Angela Sere-Ejembi, said, “The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) wishes to inform all authorized dealers and the general public of the following immediate changes to operations in the Nigerian Foreign Exchange (FX) Market:

“Abolishment of segmentation. All segments are now collapsed into the Investors and Exporters (I&E) window. Applications for medicals, school fees, BTA/PTA, and SMEs would continue to be processed through deposit money banks.

“Re-introduction of the “Willing Buyer, Willing Seller” model at the I&E Window. Operations in this window shall be guided by the extant circular on the establishment of the window, dated 21 April 2017 and referenced FMD/DIR/CIR/GEN/08/007. All eligible transactions are permitted to access foreign exchange at this window.

“The operational rate for all government-related transactions shall be the weighted average rate of the preceding day’s executed transactions at the I&E window, calculated to two (2) decimal places.

“Proscription of trading limits on oversold FX positions with permission to hedge short positions with Over-The Counter-futures. Limits on overbought positions shall be zero.

“Re-introduction of order-based two-way quotes, with bid-ask spread of N1. All transactions shall be cleared by a Central Counter Party (CCP).

“Reintroduction of Order Book to ensure transparency of orders and seamless execution of trades.

“The operational hours of trades shall be from 9am to 4pm, Nigeria time.

“Cessation of RT200 Rebate Scheme and the Naira4Dollar Remittance Scheme, with effect from 30 June 2023.

“Further guidance on these matters shall be communicated in due course. All market participants and the general public are kindly enjoined to abide by these rules.”

Atiku spoke through Phrank Shaibu, who is his Special Assistant on Public Communication, said Wike should go for confession and not thanksgiving, given his ignoble role in the election in Rivers State.

Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that the immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, was a victim of self-inflicted alcoholic poisoning.

Atiku spoke through Phrank Shaibu, who is his Special Assistant on Public Communication, said Wike should go for confession and not thanksgiving, given his ignoble role in the election in Rivers State.

Wike had opened up and alleged that he was poisoned at the secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in December 2018.
The former governor had disclosed this at a special Thanksgiving service organised in his honour at the St. Peters Deanery, Rumuepirikom, Obio-Akpor, on Sunday.

He had said the poison ravaged his internal organs, affecting his liver and kidneys and almost killed him but for God’s interventions.
However, Phrank Shaibu, in a statement on Monday advised Nyesom Wike to reduce his consumption of alcohol following a revelation that his liver and kidneys failed due to “poisoning.”

He stated, “Governor Wike has always been open about his intense and indubitable love for whiskey. He even said back in March that he was sipping a 40-year-old whiskey with his friends while watching Atiku and others protesting on TV at 11am.

“Governor Wike has also been seen drinking and dancing in video, including one he did with former Governor Rochas Okorocha. If Wike was indeed poisoned and his organs failed, he ought to be a teetotaller by now and reduce his drinking.

“I am not a medical doctor but it is general knowledge that excessive alcohol consumption leads to high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, digestive problems; and cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, oesophagus, voice box, liver, colon and rectum.

“Other ailments associated with excessive drinking include: weakening of the immune system, increasing the chances of getting sick; learning and memory problems, including dementia and poor sexual performance. Wike should look inwards. Let us assume that he was poisoned by food. Was his hoarse and husky voice also caused by food poisoning?

“Governor Wike ought to be doing confessions rather than thanksgiving. Psalm 51:17 says God does not despise a broken spirit and a contrite heart. Wike has not shown any remorse for the many electoral malpractices he has committed.

“Under Wike’s reign, Rivers State – which was famously known as the treasure base of the nation – became Rivers of blood. That is the legacy of Wike. His thanksgiving cannot be acceptable to God unless there is first repentance”, Shaibu said.

“Governor (Seyi) Makinde aptly referred to his master, Wike, as a naked wire. Everyone knows that all a naked wire does is to kill people by electrocution. May we never fall victim to such a cantankerous man.

“Governor Makinde should, however, focus on delivering the dividends of democracy to the people of Oyo. He is the only G5 member who currently holds political office. The other four are jobless spent forces who are running helter skelter seeking appointment and protection from the EFCC”, he said.

As the race for the Senate Presidency hots up, Vice President Kashim Shettima has said the most incompetent Southern Christian is better than the most puritanical Northern Muslim.

