₦airaland Forum

By Ibrahim Sulaiman


The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, has ordered the trial of PC Okoi Liyomo, a policeman caught flogging a man with cutlass in Cross River State.

Early this week, the social media was awash with the video of the policeman, using the side of a cutlass to flog an individual, which attracted the attention of the authorities of the Nigerian Police Force.

In a tweet, the force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, said Liyomo met the IGP in Abuja on Thursday and will face trial over the incident.

He said, “PC Okoi Liyomo, the policeman who was caught in the viral video flogging one man with a cutlass in Cross Rivers State has been brought to the Force Headquarters Abuja. He met with the IGP today. The IGP has ordered for his trial. I await the outcome of the trial.

“We will update you asap. We still reiterate our commitment to sanitising the NPF, no room for nonsense, as we will not condone any act of lawlessness, unprofessionalism, corruption, harassment and incivility.”

By Jide Ajani & Dapo Akinrefon, LAGOS


His Highness, Muhammad Sanusi II, yesterday, expressed his angst at the current situation Nigeria has found herself, insisting that the country is in a deeper hole and a bigger mess now, than it was in 2015.

The Khalifa of the Tijanniyah Sufi Order of Nigeria also warned that 2023 will be worse, compared to what we had in 2015.


The former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, also pilloried the current administration, saying that despite the current mess, the present leadership expects to be rewarded with appreciation after leaving office.

He spoke at the Akinjide Adeosun Foundation, AAF’s, Leadership Colloquium and Awards, Chapter 7, themed ‘Are Good Leaders Scarce in Nigeria’?

The foundation is a non-profit organisation focused on charity in the spheres of free, qualitative education and free, qualitative medical outreach.

Yesterday’s event was its seventh which also marked the birthday of its founder, Akinjide Adeosun, husband of Olubamiwo Adeosun, Secretary to the Oyo State Government.

Speaking as the Special Guest of Honour at the event in Lagos, both physical and virtual, Sanusi lamented that “the levels of poverty, levels of insecurity, the rate of inflation, the unstable exchange rate, the lack of power” should worry anybody.

We’re in a complete mess

He said: “This is the only oil-producing country that is grieving at the moment when oil prices have gone up as a result of the Russia/Ukraine war. Our total revenue is not able to service our debt. And if anybody does not understand that we are in a complete mess, we are.

“We were in a deep hole in 2015. And between 2015 and now, we have been digging ourselves into a deeper hole.

“We thought we had a big problem in 2015. 2015 is nothing compared to what will happen in 2023. We have terrorism, we have banditry, we have inflation, we have an unstable exchange rate, and the worst thing is that those in leadership actually think we are going to thank them when they leave office, that we are going to appreciate them. There is no change.

There is no sense of urgency. If you are running a company and your sales revenue cannot pay interest, you know you’re bankrupt.

“When the total revenue of the Federal Government cannot service debt? And we are smiling. These are the kinds of questions we need to ask. And the reality is that there are so many Nigerians, who, given the opportunity will do well but they simply cannot contest in that space.”

Lack of vision by leaders

Sanusi hinged the challenge on the lack of vision of some of the country’s leaders.

“What is our vision for Nigeria? Do we have a vision of one country? Do we have a vision of one united country, that lives peacefully with itself — diverse, multicultural, multi-religious but one?

These things are not self-contradictory. Where did we get it wrong?

“Leaders after leaders, most of those who have ruled did not have a vision for a united Nigeria. How would you like to be remembered after eight years as a President, after eight years as a governor, eight years as a minister, eight years as Governor of CBN? How will you like history to remember you? They have not thought about it.

The vast majority of those in office have a vision that is limited to the next election. It is to win. And when you’ve won, you’ve reached a destination, not a journey.”

He told his audience that the vision of General Yakubu Gowon cascaded down.

He used his days at Kings College and the type of bonding that existed between and among students of different tribes and religions as an example of a vision for unity, explaining that 90 per cent of his friends are from other tribes and are in Lagos. He wondered why the framework and mindset of unity remain missing in the country.

Controversy over Muslim/Muslim ticket

In a veiled reference to the raging controversy over a Muslim/Muslim ticket, he said: “We are going into an election. What are we talking about? North and South, Muslim and Christian?

Is that really what we are concerned about? Does it matter if you have a government made up of 100 per cent incompetent Muslims or 100 per cent incompetent Christians? Will that government work? Yes, we must think of diversity and we must begin to think of fairness in this country and balance, not create any tension.

“How many people can go to a political party and bring out tens of millions of dollars to pay delegates? Where are you going to get the money and when you get the money, assuming you raise it from people, how are you going to look at the people when you are in office and do the right thing? You’re already finished; you’ve already sold your conscience to get there. Or when a nation is ready to sell itself; when the poor people on the streets are ready to be given N5,000, N2,000, and cast a vote for N2,000 today and give up education, give up healthcare and give up security for the next four years?

“Then, maybe we understand what Chief (Obafemi) Awolowo meant when he said a nation gets the leadership it deserves. We, as Nigerians, need to ask these questions.

Why I keep criticising people

“People say to me, ‘why do you keep criticising people? Why do you keep talking about public policy?’ And I say I was a public officer and I have a record – talk about my record. I met inflation at 15.6 percent, left it at 7.8 percent. I stabilised the exchange rate; I saved the banks. I transformed the payment system.

“I have my record. And because I had the opportunity to serve, I served and I left a record, so, I’ve earned the right to criticise any public officer who is incompetent and I’ll call him out. I think we need to start calling out incompetence.”

By Bisi Abidoye


Details have emerged on the resolutions taken at a meeting of a group of leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the crisis in the main opposition party.

The meeting was hosted on Sunday at the Rivers State Governor’s lodge in Abuja by Governor Nyesom Wike.

Most of those in attendance had backed the governor ahead of the PDP presidential primary, which he lost to a former vice president, Atiku Abubakar.

Speaking with journalists after the meeting on Sunday, a member of the party’s Board of Trustees, Jerry Gana, said the group was meeting for the first time to review the primary, which was held at the party’s national convention in Abuja, and the developments in the party ahead of the kick-off of electioneering.

Mr Gana hinted that the group took some decisions, but he did not disclose them.

“We know that developments will unfold, and when they do, we shall brief Nigerians. We met together for the first time after the primaries of the PDP.

“We have frankly reviewed matters among ourselves. We want to confirm we are solidly together as a group.”

However, multiple insiders have told PREMIUM TIMES that the meeting extensively deliberated on the dispute between Mr Wike and Atiku over the presidential candidate’s choice of Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, as his running mate.

Mr Wike has avoided Atiku since the announcement of the running mate. On Friday, the Rivers governor accused Atiku of telling lies and deploying some leaders of the party as “attack dogs” against him.

The crisis is said to be delaying Atiku’s composition of his campaign organisation.

But according to sources at the Abuja meeting of Sunday, the group insisted that the National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, must step down to allow another person from the south of Nigeria to take his place.

The leaders said this would be their precondition for any meeting with Atiku over their roles in his campaigns for the 2023 election.

The group decried the lopsidedness of the leadership of the party in favour of the northern zones. Mr Ayu, an ally of Atiku, is from Benue State in the Northcentral zone, while the presidential candidate is from Adamawa State in the Northeast zone.

The leaders noted that aside from those two, Mr Ayu’s immediate lieutenant in the party’s National Working Committee, Umaru Damagum (Deputy National Chairman, North), the chairman of its Board of Trustees, Walid Jibrin; and the chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, are all from the North,

“How can a party that is systematically one-sided sell itself in the South? one of the sources who spoke with this newspaper said.

The leaders also accused Atiku of sidelining party leaders outside his core supporters in his decision-making. They said they were aware that those in Atiku’s camp have allegedly shared key government positions among themselves, even before next year’s elections.

“How can we work for a presidential candidate who is already sidelining other leaders who are not in his camp and expect that he would change when he becomes president?

“The candidate has not demonstrated good faith at all. The election is for Atiku to lose. If he wants to win, he knows what to do. The ball is in his court. We were clear at the meeting that he alone can decide if he wants to win or lose the election,” the source.

The meeting also accused Mr Ayu of dividing rather than unifying the PDP since his emergence as National Chairman.

“The minimum condition for negotiation is that the chairman has to step down. We have resolved not to leave the party. We will stay at the party and fight from within the party.

Fifty-one persons attended the meeting, including five governors and seven former governors.
The governors who attended the meeting were Mr Wike (of Rivers), Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Samuel Ortom of Benue State and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State. Two other governors were said to have sent their regrets for not being able to attend.

Also in attendance were former governors Donald Duke of Cross River, Gabriel Suswam of Benue, Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo, Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa, Ibrahim Idris of Kogi, Jonah Jang of Plateau and Hassan Dankwambo of Gombe. A former Ekiti governor, Ayo Fayose, was also said to have been absent for health reasons.

Also at the meeting were a former PDP Deputy National Vice Chairman (North), Suleiman Nazif; and a former Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Mohammed Adoke.

