₦airaland Forum

Muhammad Abubakar, managing director of Galaxy Backbone (GBB), says the federal government blocked over 200 cyberattacks during the presidential and national assembly elections.

Galaxy Backbone is an information and communications technology services provider, owned by the federal government.

Abubakar spoke on Tuesday at the opening session of a two-day ministerial training for GBB’s board members and management staff in Abuja.

“On the election day alone, we were able to block more than 200 attacks and the next day, the attacks geometrically increased to about 1.2 million and all were blocked from our own businesses,” he said.

This is the first time a government official would be talking about the attempts to hack into the INEC’s server during the last elections.

Political parties have alleged that there were attempts to manipulate the election results by hackers.

Before the election, INEC assured that its system for transmitting election results cannot be penetrated by hackers.

Also speaking at the event, Isa Pantami, minister of communication and digital economy, applauded GBB’s approach to digital infrastructural development while saving the cost of governance.

“In this training, I will be very much sincere with you to point out some areas where we need significant improvement,“ Pantami said.

“Training is key when it comes to improving our performance and at the same time training is key when it comes to our self-evaluation, self-judgement, self-assessment.

“We need to think out of the box to discover new areas for government revenue generation.

“We need to be proactive in our thinking, let us not maintain the same process every day when it comes to revenue generation.”

The training has the theme “Positioning the GBB Team for Effective Management and Leadership in the 4th Industrial Revolution”.

Speaking during an exclusive interview with The Punch, George said that Nigerians voted for its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, on February 25, 2023, presidential and elections because they were tired of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party.

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bode George, has described the Labour Party (LP) as a movement and not a political party per se.

Speaking during an exclusive interview with The Punch, George said that Nigerians voted for its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, on February 25, 2023, presidential and elections because they were tired of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party.

He lamented that members of PDP G5 governors - Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State and Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State lost their senatorial bids because there was an attempt to kill the key figures in the battle.

Asked how he feels about the Labour Party winning in Lagos State, in the presidential election, the former Military Governor of Ondo State said, “I don’t see the LP as a party per se. It is a movement. People got tired of the lacklustre attitude of these two political parties.

“The younger generation including my children told me to my face that daddy I am voting for this new party. We are tired of your PDP and APC. That was what happened in Lagos. We made it clear that if you don’t make a southern person the presidential candidate of our party, we are not going to work with you. It is a misery.

“The younger generation, the #EndSARS boys came out that they are tired of APC and PDP. The result was resounding here in Lagos. They beat the two of them blue and black. It’s a result of the anger in these kids.”

Asked if he thinks Obi stands a chance in court to displace Tinubu as the winner of the presidential election, George said, “Absolutely, if he can go there and prove his case and prove the figures that he has and the figures that (Mahmood) Yakubu and his team gave to him.”

George, who is also a member of the PDP Board of Trustees described the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as a party of contraction and a congregation of strange fellows.

He described the presidential and the National Assembly elections as shambolic, shameless, full of inadequacies and futility, adding that he was heartbroken because he thought Nigerians were going to lift the country to the level of a civilised world and that from every polling unit, the results would be transmitted electronically into the server of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

According to him, the loss of the presidential and many legislative seats by the PDP is a big lesson.

He said, “I hope this will be a lesson and we will shut the doors and tell ourselves some whole truths so that the party that these people established only carries the colours of this nation from the swampy forest to the savannah region.

“It will not die today. APC is a party of contraction, a congregation of strange fellows. That is what we have got but we overpriced ourselves, we were over-arrogant. In politics, I think this will be a lesson more than any political science class.”

An observer group in the February 25 general elections, The Centre for Accountability and Inclusive Development (CAAID) and its partners, accredited by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), have presented a report on the elections, calling for the unbundling of the electoral Commission over poor logistic arrangements.

CAAID partnered with 321 observers across 22 States, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to observe the just-concluded elections.

Speaking at a joint press conference on the conduct of the 2023 presidential and National Assembly elections in Abuja, Executive Director of CAAID, Aanu’ Rotimi, said in the majority of the polling units observed by its members, the INEC team arrived late and attributed it to difficulty in sorting and transporting of sensitive election materials, leading to a mix-up of election materials and creation of new Polling Units, and many of the PUs monitored, elections started between 10am and 1pm.

Rotimi said the elections recorded low voter turnout in most of the PUs monitored with a few exceptions, adding that some voters who turned out early to meet the absence of the INEC team left in frustration and did not return.

INEC Yet To Declare Dozens Of NASS Seats 7 Days After Elections


On accreditation of voters, she said; “The use of BVAS to accredit the enthusiastic voters in most of the PUs went well across the locations covered by our observers. The BVAS was slow in some locations as a result of technical challenges, the inability of the INEC team to effectively operate the machines and in other locations there were internet connection challenges.”

Speaking further on the upload of results on the IReV portal, she said; “Our observers reported that uploading of results went well in most of the locations. However, in some locations, the network made it difficult to upload the result. What is suspect is that the challenge was faced when uploading the Presidential results, while those of the National Assembly elections went on smoothly.”

On collation of results, the observer group said; “The inability of INEC to strictly adhere to the Electoral Act and Election Guidelines is an anti-climax and has cast a shade of doubt on the credibility of the outcome of the Presidential results. This has created an atmosphere of uncertainty and tension across the Country. As of today (1st March, 2023), the IReV showed only 149,897 out of the expected 176,606 results have been uploaded. The failure of INEC to convincingly communicate the cause of the glitches that led to its inability to upload results immediately after the elections at PUs has further raised the suspicion of Stakeholders.”

Also speaking, Executive Director, Initiative for Africa Society Inclusion and Diversity for Development FCT Coordinator CAAID Domestic Observer Group, Olayinka Akeredolu-Martins, said INEC should address Nigerians and stakeholders on what went wrong during and after the elections.

She decried the stress voters went through in voting, even as many still couldn’t vote at all in the process.

She said as the gubernatorial elections draw near, INEC must get it right.

“INEC should re-train their staff and ad-hoc staff to be more effective in handling the election process.

“INEC should organise a stress-free election. People should not wait for long hours to vote into the night. At a polling unit I visited, I saw pregnant women struggling to vote. It is not supposed to be that way,” she stated.

Speaking on the BVAS machine, she said when INEC came up with the technology, there was a high level of trust that was vested in the Commission, because the technology was presented to cut off all excesses of those that planning to rig.

“People came out to cast their votes believing that the process will make their votes count. People came out to exercise their rights and voted, the trust was still there even when INEC officials and election materials arrived late, and people still trusted the process. They waited and some voted late into the night, which is not supposed to be.

“The issue of trust began to dwindle when uploading of results became an issue, they began to suspect manipulation, 24hrs later people went to iREV to see if their results have been uploaded and found nothing there as against what INEC umpire said it will be uploaded in 24hrs,” she pointed out.

In their recommendations, the observer group called on INEC, in line with the Electoral Act 2022, to ensure that all polling unit results are immediately uploaded on the IReV portal, and that the Commission should initiate the review of the results to verify the allegations of compromise of the integrity of the process.

“Urgent steps must be taken by the Commission to avoid a repeat of the highlighted challenges during the forthcoming Governorship and State Assembly elections.

“We call for unbundling of INEC around material and staff logistics, noting that the method of distribution of kits and sensitive materials need to be improved on.

“INEC needs to intensify efforts around voter education in collaboration with CSOs, media and political parties in order to reduce the incidence of invalid or rejected votes. The number of invalid/rejected votes in the presidential election alone is close to 1 million,” they added.

The observers, however, urged aggrieved Nigerians to remain calm and channel their dissatisfaction through the legal process and avoid actions that will ignite social unrest.

Presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has hailed a ranking member of the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Jim Risch, for pointing out the fact that Nigeria’s recently concluded presidential election was fraught with irregularities.

He also hailed Risch for criticising the US government over its decision to hurriedly embrace Bola Tinubu as president-elect despite damning reports from election observers.

Senator Risch had said, “The ongoing electoral process in Nigeria is widely viewed as deeply flawed by election observers and many Nigerians. It is disappointing to see the administration rush to embrace the result, while the full picture of what occurred during this electoral process is yet to be seen.

“I’ve expressed similar concerns related to other areas of our relationship with the Nigerian government. I worry this rush to judgement will undermine our ability to be an effective partner to all Nigerians, especially given their longstanding desire for democracy.”

Responding in a statement on Saturday, Atiku through his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Mr. Phrank Shaibu, said posterity would be kind to Senator Risch for siding with the people of Nigeria even against the US government.