Shettima said he is ready to kneel and beg the incoming senators to allow a Southern Christian to emerge as the next Senate President.

He spoke during an interaction with the senators in Abuja.

According to Shettima: “I’m ready to kneel and beg my colleagues for the sake of the nation. This is for the survival of this nation.

“Here we are with a Muslim president and a Muslim vice-president in a multi-ethnic, multi-religious polity like ours.
“Number 1, 2. All of the same faith for God sake.

“Under the current dispensation, the worst, the most incompetent Southern Christian is better than the most puritanical Northern Muslim for the Presidency of the Senate.”

The outgoing Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, SAN, Wednesday told President Muhammadu Buhari that it is an aberration to appoint a Minister of State.

Keyamo stated this in his speech at the valedictory session presided over by President Buhari to mark the end of the Federal Executive Council, FEC, under his (Buhari) administration, at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The Minister of State, who thanked President Buhari for enriching his Curriculum Vitae, through the appointment, noted that some other Ministers of State, have been grumbling and unable to be bold and speak out.

He said it would be difficult to assess the individual performances of the Ministers of State since their discretion was shackled under the discretion of the Ministers as any original ideas developed by a Minister of State are subject to clearance by another colleague in Cabinet before they can sail through for consideration by Council.

The prepared text reads thus: “Mr. President, you first appointed me as Minister of State in the Ministry Niger Delta Affairs in August, 2019 and you later redeployed me as Minister of State in the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

“Today, I cannot find the words to express the depth of my gratitude to you for finding me worthy, out of over two hundred million Nigerians, to be nominated and subsequently appointed to serve as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. My curriculum vitae has been greatly enhanced – forever.

“From my very humble beginnings in a small dusty town in Delta State where I was born and raised by my struggling parents, all the way to the Council Chambers at the Presidential Villa where I had the honour and privilege to participate weekly in decision-making for my country in the last four years, it has been like a fairy tale. I give God all the glory.

“What I am about to say, therefore, is not and should not be construed as an indication of ingratitude. Far from it. What I am about to say is just my own little contribution to our constitutional development as a relatively young democracy and to aid future governments to optimize the performance of those they appoint as Ministers.

“Mr. President, the concept or designation of “Minister of State” is a constitutional aberration and is practically not working for many so appointed. Successive governments have come and gone and many who were appointed as Ministers of State have not spoken out at a forum such as this because of the risk of sounding ungrateful to the Presidents who appointed them. However, like I said earlier, this is not ingratitude.

“As a private citizen, I am on record to have gone to court a number of times to challenge unconstitutional acts of governments for the sake of advancing our constitutional democracy, so it will be out of character for me to have gone through government and be carried away by the pomp of public office and forget my role as a member of the Inner Bar and my self-imposed role over the years as a crusader for democracy and constitutionalism.”

Supporting his position with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Keyamo said, “Mr. President, I crave your indulgence to explain this constitutional conundrum of “Minister of State”. Sections 147 and 148 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), deal with the appointments and responsibilities of Ministers of the Federation. The said sections state as follows:

Section 147

“(1) There shall be such offices of Ministers of the Government of the Federation as may be established by the President.

(2) Any appointment to the office of Minister of the Government of the Federation shall, if the nomination of any person to such office is confirmed by the Senate, be made by the President.

(3) Any appointment under subsection (2) of this section by the President shall be in conformity with the provisions of section 14(3) of this Constitution:- provided that in giving effect to the provisions aforesaid the President shall appoint at least one Minister from each State, who shall be an indigene of such State.”

Section 148

“(1) The President may, in his discretion, assign to the Vice-President or any Minister of the Government of the Federation responsibility for any business of the Government of the Federation, including the administration of any department of government.”

“Furthermore, the 7th Schedule to the 1999 Constitution provides for the Oath of Office to which each Minister must subscribe. There are no different Oaths for “Minister” and “Ministers of State”. They all take the same Oath of Office.

“In addition to the above, the Ministers-designate appear before the Senate and are grilled and cleared AS MINISTERS, not as Ministers in some instances and Ministers of State in some other instances. It is at the point of assignment of portfolios that successive Presidents then reclassified some as “Ministers of State.”