Others are sitting and former senators Hosea Agboola, Phillip Aduda, Zainab Kure, Garba Lado, Sandy Onoh, Olaka Nwogwu and many members of the House of Representatives.

Also in attendance were Mohammed Sani Abacha, the party’s governorship candidate in Nasarawa , David Ombugadu, and Mike Omeri, a former director-general of the National Orientation Agency.

Legendary Juju singer Ebenezer Obey-Fabiyi has lost one of his sons, Olayinka Olalekan Obey-Fabiyi.

According to sources, the late Olayinka died on Friday.

The 48-yr-old Olayinka was interred on Saturday. .

The cause of his death is yet to be ascertained as at the time of filing this report.

The death of Olayinka has thrown the entire Obey-Fabiyi family into a mourning state.

The Federal Government on Saturday announced that the mega transformers it ordered under the Presidential Power Initiative had successfully undergone a factory acceptance test at Siemens’ transformers factory in Trento, Italy.

It also announced that the “first batch of the transformers is expected to arrive Nigeria in September 2022.”

The spokesperson to the Minister of Power, Isa Sanusi, in a statement issued in Abuja, said the Managing Director, Federal Government of Nigeria Power Company, Kenny Anuwe, led Nigeria’s delegation to the factory in Italy.

He said the delegation, which had engineers from Transmission Company of Nigeria, witnessed the factory acceptance test conducted on July 28, 2022, in Italy.

“The factory acceptance test paves the way for Siemens Energy to start delivering the transformers to Nigeria,” he said.

He stressed that this was coming after the Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu, led a delegation to Germany in April where he paid visits to Siemens Energy factories in Berlin and Frankfurt.

He said the minister also held meetings with the senior leadership of Siemens Energy on the need to fast-track the delivery of the early orders that would kickstart the transformation of Nigeria’s electricity.

The minister was quoted saying, “The successful factory acceptance test shows Nigeria’s engagement with Siemens Energy is on track. It also shows the Federal Government’s commitment to addressing Nigeria’s electricity challenges.”

In December 2021, the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, and Aliyu secured the approval of the Federal Executive Council of €63m for the procurement of equipment to boost power supply under the Presidential Power Initiative.

The first phase of the PPI is to provide 10 mobile power sub-stations and 10 mega transformers to be deployed across the country to boost and stabilise the electricity supply.

In 2018, the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), initiated the Presidential Power Initiative to enable Siemens Energy to upgrade Nigeria’s electricity systems.

The first phase of the PPI seeks to modernise, rehabilitate and expand the national grid.

It is to achieve this by investing in the electricity value chain, including generation, transmission, and distribution systems.

A non-governmental organisation, Roost Foundation, has raised the alarm over organ harvesters recruiting victims through placement of adverts or posters advertising for drivers, nurses, maids and a lot more.

The organisation said unsuspecting victims apply for such opportunities only to find out when it is too late that they were being recruited for something entirely different.

Some of the tricks involve rolling out advertorials calling for the recruitment of young Nigerians as drivers, nurses, maids and other professionals, fake offer of scholarship, nonexisting football clubs in some Middle East Countries. As lofty and enticing as these vague offers may be on the face value, it is clear that these young promising Nigerians are targets of organ harvesting and eventual death in the process, labour exploitation and sex slavery. Many of them that have ignorantly responded to these invitations are going through hell, many have died and many may never be able to tell their story while the few lucky ones are still brooding over their bitter experiences.”

Executive Chairperson, Roost Foundation, Julie Okah-Donli, made this known in Abuja at a press conference marking the 2022 World Day Against Human Trafficking and to announce the postponement of the Ango media African NGO’s festival that celebrates NGO’s that have impacted societies positively.


Okah-Donli said, “It is heartwarming to note that Government, Civil Society Organisations, the International Community and the Media are awakening to the fact that while technology is frequently misused to facilitate trafficking, control victims, advertise services and hide criminal proceeds, its positive use can help practitioners detect, rescue and support victims and combat trafficking.

“Roost Foundation in the past one year has deployed the use of technology in its advocacy and sensitisation campaigns and feedback received so far has proven that this method of using visual and audio materials such as documentaries, animations, podcasts, e-fliers, social media updates, etc. is very effective.

“The Foundation, in partnership with NAPTIP, has also assisted the rescue of a victim who was trafficked to Mali in 2021. The survivor has been reunited with her family and is taking a skill acquisition training of her choice funded by the Foundation.

“Currently, the Foundation has received the report of a victim of Human trafficking trapped in Tripoli and we are working with relevant authorities to secure her rescue.

“Roost Foundation has offered psychosocial, medical, humanitarian support, counseling and pro-bono legal services to several victims of human trafficking and irregular migration in the past one year.

By Olaolu Oladipo

A former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is said to be making efforts to market the presidential bid of the candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi in the Northern part of the country ahead of the forthcoming general elections scheduled for early next year.

Competent sources in the know told Saturday Telegraph that Obasanjo has in recent past met with various individuals and critical groups in the North with a view to making the region look in the direction of the former Anambra State governor to succeed incumbent Muhammadu Buhari of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“It is true that former President Olusegun has commenced visits to numerous personalities and groups in the North to drum up support for the Peter Obi and Datti Baba- Ahmed presidential ticket in the North. This fact I can confirm,” says a chieftain of a prominent socio-political group in the North who pleaded not to be mentioned. According to the source, Obasanjo has been using two important points in his bid to get the buy-in of his hosts but the source added that the efforts have only yielded minimal fruits as many people in the North are said to wary of the possibility of an Obi Presidency to the long time interest of the region (North).

“Baba (Obasanjo) has been visiting people here in the North to market the candidature of the Labour Party, telling the people and the groups that he has visited to consider the likelihood of the Presidency going to the South East next year. “He has been telling us that Obi would not do anything to injure the interest of the North if considered by our people to become the President. He told us that a similar thing had happened in the past that didn’t injure the interest of the North,” the source said.

Our source stated that the ‘similar thing’ under reference was the emergence of former President Goodluck Jonathan who became the president via the intervention of Obasanjo and other stakeholders in 2010. “Our people told Baba that the issue of secessionist agitation in the South East is a source of worry to them.

Baba replied by saying the militant agitation in the South South died down and has never reared its head again since Jonathan became president. He (Obasanjo) told stakeholders that the emergence of Obi would halt the agitation,” the source said. The selling point Obasanjo has been using to push the former governor include Obi’s perceived frugal approach to governance, which he (the former president) says is a positive score considering the state of the country’s finances which is believed to be so precarious and worrisome. Another source said Obasanjo is not making serious headway in his efforts owing to what he termed age-long suspicion that the North has for the South East but that “things might eventually change before the election. We still have several months ahead before the election.”

Findings by our correspondent reveal that the efforts of the former President resulted in the emergence of a former member of the Upper Chambers, Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed as the running mate to Obi. When contacted by Saturday Telegragh, the media aide to the former President, Mr. Kehinde Akinyemi feigned ignorance of the move but promised to get back to our correspondent after consulting with his boss. “I don’t know if anything like that has happened. As I speak to you now, Baba (Obasanjo) is currently in Lagos”, he said.

By Nkechi Onyedika-Ugoeze, Abuja


The Federal Government has disclosed that telecommunications subscribers would pay five per cent tax on calls, SMS and data services.

Meanwhile, stakeholders in the industry have expressed dissatisfaction over government’s resolve to implement five per cent excise duty on all telecommunications services in Nigeria.

Speaking in Abuja yesterday at the Stakeholders Consultative Forum on Implementation of Excise Duty, the Executive Secretary, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Ajibola Olude, said taking cognizance of the hardship in Nigeria at a time like this, the government should rescind its decision to implement the five per cent excise duty on telecommunications operators.

He said government should channel its resources to other sectors to diversify the economy.

“What I am saying is that the proposed excise duty on all telecommunications companies is badly intended by the Ministry of Finance and National Planning and Nigeria Customs. And the current state of Nigerian communication is so bad that only about 756 Internet Service Providers (ISPs) were registered but only 10 is active because of issues of forex. Since it is coming from the Ministry of Finance, I think they should understand that currently Nigeria is faced with inflationary pressure, which is 18 per cent now. If you add this increase, the level of inflationary pressure will come to 19 or 20 per cent. And this will further increase the level of poverty in the country. So, if you are going to pass this to Nigerians that are already burdened by the hardship in the country, this is not the best time to do so.

“For me, it is not something they should embark upon. It is something they should turn down and leave the country as it is. Nigerians won’t be able to pay this.

“And another direct effect is that it will lessen investment. As a matter of fact, the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) or Capital Importation will go down because this is a further leakage. It is not just good and I think the best thing the government should do is to develop other sectors.

“They have been collecting tax from the people, they should channel it to steel industry, manufacturing and so many other sectors. That is diversification of fund. It is not something they should implement now. They should consider it and change their decision,” he said.

On his part, Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, insisted that the new tax burden would be passed to subscribers.