Atiku said, “Senator Risch’s name will be etched in the minds of Nigerians forever. Posterity will be kind to him for speaking up at this crucial point in history. His action is reminiscent of the late US Ambassador, Walter Carrington, who acted as an activist, insisting on the June 12 mandate from 1993 till 1997 during the repressive regime of General Sani Abacha.

“Senator Risch has confirmed what objective observers revealed. And that is that the 2023 presidential election in Nigeria was a sham, a usurpation of the will of the people and a stain on the history of Nigeria.”

The PDP presidential candidate also commended The Guardian Newspaper of London, the Financial Times of London, and a Nigerian newspaper for their strongly worded editorials, where they described in detail what really happened in the February 25 election.

Atiku’s aide noted that the Financial Times in its editorial titled, ‘Nigeria’s Badly Flawed Election Fails to Set an Example’ dismissed the poll for the sham that it was.

“What Nigeria needed above all was a clean election to reiterate the basic message of democracy: that a sovereign people can choose its leaders. Sadly, it did not happen. The election – which appears to have delivered the Presidency to Bola Tinubu, a wealthy political fixer running for the incumbent All Progressives Congress – was badly managed at best. It failed to set the example needed for West Africa,” The Financial Times stated.

It added, “INEC badly misfired. Voting started late in many districts, depriving millions of the right to vote. The system to upload the results from 177,000 polling stations stuttered, causing legitimate concerns of vote tampering during long delays. Violence was troubling. Party goons invaded many polling stations in what appeared to be blatant acts of intimidation. The Financial Times witnessed armed men remove a presidential ballot box in Surulere, Lagos.”

He also commended The PUNCH for its scathing editorial, where it described in graphic detail how thugs acting on the instruction of the APC used violence to intimidate voters in Lagos.

The PUNCH particularly stated, “In Ikate, Lagos, gunmen invaded a centre, scattered the voting materials, causing voters to flee. The soldiers nearby saved the day. There was also violence in Oshodi and Okota, compounded by the late arrival of materials in polling centres, which was reportedly instigated by a faction of the road transport union that refused to move materials. Thugs threatened those who refused to vote for the All Progressives Congress in Shitta, Surulere, Lagos.”

Atiku argued that the crown that Tinubu was wearing was stained with the blood of innocent Nigerians who were bold enough to resist the APC on the day of the election.

He added, “Tinubu’s pyrrhic victory will be short-lived. The stolen crown balances on his head precariously. He will continue to shake until he drops it. It is funny that Lagos was the fulcrum of Tinubu’s campaign as he promised to replicate the miracle of Lagos across Nigeria, and yet the people of Lagos rejected him on the day of election.

“Tinubu lost in Ikeja local government where he had voted and also lost in Bourdillon, Ikoyi where he lives. Rather than accept the will of the people, he unleashed thugs on the people he claimed to love. Jennifer Efidi Bima was hit in the face by Tinubu’s hounds in Surulere. Her blood-stained ballot paper is a testament to the resolve of the people as he still lost in Lagos despite the violence.

“Ahead of the governorship election, Tinubu will once again relocate to Lagos, where he will try to unleash violence on the people in order to ensure that his puppet, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, is re-elected. Nigerians must rise up against such tyranny.”

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has dismissed a report on the ownership of a property located on 15 Ganges Street, Maitama, Abuja, where some persons were arrested with electoral materials, including Bi-Modal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) during the Presidential election which took place on Saturday, 25th February 2023.

The Speaker, who clarified in a statement titled: ‘For the record: I do not own Property on 15 Ganges Street, Maitama Abuja’, disclosed that the occupants of the property are known to the authorities of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“A few days ago, while the collation process for the presidential election, which was held on Saturday 25 February, 2023, was ongoing, social media posts made by some unscrupulous people suggested that some persons were arrested with electoral materials, including the Bi-Modal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) and that the property where the purported persons were arrested belongs to me.

“I wish to put it on record that I DO NOT own any property on 15 Ganges Street, Maitama, Abuja.

Besides, the Nigeria Police Force has debunked the news via a press release by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi.

The police press release stated: “Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB), acting on a tip from residents of an area in Maitama who reported suspicious activities, visited the location, interviewed the occupants, and conducted a search on the house. In the course of the search, some electoral materials and BVAS machines were discovered in their possession. However, the Independent National Electoral Commission, when contacted, confirmed that the occupants of the house are staff of Emperor Technology, outsourcing engineering services to the INEC, and they were immediately released to go about their lawful business.”

A lawyer to the seven state governors who filed a suit challenging the announcement of Bola Tinubu as the winner of the February 25 presidential election has explained why they withdrew the suit.

The seven states comprising Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Sokoto and Taraba, had on Friday filed a notice of discontinuance on the suit before the Supreme Court.

A senior lawyer with Mike Ozekhome (SAN), who pleaded anonymity, has explained that the matter was withdrawn because it had been overtaken by events.

The lawyer said it was filed praying the Supreme Court to compel the Attorney General of the Federation and the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to halt the collation and announcement of results due to irregularities in the election.

“But with the declaration of the winner, we realised that the matter was stale because the court does not have the original jurisdiction to hear presidential election disputes.”

“So, we have decided to incorporate the arguments there to the individuals we are going to be representing at the tribunal.”

The seven states claimed in the suit that INEC did not follow the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022 and the guidelines for the 2023 general elections, particularly uploading of results to the IREV through the BVAS, in declaring Tinubu the winner.

Among other reliefs, they had sought “A declaration that the entire results of the Presidential Election conducted on the 25th of February, 2023 announced by the Chairman of INEC at the National Collation Centre, Abuja, in flagrant violation of the provisions of Sections 25; 47(2); 60 (1), (2), (4) & (5); 62; 64(4)(a) & (b); 70; and 148 of the Electoral Act, 2022, governing the 2023 nationwide general elections, particularly paragraphs 38 of the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022; and paragraphs 2.8.4; 2.9.0; and 2.9.1 of the INEC Manual for Election Officials, 2023, for the conduct of the Presidential Election, were invalid, null and void, and of no effect whatsoever.”

The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) is compelling its members in Lagos State to turn in their permanent voter cards (PVC) for an unspecified cause.

As of this morning, a number of union members in a few areas of Lagos had turned in their PVCs to NURTW officials in Agege, according to a source.

The source, a member of the union who asked not to be named, said that all the NURTW branches in Lagos attended a state meeting on Thursday but the outcome of the meeting was not communicated until this morning.

“They concluded this morning that all NURTW members should submit their PVCs to the branch secretary or the unit secretary,” he told FIJ.

“I’ve turned in mine. They arrived at 10 am this morning to collect it. But why are they robbing us of our PVCs?

“I have no idea when they will return it to us. They are denying us the opportunity to be with our PVCs on Election Day because they want to use it for something else.”

When FIJ contacted the Lagos State council of the NURTW via its phone number on Google, a representative said he was not aware of the development.

“I don’t know anything about it. I don’t understand what you are saying,” said the unidentified official who answered the call.

The police in Oyo State have arrested 11 suspects in possession of nine dry human skulls, one fresh human head, intestines and other human body parts.

SP Adewae Osifeso, spokesman of the command, disclosed this on Thursday while briefing journalists.

He explained that discreet intelligence gathering carried out on February 22, by a police monitoring unit uncovered the criminal activities of the suspects.

He said the operatives cracked down on the suspected ritualists who specialised in selling human skulls and other organs for ritual purposes in their hideout at Orita-Aperin area of Ibadan, noting that the 11 members of the criminal gang confessed to the crime upon interrogation.

He further said that the suspects confessed that the dry human skulls were harvested from burial grounds and that the fresh human head and other body organs were harvested from persons after being killed by their kingpin, simply identified as Amuludun, who was at large.

Meanwhile, one of the suspects and wife of Amuludun said she knew her husband as an Islamic cleric and was surprised when the human skulls were found in his office.

She said that she went to her husband’s office to collect money for foodstuff when the police came and searched the office where the skulls were found.

The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), has called on the United States of America, United Kingdom and European countries to impose visa ban on the Chairman of Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, and other 43 top INEC staff for allegedly rigging last Saturday's presidential and National Assembly elections in the country.

The group also called for visa ban on four state governors; Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, Hope Uzodinma of Imo State and David Umahi of Ebonyi State.