He contended that though the President has the constitutional powers to assign portfolio to his appointees, he said that such appointment must be in line with the constitutional provision.

He said, “Some may want to justify this by saying the President is given the discretion by the Constitution to assign whatever responsibility(ies) he likes to Ministers. Yes, I concede Mr. President can do that, but not by a designation different from that prescribed by the Constitution.

“Simply put, it is akin to the President assigning responsibilities to the office of the Vice-President and re-designating that office as “Deputy President” under our present Constitution. That is clearly impossible. Why then should that of the Ministers be different?

“What is more, Ministers are appointed pursuant to Section 147(3) of the 1999 Constitution to represent each State of the Federation. Therefore, Ministers sit in Cabinet as the eye of Mr. President in each State of the Federation. It is therefore against the intendment of the drafters of our Constitution for a representative of a State to be reclassified as against another representative of another State.

“The Schedules of Duties of Ministers and Ministers of State that intend to cure some of these anomalies hardly help the issues. Firstly, the Schedules of Duties are observed more in breach by the Permanent Secretaries and Directors who really cannot be expected to serve two masters.

“And in any case, many of the roles of both Ministers are so ambiguous that the bureaucrats would always interpret them to satisfy the ones they see as the “Senior Ministers” or “main Ministers” for fear of being persecuted by them.

“Secondly, parts of the Schedules of Duties seem to suggest that the Ministers can delegate functions to the Ministers of State. This is a constitutional impossibility. It is only Mr. President that can delegate Presidential powers as one cannot delegate what he does not have (delegatus non potest delegare). In any case, how can someone who took the same Oath of Office with another delegate functions to that other?

“Thirdly, the Schedules of Duties leave so many gaping holes that bring conflicts between the Ministers and Ministers of State. In addition, the provision that “Ministers of State” cannot present Memos in Council, except with the permission of the Minister, is another anomaly. It means the discretion of the Minister of State is subsumed in the discretion of the Minister, yet both of them represent different States in Cabinet.

“It also follows that it would be difficult to assess the individual performances of the Ministers of State since their discretion is shackled under the discretion of the Ministers. Original ideas developed by a Minister of State are subject to clearance by another colleague in Cabinet before they can sail through for consideration by Council. The drafters of our Constitution obviously did not intend this.”

He argued that the unconstitutional development has led to having ministers that are idle or redundant.

“As a result, many Ministers of State are largely redundant, with many going to the office for symbolic purpose and just to while away the time. Files are passed to them to treat only at the discretion of the other Minister and the Permanent Secretary. Yet, the Ministers of State will receive either praise or condemnation for the successes or failures of such Ministries.

“I understand that when this practice first surfaced in the First Republic, it was used as a contraption to give a semblance of “Government of National Unity”, when in actual fact no “real power” was ceded to the opposition members co-opted into government who were mostly designated as the Ministers of State, so as to keep them in check under the leadership of the ruling Party’s Ministers.

“But, over time the custom has come to stay and now it has been established as a norm, even regarding Ministers from the same ruling Party. In fact, one political absurdity that has emerged from this is that some Ministers of State won more votes from their States for the party in power than the “main Minister”.

On the way forward, he said, “Many Ministerial Retreats have been held to try and resolve the issues between Ministers and Ministers of State. President Obasanjo held four of such Retreats, with the last one holding at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos, from 23rd to 25th February, 2001. Yet, the problems persisted.

“Mr. President, unknown to many successive Presidents and the general public, these conflicts gravely affect the optimal performance of Governments. What is the way forward?

“Obviously, the argument that two Ministers are cramped into some Ministries in order not to unnecessarily proliferate Ministries and therefore save Government’s money is no longer tenable. This is because Government does not need any extra infrastructure or more money to maintain all Senior 36 Ministers or even a bit more appointed as is now the custom.

“This is because the present Ministers and Ministers of State have their separate offices, cars, security personnel and personal aides. So, what is the point?

“There are enough Permanent Secretaries within the system to be assigned to each Minister, or in the least, one Permanent Secretary can serve two Ministers. Since the Schedules of Duties of both Ministers already reflect the broad Mandates of the Ministries, the Ministers can be named in line with those Schedules of Duties, instead of continuing with this unconstitutional arrangement. For instance, there is no reason why we cannot have a Minister of Labour and another Minister of Employment.