According to him, “it is a strange move, it appears a bit unusual. Excise duty is supposed to be apportioned to goods and products, but we are surprised this is on services. We will continue to support government but ALTON won’t be able to subsidise this on behalf of subscribers in addition to the 7.5 per cent VAT, making it 12.5 per cent payable by subscribers to the Federal Government.

“We currently pay a lot of taxes, running into 39 of them, so we can’t add more to the existing burden. We won’t be able to absorb this on behalf of subscribers.”

Speaking at the event, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, urged stakeholders to support the implementation of the five per cent excise duty on telecommunications services.

Zainab, represented by the Assistant Director, Tax and Policy, Mr Musa Umar, appreciated Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) for providing the platform to increase Nigeria’s revenue generation.

She highlighted that countries in Africa like Malawi, Uganda, Tanzania and others have all keyed into this revenue generation pattern, emphasizing that this is needed to change Nigeria’s economic situation for good.

“The issue of revenue is not something we need to shy away from, our revenue can no longer take care of our needs as a country. Also, Nigeria is no longer making enough money in oil revenue, hence the attention is shifting to non-oil revenue sectors, he said”

The Minister explained that the government is committed to implementing the regulation in a seamless manner, which will not affect Nigerians.

Earlier, Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, Prof. Garba Umaru, who was represented by the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholders Management, Adeleke Adewolu, said that the meeting was to engage industry stakeholders and Federal Government agencies on the implementation of excise duty to ensure the framework address the Nigerian telecommunications sector.

“The Commission is here to ensure that the Federal Government implements this initiative, which will help the government to fund the national budget,” he said.

Also, an Assistant Director and Chief Administrative Officer in the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Frank Oshanipin, said the move to implement the five per cent excise duty was due to dwindling oil revenue.

“We are not making as much revenue as we are supposed to make and that is why we are channeling our attention to non oil revenue. What we are doing here today is the best thing that can happen to our country. We are trying to see how we can implement the five per cent excise duty in a way it will not affect any of us, he said”

The federal government has reportedly procured six attack helicopters from Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI).

The helicopter, T129, has the capacity to perform well in hot temperatures and high altitudes.

According to Defense News, Temel Kotil, general manager of TAI, said the company will deliver a batch of six T129 attack helicopters.

Kotil did not mention the exact date the helicopters will be delivered to Nigeria.

The development is coming amid rising insecurity in many parts of the country, including the federal capital territory (FCT).

Nigeria and Turkey have signed a series of bilateral agreements in the past few years.

In October 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari met Recep Tayyip Erdogan, his Turkish counterpart, at the state house in the FCT.

During the meeting, both leaders considered about 24 agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs).

In December 2021, Buhari sought the help of Turkey to defeat terrorism while speaking at the Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit in Istanbul.

This is not the first time the Buhari-led administration will be making efforts to procure military equipment to combat insurgency.

In October 2021, the federal government confirmed the delivery of all the 12 A-29 Super Tucano fighter jets expected from the United States.

The House of Representatives’ Ad Hoc Committee to Investigate the Petroleum Products Subsidy Regime from 2013 to 2021 has said it does not know the profile of 23 oil and gas companies trading in Nigeria.

The panel is investigating payments made by the Federal Government through the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (now Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited) for the subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, within eight years.

The Chairman of the committee, Ibrahim Aliyu, at the resumption of the investigative hearing on subsidy payments on Wednesday, stated that the firms had major serious questions to answer.

Aliyu read part of a communication from the Corporate Affairs Commission, in response to the committee’s request for the profile of the companies, said there were no details on the firms.

The lawmaker stated that the committee would be forced to write to the embassies of the countries where the companies are based for information on them.

The communication from the CAC, a copy of which our correspondent sighted, was dated July 13, 2022, with Reference Number RGO/SU/VOL.5/2022/0248 and was signed by one Maimunat Hamu on behalf of the Registrar-General.

Reps kick as stakeholders shun subsidy probe
It read, “Kindly refer to your letter Ref: NASS/QHR/AHC/PPSRIM1/1H/01/051 dated 1st July, 2022, on the subject matter above.

“Please be informed that we could not readily find information on the exact name of the following companies as provided in our record.

“Emadeb Consortium; Britania-U Nig. Limtted; Totsa Total Ol Tradings SA; Petroleum Trading Nigeria Limited; Mocoh S.A; Socer Worldwide; Calson Bermuda Ltd; Hyson; Litasco S.A; Mercuria Energy; Cepsa Lubricant; Trafigura Pte; Vitol S.A; Ocanbed Trading Limited; Bonno Energy; West Africa Gas Limited; Petrogas; Matrix; Masters Energy; Amg; Barbedos; Hindustan and Patermina.

“However, you may wish to provide the registration numbers or any other available documents at your disposal to enable us to investigate further.”

An earlier communication from the CAC was referenced NASS/9HR/AHC/PPSR/14/iH/01/051 and dated 1st July, 2022, had the list of some of the oil firms under probe by the committee.

They are Heyden Petroleum Limited RC: 433175; Graton Oil Limited KC: 644074; Duke Oil and Gas. Limited RC; 64456145; Matrix Energy Limited RC: 612026; MRS Companies Limited RC: 241,013; Sahara Trade Nigeria Limited RC: 352,443; Essar Exploration And Production Limited RC: 692910; Sahara Group Limited RC: 668626; Rainoil Limited RC: 257,444; Casiva Limited RC: 1091598; Petroleum Trading and Supplies Company Limited RC: 506113.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has given an approval to Nigeria Air to lease aircraft to start operations.

The Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, announced this Wednesday while briefing State House reporters after the federal cabinet meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The minister, who didn’t disclose when the national carrier would start its operations, said the company would begin with three aircrafts.

The minister said Nigeria Air was open to investment from any of the country’s airline companies, particularly the 51 per cent shares set aside for Nigerians.

The Senate, on Wednesday, said it would summon the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, over inflation and naira devaluation which had led Nigerians to more hardship.

The senators lamented that the United States dollar to naira had now risen to N700 which was very sad and calls for immediate attention.

Following the threat of bandits to attack Federal Government College, Kwali, Abuja, the Ministry of Education ordered the closure of all schools in the nation’s capital.

The directive came at a time when students were writing their third term examination.

In order to comply, school authorities made students rush their ongoing examination.

A student of Kubwa Model Junior Secondary School, Abuja, lamented how their teachers made them write 13 subjects on Tuesday.

“We went to the school with preparation to write only one or two papers, but we ended up writing 13 subjects in a single day,” he said.

The student said some of them were traumatised as they were scared of possible terrorists attack.

A boarding student in Dutse-Makaranta, Abuja, who was taken back home by her parents on Tuesday, said they spent part of the previous night to write two subjects.

“The school management summoned us back to classrooms around 9pm on Monday, and made us to write two subjects,” she lamented.

She added they later on Tuesday, they sat for more papers just as their parents were waiting for them within the school’s premises.

One of the school teachers who spoke to Daily Trust, disclosed that because of the rush, students were made to answer questions in section “A” of the exam paper, which has objectives, while they were not allowed to attempt any question in section “B”, the essay part.

Residents of Abuja have been living in fear following rising kidnap cases and the ambush of soldiers last weekend.

Daily Trust had reported how a captain and two soldiers were killed by terrorists in the Bwari area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), on Sunday night

The deceased officers, who were attached to the Presidential Guards Brigade, were reportedly ambushed after they visited the Nigeria Law School in Bwari following a distressed call from the authorities of the school.

The school management was said to have alerted that terrorists had dropped a letter indicating an imminent attack.

Spokesman of the Guards Brigade, Captain Godfrey Anebi Abakpa, confirmed the attack to Daily Trust, but said troops were already combing the area in order to ensure that terrorists were not hibernating there.

By Balarabe Alkassim


The Deputy Speaker House of Representatives, Ahmed Idris Wase, has disclosed that the Department of State Services (DSS) presented 44 security reports before the Kuje Prison attack in Abuja.

On July 5, 2022, terrorists invaded Kuje Prison and freed over 800 suspects, including all the Boko Haram members in detention.

He disclosed this while contributing to a proposed motion to halt the planned ban on the use of Motorcycles across the nation by the federal government.

The motion was presented by Abubakar Makki Yelleman (APC Jigawa) at the plenary on Tuesday.

He said: “You can imagine what is happening today in Abuja. I will be frank with you. I went through DSS reports. 44 reports were given before the attack of Kuje. I want to say so, I want to confirm to you, 44. I went through all the reports. And it all has to do with this.

“There is no community that one attack or the other will happen and we will not have an intel, and this is part of the intel that, they have given as what is going happen, what is happening and what is not going to happen”.

Wase however said, government should be supported to implement such moves in vulnerable communities where the ban could check banditry, terrorism and other criminalities.

By Muawiya Shuaibu

A former ally of President Muhammadu Buhari, Buba Galadima, has said that with the lingering insecurity in the country, it won’t be surprised if the number one citizen is kidnapped.

Galadima was reacting to the insecurity bedeviling the country in an interview with BBC Hausa service.

He said, “These bandits are disdainful to Buhari administration. At the beginning of the government, everybody was scared of him (Buhari); expected him to be brave before he was now exposed to be toothless.

