₦airaland Forum

CodeTemplar:
Lagos legacy about to envelope Abuja.

overall90:
So the news about the dissolution of Oluomo packs and garage by Sanwolu was just a decoy.

Finestgurlie:
Abuja used to be calm

thunder scatter Tinubu

madmohamed:
This people don carri them wahara go Abuja

There was pandemonium at the National Secretariat of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Abuja on Tuesday morning when two factions of the union clashed over the leadership crisis rocking the union.

SaharaReporters reported how the Musiliu Akinsanya’s Lagos Parks and Management Committee led by one Tajudeen Badru Agbede mobilised thugs from Lagos State and stormed the secretariat of the union located at Garki 2 and attacked the National officers including the President after which they forcefully took over the office.

The incident occurred under the watch of armed policemen and operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS) deployed to maintain law and order.

But the situation took a new dimension on Tuesday when a group loyal to Baruwa from neighbouring states staged a protest with the view to dislodge the rival group but were prevented by the armed security operatives stationed at the premises of the secretariat.

Road users and passersby scampered for safety when policemen fired gunshots to disperse the irate mob.

Meanwhile SaharaReporters could not independently confirm if there were any casualties.

nlfpmod:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-X48WJLZqnM?feature=shared




Credit: Daily Trust

iwaeda:
Everywhere is feeling the heat, Keyamo doesn't understand basic things. I leave BAT, his employer to determine his competency.

GeneralPula:
Lol..

Nigeria has 36 states..

Not all states have security issues or electricity issues o. Don’t dull. Come over here to Ogun state, you’ll see many foreign firms and you’ll be surprised.

Security no dey ma foot..

ManirBK:
https://leadership.ng/in-india-tinubu-takes-economic-diplomacy-to-germany-south-korea/

•Passengers narrate ordeal

•Terminal 2 boasts only aesthetics — Uresi

•FG sets up task force to resolve crisis

International travellers, airlines will in the coming days experience pains, gridlock along with discomfort while embarking on their travels both outbound and inbound.

This is coming at the heel of the relocation of international airlines and travellers to the new international airport, terminal two, in Lagos.

It would be recalled that the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, last month, directed all international airlines to vacate the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, from October 1, 2023.

Keyamo notified the airlines to commence immediate action of the relocation of their tickets sales offices to the new terminal two constructed by the Chinese consortium for the commencement of renovation work at the MMIA.

The announcement has thus led to chaos for both travellers and airlines, as they struggle to manage operating in the new terminal which capacity is far less than the current (old) terminal.

One of causes of the chaos is the new terminal inability to accommodate big planes in the range of the Boeing 777 and above, as the jetbridges installed can only take small planes. Aviation World during a visit to the airport witnessed gridlock of tavellers as they queued along the taxi way with their luggage waiting to be called up to check-in.

However, the Chief Operating Officer, Ibom Air, Gearge Uresi, in a chat, disclosed that the new terminal is nowhere near 14 million passengers capacity. He stated that the new terminal actually has far less capacity than the current (old) terminal. He said: “You do not just dream up these things. The ‘old’ terminal, launched in 1979, was designed with a capacity to process 1.5 million passengers per annum.

“At full stretch, sweating the asset, it would struggle to process three million passengers.

“Its peak hour processing capacity for both departing and arriving passengers was 1,200. So its design service level was to provide comfortable processing for 1,200 departing and 1,200 arriving pax at peak hour.

“These numbers informed the design of circulation space, check in counters, toilet facilities, access and egress doors into and out of the terminal, the specifications of the baggage belt systems and arrival carousels (capacity and strength), the passengers security screening and customs/immigration capacity, any lifts and escalators, the scope and placement of commercial offerings and of course the access and egress road system as well as vehicle parking capacity.

“With time and without an active Master Plan for improving the airport as numbers grew, the throughput began to surpass the processing capacity of the terminal by far.

“As at 2012, actual peak hour traffic was 4,100 departing passengers and the same for arriving passengers. Also, the arrival peak had stretched to a daily 2.5 hour period while the departing peak had stretched to a daily 3.5 hour period (due to gridlock from lack of adequate processing capacity), thereby stretching the terminal to breaking point.

“The check-in area and arrivals carousel areas were a total mess, every night.

“To alleviate this while planning for new terminal capacity, we decided to expand the terminal at both ends to create additional processing capacity for customs/immigration as well as security screening for departures and arrivals, including a whole new set of three high capacity baggage carousels each at both ends.

“Even though this expansion eventually got badly built, it nevertheless came as a huge relief to the terminal. Otherwise that terminal wouldn’t have survived till today.