The group made the call in petition to 31 key foreign missions in Nigeria, representing the world’s best and most powerful democracies. The missions the petition was addressed to include: Head of the EU Delegation to Nigeria/ECOWAS and Ambassadors or High Commissioners of US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, State of Israel, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, Denmark, Scotland, Ireland, Spain, Czech, Portugal, Norway, Finland, Austria, Netherlands, Sweden, Poland, Greece, Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Australia, the Vatican, South Korea, Brazil and Mexico.

In the letter which SaharaReporters obtained on Thursday, dated Wednesday, 1st March 2023, Intersociety alleged that 44 top INEC officials named in the petition were vicariously or directly involved in the INEC in-house rigging of the 2023 Presidential which the group described as antithetic to democracy.

According to the petition, the INEC official accused of the rigging are - "Prof Mahmood Yakubu, INEC’s National Chairman,14 past and serving National Commissioners which include: Air Vice Marshal Ahmed Mua’zu (retd) (Gombe), Mrs May Agbamuche-Mbu (Delta), Dr Adekunle Ladipo Ogunmola (Oyo), Mallam Mohammed Kudu Haruna (Kano), Ukegbu Nnamdi (Abia), Major Gen Abubakar Alkali (retd) (Adamawa), Rhoda Gumus (Bayelsa), Sam Olumekun (Ondo), Barr Festus Okoye (Anambra), Kunle Ajayi (Ekiti), Muhammad Kallah (Borno), Dr Baba Bila (North-East), Prof Sani Adam (North-Central) and Prof Abdullahi Abdu (North-West)."

Also accused and demanded to be slammed visa ban are 37 past and serving 37 State Resident Electoral Commissioners. They are "Ibrahim Abdullahi (Adamawa State), Obo Effanga (Cross Rivers), Agboke Olaleke (Ogun), Prof Sam Egwu (Kogi), Onyeka Ugochi (Imo), Muhammad Bashir (Sokoto), Prof Ayobami Salami (Oyo), Olaniyi Ijalaye (Ondo), Muhammed Nura (Yobe), Zango Abdu (Katsina), Dr. Elizabeth Agwu (Ebonyi), Agundu Tarsoo (Benue), Yomere Onitsemlebi (Delta), Prof Yahaya Ibrahim (Kaduna), Nura Ali (Kano), Agu Uchenna (Enugu), Ahmed Garki (FCT), Hudu Yunusa (Bauchi), Prof Uzochukwu Chijoke (Anambra).

Others are "Abdulganiyu Raji (Oyo), Risikuwa Shehu (Sokoto), Bello Mahmud (Zamfara), Nentawe Yilwada (Plateau),Umar Ibrahim (Taraba), Mustapha Zubairu (Niger), Asmau Maikudi (Katsina), James Apam (Benue), Godswill Obioma (Abia), Olusegun Agbaje (Lagos), Dr. Cyril Omorogbe (Edo State), Baba Yusuf (Borno), Dr. Uthman Ajidagba (Kwara), Yahaya Bello (Nasarawa), Dr Emmanuel Hart (Rivers), Mohammed Ibrahim (Gombe), Mahmuda Isah (Kebbi) and Dr. Adediran Rahmon Tella (Osun). Two key Directors of INEC: Engineer Paul Omokere (Director of ICT) and Dr. Lawrence Bayode (Deputy Director of ICT) are among those blacklisted and petitioned against."

Intersociety stated, "We humbly requested to slam visa ban and other inter-country entry restrictions and block international engagements and recognitions in their names particularly those involving the National Chairman of INEC (Prof Mahmood Yakubu), the National Commissioner for Voter Education who doubles as National Commissioner for Anambra, Imo and Enugu, Mr Festus Okoye."

The civil rights organisation noted that the four governors of Rivers, Imo, Kaduna and Ebonyi States were directly involved in the widespread voter suppression and brutal subversion of the sacred electoral wishes of Nigerians during the INEC in-house brutally rigged Feb 25, 2023 Presidential Election.

In the petition signed by principal officers - Emeka Umeagbalasi, Chinwe Umeche, Obianuju Joy and Chidinma Udegbunam, Intersociety made seven demands:

"Slam visa sanctions and other international travel, engagement and recognition restrictions on the serving Gov of Imo State and office immunity losing (outgoing) Govs of Rivers, Kaduna and Ebonyi States. Included in the list is Gov Yahaya Bello of Kogi State who will also be losing office immunity on 29th May 2023

"Repatriate all their stashed away material and human deposits and monetary valuable services (if any) traced and linked to the 44 top INEC officials and strongly suspected office atrocity perpetrator Govs named.

"Ensure that all members of their nuclear families living or holidaying or studying anywhere in the named respected countries and their assets and liabilities are speedily repatriated back to Nigeria and permanently embargoed from finding their way back to the respected countries.

"Particularly, Prof Mahmood Yakubu and Festus Okoye Esquire should be stripped of international forums and opportunities to speak emptily and noisily and stop from receiving undue international attentions and recognitions and permanently barred from traveling to any of the 31 respected Democratic countries named including their nuclear family members.

"Holistically review future funding and international democracy support funds to INEC and its rubberstamping CSOs including scholarships and sponsorship of their international visitations and exchange programs and speech deliveries.

"Downward review of funding of Election Day monitoring and upward review of supporting independent CSOs’ critical oversight on INEC especially during Continuous Voters’ Registration and Distribution of Permanent Voters’ Cards to discourage disenfranchisement and enhance enfranchisement

"Mount sufficient pressure and tying future democracy support funding to INEC on full digitalization of voting process or dualization of voting in the country or any part thereof to include electronic PVC and manual PVC voting; whereby registered voters can vote from their homes or choose to vote physically at polling units with their votes count."

The search for the new naira notes got fiercer on Wednesday as Nigerians loyal to the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) stormed various banks to make withdrawal across the counter or via the ATMs to celebrate the victory.

Aside from those screaming ‘up APC’ at some ATMs, there were others hunting for the new notes to gradually stock their homes with food ahead of Saturday’s Governorship election where many will stay indoors.

When Daily Sun visited various banks, the queues for withdrawal were long, even as many ATMs were dry but had people milling around in anticipation that they would be loaded with new naira notes.

Many PoS operators were also spotted at ATMs as they waited anxiously to get cash.

Jonah Ugwu, a petty trader said he was on queue at the bank to get some cash to ease his business.

“There is no cash and at times, electronic transfers won’t be successful. So, giving change to customers is a problem. That’s why I am here”, be said.

Meanwhile, commercial activities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have picked up following days of lull as Nigerians went to the polls to elect a new president.

Days to the February 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections, foodstuffs witnessed stratospheric price appreciation, as many households jostled to restock their homes following palpable tension over uncertainties on the outcomes of the polls.

24 hours to the election, many shops closed rather too early. Many businesses did not also open on Sunday, a day after the Presidential elections.

However, with the announcement of a Mr Bola Tinubu as President-elect, Abuja roads were busier on Wednesday than other days.

More filling stations sold petroleum products as the many oil marketers did not lift products over the weekend due to the elections.

The United States on Wednesday congratulated Nigeria on the election of ruling party presidential candidate Bola Tinubu, while calling for calm amid accusations of voter fraud and concerns over technical glitches.

Tinubu was declared the winner Tuesday of the February 25 polls in Africa’s most populous democracy.

“The United States congratulates the people of Nigeria, president-elect Tinubu and all the political leaders,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said.

“This competitive election represents a new period for Nigerian politics and democracy,” he added.

According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Tinubu, the candidate for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), won 8.8 million votes, while main opposition candidates Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi snagged 6.9 million and 6.1 million, respectively.

Price acknowledged the discontent among some Nigerians over the validity of the results, as at least one opposition figure has promised to dispute the outcome.

“We understand that many Nigerians and some of the parties have expressed frustration about the manner in which the process was conducted,” he said.

“Nigerians are clearly within their rights to have such concerns and should have high expectations for their electoral process,” Price said, urging political leaders to register their concerns through established legal “mechanisms.”

Nigerian officials had hoped new biometric voter identification technology would make the election the cleanest yet, but malfunctions, long delays and slow results have fueled the accusations of fraud.

“We call on all parties to refrain from violence or inflammatory rhetoric at this critical time,” Price said.

About 239,864 Nigerians have signed an online petition asking the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, and the entirety of the European and Asian continents to revoke the visa of Rivers State Governor Nyesom.

The petitioners alleged that Mr Wike sabotaged the February 25 election in the state by sponsoring violence, voter intimidation, and suppression.

The progenitor of the petition, Onyebuchi Ezeagabu, claimed that Mr Wike was “operating to destroy the electoral process” and called for the cancellation of the governor’s and his family’s visas.