“In my case, whilst the Schedule of my colleague had to do more with Labour and Productivity, mine had to do more with Employment. The Directorates in my Ministry that were under my office would then be fully under the Minister of Employment, without any double loyalty to the Minister of Labour and Productivity.

“We can also have a Minister of Trade and another Minister of Investment. We can have a Minister of Education (Tertiary) and another Minister of Education (Primary and Secondary); we can have a Minister of Mines and another Minister of Steel; we can have a Minister of Works and another Minister of Housing and so on and so forth.

“In all of these, no extra infrastructure is needed to sustain this suggested arrangement. The present infrastructure and present personnel in the Ministries can very well sustain it. It will be at no extra cost to government. This is preferable than successive governments continuing with this present unconstitutional arrangement.

“Finally, I want to place it on record again that Mr. President gave me maximum support as his Minister to function optimally. So, this treatise is not a personal complaint. This is just a respectful recommendation for record purposes and for the sake of posterity. It is also intended to correct an anomaly that has existed for ages.”

Information reaching me now from an insider is that @officialABAT is trying to lean on @MBuhari to declare a public holiday on Friday 26 May, which is the date the supreme court is supposed to deliver the judgment that could disqualify him.

He has also tasked Lagos State governor @jidesanwoolu and his money launderer-in-chief Gilbert Chagoury to raise a total of N100bn with which to approach the supreme court justices.

Sunlight is the best disinfectant so kindly retweet!

The Supreme Court on Monday fixed May 26 for the judgement on the alleged double nomination of vice president-elect Kashim Shettima filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The judgement, slated three days before the presidential inauguration, would determine whether Mr Shettima would be sworn in as the vice president or if his candidacy would be truncated.

If affirmed, Mr Shettima’s disqualification could truncate the swearing in of Bola Tinubu as president since they ran a joint ticket.

Senior lawyer Joe Agim told the Court that the All Progressives Congress(APC) had earlier admitted Mr Shettima’s double nomination at the appellate court, but the APC denied the allegation.

Mr Agim, citing a case involving Uche Nwosu against ADP as precedent, asserted that his respondents did not deserve to speak, let alone make any argument, over the alleged double nomination.

“There’s a punishment for double nomination. They ought not to be heard,” Mr Agim told the highest court on Monday. “It should never happen in this country.”

The Court said judgement will be issued on Friday.

The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has warned those linking the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Peter Obi, to the recent attack at the US convoy in Anambra State to desist from the allegation which it has described as mere demonization by those it noted does not want him to succeed.

Spokesperson of the group Emma Powerful, who disclosed this in a statement, said Obi’s mandate is divine and can never be truncated by anyone.

While also denying that his members were part of the attack as alleged by the Nigeria security, Powerful said “It is important to note that those accusing IPOB of being behind the attack on the US Embassy convoy are the real masterminders.

He alleged that those behind it were also responsible for killing most of its innocent members in the South East.

“Their quest to blackmail IPOB globally has led them into assassinating innocent people in Biafra Land. For instance, these government agents assassinated Gulak in Owerri, and they assassinated an army couple in an undisclosed location in Biafra.

“They assassinated Dr. Akunyili in Anambra (late Dora Akunyili’s husband). In all these and many more of the state-sponsored murder cases, IPOB was accused, and to date, police never investigated any of them.”

Powerful also argued that its intelligence unit saved ex-British High Commissioner Catriona Laing in 2022 from being killed when she proposed visiting the country.

“If not for the Intel from IPOB M-Branch on the plans to assassinate ex-British High Commissioner, Catriona Laing, in 2022 and the warning from IPOB leadership for her not to visit South East, they would have assassinated her too.

“This recent attack on the US Embassy convoy is likely another state-sponsored attack to discredit the peaceful IPOB movement and to make South East more unsafe for investors to continue coming to Biafra to invest. Again, they are late because our call for investors has already started yielding fruit.

And warning those linking Obi to the US envoy attack, Powerful said: “Those linking Peter Obi to these attacks on US Embassy Convoy are the ones that fingers are pointing to regarding the crisis happening in the south East region.

“There is no way they can link innocent Peter Obi to it because he is from Anambra State. Does that mean that all the attacks happening in Adamawa State and Katsina State were caused by Atiku Abubakar and the Buhari in Aso Rock, respectively?