“As that was going on, we briefed the same airport architects who had helped design Cape Town

International’s 15 million passengers terminal to do the conceptual design for a new, 24-airbridge, 9-million passengers, modularly expandable international terminal that was to be situated on the left side of the current (old) terminal.

“It was this conceptual design that we took to China Exim Bank and that they thoroughly interrogated and accepted before approving the facility they were to give us.

“But we started building a terminal, totally different from the one we conceptually designed in the opposite location from where we were meant to build it.

“Unfortunately, every element of basic terminal design was stood on its head in the design of this terminal. The basic principles that inform terminal design from scratch, are: How many passengers are you designing a terminal for and for what purpose? Is the terminal being built for international, domestic or both and is it to facilitate flight connections or just origin and destination traffic?

“These then determine how the key elements are designed in, including how many contact and remote aircraft stands would be required and the accompanying circulation space, check in capacity, security screening and customs/immigration capacity, toilet facilities, etc required for optimal processing of the design numbers of passengers at peak.

“Of course depending on the requirements of the airport operator, how much commercial offerings and support services such as lounges etc would then need to be designed in.

“The design thread carries all the way from Landside to airside, fitting in with the Landside access and egress system, the access and egress doors into and out of the terminal, as well as the entire airside maneuvering system.

“The design goal is always to deliver an efficient, fit-for-purpose infrastructure for optimal processing. Only after these considerations are accommodated, do you then add ‘aesthetics’ to the mix.

“It is a head scratcher to see a terminal of this size built with a single pier of six connecting stands, a study in terminal design anomaly. The immediate past aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika, and the FAAN team invested considerable energy, efforts and resources to surmount the gigantic problems brought about by this wrongly positioned and badly designed terminal. “Their efforts have remained largely unseen and unheralded. But they were laudable.” He further stated that one of the things they got right about the terminal was the modern aesthetics.

“The good thing is that the authority has a serious and committed managing director and the airport has a pragmatic General Manager at the moment.

“Given the right support and leverage, they will find a path forward to solve these embarrassing problems. But we should all brace for a lot of pain, any which way. And no, the terminal is not by any stretch of imagination, a 14 million passengers terminal. It is a head scratcher for us all to see how to make the best of it.”

Travellers’ ordeal

Meanwhile, travelers have continued to express their dismay about the situation.

One of the travellers who pleaded anonymity, told Aviation World that this is worst time to fly out of Nigeria.

“The international airport situation is chaotic. So we switched to the new terminal and this is happening? Wasn’t these shortcomings put into consideration during the planned switch.”

The General Secretary, National Union of Air Transport Employees, NUATE, Ocheme Oba, said: “The pains the passengers are going through are unfortunate. Sometimes we transfer our frustrations caused by sudden dislocation from our comfort zones to vulnerable people.

“Yes, there are no jetbridges. Apart from the passengers not being transported with adequate type of buses to and from the aircraft, the new terminal, on paper, ought not be the source of these pains.

“It is facts like these, that give confidence that with attention to detail, they will overcome the chaos as soon as possible.”

FG sets up task force

Meanwhile, Keyamo has set up a task force to resolve these challenges within the shortest possible period.

Spokesman for the Minister, Oluseyi Odutayo in a statement said, “We urge all passengers and other stakeholders to be patient and bear with us as the inconvenience caused will soon be resolved. Your understanding plays a vital role in making this transition smoother for everyone involved.

“The primary objective of this task force is threefold; resolve passenger concerns as the task force is expected to work diligently towards resolving all concerns raised by passengers regarding congestion, discomfort, and related issues stemming from terminal relocation. We are committed to ensuring that every passenger’s voice is heard and addressed promptly.

“Others are to minimise discomfort by dwelling on minimizing any form of discomfort during this transition period, streamlining processes at both terminals while closely monitoring operations 24/7, enhanced signage, dedicated support staff, and improved communication channels will be implemented proactively.”

“We pledge transparency throughout this process by providing regular updates on progress made in addressing concerns arising from airline relocations. FAAN aims at improving public relations strategies through various channels including online platforms and customer service helplines so that you stay informed about developments firsthand.”

GanagiBitrus:
Buthelezi. Used to hear his name far back. Didn't know he was still alive.

The fiery Zulu chief, Mangosuthu Buthelezi, has died at the age of 95.

The towering figure in South African politics died in the early hours of Saturday, two weeks after celebrating his 95th birthday.

BBC reports that during the racist apartheid regime, Buthelezi founded the Zulu Inkatha party after becoming disillusioned with the African National Congress (ANC).

Thousands were killed in clashes between supporters of the two parties in the early 1990s.