Mr Ezeagabu said, “The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has been operating to destroy the electoral process in the state he governs.
“He is stirring up violence in Rivers State because he feels can travel out of the country at any time.

A signee, Amechi Victor, said, “He is against democracy in Nigeria. He just manipulated election results.”

Another person who supported the petition, Ugochi Agua-Onyekwelu, wrote, “This man has caused a lot of trouble and thuggery in the Nigerian political scene.

“He is always inciting people against the Igbos and has actually carried out the killing of thousands of Igbo men in his state at Obigbo, PH. He believes so much in violence and talks carelessly like a lout.”

But reacting, the director of publicity and communications for the Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party Campaign Council, Ogbonnan Nwuke, dismissed the online petition.

Mr Nwuke, in an interview with newsmen, challenged the persons behind the online petition to provide proof to back up their claim.

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has asked his supporters not to despair assuring them that the battle to retrieve “our stolen” mandate was on the way.

Atiku spoke through the Director Public Affairs of PDP Presidential Campaign Committee, Senator Dino Melaye, in Abuja, on Wednesday.

In a short message to supporters he said, “A clarion call on all Atiku’s supporters all over the world not be perturbed.

“Weeping may tarry till night but joy cometh in the morning. This grave injustice shall not stand.

“The battle to retrieve our stolen mandate is a battle of no retreat, no surrender. We shall overcome.”

He spoke against the backdrop of the announcement of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu as winner of the last Saturday’s Presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Tinubu and his running mate, Vice President-Elect, Kassim Shettima, we’re presented with their certificates of return by the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, also on Wednesday.

President-elect Bola Tinubu says he will chart a new path with Nigerian youths, promising to pay particular attention to the education system.

In his remarks early Wednesday morning, acknowledging INEC’s declaration that he is the winner of the 2023 presidential election promised the youth that they “will see the reward of” their education.

The president-elect assured the youth that he knows “where it pains” and promised to take some decisive steps to promote and ensure their welfare.

“I heard Nigerian youths loud and clear. We are going to chart this path together…We will work together. I will pay attention, undivided attention to your education,” stated Mr Tinubu.

He added, “We will be creative. Education loans will be available. Four years will be four years—no more strikes. Universities will have autonomy. No more selling of handouts. I know where it pains, and believe me, you will see the reward of your election.”

Mr Tinubu gathered 8,794,726 votes across 12 states to emerge as the president-elect.

Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) followed closely, scoring 6,984,520 votes across 12 states, and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) garnered 6,101,533 votes also from 12 states to become third. Former Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) finished fourth in the poll with 1,496,687 votes.

Meanwhile, the whole electoral process had not been without controversies, with PDP, Labour Party and ADC calling for the cancellation of the presidential poll, arguing that INEC did not comply with the law in collating and announcing the results.

They had requested INEC to display the results captured on its IReV portal from each polling unit to crosscheck the manual results presented at the National Collation Centre, Abuja.

By Clement A. Oloyede


Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, has been arrested by the police for his alleged role in the killing of several persons and burning of the secretariat of New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) during the just concluded poll.

The police had confirmed that at least three persons were killed when the campaign secretariat of the NNPP in Tudunwada was set ablaze.

Two persons were burnt to death during the crisis that broke out during the collation of the results of Doguwa/Tudunwada House of Representatives election, which Doguwa was eventually declared to have won.

A credible source in the police formation told our correspondent that Doguwa was picked up at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport while about boarding a flight to Abuja.

The source said that the report from the police leadership in Tudunwada stated that Doguwa personally led the thugs that set ablaze the NNPP secretariat where at least two persons were burnt to death.

“He also used the pistol of his orderly and fired and several persons. So we have arrested him in connection to murder and arson.”

“He is currently cooling off in the state Criminal Investigation Department,” the source, who is very familiar with the investigation and asked not to be named, said.

The spokesman of the Kano Police Command, SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, did not respond to call to his number.

Earlier, Doguwa had in a press briefing with journalists denied any culpability and said he learnt that the police were looking for him but he had not received any formal invitation.

He also denied allegations that he shot at several individuals in the fracas that broke out, saying he does not own a gun neither does he know how to fire one.

“I never held a gun. I don’t even know how to hold a gun. I also never held any weapon throughout the election,” he said.

He, however, said the crisis started when NNPP supporters came with the mindset of burning the INEC office and were repelled by supporters of APC.

Doguwa was elected for his 5th term on Saturday.

A section of the multi-billion naira Blue Rail Mass Transit project at Marina, Lagos State, has been gutted by fire.

It was learnt that the section, which houses a generator used in the facility, was affected by the fire on Tuesday.

However, no life was lost and no one was injured, as the fire was quickly put out by firefighters from both the Federal and State fire stations before it could spread to other sections.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident.

He said, “The fire at Marina started from the generator of the Blue Rail Mass Transit. Police patrol teams and the Fire Service are already on ground to control the crowd and put out the fire respectively.

“People are urged to go about their lawful duties and not panic as the situation is under control.”

In preparation for the presidential and national assembly elections scheduled for February 25, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) commenced the distribution of sensitive election materials to its local government offices.

Eyewitnesses in Cross River, Calabar, revealed in a video that INEC has already started sending election materials to the right places as of Wednesday, 22 February 2023.

Recall that on Monday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Edo State disclosed that it will commence the distribution of sensitive election materials to its local government offices across the state on Wednesday.

By Victoria Edeme


The Central Bank of Nigeria has debunked a purported press release shared on the Instagram page of the First Lady, Aisha Buhari.

In the release shared on Aisha’s page on Tuesday, it was alleged that the old N500 and N1000 notes should remain legal tender dor the next 70 days, till May 1, 2023.

Debunking the news, the CBN shared another release, labelling the one shared by Aisha as “fake news.”

The CBN said, “For the avoidance of doubt, and in line with Mr. President’s broadcast of February 16, 2023, the CBN has been directed to ONLY reissue and recirculate the old N200 banknotes and this is expected to circulate as legal tender for 60 days up to April 10, 2023.

“Members of the public should therefore disregard any message and/or information not formally released by the Central Bank of Nigeria on this subject. Media practitioners are advised to PLEASE verify any information from the correct sources before publication.”

As at the time of filing this report, the ‘fake’ release was still on Aisha Buhari’s page

Kwara State Police command has paraded the chief medical director of Kaiama General Hospital, Dr. Abass Adio Adeyemi, 36, over alleged murder of four persons and organ harvesting.

The state police commissioner, Mr Paul Odama, who paraded Adeyemi said that the command was closing in on other members of the syndicate involved in the crime.

Odama said that the suspect allegedly sedated some of his victims; mostly women before he killed them, adding that,” he killed and buried, while he killed to harvest organs of some other victims.”

The police chief said that the suspect had allegedly killed one of his victims in Edo state, before he killed those in Kwara state, one of the victims said to be his woman friend.

He gave the names of the victims as Olanipekun Ibukun,Nafisat Halidu, Abubakar Mallam and an unidentified lady.

Exhibit recovered from the suspect included a Toyota Camry with registration number WSN 494 AA, one black and one pink female handbags, one Infinix phone, one techno phone, female wig,a black veil,one female pant and industrial waste bin.

“On 3/7/2022, at about 2350hrs, one Muktar Opeyemi (male) reported at ‘F’ Division, Ilorin, that on 25/6/2022, he noticed that one of his co-tenants by name Ifeoluwa (female), of the same address, and her vehicle, a Toyota Camry, were last seen within the compound on 24/6/2022, which was unusual.

“While the investigation was ongoing on the missing lady, a case of culpable homicide was reported at Alapa police station to the effect that a lifeless body of a young, unknown lady was found in the bush beside the road with a violent mark of injury on her head and blood on her face.

“Investigation, however, revealed that the missing Olanipekun Ifeoluwa Ibukun which was reported missing at ‘F’ Division was the same young lady killed and thrown into the bush at Alapa.

“Investigation into the case revealed that one Dr. Abass Adio Adeyemi was last seen with the deceased Ifeoluwa. The circumstances surrounding the missing Ifeoluwa at Tanke and her being found dead at Alapa necessitated heightened suspicion that the doctor knew something about the missing lady.

“While the command was searching for the doctor, news filtered in that Edo State Police Command had arrested Dr Abbas Adio Adeyemi in connection with another case of killing.

“The command in an effort to get to the root of the serial murder case in Kwara State succeeded in getting him released to the command to help in the investigation.