“No matter how ESN security work is, it can never be deemed good or right by the Nigerian government and its security agents. What is the justification to link Peter Obi to the criminalities going on in the Southeast?

“Can it also be said that all the banditry and terrorism happening in Northern Nigeria is masterminded by their criminal politicians whose evidence shows that they aid and abet terrorists?

“We are aware that several terrorist and bandit groups in the North are sponsored by the unscrupulous elements around them there. We should be asking, why are they mentioning Peter Obi?

“Is it because he summoned up the courage to contest their selection process called an election and won by a landslide? They are now robbing him of the mandate given to him by the people of Nigeria because he is an Igbo man.

“They are busy exposing their cluelessness in desperation to demonize IPOB. America has one of the most sophisticated intelligence in the world and can not be deceived by Alamajiris in the government at Abuja. We expect the US government to carry out an independent investigation into the attack.”

The United Kingdom has warned its citizens from travelling to Anambra State.
The warning came two days after an attack on the convoy of US consulate workers in Ogbaru Local Government Area by yet-to-be-identified gunmen on Tuesday.

It would be recalled that the convoy carried nine Nigerian nationals: five employees of the U.S. Mission to Nigeria and four members of the Nigeria Police Force. They were travelling in advance of a planned visit by US Mission personnel to a US-funded flood response project in Anambra.

At least four members of the convoy were killed.

However, the UK issued the warning through foreign travel advice service in a recent update on its website on Thursday.

Other states mentioned were Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Cross River.
The advice read, “The FCDO advise against all travel to the riverine areas (ie the river and swamp locations accessible by boat, but not by road) of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States.

“The FCDO advise against all but essential travel to Abia State and non-riverine areas of Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers States and now also to Anambra State in the Ogbaru area, close to Delta state.

“This follows an attack on a US diplomatic convoy on May 16, 2023. The incident is under investigation.”

It added, “Secessionist groups are active in the South East and attacks and violent clashes often occur with the military and other security forces.

“Although foreign nationals are not normally targeted, there is a risk you could be caught in an attack. You should be alert to local government announcements and media reporting.”

I cheated death today. I left Abuja after making sure Apapa Lamidi collect wotowoto at the court. On my way to Lafia-Nasarawa State I had an accident. My car is just beyond repair. I thank God I came out alive @_weyimi @AishaYesufu @AlphaDeGreat @Chigozieialex @chude__ @Drmopaul

No matter how much I am disappointed in Muhammadu Buhari, one thing I can still praise him for is that in the eight years that he misgoverned Nigeria, we did not experience even one commercial aircraft crash. It may not look like such a big thing in the grand scheme. But it is big enough to earn my commendation.

#TableShaker

Wes Brown has been declared bankrupt at the High Court just over a year after his secret divorce from reality TV series star Leanne Wassel.

Former England and Manchester United defender Wes Brown has been declared bankrupt at the High Court.

On February 27, the tax authority of the UK government, Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) filed a bankruptcy petition against Brown, who reportedly earned £50,000-a-week during his playing days at Old Trafford.

The Details as Wes Brown is declared bankrupt

According to a report from the Daily Mail on Thursday, April 20, a petition filed against the 43-year-old former footballer was rubber-stamped at the High Court on April 12 and listed on The Gazette, the official public record.

This comes just after over a year Brown secretly divorced his wife Leanne, 46, who appeared in the reality TV show Real Housewives of Cheshire.

They married in 2009 and had three daughters together.

Wes reportedly moved out of the home he shared with Leanne and their children Halle, Lilia, and Lola.

'Wes and Leanne split before Christmas [2021]. There were no third parties involved; it is just a sad fact that their marriage has run its course.

'Leanne has flourished in single life and has removed her wedding ring. She has told people she feels free and is working hard on her businesses and flourishing as an independent woman. ‘ a source told The Sun at the time.

The source added the former couple are doing their best to co-parent their children and live separate lives.

Wesley Michael Brown is a 43-year-old English former professional footballer who played as a defender.

Brown began his career with Manchester United, joining the club's academy at the age of 12 in 1992.

After turning professional in 1996, he made his senior debut in 1998 and became a semi regular first team player during the 1998–99 season, when the club won the Treble.