“Buhari knows nothing, he can’t do anything, that is why you see government officials are siphoning billions from public property and nobody can stop them.”

Galadima added that if terrorists can have access to break Kuje prison, Buhari himself is not safe.

He said, “If care is not taken, sooner or later Buhari too can be kidnapped considering the way security issues are ignored.

“The only option available now is to either continue praying or arm ourselves for protection but if we depend on this government, definitely we will be killed.”

There was anxiety in parts of Lokoja, Kogi State on Tuesday following a loud explosion heard on the premises housing the office of the Secretary to the Kogi State Government, Dr. Folashade Arike Ayoade.

DAILY POST gathered the incident occurred early hours of Tuesday.

Efforts by our correspondent to reach the Kogi State Police Command failed as the command’s spokesman, Williams Ovye Aya could not take his calls and failed to respond to text messages forwarded to him.

There have been several incidents of bomb blasts in the state.

Recall that on June 3, a bomb blast in the Idoji area of Okene Local Government Area of the state killed a resident and injured others.

There is anxiety within the leadership of Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), over the replacement of the Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, (DSHA), Sherrif Oborevwori, as candidate of the governorship election in the state.

lndependent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), was said to have been served with the order of the court that disqualified the speaker.

The order, which was received at the INEC headquarters on Thursday, was signed by registrar of the court, Blessing Chibuzor-Ugwu and endorsed by Justice Taiwo Taiwo.

The order directed the PDP and INEC to replace Mr Oborevwori’s name with that of the plaintiff, David Edevbie, who scored the second highest votes in the party’s governorship primary.

“The 1st Defendant (Mr Oborevwori) should and ought to be prohibited, prevented or otherwise restrained from holding out, parading and or advertising himself as the candidate of the 2nd Defendant (PDP) for the forthcoming gubernatorial elections in Delta state scheduled to hold on 11 March, 2023 by the 3rd Defendant (INEC)”, it read.

It will be recalled that the high court had in a judgement it delivered on July 7, held that Oborevwori lacked the legal competence to participate in the governorship election.
Oborevwori was accused of supplying false information and submitting forged certificates in order to take part and emerge as the winner of the PDP governorship primary in the state.

He was alleged to have used the names Oborevwori Sheriff and Francis Orohwedor interchangeably in the certificates he submitted to INEC in aid of his qualification
Edevbie had in his suit, maintained that the defendant, Oborevwori, was not validly nominated by his party.

He told the court that PDP violated both its constitution and the electoral guidelines, during its state congress that produced Oborevwori as its flagbearer for the forthcoming gubernatorial election.

Consequently, he prayed the court to restrain the party from forwarding Oborevwori’s name to the INEC and to also restrain the electoral body from receiving or recognising him as the duly nominated candidate of the party for the election.

More so, the plaintiff, sought an order to restrain Oborevwori from parading or carrying himself as the governorship candidate of the PDP in the state. Also cited as defendants in the matter were the PDP and INEC.

In his judgement, Justice Taiwo held that the suit was meritorious and accordingly granted the reliefs against Oborevwori.

The court held that evidence before it confirmed that the defendant supplied false and forged documents to the INEC in aid of his qualification for the governorship election.
It directed INEC to recognize the plaintiff as candidate of the PDP for the governorship election.

Deji Elumoyebi and Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo at the weekend insisted on using a Nigerian hospital and medical experts for the surgical operation to correct a fracture on his right femur despite the advice of his doctors for him to go abroad for the operation.

According to sources close to Duchess International Hospital in Ikeja, Lagos, where the operation took place on Saturday, some of the government and private practice doctors of the vice president made the suggestion because the going abroad option was often usually considered by such class of patients and at times the option could also seem more seamless.

But one of the doctors who coordinated the surgery, Dr. Yemi Onabowale, who is the founder of the Reddington Hospital, was quoted to have said “the VP was clear that he had confidence in Nigerian doctors both at home and abroad and would prefer they handle the operation.”

His preference to have the surgery done in Nigeria was also being regarded as a major boost for the government’s often stated objective of a reversed medical tourism as some voices in the healthcase sector have expressed excitement at the Vice President’s choice.

Osinbajo was also said to have argued that doing the operation in Nigeria would not only encourage Nigerian doctors who are among the best anywhere in the world, but it would also help develop the capacity here in Nigeria and further build on the medical infrastructure in the country.

Confirming the development, a senior presidency official who pleaded anonymity said it was true the vice president was given the option to go abroad but opted to do it here.

“The VP’s view is that most people don’t even know the facilities exists here. Besides we have some of the best doctors available anywhere,” the official disclosed.Meanwhile, the Federal Executive Council (FEC), has wished Osinbajo quick recovery following the successful operation possibly related to a long standing injury associated with the game of squash.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha, in a statement yesterday sent the goodwill to the vice president on behalf of Council.He expressed delight that the surgical operation, which was performed by a team of specialist doctors in Lagos, was reported to be successful.As Osinbajo recuperates from the surgical operation, FEC wished him quick recovery so as to continue to give the needed support for the overall growth and stability of the country.

By Josiah Oluwole


There is no better way to demonstrate that power truly belongs to the people than the outcome of the ballot. It is even sweeter when the powerful are thrown down from a loft by the will of the people.

This is the case with the just concluded governorship election in Osun State where the incumbent governor, Gboyega Oyetola, has been defeated and his tenure will end at the expiration of four years. He will now join the historical list of southwest governors whose reelection bids have been thwarted by the contrary wishes of voters.

The INEC Chief Returning Officer for Osun, Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, who announced the result Sunday Morning said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Ademola Adeleke, scored 403,371 votes to emerge victorious over the incumbent governor, Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who polled 375,027 votes.

Although 15 political parties took part in the election, the race was actually between the PDP and the APC, a rivalry that was formed in the 2018 governorship election.

Although the election was then a narrow victory for the APC, the battle became sterner with the increase in the number of eligible voters and realignments within the parties.

Not even members of the PDP were expecting a resounding victory as witnessed in the concluded election. In 2018, Mr Adeleke won the first round of the election but was later defeated in the rerun with only 482 votes. However, in Saturday’s poll, the margin of victory is 28,344 votes.

Mr Adeleke won in 17 of the 30 local government areas. He also won some local governments in the strongholds of the APC, such as Ilesa West and Ife North. He also won a decisive victory in Osogbo, the largest voting block of the state. Mr Adeleke’s popularity was defined by victories in strategic local governments and a brilliant challenge in areas expected to be the stronghold of the APC. He also maintained a clean sheet in his own Osun West domain.

PREMIUM TIMES analyses the factors that helped Mr Adeleke to victory.


Inspiration from 2018 election

A major factor which propelled Mr Adeleke to victory can be found in his belief that he won the 2018 election. Although he challenged the outcome in court, he was not successful as his challenge was dismissed by the Supreme Court on technicalities.

Even with the backing of the then incumbent governor, Rauf Aregbesola, Mr Oyetola almost lost the chance to be governor. It took the alignment with third place finisher, Iyiola Omisore, then of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) combined with the use of state security apparatus to secure victory for the governor. This show of performance continued to resonate with the PDP candidate, who did not relent in telling the people that he would win the election in clearer terms this time.

The Aregbesola Debacle

The Osun Progressives (TOP), a faction of the APC, loyal to Mr Aregbesola, waited until the last minute of the campaigns to declare their stand on the election. The declaration was not unequivocal; it also did not contain any support for the APC candidate. It only used the opportunity to further list its grievances against Mr Oyetola although it declared its determination to remain in the APC.

The TOP reminded voters how Mr Aregbesola virtually “stole” victory for the incumbent governor in 2018. TOP also stated that in spite of the place of the former governor in the scheme of politics in Osun State, Mr Oyetola did not inform or invite him during the campaigns.

It was also not reasonable for the governor to invite his predecessor to his campaign when the latter, on the eve of the election, was supporting those seeking a court judgment to nullify Mr Oyetola’s nomination as the candidate of the APC.

Thus, the party approached the election on Saturday split from the middle. The governor and his advisers failed to make good on their promise to emerge victorious without Mr Aregbesola.

Mr Aregbesola travelled out of the country before the election. How could a chieftain of the APC be away when his house was on fire? Not a few are mouthing the rumour that he might have ignited the fire himself.

People Wanted Change

There is little argument that the governor is a gentleman, who kept many of his promises to the people. His performance in debt repayment, salaries to workers and stability of the state’s solvency are not under scrutiny.

The people, however, wanted a change.

They held the governor responsible for the high cost of living, insecurity and uncertainty, largely blamed on the ruling APC nationwide. The APC and all its candidates will have to bear this burden in the coming 2023 general elections.

Adeyinka, a receptionist in one of the leading hotels in Osogbo, told PREMIUM TIMES that there is no reason why the people would want to continue with an APC government that has so much created problems for the people nationwide. He, however, was concerned that the Osun voter might return to the APC when the presidential election is held just for the sake of Bola Tinubu.

Money! Money!! Money!!!