He confessed to have killed Ifeoluwa by hitting her with an object on the head and dumped the body at a bush in Alapa, he also confessed to have earlier sedated and causing the kidnap and killing of one Abubakar Malam Abubakar ‘Male’ and killing of one Nafisat Halidu ‘female’ a casual worker at General Hospital both in Kaiama and concealed her body in a trash-can, filled the trash-can with cement and kept inside a locked store in the General Hospital Kaiama with the key in his procession.

He also confessed to the killing of one unknown lady buried inside the same general hospital store. Both bodies were exhumed, recovered and deposited at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital Ilorin.

“He confessed further to having been lured into organ harvesting by a yet-to-be-identified syndicate.

A discreet investigation is still in progress to unravel other killings perpetrated by the suspect and his syndicate,” the police commissioner stated.

He said Adeyemi would soon be charged to court.

The police commissioner added:” In another development, on February 17, 2023, at about 2350 hours, Musa Saka ‘M’ and Ridwan Shehu ‘M’ both of Onile-Aro village and Isalu farm settlements escaped and reported at Oke-Ero Police Division that some armed men invaded their farm settlements. Policemen from the Division and vigilantes in the area were mobilized and stormed the identified farm settlements, they were greeted on arrival at the scene with hails of bullets shot by the invaders.

“The engagement by the police and vigilantes led to the neutralization of two of the unknown armed men, and one of the vigilantes sustained some gunshot injuries and is presently recuperating in the hospital.

Two AK-47 rifles with four live rounds of ammunition were recovered, and the bodies of the two unknown gunmen have been deposited in the mortuary while efforts are already in top gear to arrest the remaining fleeing suspects.

The Department of State Services (DSS) has stepped up investigations with a view to arrest and prosecutes the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, over allegations of terrorism financing and fraud, Daily Trust reports.

This is even as the military is said to be providing soldiers to protect the CBN governor both at home and office in a bid to scuttle his arrest, an allegation the defence headquarters has denied.

Following its earlier unsuccessful attempt at arresting the apex bank governor, Daily Trust gathered that the secret police has renewed its investigations into multiple allegations with a view to arresting the embattled Emefiele for possible prosecution.

An online platform, Premium Times, recently published some of the exclusive details it got from court documents on the controversy around the trail for Emefiele, among them funding “unknown gunmen” and members of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The federal government had proscribed IPOB, a separatist organisation that calls for secession and working for the establishment of Biafra republic.

Its members had killed hundreds of civilians and security operatives in the last few years and burnt symbols of authority like police and military formations, INEC offices, among others.

In the report by the online medium, Emefiele was also accused of sabotaging the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, financing terrorism, aiding and abetting terrorism, and committing other economic crimes with effect of undermining Nigeria’s national security.

It also accused the CBN governor of mismanaging the CBN subsidiary, NIRSAL, and the central bank’s Anchor Borrowers Programme.

The DSS alleged that Emefiele funded IPOB/ESN with both the resources he raised for his failed presidential bid last year and funds diverted from government coffers.

The secret government agency also accused Emefiele of “fraud, money laundering, round tripping and conferment of financial benefit to self and others.”

It said he mismanaged various interventionist funds of the government under his control and concluded that “investigation is still ongoing on a wider scale as other members of the syndicate chain need to be identified and arrested to enable successful prosecution.”

Daily Trust reports that Emefiele had vied for presidential ticket on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) last year.

Efforts by Daily Trust to get his reaction on the allegations labelled against him by the DSS were not successful as his office did not respond to enquiries.

However, the CBN governor had at the height of the controversy surrounding his political aspiration said that the presidential form and other logistics were bankrolled by his admirers and denied any wrong doing.

He also approached the Federal High Court in Abuja to obtain an order affirming his right to jostle for the APC’s ticket. But the court on 9 May refused to grant Emefiele’s prayer.

Multiple sources told this newspaper that the DSS is not relenting in unravelling all the suspicions around the CBN governor with a view to bringing him to book.

Daily Trust reports that Emefiele, who has been governor since 2014, is the first person to serve two terms as the head of Nigeria’s apex bank in nearly 20 years. He was first appointed by the then-President Goodluck Jonathan in June 2014, after Sarah Alade served out the term of the suspended Lamido Sanusi.

DSS steps up investigation

Although the secret police declined to officially comment on the matter, multiple insider sources told this paper in confidence that the CBN governor is still on the investigation radar of the DSS.

According to our sources, the DSS was discreetly continuing with investigations into the multiple allegations against Emefiele.

The secret police is also said to be making an attempt at convincing President Buhari on the need to carry through with the investigations in view of the weighty nature of allegations against the CBN governor.


24-hour protection for CBN gov

While making efforts to arrest Emefiele, the CBN governor travelled out of the country as part of President Buhari’s entourage to the US-Africa Leaders’ Summit in Washington DC between December 13 and 15, 2022.

While Buhari returned to Abuja a day after the summit, the CBN governor remained abroad until January, 12, 2023, when he returned to the country.

Daily Trust gathered that upon his return, the Chief of Defence Staff deployed soldiers to provide security to Emefiele and prevent him from being arrested by the DSS.

Although President Buhari was said not to have been informed as at the time the CDS provided the soldiers for Emefiele, a source said the president was only informed afterwards.

A senior DSS operative told Daily Trust in confidence that the soldiers provided by the CDS countermanded the DSS officials who went to arrest Emefiele at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

“Had we not stood down our officers, there could have been a shootout between our men and the soldiers who had cordoned off the area when the plane landed and escorted the CBN governor to his residence,” he said.

Security sources have also told Daily Trust that soldiers deployed by the CDS are still providing security cover for Emefiele both at his residence and his office.

“They are guarding his official residence and also escorting him to his office on a daily basis,” said a security source who wouldn’t want to be named due to the sensitive nature of the matter.

Daily Trust gathered that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had spearheaded the move to remove Emefiele following pressure from the ‘cabal in the presidency’.

However, the anti-graft agency was said to have backed down from the move after selling to him (Emefiele) the dummy on the controversial currency re-design.


Deployment a normal practice – Military

When contacted with the allegation that the military was still providing soldiers to protect Emefiele, the Acting Director, Defence Information, Brig.-Gen. Tukur Gusau, told Daily Trust that the military had always been deploying its personnel to man and secure critical assets across the country.

He said that such deployment was not about a personality or individual but the asset, which is beneficial to every Nigerian.

“What I know is that, we have deployment at the Central Bank of Nigeria and for other critical national assets. If you go to NNPC too, you will see our person.

“It is not only in Abuja here, we have such deployments, you will see that type of deployment in Lagos and other places where the critical national assets are located or situated,” Gusau said.

On his part, the spokesman for the DSS, Peter Afunanya, when contacted, declined to speak on the matter. He simply said: “No comment.”


Background of prosecution

A team of four lawyers from the DSS legal department filed its case (ex parte motion) against Emefiele on 7 December, 2022, seeking permission to detain him for 60 days to conclude an ongoing investigation of his alleged atrocities.

However, on December 9 last year, a federal high court sitting in Abuja declined an application by the DSS to arrest and detain the CBN governor.

In declining the motion ex parte filed by the secret police, Justice J. T. Tsoho, the Chief Judge, said the DSS did not provide any concrete evidence to substantiate its claims that Emefiele was involved in terrorism financing and economic crimes.

The court said such an application should have been accompanied with the presidential approval because of the grave implications for the Nigerian economy if the CBN governor was arrested and detained.

Meanwhile, about two weeks after Justice Tsoho gave his order, Emefiele got another reprieve from a separate court as the Federal Capital Territory High Court granted a request by a civil society organisation to prevent his arrest.

Justice Muslim Hassan of the FCT court had ruled that based on Tsoho’s earlier ruling, “Any continuous harassment, intimidation, threats, restriction of movement, abuse of right of office, surreptitious moves to arrest, and humiliation” of Emefiele, over “Trumped up allegations of terrorism financing and fraudulent practices” was illegal and unconstitutional.

The judge also restrained the DSS “From instigating the arrest or arresting, interrogating and detaining” Emefiele in respect of any matter or policy decision on the Nigerian economy “or for any connected purposes except by an order of a Superior Court.”

A former Vice President of the World Bank, Oby Ezekwesili, has expressed concerns about the naira redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

During an interview on Channels TV on Sunday, Mrs Ezekwesili wondered whether there are still economists in the bank.

The policy, she said, was designed to solve the problem of criminality in politics.

She, however, noted that government could easily go after the criminals without using monetary policy of the CBN.