After a year-long hiatus due to injury, Brown became a regular fixture in the first team from 2000 onwards.

Over the next eight years, he won numerous honours, including four more Premier League titles, an FA Cup, a League Cup and another Champions League.

Former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has stated that Brown is "without question the best natural defender this club has had for years".

After 15 years with Manchester United, Brown was allowed to leave for Sunderland.


Brown earned his first England cap in 1999 and was selected to play at the 2002 World Cup.

He scored his first international goal in 2008 against the Czech Republic, and later announced his retirement from international football on 8 August 2010, just a day after being recalled to the England squad by then-Three Lions coach Fabio Capello.

Brown is expected to feature in the Manchester Remembers charity football match for victims of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing on May 7.

He will play alongside former United team-mate Nicky Butt and Trevor Sinclair in the game at Oldham's Boundary Park, with boxing legend Ricky Hatton and comedian Jason Manford set to feature in the celebrities team they are facing.

A lawyer has been arrested for allegedly killing her husband after he discovered their houseboy was her biological son.

A 36-year-old lawyer, Abasiesebanga Ikoiwak, was detained along with five others by Akwa Ibom State police for allegedly killing her 41-year-old husband, Barrister Godwin Ikoiwak.

According to the prosecution witness who testified before the Uyo High Court, the late Barrister had no idea the houseboy who had been living with him for years was his wife’s son since his wife had told him the child was her younger brother.

Also testifying in court, the deceased’s friend, Barrister Sunny Anyanwu, revealed that Ikoiwak died after a phone call in which he divulged that he was experiencing problems with his wife about infidelity.

Anyanwu said that the deceased intimated that he reported the incident to his wife’s family, who called him to a meeting in their family property in Nung Udoe Itak, Ikono LGA, but he did not come home alive.

Anyanwu, the seventh prosecution witness in the case, also stated that the late Barrister informed him that his wife was having a sexual connection with her former boss, a legal practitioner named C.I. Odoh.

Ikoiwak reportedly informed Anyanwu that his wife worked as a housekeeper for a Catholic priest, Rev. Father Maurice Mbeke, and that the priest impregnated her and that they produced a kid named after her maternal grandpa, who is now 19 years old.

The prosecution team, led by Akwa Ibom State Director of Public Prosecutions, Barr. Joseph Umoren, submitted the audio evidence, which was played in open court.

🇳🇬MULTIDIMENSIONALLY POOR PEOPLE PER SQUARE MILE 2021

BY ZONE
1 🟢South East: 970 people
2 🟤South South: 597
3 🟣South West: 537
4 🔴North West: 528
5 🟠North Central: 226
6 ⚫North East: 183

Southern Nigeria: 629
Northern Nigeria: 300

Nigeria: 367

#StatiSense
(NMPI & NPC)

Unconfirmed reports has it that Atiku Abubakar is actually behind Ahmadu Fintiri’s ordeal.

Atiku does not want Fintiri to return.

I believe my sources.

First message came yesterday morning.

Second message came this evening.

FEAR ATIKU

Valentine Obienyem, media aide to Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), says the leaked audio of his principal’s conversation with David Oyedepo, founder of Winners Chapel, was edited out of context.

In the audio clip, Obi appeared to be asking the cleric to speak to Christians to vote for him.

“Daddy, I need you to speak to your people in the South-West and Kwara, the Christians in the South-West and Kwara. This is a religious war. Like I keep saying: if this works, you people will never regret the support,” he apparently said in the trending audio.

But in a Facebook post on Sunday, Obienyem said: “The badly doctored conservation with Bishop Oyedepo released by our Nnewi prodigal brother is the much they have discovered so far.

“They edited out the Muslim-Muslim ticket that led to the discussion, where Obi said that in a society like ours, religious balancing was a necessary consideration and that their recklessness had made Christians to assume it was a religious war.”

He did not name the “Nnewi brother” but it is understood to be a prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who lives in Lagos state.

Obienyem wrote: “I heard they set up a Committee made up of some Communications experts, headed by our prodigal brother from Nnewi. They are reviewing all calls Obi made in the last three years, and especially now to see if he mentioned Interim Government or anything that will make them prosecute him for treason when and if they take over. Till now, they are yet to see any.”