The acrimony witnessed at the polling units among voters on Saturday was mainly because of money. PREMIUM TIMES can report that the people were “sensitized” to come out en masse partly by the fact that monies would be available to buy votes and they would be willing to sell. They got money from all the parties willing to dole out to them in different values: N10,000, N5,000, and so on. One voter even complained that she was supposed to get N10,000 from one of the parties, but the sharer of the money shortchanged her.

Another voter who spoke to this reporter expressed frustration that he came to vote but at the time he came, money had already been shared and no one was willing to pay him.

“I am holding my PVC, I have not voted, and I am yet to get my share. I will not vote until I get my money,” he said, in a lamentable mood.

Men and women of all ages were involved with young men taking the lead. The parties have denied that they were involved in the buying of votes, but the voters did not deny collecting money for votes.

12:00pm Voting ongoing at PU 029, Open Space, Aderin Junction, Aderin area, Olorunda local government, Osogbo.

People Deceive Politicians

Politicians are often described as “scammers” who would say one thing and do the other. At the Osun polls, the people were the real scammers. They shouted praises of the politicians as they came to vote, they plundered them with their songs of glorification but would cast their votes whichever way they wished.

For example, Polling Unit 003, Ward 1, Ife East is the voting point of the National Secretary of the APC, Mr Omisore. The results for the polling unit were APC, 192 and PDP, 168. Only a difference of 24 votes.

However, the crowd that welcomed Mr Omisore at the unit when he came to cast his vote was overwhelming that one would think he fed them every day and none of them would vote for the PDP. But the result showed otherwise.

The voters, it was gathered, went around collecting monies from all the parties, provided they were paying and voted for only a candidate. While it may be difficult to ascertain whether they voted for the candidates who paid them higher, it is likely that this factor could have worked against the APC who expected their supporters to vote them back into office.

Oyetola’s Politics

Those close to the governor have hinted that his kind of politics would not stand the whirlwind of the dancing senator whose populist mien is infectious. “Oiling” the party machinery was necessary to keep the house together and enhance comradeship within the fold. PREMIUM TIMES gathered early before the election that party leaders at the grassroots had complained of the failure of the government of Mr Oyetola to make funds available to them to help “keep the people happy.”

“Oyetola is not the kind of person who throws money around,” a source said. “He is going to carefully examine the proposal and determine carefully what is to be done and what amount is going into it before you can get the money out. But money is what speaks in this clime.”

Another APC loyalist who asked not to be named, said “we knew he would lose because he is not like an Aregbesola who would bulldoze his way to get what he wants.

“Even if he is losing this election, he would rather lose it than fight dirty to retain office.”

INEC’s Improvements

The deployment of BVAS has changed the game to a large extent. Accreditation and results collation has been enhanced through the new system. Even the rate of violence has dropped especially with the recently concluded elections.

Fewer ballot boxes were smashed at the polls and fewer cancellations were recorded. This credit goes to INEC given that the ballots were secured and the voters’ wishes were allowed to come to pass.

Lawrence Adewole, a 78-year-old voter at PU 004, Ward 1, Ife East, recalled that all the elections he participated in since the 1960s were vastly different from Saturday’s polls. He lauded the INEC for introducing BVAS, a device that had improved the credibility and transparency of the ballot. He said now Nigerians could vote and their votes would count.

It is a popular view that the transmission of results from the PUs to INEC’s database by polling officers has greatly reduced the chances of manipulation of the election by state actors.

Nigeria Police officers

Demeanour Security Operatives
Besides looking the other way from the activities of vote buyers and sellers, credit should go to the security agencies who did their best to be neutral in the Osun State 2022 governorship polls. PREMIUM TIMES’ observers did not witness any security operatives aiding the manipulation of votes during the exercise.

Some residents who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES however said the credit should rather go to the incumbent governor who refused or was unwilling to use state agents in his own favour.

It also confirms the assertions by many civil society organisations that the conduct of the security agencies could make or mar elections, as they continued to call on the police and their sister agencies to comport themselves professionally during elections.

This is the only way the people’s confidence in the ballot can grow and the process will be more credible.

Senator Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been declared winner of the Osun State Governorship Election in Atakumosa West Local Government Area.

He polled a total of 7,750 votes ahead of Governor Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who secured 6601 votes in the election.

According to results announced at the LGA Collation Centre, Atakumosa West has a total of 36,470, while 15,171 were accredited for the election.

One of the party agents said there was an issue of violence at Ward 7, unit 11, leading to a broken ballot box and inconclusive election at the Unit.

https://cms.dailytrust.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Osun-2-768x768.jpg

As the people of Osun elect a new governor for the next four years, there is a heavy deployment of security operatives in major towns of the state. Not less than 1,955,657 registered voters are expected to exercise their franchise across the 3,763 polling units. Meanwhile, residents have vowed to collect greedy politicians’ money and still vote for their candidates.

Soldiers, policemen and members of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were seen in strategic locations around the state capital and border towns.

The election, which will be contested by 15 political parties, is expected to be a straight duel between the incumbent governor, Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Senator Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Other candidates in the race are the former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Lasun Yusuf of the Labour Party, Goke Omigbodun of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Akin Ogunbiyi of Accord Party.

Meanwhile, residents who spoke with Daily Trust Saturday said their choice would not be influenced by money and other forms of inducement.


A test of performance and popularity

More voters are expected to participate in the election than the 2018 poll when 767,444 electorates out of the 1,668,524 registered voters exercised their franchise. The election recorded 45.99 per cent turnout.

In 2018, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Oyetola as winner, having polled 255,505 votes against Adeleke, who had 255,023 votes at the end of a supplementary election, which held in seven polling units across four local governments amidst allegations of harassment and other forms malpractice.

The INEC had scheduled the rerun after declaring the main election inconclusive, won by Adeleke with 353 votes after polling 254,698 against Oyetola’s 254,345. It stated that the margin of votes between Adeleke and Oyetola was less than the number of cancelled votes in seven polling units.

Today’s poll will offer an opportunity for Oyetola to banish any doubt about his victory four years ago or reinforce Adeleke’s claim that his mandate was stolen in 2018.

The two leading candidates have crisscrossed the 30 local government areas in the state, wooing the electorate with their plans if given the opportunity to lead the state of the Living Spring.

Oyetola, who had over 30 years of cognate experience in the private sector before venturing into politics as chief of staff to his predecessor, Rauf Aregbesola, is campaigning on the strength of his performance in the last three-and-a-half years, stressing that his re-election would help to consolidate his achievements.

The Iragbiji-born politician, who said he had not disappointed the people in delivering dividends of democracy, assured that he would do better if re-elected on Saturday.

“My decision to seek re-election is based on genuine intention to serve the good people of Osun, consolidate on the good works we have been doing, further entrench good governance and deliver more dividends of democracy to our people,” Oyetola said when he announced his re-election bid.

The state Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Funke Egbemode, in an interview with Daily Trust Saturday, said the people of the state would reciprocate Oyetola’s performance at the poll by massively voting for him in order to consolidate the achievements of the administration. She predicted that Oyetola would win the poll by a wide margin.

Faulting the oppositions’ claim that the governor had few achievements to mention during the recent governorship debates in the state, she said a debate was guided by rules.

“Even if the governor had been given two hours without interruption from other candidates at the debate, it would still not be enough for him to itemise all his achievements because a debate is still a debate, and there are rules guiding a debate. He answered the questions that were asked of him. There was no time for him to go further on his achievements, that is why he has copies of his achievements for reference,” she said.

However, the popularity of Adeleke seems to be on the rise on a daily basis as evidenced by the crowd at all his political events in the state.

The former senator belongs to the Adeleke political dynasty; leveraging on the political structure and goodwill of his brother and former governor of the state, the late Senator Isiaka Adeleke, and the financial muscle of his billionaire brother, Dr Deji Adeleke, father of popular singer, David Adeleke (Davido).

The family is arguably one of the known families in Osun, especially in Ede, owing to their investment and philanthropic acts.

Adeleke, who recently claimed that Oyetola stole his mandate in 2018, boasted of his family’s investment in the state, while promising to attract international investors if voted in today.

“We (candidates) must ask ourselves what we have done in our state. I will make sure I reduce corruption so that people coming to invest would be rest assured that their money would not end up in others’ pockets,” he said during a recent debate.

A member of the party, Bankole Omisore, said Adeleke was popular because of his investment in human capital, as well as his programmes, which resonate with the people.

“People want proper representation. The good people of Osun want Adeleke, they want PDP, and the people will defend their votes under the provisions of the law,” he said.

The Osun Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Pro Abdulganiy Raji, said that out of the 1,955,657 registered voters, over 1,463,047 permanent voters’ cards had been collected in readiness for today’s poll, representing 70 per cent.

Raji also said the commission had deployed all the resources needed for the success of the exercise.

Today’s exercise, which will be the last off-season election, is seen as a litmus test for the two major political parties in the country ahead of the 2023 general elections.

However, some political watchers have predicted violence and vote buying by the major political parties, in an attempt to influence the electorate following an alleged influx of thugs into the state.