Ms Ezekwesili, who is a former minister of education, said these criminals are known to the government and that there was no need to deploy the policy.

“But there’s a second thing that we seem to be solving for which has now taken ascendancy over the monetary policy. We are using the central bank to solve the problem of criminality in our politics.

“That’s the objective, but is it an objective that the central bank should be smacked into? There’s something wrong with that because what has happened is – you have criminals – the government knows the criminals, they are part of them.

“If it wanted to, in a transparent manner, get them, it would get them. But what it has done is that It has basically discomfited the citizens, the poor women in the market, the people just barely eking out a living, and now struggling because of the criminality our politics.”

She noted that the financial infrastructure has been unable to cope with the surge in transactions because the system was not upgraded.

The former minister also described the implementation of the policy as “appalling” adding that “Frankly speaking, I don’t even know whether there are economists left in the Central Bank of Nigeria.”

Mrs Ezekwesili said “By mixing all of it up, you have created this chaos. What is clear is that the politicians have again put their interests above that of the citizens.”

PREMIUM TIMES reported how angry mobs have been attacking banks in some parts of the country over the scarcity of the Naira notes.

Speaking on the presidential candidates in the 2023 election, the former minister said she cannot vote for either Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) or Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Mrs Ezekwezili, who is backing the candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, said the other front liners lack what she described as the three “C”, which are competence, character and capacity.

“There’s no way I can cast a vote for an Atiku or a Bola Tinubu. They don’t check the box.”

Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, presidential candidate of New Nigerian People Party (NNPP), has knocked the All Progressive Congress (APC) governors criticising President Muhammadu Buhari over naira redesign policy.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) which introduced the policy last year had fixed January 31 as deadline for spending old N200, N500 and N1000 notes in public.

This had generated a huge controversy. After intense pressure, the apex bank shifted the deadline by 10 days.

Some governors of the ruling party sought the intervention of the president, who told them to give him seven days to take action.

But three days after meeting Buhari, three APC governors filed a suit to challenge the naira redesign policy at the supreme court.

The court ordered the CBN not to implement the deadline but Godwin Emefiele, CBN governor, said there was no need to shift the deadline.

Buhari had partially complied with the court as he ordered an extension of the deadline of N200 notes and declared that old N500 and N1000 notes were no longer legal tender.

This had triggered a nationwide outrage. Governors of the ruling party joined those who criticised Buhari over the issue.

While Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State had alleged that the naira redesign policy was aimed at truncating Nigeria’s democracy, his Kaduna counterpart, Nasir El-Rufai, asked residents to disregard Buhari’s directive.

Governors Dapo Abidoun (Ogun), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa) were among those who declared that old N500 and N1000 notes were still legal tender in their states.

Reacting to the developments, Kwankwaso said he was shocked that APC governors could act in that manner.

“In each state, you have branches of banks and in some states, you have even the national headquarters of those banks, on one hand we thought they (governors) would take all the billions from government houses and so on.

“But we realize these same governors were abusing their leaders, insulting them, I was shocked. I never thought some of them could abuse Buhari to that level.
“On one hand I was surprised that facts were coming out and we began to wonder what is wrong with them? Maybe EFCC was right that some governors are keeping billions of naira in their compounds across the country.

“Now the policy has made that looted money completely useless, I think that is why they are angry. So we are so happy with the Federal Government on that, the money they have collected is completely zero, it has expired.

“And I think all agencies should keep their eyes on that and I want to assure you that our party is going to assist the Federal Government, especially on election day, please tell all members of NNPP to join EFCC, to join the police and other security agencies that wherever they see try to buy votes, please stop them,” Kwankwaso said at an NNPP function.

Six days to the presidential and National Assembly elections, the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, has suspended the redeployment of Deputy Inspectors-General of Police (DIGs), Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs) and Commissioners of Police for election duties.

The police boss, on February 7, this year, redeployed some DIGs, AIGs and CPs ahead of the country’s general elections.

The redeployment was part of the strategies of the police authority to ensure that officers and men of the Force are not partisan before, during and after the elections.

However, a signal issued by the Force Secretary, was made available to Daily Trust on Sunday, where the IGP ordered the senior officers to suspend their movement until further notice.

The senior cops, Daily Trust on Sunday gathered, were expected to resume at their new beats tomorrow before the new signal was released.

Issued late on Friday via a police wireless message, DTO: 171830/02/2023, the signal was titled: ‘’Posting senior officers for 2023 general elections duty.’’

“INGENPOL directs that all officers deployed for election duties suspend movement to areas of deployment and await further directive. Ensure strict compliance,” the signal stated.

A senior police officer, who confirmed the signal, said no reason was given for the suspension.

“The signal was released on Friday, but I don’t know why it was suspended,” he said.

When contacted, the Force spokesman, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, declined comment.

However, a top source attributed the suspension to the rivalry between the IGP and the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, over the constitution of the inter-agency consultative committee on election security.

The source said; “when the committee was constituted, the INEC chairman was named as the chairman while the NSA serves as the co-chairman. This did not go down well with the IGP, who believes he should be the co-chairman and not the NSA.

But a top INEC official punctured the claims, saying ” the IGP has never been named as co-chairman of the committee. Check the records of last year’s election, it was the NSA.”

The suspension came weeks after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) raised concerns that the cashless and currency swap policies of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) would pose a challenge to the successful conduct of the general elections.

The commission said if nothing was done to address the cash crunch caused by the policies, it would find it difficult to deploy staff and materials for the elections as most of the services required cash to obtain.

Despite the pronouncement by governors of Kano and Jigawa states, Abdullahi Ganduje, and Muhammad Badaru, that the old N500 and N1000 notes remain legal tender in their respective states, traders and residents of the states are rejecting the old currency notes.

Residents of the neighbouring states can be seen trooping to deposit the old naira notes to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in both states as directed by the federal government.

On Thursday, the Jigawa State government took a counterposition to that of President Muhammadu Buhari, who insisted against a Supreme Court injunction that the old N500 and 1000 notes were no longer legal tenders.

Governor Badaru urged residents in the state to continue to use the currencies as lawful means of payment for goods and services and for other business transactions. The state government premised its decision on the ruling of the Supreme Court.

“Jigawa State Government respects the rights of its people and those rejecting the now-old currencies are enjoined to desist from disobeying the law and causing hardship to the people of Jigawa State. Jigawa State Government will not hesitate to use section 287(1) of the Constitution (as amended) and other extant laws to enforce the order of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

Governor Ganduje too, warmed business owners across the state rejecting the old naira notes to desist from doing so. He threatened to revoke licenses and convert structures of commercial banks into public schools for refusing to accept the old N500 and N1,000 notes.

Mr Ganduje asked residents to continue to transact with the old and new notes. The governor also vowed to seal off any business facility that refuse to accept the old notes as legal tender and prosecute the owners.

In both states, PREMIUM TIMES observed between Thursday and Saturday, residents were conducting their routine businesses adopting the cashless policy. However, they were rejecting the old currency notes.

A resident of Dutse, Jigawa state capital, Rufai Adamu, lamented that despite the state’s government order, business owners including petrol stations and stores are rejecting the old naira notes.

“The unfortunate part of it is that most of the businesses rejecting the old naira notes cannot provide another payment alternative. Some are also rejecting inter banks transfers, perhaps, due to repeated network failure,” Mr Adamu said.

On Saturday, a journalist in Jigawa, Ali Rabiu, who visited Taura and Ringim Local Government areas noticed that the N500 and N1,000 ceased to be legal tender.

I was in Taura for a wedding, and they are rejecting the old naira notes, on my way coming back I transited to Ringim to buy something, and I was also told that they are not accepting the old naira notes.


Partial difference in Kano

In Kano, some shops are collecting old naira notes for the selling of specific products.

Abdullahi Worker told PREMIUM TIMES, that between Friday and Saturday, some egg dealers in the Gaida area in the Kano metropolis were collecting the old naira notes from residents who wanted to purchase eggs.

“I witnessed how shops selling eggs are collecting the old naira note, but whatever amount of money you are spending, they won’t give you a change, and they have increased the price of the egg for buyers with the old naira notes,” Mr Worker said.

However, just like in Jigawa, traders in Kano are also rejecting the old naira notes.

On Friday, a traveller, Ibrahim Haruna, said his planned trip to Adamawa State from Kano onboard the Kano government mass transit (Kano Line). It was, however, delayed because the management of the motor parks did not collect the old naira notes from him.

“Going by the announcement by the government on the collection of the old currency, I was confident that they will collect the old naira notes but upon my arrival to the park, I learnt that the situation was contrary to the government’s decision, but I was lucky that I paid through e-transfer,” Mr Haruna said.