Earlier, Kenneth Okonkwo, a spokesperson of the LP campaign, confirmed the authenticity of the audio but said “political criminals are trying to spin the conversation as if the LP candidate was making a religious comment”.

Oyedepo, who also spoke on Sunday, neither confirmed nor denied the conversation.

“Nobody had ever told me what to say in this world. No. I have never campaigned for anybody or speak on anybody’s behalf and I will not do that till I go to heaven,” he said

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Returning Officer for Adamawa Prof Muhammed Mele of the University of Maiduguri, Borno State, has rejected the manual result sheet from the Fufore Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

While the All Progressives Congress (APC) scored 26,329 and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polled 21,721 in the result sheet, the INEC’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV) showed that the APC got 24,777 votes, and the PDP 20, 777.

But the collation officials rejected the results as declared by the local government returning officer and accepted that of the IReV as authentic one. They say the results as declared by the Fufore LGA returning officer did not tally with that on the IREV portal.

They are now collating the final results for the announcement of the winner. With this result, the APC candidate Aisha Binani has eight LGAs while Gov Umaru Fintiri has won 13 LGAs from the twenty-one in the state.

The APC agents complained about the results and were advised to follow the appropriate channel for their grievances.

Bayo Onanuga, the spokesperson for Bola Tinubu Presidential Campaign Council, has doubled down on his ethnic slur against Igbos in Lagos, insisting the Igbos are “existential threats” to Yorubas.

Criticised for his controversial and divisive ethnocentric statement, Mr Onanuga in another tweet said “let me make myself abundantly clear: the views I express on Twitter are my personal views.

“I don’t owe anyone any apology for addressing the existential threats of our people. I am after all, first of all a Yoruba, before being a Nigerian,” he added.

Earlier on Sunday, Peoples Gazette reported how Mr Onanuga in a tweet pushed outright exclusion of Nigerians of Igbo extraction from Lagos political power, marking an escalation of ethnic controversies that enveloped the governorship election of March 18.

“Let 2023 be the last time of Igbo interference in Lagos politics,” Mr Onanuga said, tweeting a photo of Peter Obi, an Igbo from Anambra State who backed Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, a Yoruba from Lagos, in the Saturday’s election. “Let there be no repeat in 2027.”

Mr Onanuga’s position on the recent political developments in Lagos runs contrary to Mr Tinubu who has sued for national coherence following his victory last month.

Festus Keyamo, another spokesperson for APC PCC, in a tweet on Sunday after Mr Onanuga’s controversial statement went viral said: “I TOTALLY deplore tribal politics. I am a product of different regions of Nigeria. I’ve NEVER in my life written or promoted one tribe over another, even in campaigns. No one should ever rile a whole tribe & this applies to all sides – North/South/East/West in Nigeria’s politics.”

For decades, Lagos, a state in Yoruba-dominated southwestern Nigeria, has played host to citizens from other parts of the country who also play active roles in its business and politics.

However, Nigerian most cosmopolitan city has been rocked by divisive ethnic tension this election season as politicians pull ethnic strings to gain an advantage.

Mr Onanuga’s statement targeted at the Igbos, which has been widely condemned by Twitter users, comes as President-elect Tinubu prepares to take over leadership of a highly polarised country.

In the February 25 presidential election, Mr Obi’s Labour Party defeated Mr Tinubu, the ruling All Progressives Congress presidential campaign, in Lagos, where Mr Tinubu was once a governor from 1999 to 2007 and held the de facto position as the godfather of all governors since then.

Though Mr Tinubu emerged winner of the presidential election after all results from all 36 states were collated and announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mr Obi’s victory in Lagos came as a shocker to many. The declaration of Mr Tinubu as president-elect is now being challenged at the election petition tribunal.

Saturday’s governorship election in Lagos saw APC thugs roaming the streets warning citizens who will not vote for their party to stay at home.

This followed an earlier threat by notorious Lagos thug, Musiliu ‘MC Oluomo’ Akinsanya, threatening Igbos who will not vote for the APC in the governorship election to stay at home.

Mr Adenuga’s comments came as Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu appeared set to win re-election in Lagos, a victory many already condemned as coming via maximum ethnic violence unleashed on Igbo residents across the nation’s commercial capital on election day.