Our correspondent yesterday observed security operatives patrolling major roads like Old Garage, Olaiya, Ogo Oluwa, Aiyetoro and Okefia, among others, in Osogbo, the state capital

Helicopters also hovered in the sky as several armoured personnel carrier vehicles were deployed in the streets in a show of force to deter political thugs.

The police which deployed 21,000 personnel for the exercise, warned trouble makers to stay away from voting areas.

Meanwhile, the NSCDC said it had deployed over 11,000 personnel for the election, while assuring residents and electoral officers of adequate protection.

The deputy commandant-general of the corps, Dauda Mungadi, said their officers and men on election duties in the state had undergone a series of training and would act professionally.

It was gathered that a prominent leader of the National Union of Road Workers (NURTW) in the state was picked up by soldiers.

Residents said the heavy deployment of security agents was in response to the tense atmosphere in the state in the buildup to the poll.

They, however, vowed that such situation would not deter them from coming out to cast their votes.


‘We’ll collect money, vote our choices’

A resident, Kunle Ogundele said , “People will troop out for the election despite the security issue. We can see the police patrolling our roads and the sky to assure residents of maximum protection.

“People are ready to cast their votes despite the issue of vote buying. We will collect money from the opponents and still vote for our candidates of choice.”

Another resident, Demola Ahmed said, “As it is now, everything is settled and people are expected to come out en masse, especially with the heavy presence and constant patrol of the town by security agents.

“On the issue of vote buying or money politics, Osun will vote for who they really want and collect money from wherever they get it from. But the election is going to be decided more on party and personality. We are tired of suffering and want to vote for who we love and believe can meet our expectations.”

A trader in Osogbo, Folashade Bello, said the people already knew who they would vote for despite any inducement from politicians.

Mrs Grace Oguntuyi also said, “Security or no security, we will come out and vote for the right candidate. We need peace and progress in this state.”


Court bars Amotekun from poll

The Federal High Court in Osogbo has restrained the INEC from deploying operatives of the Western Nigeria Security Network, codenamed Operation Amotekun, in today’s governorship election duties.

Counsel to the PDP, Hashim Abioye, sought an order of interlocutory injunction from the court to prevent Amotekun corps from partaking in the process.

Issuing the order, Justice Emmanuel Ayoola stated, “The defendant is hereby restrained from requesting the deployment of the 2nd defendant (Amotekun) as part of the security personnel deployable for the purpose of Osun 2022 governorship election pending the determination of the originating summons filed in this suit.


Nigerians watching us, Yakubu tells INEC staff

The chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has urged workers involved in today’s governorship election in Osun State to stick to the oath of neutrality they swore to and ensure the success of the exercise.

Making the call yesterday in Abuja, Yakubu stated, “The people of Osun State and Nigerians will hold us to our promise. They will observe our attitude and behaviour from the opening to the closing of the poll.

“They will particularly observe our management of the election results and measure the extent of our adherence to the extant laws through every stage of the electoral process.”

He also urged INEC staff to display a sense of commitment and professionalism, remain above board and firmly resist any unethical behaviour.

The stage is set for the 2023 presidential election as four major political parties including the All Progressives Congress (APC), People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP) and the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) have met the deadline for the Nomination of candidates and replacement of withdrawn candidates.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had an uphill task, weekend, managing the traffic on the Nomination Portal as political parties scrambled to beat the deadline.

Although the Commission is yet to issue to release the list of the political parties that met the deadline, The Nation findings, showed that the four political parties have met the requirements.

The APC and Labour parties substituted their presidentkal running mates. The APC candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, picked former Borno Governor Kashim Shetima as his running mate after Ibrahim Masari, withdrew from the race.

Peter Obi of the Labour Party also substituted his running mate, Doyin Okupe, with Yusuf Dati Baba-Ahmed.

When contacted, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, said it was still premature to come up with a comprehensive list of parties that met the deadline.

According to him the deadline for the withdrawal and replacement of withdrawn candidates for Presidential and National Assembly elections collided with the deadline for the nomination of Governorship and House of Assembly elections.

He said: “You know the window closed today at 6pm and because the window for the replacement of withdrawn candidates for Presidential and National Assembly elections and submission of list of Governorship and House of Assembly elections also closed today, our Staff have been busy sorting the documents.

“So there is no way I can tell anybody what has happened now because most of the parties waited for the last minute”.

By Adam Mosadioluwa


The Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) recently sent a warning to landlords that Ignorance is not an excuse to rent apartments to internet fraudsters popularly known as ‘Yahoo boys’. The EFCC stated that any landlord who gives apartments to these fraudsters risks a jail term of 15 years. 

This disclosure from the EFCC has generated reactions from Nigerians who wonder why a landlord should be sent to jail because of the actions of their tenants.

However, as the saying goes, “ignorance is not a valid excuse before the law.” 

In light of this, we will take a look at some other little known actions that may end up putting one in jail in Nigeria.


Adultery

This may sound like rather a shock due to the prevalence of adultery in Nigeria and the world at large. But the fact is adultery may land you in jail in some parts of the country (Northern Nigeria) where the penal code is being practiced.

Under the “Penal code law”, adultery is a crime liable to two years imprisonment!

The “PENAL CODE LAW” sections 387 & 388 states: 

“Whoever, being a man/woman subject to any customary law in which extra-marital sexual intercourse is recognised as a criminal offence, has sexual intercourse with a person who is not and whom he knows or has reason to believe is not his wife/husband, such sexual intercourse not amounting to the offence of rape, is guilty of the offence of adultery and shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or with a fine or with both.”


Abortion

Abortion is quite common in Nigeria with an increasing rate every year.  According to a joint study carried out by the Society of Gynecologists and Obstetricians of Nigeria and Nigeria’s Ministry of Health, the number of women who engage in unsafe abortion was estimated at 20,000 each year.

But what you might not know is that aborting a baby, even though it is a day old, may land you in jail. 

Abortion attracts 14 years of imprisonment unless it is performed to save the life of the pregnant woman. 

Medical practitioners such as doctors, nurses, or chemists who help in abortion also risk losing their licenses and could also spend time in jail.

Abortion is governed by the Criminal Code in the southern states and the Penal Code in the northern states.

Under the criminal code in the southern states, the abortion law is expressed within sections 228, 229, and 230.

Under section 228: Attempts to procure abortion. It reads:

Any person who, with intent to procure miscarriage of a woman whether she is or is not with child, unlawfully administers to her or causes her to take any poison or other noxious thing, or uses any force of any kind, or uses any other means whatever, is guilty of a felony, and is liable to imprisonment for 14 years.

Section 229. Attempt to procure own miscarriage.

Any woman who, with intent to procure her own miscarriage, whether she is or is not with child, unlawfully administers to herself any poison or other noxious thing, or uses any force of any kind, or uses any other means whatever, or permits any such thing or means to be administered or used to her, is guilty of a felony, and is liable to imprisonment for seven years.

Supplying drugs or instruments to procure abortion.

Any person who unlawfully supplies to or procures for any person any thing whatever, knowing that it is intended to be unlawfully used to procure the miscarriage of a woman, whether she is or is not with child, is guilty of a felony, and is liable to imprisonment for three years.

Under the panel code in the northern states, abortion law is contained in sections 232, 233, and 234. The punishment includes a fine or punishment or both in some cases.


Suicide

According to the World Health Organization, about 700,000 suicides occur across the globe every year. 

In Nigeria in particular, suicide seems to be on the increase everyday. The high rate of suicide may not be unconnected to the increased number of people who live with depression. 

However, as common as committing suicide may be, it is a punishable offence under the constitution. 

Your body belongs to the state and you have no right to take it by yourself. If you try to commit suicide and you are caught in the process, you may be imprisoned for attempting to take your life.

Committing suicide is a punishable offense under both the criminal code in southern Nigeria and the penal code in the northern states.

Section 327 of the criminal code (applicable to Southern Nigeria) states that: 

“Any person who attempts to kill himself is guilty of a misdemeanour, and is liable to imprisonment for one year.”

Similarly, section 231 of the penal code (applicable to northern Nigeria) asserts that:

“Whoever attempts to commit suicide and does any act towards the commission of such offence, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year or with fine or with both”.


Witchcraft

Although witchcraft was previously not recognized by the law, a new provision has made the practice of witchcraft an offence that is punishable under the law.

The punishment for witchcraft is entrenched in both sections 216 & 210 of the  Criminal and Penal Codes Act, respectively.

Section 210 of the criminal code act states that:

Any person who

(a) by his statements or actions represents himself to be a witch or to have the power of witchcraft; or

(b) accuses or threatens to accuse any person with being a witch or with having the power of witchcraft; or

(c) makes or sells or uses, or assists or takes part in making or selling or using or has in his possession or represents himself to be in possession of any juju, drug or charm which is intended to be used or reported to possess the power to prevent or delay any person from doing an act which such person has a legal right to do, or to compel any person to do an act which such person has a legal right to refrain from doing, or which is alleged or reported to possess the power of causing any natural phenomenon or any disease or epidemic; or

(d) directs or controls or presides at or is present at or takes part in the worship or invocation of any juju which is prohibited by an order of the President or the Governor of a State; or

(e) is in possession of or has control over any human remains which are used or are intended to be used in connection with the worship or invocation of any juju; or

(f) makes or uses or assists in making or using, or has in his possession anything whatsoever the making, use or possession of which has been prohibited by an order as being or believed to be associated with human sacrifice or other unlawful practice, is guilty of misdemeanour and is liable to imprisonment for two years.