On Saturday, PREMIUM TIMES’ correspondent went around in Kano and noticed that traders are rejecting the old naira notes. How some detergents hawkers are making brisk businesses collecting the old naira notes.

Commercial banks have started collecting the old N500 and N1,000 naira notes from their customers.

The development comes despite the rebuttal of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) that it did not direct banks to collect the old naira notes from citizens.

Meanwhile, in contradiction to the apex bank’s position, checks by TheCable showed that the cash return portal of the CBN directed people with old N500 and old N1,000 notes below N500,000 to go to their bank to make the deposit.

To ascertain the state of things, TheCable visited banks in different parts of Lagos on Saturday.

Long queues were seen in front of banks as customers attempted to gain access into the banking halls.

At Access Bank in Megida bus stop, Ayobo, a bank official was calling out the names of customers from a sheet of paper.

Once a customer’s name is called, he/she is allowed to proceed into the bank.

The bank official said they would stop attending to customers by 2pm.

Meanwhile, some customers outside the bank lamented that they were unable to generate a reference number from the CBN portal.

“I have been here since 10am. This is almost 2pm. The CBN portal is saying validation error. I can’t generate the reference code so I can’t go in,” a customer, simply identified as John, told TheCable.

At branches of Access Bank and First Bank in Iyana Ipaja, customers were allowed to deposit their old notes.

Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) branches in Ikorodu and Airport Road were also attending to customers.

At a Sterling Bank branch in Ikorodu, TheCable observed that only those who have generated the CBN reference number were being allowed in.

A security officer at a United Bank for Africa (UBA) branch in the area said the bank has stopped attending to people for the day.

“We will open again on Monday,” he said.

At the time of visit (2pm), a small group of customers at a Access Bank branch in Ikorodu were waiting to get attended to under a canopy outside the bank.

“They opened in the morning to collect the notes. But now they’ve closed,” a customer said.

Another customer said they were waiting to see if the bank workers would allow them in or tell them when to come back.

TheCable observed most of the customers were trying to generate the CBN reference number on their phones — a prerequisite for entering the bank.

by Olugbenga Soyele


A former governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke, has said the seven Supreme Court Justices, who delivered the judgement that declared Hope Uzodinma as the Imo State governor, were all recently denied visas to attend a judges’ conference in the US.

He made the claim at the launch of the memoir of retired judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Charles Archibong, titled, “A Stranger In Their Midst’’.

Duke, who noted that the United States Embassy in Nigeria took the action in view of the miscarriage of justice that occurred in the case, also alleged that all the aides, who applied alongside the justices, were all granted US visas.

LEADERSHIP recalls that the apex court in an unanimous judgement of a seven-member panel, read by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, the court had held that results in 388 polling units were unlawfully excluded during the collation of the final governorship election result in Imo State.

The names of other justices on the panel are Justice Tanko Muhammad, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, Justice Nwali Sylvester Ngwuta, Justice Amiru Sanusi, Justice Amina Augie and Justice Uwanimusa Abba Aji.

While delivering a keynote address at the event, Duke said, “Apart from the recent cases, there is another one where number four became number one, the justices that gave that judgment cannot go to the United States today because they have been denied visas.

“They want to go on a retreat. Their aides were given visas but they were not given. How much disgrace can we take as a nation before we say enough is enough?

“I am sure this current set will also be denied visas because it is ridiculous, you did not partake in a process but they found a way to dismiss the case procedurally,” he said.

Also at the event, a former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Dr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) described the National Judicial Council (NJC) as a toothless bulldog.

Agbakoba, pointed out that the fact that the NJC is controlled by the Chief Justice of Nigeria who appoints 50 of its 60 members makes the council inefficient and ineffective.

He said most of the judicial officers in the country live in fear of the executive and its agencies because they are poorly paid and their retirement benefits are nothing to write home about.

The senior lawyer stated, “The conditions of service of the judiciary are terrible. It means they can be controlled. Those who don’t want to just take it easy and keep their heads down are strangers in their midst.

“We should not put our judges in a position where they can be tempted,” Agbakoba said..

On his own part, a former member of the House of Representatives, Abdul Oroh, shared his experience when he served on the House Judiciary Committee.

According to him, the top echelon of the Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) is responsible for corrupting judges.

‘A Stranger in Their Midst’ is a 228-page autobiography focusing on the judicial career of Mr. Justice Charles Archibong at the Federal High Court in several locations across the country.

Justice Archibong served on the bench of the Federal High Court from 2002 to 2013.

The book details matters that came before Justice Archibong during his time as a Federal Judge. His characteristic approach to adjudication was a decided bent toward the speedy conclusion of proceedings before him.

The cases ranged from the abduction of a sitting state governor, the recall of the Deputy Senate President, a trial of activists of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, to pushing through trial a claim against federal authorities over the publication of an air accident report, oil magnates and communications czars tangling with their creditors.

“Things reach a climax when Justice Archibong collides with senior lawyers engaged on behalf of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to conduct a major criminal trial and about the same time the Judge gets caught in the crossfire of feuding political bigwigs fighting for the control of party-political structures. These conflicts will lead to the premature termination of his judicial career,” Duke said.

With just one week to the 2023 general election, there are indications that traditional rulers in the South West geopolitical zone have waded into the crisis rocking the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) in a bid to mend fences between the party’s presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and some northern interest within the party who may not be favourably disposed to his presidential bid.

LEADERSHIP Weekend gathered reliably that the Yoruba monarchs on Wednesday sent a delegation of eight royal fathers led by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi Ojaja II, to the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, asking him to intervene.

This is coming amid allegations that some persons in the presidential villa were working against Tinubu and wanted him to lose the February 25 presidential election.

Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, earlier this month alleged that the currency swap introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) was meant to incite voters against the APC and was orchestrated by the forces who are bent on ensuring that the APC presidential candidate loses the election.

The visit by the Yoruba monarchs to the Sultan, it was learnt, was intended to douse the tension within the governing party and also to speak against some anti-democratic suggestions from some political bigwigs.

It was learnt that key loyalists of the APC flagbearer who initiated the moves made entreaties to the Ooni of Ife to intercede in the interest of the nation.

The Tinubu loyalists, according to a dependable source, feared that President Muhammadu Buhari has been discouraged from supporting his presidential bid.

Pioneer interim national chairman of the APC and former governor of Osun State, Chief Bisi Akande, and a former speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, were part of the delegation to the seat of the Caliphate.

Other traditional rulers who joined the Ooni in the visit to the Sultan include the Olugbon of Ile-IgbonOba Francis Olusola Alao and Elegushi of Ikate, Oba Saheed Ademola Elegushi.

Contrary to some media reports suggesting that the Yoruba traditional rulers welcomed the APC presidential candidate in Ibadan on Friday, LEADERSHIP Weekend gathered that the Ooni’s team to Sokoto was billed to give feedback to other traditional rulers at a special meeting held in Ibadan.

The meeting, however, coincided with the APC rally in Oyo State where Tinubu seized the opportunity to visit the royal fathers.

A source at the palace of the Sultan in Sokoto confirmed to this paper that there are attempts to secure the support of traditional rulers in the North for Tinubu’s presidential bid.

This, according to the source who did not want his name in print, was the rationale behind the visit by the traditional rulers from the South West to the Sultan of Sokoto’s palace last Wednesday.

When contacted, the palace PRO, Aminu Haliru, confirmed that some traditional rulers from the South West visited the Sultan of Sokoto last Wednesday.

Probed further about the purpose of their visit, Aminu Haliru said, “I am not privy to their discussion but one thing you can take from me is that the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, is not only apolitical but, remains father to all.

“You would recall that he played host to all presidential candidates who came to Sokoto in this palace, admonished them to go about their campaigns peacefully and ensure free and fair elections.”

Meanwhile, as the shuttle diplomacy is going on underground, the APC seems to be tottering towards implosion following mounting opposition against the position of the party’s leader, President Buhari, on the Naira policy which has led to shortage of the currency in circulation.

More governors on the platform of the governing party are rebelling against Buhari over his directive on Thursday that only the N200 old notes should recirculate in the economy in spite of a Supreme Court order that all old notes should remain legal tender.

Kaduna State governor, El-Rufai, quickly countered the presidential directive, insisting that all old notes remain legal tender in Kaduna, the law being on his side.

The governor, in his broadcast shortly after the president’s directive, alleged that there was a plot to truncate democracy the members of the president’s inner circle.