But he was later welcomed back into the fold, serving as President Nelson Mandela's minister of home affairs.

Chief Buthelezi was a shrewd but controversial politician, who disagreed with the ANC's tactics of armed action against white-minority rule and trod a moderate path as leader of an ethnic-Zulu homeland.

He was opposed to international sanctions on South Africa, arguing that they would only harm the country's black majority.

During the clashes in the early 1990s, Nelson Mandela's ANC accused him of collaborating with the white-minority government.

Some feared the violence could lead to a civil war and derail the transition to democracy which saw Mandela become president in 1994.

Many believed that members of the apartheid security forces were working with the Inkatha movement to fight the ANC but Buthelezi always denied that.

President Cyril Ramaphosa led tributes, describing Chief Buthelezi as a "formidable leader".

He said he had "played a significant role in our country's history for seven decades".

The president added: "Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi has been an outstanding leader in the political and cultural life of our nation, including the ebbs and flows of our liberation struggle, the transition which secured our freedom in 1994 and our democratic dispensation."

He said Chief Buthelezi had died in the early hours of Saturday, two weeks after celebrating his 95th birthday.

Chief Buthelezi was hereditary chief of the Zulus, South Africa's largest ethnic group.

He was born into the Zulu royal family - his mother was Princess Magogo kaDinzulu, the sister of the Zulu king. Chief Buthelezi played the role of his own great-grandfather, the Zulu King Cetshwayo, in the 1964 film Zulu.

He was prime minister of KwaZulu, the Zulu homeland, and in 1975 founded the Inkatha Freedom Party, a Zulu political and cultural movement. He stepped down as party leader in 2019 after 44 years at its helm.

At least 30 persons have lost their lives in a landslide reportedly triggered by activities of illegal miners in the Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

Nineteen persons were also abducted in Bwari Area Council of Abuja, on Thursday.



The council area chairman disclosed this during a meeting between FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, and six Area Councils Chairmen.

Expressing shock over the developments, Wike said he would meet with the Director of Department of State Services (DSS) in Abuja as well as the Commissioner of Police to receive adequate briefings on the kidnap and facilitate rescue operations.

He also directed the council bosses to set up surveillance task force in their areas to monitor mining activities.


Wike promised to meet with his counterpart in Solid Minerals, Dele Alake, to tackle illegal mining in the FCT.

Speaking on the challenges confronting the councils, Kwali Area Council chairman, Danladi Chiya appealed to the Minister to come to their aid.

He said, “When we heard about your appointment, we were happy because you have been a Council Chairman and therefore understand our challenges.

“Our challenges are inadequate funding of the local government system. We have the major challenge of insecurity across the six Area Councils. Just today (Thursday), about 19 people were kidnapped in Bwari Area Council. I just received about five in my council who were in captivity for about six days.


“The next is the development of satellite towns. The issue of sanitation is one of the major challenges confronting us.

“There is also no efficient transport facility. The Abuja Urban Mass transit buses are no longer functional.

“Then there is the issue of land allocation. You sit in your council, and your backyard will be allocated to someoje you don’t even know. Your graveyards and worship centres would be allocated and we are saying that we should be carried along in terms of land allocation.

“The responsibility of primary school teachers is on the local governments. The UBE’s payment of salaries lies on the council which by law is supposed to be the 60-40 percent. We are pleading that you help us so that this issue can be looked into”.

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Kuje Area Council Chairman, Abdullahi Sabo, lamented the menace of illegal miners.

He said: “The issue of illegal mining in the FCT. There is indiscriminate mining licences given out and this has led to insecurity. They give letters of consent to Chinese people.

“Just few days ago, there was a land slide that took the lives of 30 people as a result of the activities of illegal miners. We appeal to you to engage the Minister of Mines to stop mining in the FCT”.

“On sanitation, we have a problem. Sanitation is a big issue. It is the duty of the council not just to collect the fees but to dispose refuse. We have to sit down and work together on this by adopting a common template.

“On illegal mining, I will talk to the minister. Ordinarily, I would say you should also form your own surveillance taskforce as Chief Security Officers of your councils and make arrests and we will support you. However, I will meet with the minister.”

Reacting, Wike promised to address the issues, saying as a former council boss, he understood their predicament.

According to him; “I am here to work for the FCT, not to work for any political party. I am here to support the administration of Asiwaju to realize the dreams of the founding fathers. It doesn’t matter your political affiliations or religion, I am here to serve all.

“We cannot achieve anything without support from the Councils. We are not struggling for power and so we have to collaborate. It is in your interest as council chairmen to work for the people and that you can do by collaborating with us. What affects you affects me and so I will not be anywhere and allow Area Councils to be shortchanged.