Bestiality/homosexuality

Bestiality refers to the act of having sexual intercourse with animals. Homosexuality, on the other hand, is an act of sexual intercourse between two people of same gender. They are both part of unnatural offences which are punishable by up to 14 years imprisonment under both the criminal code act (applicable to the Southern states) and Penal code act applicable to (Northern states)

Section 214 the Criminal Code Act (Unnatural offences) states:

“Any person who

(1) has carnal knowledge of any person against the order of nature; or

(2) has carnal knowledge of an animal; or

(3) permits a male person to have carnal knowledge of him or her against the order of nature, is guilty of a felony and is liable to imprisonment for 14 years.”

While section 284 of the penal code act states:

“Whoever has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to fourteen years and shall also be liable to fine.”

It will be recalled that Tribune Online reported that police were on trail for the Lekki dog owner, and the lady who reportedly had sex with a dog in exchange for money earlier this year.


Animal Cruelty

Not only humans, but animals equally have rights enshrined in the constitution. It is a punishable offence to maltreat your pets and animals in general. The fact that you bought them with your money does not qualify you to treat them badly. 

In a situation when you are cruel to animals, the court may order such animals taken away from you.

According to section 495 of the criminal code act, infringing cruelty on animals or playing a role in making animals suffer may land you six months imprisonment or  a fine of 50 naira or to both such imprisonment and fine.

Which of these would you describe as the most strange and have you been guilty of any in the past?

Peter Obi, presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), says he would not “victimise or witch hunt” previous government if elected into office in the 2023 presidential election.

Speaking with journalists on Friday after unveiling Datti Baba-Ahmed, founder of Baze University, as his running mate for the poll, Obi said he is only interested in blocking leakages and moving the country forward.

“As for probing the past government, let me tell you: you see me argue that you can’t close your shop and be chasing thieves, those who only look at yesterday and today will miss tomorrow. God did not give us eyes at the back, mine is to look forward,” he said.

“If you come into the government today and decide to stop the leakage first, you will get more. I am not going to be part of any form of victimisation or witch-hunt, it won’t happen. Nigerians must live within law and order.

“But I can tell you right away. If you, the principal person, the local government chairman, the governor or the President are not stealing, your family is not, and those around you are not, you will reduce it by 70 per cent.”

He said that Baba-Ahmed, a former legislator, was excellently equipped to contribute his intellectual and professional accomplishments to the effort to free Nigeria from the archaic politics of ethnicity.

“We made this choice of Datti, and I sat down and discussed it. I said to him, What we are doing is not just the two of us,” he said.

“We are bringing all Nigerians into this big tent where everybody will be involved because we want to end the primitive politics of ethnicity and religion. What we want now is to replace that with competence.”

Fresh facts have emerged on how embattled Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abba Kyari, as well as ex-governor Joshua Dariye of Plateau State and his Taraba State counterpart, Jolly Nyame, and others in the VIP wing of the Kuje Custodial Centre in Abuja escaped death when members of the Islamic State West Africa Province blew up the facility.

The former commander of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and four members of his team were remanded in the facility pending the determination of their ongoing trial over drug related offences levelled against them by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Dariye, Nyame, a former chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina, and a former Chairman of the House of Representatives’ Ad-hoc Committee on Petroleum Subsidy, Farouk Lawan, are among the VIPs serving jail terms in the correctional centre.

The terrorists, who stormed the Custodial Centre on Tuesday night, freed over 800 inmates, including Boko Haram fighters held in the facility.

A personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) lost his life while a policeman sustained severe injuries during the attack.

Daily Trust Saturday reliably gathered from sources including a senior officer of the correctional service and one of the VIP inmates that the terrorists targeted the VIP wing of the facility after they succeeded in setting free their members.

“The gunmen knew what they came for and where to locate their members. They surely understood every part of the prison and where their members were kept,” one of the sources disclosed.

The prison source revealed that after releasing their members, one of the terrorists started shouting the names of Abba Kyari and his men.

The source said the criminals headed towards the isolated area, saying in Hausa; “Abba Kyari you are dead, we will kill you now.”

The source said the terrorists rained bullets on the VIP wing of the facility but couldn’t gain access before some gunshots were heard outside the prison facility, which deterred the terrorists.

“We took cover under tables as the terrorists fired several rounds of ammunition,” one of the VIP inmates said.

The source said what saved the day was the shootings from military men from outside the building.

By Sade Owoyemi


Reports of terrorists making away with N82million and $36,000 in cash when they raided Kuje Prison on Tuesday night are wide of the mark, FIJ can authoritatively report.

A number of platforms had reported that the terrorists, now believed to be ISWAP after owning the attack, carted away the sum of money, hence brewing inmate unrest with the potential to snowball into a riot.

However, insiders have told FIJ the said event was made up, as the prison is not allowed to hold anywhere close to that amount per day, meaning the prison itself is trying to exaggerate its financial losses for corruption purposes, or warders who have done shady deals with inmates are trying to be smarter than themselves.

“This is a lie!” an insider who asked not to be named for fear of retribution told FIJ on Thursday.

“The system they run in that place is that they don’t keep money more than N500,000. Any money above that will be taken to the bank; Kuje Prison has a bank account with which it receives money for inmates.

“Yes the terrorists broke into the records, where inmates’ money and belongings are kept, but you can never find millions in that place. Never. This is a lie from the pit of hell. That is news deliberately meant to deceive; somebody sold that out for corruption purposes.”

The source further reiterated that Kuje doesn’t house more than N500,000 per day because, like every other Nigerian prison, they limit the access of inmates to funds.

“At Kuje, no inmate can receive a disbursement of more than N5,000 per time, and this disbursement is done thrice a week: Monday, Wednesday and Friday,” the source continued.

“It is a standing rule because they don’t want cash flow in the facility. For any inmate to have more than N5,000, it is through trafficking and through the prison officials profiting from ‘money business’.

“In fact, the officer running the prison’s banking operations, SP Peter Ogundele, is the only one permitted to come inside with cash of up to N500,000 from the bank. I can tell you that even the officer-in-charge of the prison cannot come into the facility with N100,000 cash in his pocket. How can the Records Office then have such amount? Any money received from newly admitted inmates today will be moved to the bank first thing in tomorrow morning”.

The ‘money business’ talked about, FIJ understands, is a setup where money meant for an inmate is electronically transferred to the account of a warder, with the warder withdrawing it and handing the cash over to the inmate in exchange for a cut.

Corroborating those claims, a second Kuje Prison source told FIJ that even if inmates kept such huge monies with warders, the warders would have known better than to keep them within the prison.

“Any exchange of money between inmates and warders to the tune of millions of naira is certainly a product of graft. Warders who such stuff know too well to keep such shady monies within the premises; such monies would have been kept externally and brought in only at the point of need.

“So if up to five Kuje Prison warders are holding N82million and $36,000 cash for inmates nd they’re saying it was stolen by the terrorists, that’s a lie; tell them to fish our the monies from where they kept them, because it can only mean they’re taking advantage of the jailbreak to appropriate the monies to themselves.”

The prison service has not officially responded to claims of the missing funds.

Aafter visiting the prison on Wednesday, President Muhammadu expressed his dsiappoint with the incident, tweeting: “Saddened by the attack on the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kuje. I am disappointed with the intelligence system. How can terrorists organize, have weapons, attack a security installation and get away with it? I am expecting a comprehensive report on this shocking incident.”

FIJ earlier reported how the scores of terrorists who raided the prison had so much free time on their hands that they first delivered a 15-minute Quranic lecture to inmates before setting them free.

FIJ also reported how the terrorists made an attempt on the life of Abba Kyari, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) and former head of the Inspector General of Police’s Intelligence Response Team (IRT), but failed.

The deputy governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Dr. Innocent Barikor, has escaped assassination in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

It was however gathered gunmen killed his police orderly on the spot.

Barikor was said to have left his office at the GRA on Tuesday night for a meeting in an undisclosed location without knowing that some gunmen were waiting for him outside.

A source, who spoke in confidence, said on sighting Barikor, the gunmen opened fire.

“Barikor escaped by the whiskers but his police orderly was not fortunate because the bullets hit and killed him on the spot,” he said.

The Deputy Publicity Secretary of APC, Darlington Nwauju, confirmed the attack.

Nwauju called for a thorough investigations into the incident and asked the Inspector-General of Police to wade into the matter.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSCP Grace Iringe-Koko, said it was not a case of assassination.