Similarly, Kano State governor, Abdallahi Ganduje, also broke ranks with the president on the issue, insisting on aligning with the Supreme Court order, instead of the presidential directive.

The governor of Jigawa State, Abubakar Badaru, toed the same line, saying the old N1,000, N500 and N200 notes are legal tender in the state.

The Jigawa State government warned against rejecting the old Naira notes by individuals and organisations as it vows to enforce the Supreme Court order on using them as legal tender.

This was contained in a statement issued and signed by the state commissioner for Information, Youth, Sports and Culture, Hon Bala Ibrahim.

The statement explained that the Jigawa state government is concerned about the difficulties people are passing through in the state as a result of rejecting the N1,000, N500, and N200 notes by some individuals and organisations despite the Supreme Court order.

“Some state governments, including Jigawa State, have filed a suit against the Federal Government and Central Bank on the deadline for using old Notes. The court has given injunction restraining the defendants from implementing the deadline policy pending to the court determination of the subject matter.

“In accordance with Section 287 (1) of the constitution as amended, no one has the right or reason to reject the old notes after court order. Therefore, the Jigawa State Government will not be hesitant to enforce the Supreme Court order accordingly.”

The state government called on the general public to continue accepting the old notes as a legal tender until the Supreme Court disposed of the matter, and also to report anyone rejecting the old notes to nearest authority for appropriate action.

Also, Niger State governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, asked the people of the state to wait for the outcome of the case before the Supreme Court on the naira swap policy of the federal government.

The governor who spoke during his tour of Niger North to canvas for votes as a senatorial candidate of the zone called for patience as the state government joins others to seek the Supreme Court pronouncement on the matter.

Noting that Niger State is among the states that approached the Supreme Court due to the suffering of the people, Sani Bello said the highest court in the land will bring the entire situation to a proper perspective.

“The president has spoken and is allowing the old N200 notes to remain in circulation, while the Supreme Court has adjourned hearing on the matter filed by states to 22nd of this month. So as law abiding citizens, we will wait to see the outcome of the case before the Supreme Court,” he said.

The governors are however not alone in the protest against the president’s directive. Buhari’s own minister, Festus Keyamo who doubles as chief spokesman of the APC presidential campaign council also said yesterday that the president acted illegally by ignoring the Supreme Court injunction that all old notes remain legal tender until it gives its final verdict on the matter brought by state governors.

Keyamo, who is the minister of state for Labour and Employment, was speaking last night on Channels TV.

He defended the state governors who are challenging the president, saying the governors are defending their territory and have also sworn an oath to defend the constitution.

The president, the minister said, had good intentions but acted on bad advice, adding that if he had been the one advising the president, the Supreme Court ruling would be obeyed.

All authorities, Keyamo noted, must obey Supreme Court rulings and anything to the contrary is a descent to anarchy.

Zainab Kassim, a former Personal Assistant to the first lady of Nigeria, Aisha Buhari, has dragged the latter to court for abducting and assaulting her in the Presidential Villa.

Mrs Kassim served the first lady as personal assistant for four years from June 2015 to September 2019 and was later appointed at special assistant to the president in the Office of the First Lady from September 2019 to February 2022 when she was disengaged.

In a statement signed by her lawyer, ‘Deji Ajare, Mrs Kassim said she was abducted by State Security Service, SSS personnel and taken to the presidential villa, where she was beaten by the first lady.

She demanded damages in the sum of N100 million and return of her Note 20 Ultra Mobile Phone seized.

“On 18 November, 2022, acting on the orders of Mrs. Aisha Buhari, DSS officers abducted Mrs. Zainab Kassim and took her to the Presidential Villa where she was severely assaulted, dehumanized and abused by the first lady herself and officers of the DSS and Police, on unsubstantiated accusations of deleting the first lady’s posts on social media,” the statement said.

“Mrs. Zainab was eventually detained in very horrible conditions for four (4) days and she was denied access to her family, lawyers and to her medications even though she informed them that she was hypertensive. In the course of her incarceration, she fainted and had to be rushed to hospital for medical treatment.

“Even after her release, persons acting on behalf of the first lady have continued to threaten and harass Mrs. Zainab Kassim not to attempt to seek redress in court over the breach of her rights by the first lady.”

The statement said Mrs Kassim had filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit against Mrs Buhari, the director-general of SSS and the inspector-general of police at the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

Mrs Kassim’s prayers are as follows:

1) A DECLARATION that the abduction, arrest and detention of the Applicant between 18th of November, 2022 and 22nd of November, 2022, and the threat to further arrest and detain the Applicant by agents of the 2nd and 3rd Respondents on the orders and directives of the 1st Respondent, without an order of Court is unconstitutional, unlawful, illegal, null, void and constitutes a violation of her rights to personal liberty and freedom of movement.

2) A DECLARATION that the torture, brutalization and dehumanization of the Applicant by the 1st Respondent and agents of the 2nd and 3rd Respondents, on 18th of November, 2022 is unconstitutional, unlawful, illegal and constitutes a violation of her right to dignity of human person.

3) A DECLARATION that the threats by the agents of the 2nd and 3rd Respondents to the Applicant, of further abduction, arrest, detention and assassination of the Applicant if she brings any claims for fundamental rights enforcement against the Respondents is unconstitutional, unlawful, illegal, constitutes torture and a violation of her rights to life, fair hearing and dignity of human person.

4) AN ORDER restraining the Respondents either by themselves or their agents or subordinates from further abducting, arresting, detaining, torturing or threatening to abduct, arrest, detain or assassinate the Applicant or otherwise violating the fundamental rights of the Applicant.

5) AN ORDER directing the 2nd Respondent to release the Applicant’s Note 20 Ultra Mobile Phone to her immediately.

6) DAMAGES, jointly and severally against the Respondents, in the sum of N100,000,000.00 (One Hundred Million Naira) only.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council has declared that Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has officially joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), following the visit of the APC presidential candidate, Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu, to the governor at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Wednesday.

Tinubu, who visited Wike after the APC presidential campaign rally at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Elekahia, Port Harcourt, was accompanied by his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima, and APC national chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.

Others were Governors of Lagos, Ebonyi and Kebbi States, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Dave Umahi and Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, respectively as well as the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva and former Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi.

The PDP Presidential Campaign Council in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Thursday by the Council’s spokesman in the State, Dr. Leloonu Nwibubasa, said Tinubu’s visit, which had Wike’s full cabinet members in attendance, marked the end of all speculations by Nigerians and the governor’s continuous denial of his current political standing.

Nwibubasa said: “Today marked the end of all speculations by Nigerians and hypocritical denials by Governor Nyesom Wike of his current political standing as Wike play host to the APC presidential candidate Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the council chamber of the Rivers State Government House with all members of the Rivers State executive council present.

“This has not only justified the consistent position of the Rivers state Presidential Campaigns Council that Governor Wike who has wholly engaged himself in anti party activities, has criminalized the mandate of the People’s Democratic Party who offered him the platform upon which he was elected governor.

“The utterances of Governor Wike in time past against President Buhari’s policies and poor performance in governance and the manner in which the Governor vilified and spoke despicably about Bola Ahmed Tinubu for telling Nigerians that he wants to continue Buhari’s legacy of good works, is diagnostic that he has no single strand of integrity and credibility left in him for turning around not just to embrace but to consummate his marriage to a party he described as Cancer.

“The show of shame is seen to have been ignorantly celebrated by his minions who are all soon to become internally displaced politicians if they don’t return to good reasoning.

“The people of Rivers state would have benefited more if the Five hundred million Naira that was disbursed for the failed mobilization of people to the APC presidential rally was voted into SMEs for wealth and job creation for the surging population of unemployed youths or for the payments of retirees benefits and gratuity.

“It’s now obvious why Governor Wike ran to the courts to seek judicial asylum knowing he was about playing his highly predictable last game of desecrating the mandate of The People’s Democratic Party.

“Governor Wike as a lawyer should know that you can not suspend the hands of justice in perpetuity while you continue to break all known laws that govern a system. The day of reckoning is here. The leadership of the party must act to save what is left of the PDP in Rivers State.”

Meanwhile, speaking during Tinubu’s visit to him at Government House, Port Harcourt, Governor Wike urged the APC presidential candidate, to prevail on the federal government to ensure that 2023 general election is not truncated.

The governor noted that the Central Bank of Nigeria’s flagrant disregard for the Supreme Court ruling on the Naira Swap policy deadline should worry the APC-led federal government, particularly as the 2023 general election draws near.