She said: “It was not an assassination. Actually a policeman was shot. I think he was the target because they saw him with a rifle. Nothing happened to the candidate. We are investigating the incident and the place has been surrounded”.

By Sade Owoyemi

The Boko Haram terrorists who invaded the Kuje Medium Security Prison, Abuja, on Tuesday night made an attempt on the life of Abba Kyari, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) and former head of the Inspector General of Police’s Intelligence Response Team (IRT), but they failed, FIJ can report.

Scores of terrorists had raided the prison on Tuesday night, freeing hundreds of inmates after shooting and bombing their way into the prison yard. They even had the time to deliver a 15-minute lecture before freeing the inmates.

And although the terrorists did not set out to harm inmates, it has now been confirmed to FIJ that gunshots were fired at the cell holding Kyari.

“When they gained access into the facility, the first set of people they set free were inmates from the Counter-Terrorism Unit (CTU) section (popularly called ‘Bombblast’ by inmates), and some of them pointed to direction of the cell where Abba Kyari was kept, popularly called ‘Segregation,'” said the source, who cannot be named for security reasons.

“When they had opened everywhere and inmates were still within the compound, close to kitchen side, one of the commanding terrorists ordered that nobody should move yet because some of his boys had gone to Abba Kyari’s side.

“Some two minutes later, three of his boys emerged from the side of the prison yard housing the hospital, which is the same route to the Segregation and the church.

“Immediately he spotted them, he ordered everyone to move outside. He then led the line of inmates and his boys monitored every bend until the inmates got outside.”

From FIJ’s longstanding knowledge of Kuje Prison, the CTU/’Bombblast’ is where inamtes with terrorism-related cases are held.

Continuing, the source said: “They meant to kill Abba Kyari but God saved him because the doors of the segregation are stronger than other doors. They shot at his doors but the iron bed at the Segregation, where he hid himself under, saved him.

“Not just the iron bed, but the door itself, built by Red Cross. It was well-built; the terrorists were unable to break it and I guess they did not want to expend all their time on it. It would have taken them a lot to break it down.”

Meanwhile, the prison service has confirmed that Kyari and his men as well as ex-Governor Joshua Dariye of Plateau State and his Taraba State counterpart are safe and in custody. However, it kept mum on the attempt on Kyari’s life.

Kyari’s travails with the law started in July 2021 when a US court ordered his arrest for allegedly playing a major role in a multi-million dollar fraud perpetrated by Ramon Abbas, better known Hushpuppi, and his co-conspirators.

In August, the Police Service Commission (PSC) officially suspended him, as he was probed by the Nigerian government.

However, on February 14, 2022, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) declared him wanted for his “links to an international drug cartel”, subsequently arresting him the same day.

The agency would later detail how Kyari “tried to strike a hefty deal with its officers over 25kg of seized cocaine”.

After grappling for the past seven years to fulfill one of its campaign promises, which is tackling insecurity head on, the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration is banking on President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor to continue with the herculean task in 2023.

Accordingly, the governing party is planning to implicitly ask for more time to fulfill its campaign promise by reintroducing the issue of security in its campaign for the 2023 general election.

National vice chairman of the party (North West), Mallam Salihu Lukman, who disclosed this yesterday, said the issue of security will be the front banner in its agenda for the 2023 general election and beyond.

Lukman stated this when he led zonal officials in the North West geopolitical zone to meet with the party leader in Sokoto State, Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, and other party stakeholders in the state.

The meeting, according to a statement he personally signed, is in continuation of the party’s fact-finding tour on how to sustain the tempo in areas the party “is doing excellently well.”

The idea, he noted, is to also “improve on areas that the party has built something to stand upon and re-strategise for few gray areas to be addressed, adding that the APC “has listened to the yearnings and aspirations of the people of Sokoto State through the stakeholders who represent the interests of their people.”

Lukman listed the current security challenges “bedeviling the zone and the entirety of North, particularly Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna and Kebbi States, among other states of the country,” as part of the matters discussed at the meeting.

He said as an agent of the people as well as that of the party, he would join the party’s elders such as Senator Wamakko to take the matter to the appropriate authority with all sense of commitments, adding that “security issue will be the front banner of the party’s agenda for 2023 and beyond.”

On his part, the APC leader in Sokoto State, Senator Wamakko expressed delight over the manner in which the party is operating at the zonal level, even as he pledged support for the zonal structure of the party in whatever capacity it needs him.

In 2015 President Buhari and the APC had premised their campaigns on three key areas affecting the country – corruption, insecurity and revamping the economy.

Most Nigerians who were already overwhelmed by these major challenges, especially the spate of insecurity, the rising rate of unemployment and the increasing corruption, had voted the APC massively, believing that Buhari would fulfill all the campaign promises.

In 2019, Buhari and the APC replicated these promises during the re-election campaign and asked for more understanding from Nigerians.

Even though the three campaign promises under the change agenda were yet to be fulfilled, Nigerians still re-elected Buhari for a second term of four years in 2019.

By Wilfred Eya and Chukwudi Nweje


Political parties yet to submit names of their vice presidential candidates have stepped up efforts to beat the July 15 deadline set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The parties affected, it was learnt, have been working round the clock and putting finishing touches to their consultations to ensure names they submit would be acceptable to major stakeholders to forestal controversy after their announcement.

Multiple sources told Daily Sun that stakeholders in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Labour Party (LP) were particularly being careful not to make the same mistake of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which is being threatened by implosion since the announcement of its vice presidential candidate.

A highly placed member of the APC said the party was between ‘the Devil and the deep Blue sea’ over the religious faith of the running mate to its standard bearer, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He said even at the time of writing this report, the ruling party was yet to take a final stand on it despite speculations that Asiwaju Tinubu had settled for a Muslim/Muslim ticket.

Our source said though major stakeholders around the APC presidential candidate feel that Muslim/Muslim ticket appears to be the best option, they were also scared of a backlash from Christians across the country.

He, however, confirmed to Daily Sun that the APC candidate would name his running mate on or before Friday.

APC screens Tinubu, Amaechi, Umahi, 9 others
Also, indications emerged that the LP is also digging in to conclude on the choice of running mate to its standard bearer, Peter Obi.

A top member of the party also confirmed to Daily Sun that getting a suitable running mate to complement the rising profile of Obi had been a major headache to power brokers in the party.

He said the situation was compounded by the collapse of the alliance talks between the LP and New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) and the rejection of Senator Musa Kwankwaso to take the offer of a running mate to Obi.

Our source, however, said the LP has already concluded on an appropriate running mate for the LP candidate and would announce his name on Friday, July 8.

The APC and the Labour Party earlier submitted pseudo names as presidential running mates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to beat the deadline issued by the INEC.

While the presidential candidate of the APC, Tinubu, picked Kabir Ibrahim Masari, Katsina politician as a placeholder for his running mate, Obi submitted Doyin Okupe as his running mate.

Meanwhile, barring last minute hitch, LP would name and unveil the substantive vice presidential candidate on Friday.

Spokesman of the National Consultative Front (NCFront), Dr. Yunusa Tanko, told Daily Sun, yesterday, that the Labour Party Campaign Organisation has consulted widely and would unveil its vice presidential candidate on or before Friday July 8.

This is as he confirmed that talks with the Kwankwaso-led NNPP failed because the NNPP presidential candidate wanted Obi to serve as his vice presidential candidate, a development he described as unacceptable to LP.

“We are building a big tent, we want to build a crossbreed political formation, we are doing what is called constructive consultation, and I want to put it on record that the Labour Party Campaign Organisation, which is mandated to speak on the vice-presidential candidate said that the talks on looking for a running mate has been concluded and between now and Friday the name of the vice-presidential candidate will be unveiled to the public. The issue we are going through now is discussions with those who want to join the party, but we have gone beyond an alliance with NNPP, we are now talking about unveiling the vice-presidential candidate of LP before the end of Friday by the grace of God.”

Former national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Victor Umeh, has revealed that talks between LP and NNPP collapsed on June 15.

The former APGA national chairman and senatorial candidate on the LP platform, who spoke on a television programme monitored in Lagos, yesterday, condemned Kwankwaso for creating the impression that talks between both parties was ongoing.

He said the LP was no longer interested in every other discussion with NNPP.

“We are surprised at the recent media blaze by the members of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to continuously suggest that they were locked in a negotiation with the Labour Party to have a partnership or arrangement where the two parties will work together in 2023,” he said.

“We are surprised to continuously see this, we had this discussion precisely on the 15th of June, more than three weeks ago. What necessitated the meeting was that the NNPP and LP working together will give a better opportunity for the presidential election to be won. And the two parties set up two teams.

“It was on the 15th of June that the whole talks collapsed completely. The Labour Party has averted its mind from every other discussion with the NNPP.

“But these fellows have continued to give the impression that they are still in talks with the Labour Party. We couldn’t agree on the knotty issue of who becomes the presidential candidate. Will it be Peter Obi of the LP or Rabiu Kwankwaso?

“What they are saying is not in tune with the reality of things. If Peter Obi, who is being sought after, stepped down to deputise Kwankwaso, it would have been injurious to his reputation.”