“I will want to advise that we manage what we have but we will work to ensure that what you are supposed to get, that you get it and nobody will shortchange you.

“Insecurity is a major problem all over and those of you who are outside the Municipality, you have to work hard. Information is key. The incident of kidnap you talked about, nobody has reported that to me. It is a serious issue and we need to call an emergency security meeting. I have to call the Director of SSS and the CP now to give me more details because it is every embarrassing to me. Though, I am happy you said the SSS official and the DPO in the affected council are informed and on the situation.

“On sanitation, we have a problem. Sanitation is a big issue. It is the duty of the council not just to collect the fees but to dispose of refuse. We have to sit down and work together on this by adopting a common template.


“On illegal mining, I will talk to the minister. Ordinarily, I would say you should also form your own surveillance taskforce as Chief Security Officers of your councils and make arrests and we will support you. However, I will meet with the minister.”

seunmsg:
Atiku the serial loser.

duro4chang:
What did I do wrong?

duro4chang:
The last kick of a dying horse

PROTOCOL

Good afternoon, Gentlemen of the Press.

I am here today to give my official reaction to the judgment delivered yesterday by the Presidential Election Petition Court on the 2023 presidential election.

As you already know, I approached the court following the declaration by INEC that the APC and its candidate are the winners of the February 25, Presidential Election.

My decision to go to court is anchored in my belief that the court is the sanctuary of justice. The journey of my political career, as you know, holds so much to the courage and fearless decisions of our judiciary.

Indeed, I am no stranger to legal battles, and I can say that I have a fair idea of how the court system works. All through my career as a politician, I have been a fighter, and I must say that I have found the judiciary as a worthy pillar to rest on in the pursuit of justice.

The last presidential election in our country and the way it was managed by the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission, leaves behind unenviable precedents, which I believe the courts have a duty to redress. Our gains in ensuring transparent elections through the deployment of technology was heavily compromised by INEC in the way it managed the last presidential election, and I am afraid that the judgement of the court as rendered by the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal yesterday, failed to restore confidence in our dreams of free and fair elections devoid of human manipulations.

Like I did say at the beginning of this legal battle when I instructed my lawyers to file my petition challenging the outcome of the presidential election, my ultimate goal in this pursuit is to ensure that democracy is further strengthened through the principles and processes of fair hearing.

Gentlemen of the press, I take great pains to tell you that the decision of the court of first instance on this matter utterly falls far short of that expectation. I am therefore here to tell you that, though the judgment of the court yesterday is respected, it is a judgment that I refuse to accept. I refuse to accept the judgment because I believe that it is bereft of substantial justice. However, the disappointment in the verdict of the court can never destroy my confidence in the judiciary.

Consequently, I have asked my lawyers to activate my constitutionally guaranteed rights of appeal to the higher court, which, in the instance, is the Supreme Court. It is my conviction that the electoral process in Nigeria should be devoid of untidy manipulations and that the outcome of every election should be a perfect reflection of the wishes of the electorate. I believe that such is the only way through which our democracy can have a manifest expression of its true meaning. Whether I prevail in this quest or not, the record of my effort in ensuring an order of credible elections in Nigeria shall remain for the future generations to evaluate.

On this note, I urge all my supporters to remain steadfast. I urge them to take solace in an immortal lesson I learned from my leader and mentor, the late Shehu Yar’Adua, that losing a battle is less important than losing the war. We might have lost a battle yesterday, but the war is well ahead of us. And I believe that with our hopes in God, we shall win the war of restoring confidence in our electoral system.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen of the Press, I thank you for your attention.

Atiku Abubakar, GCON
Waziri Adamawa
Vice President of Nigeria (1999 – 2007)
2023 PDP Presidential Candidate

September 6, 2023

Press Statement

PDP Rejects Presidential Election Petition Court Judgment

Few moments ago, the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) delivered Judgment in the Petition filed by our Party, the @OfficialPDPNig and its Candidate, @Atiku against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), @inecnigeria the All Progressives Congress (APC) @OfficialAPCNg and Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu @officialABAT over the declaration of the APC and Senator Tinubu as Winner of the February 25, 2023 Presidential election by INEC.

As a Party, we have had an initial review of the Judgment as delivered by the PEPC and we unequivocally reject the said Judgement in its entirety.

The Judgement is against reason, against the facts and evidence presented in Court; against the relevant Electoral Laws, Guidelines and Regulations as well as the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended). Indeed, the Judgment is generous in technicalities and very short in delivering substantial justice in the matter.

The PDP, as a law-abiding political Party, will with our lawyers, have a comprehensive review of the Judgment and decide on the next line of action within the ambit of the law.

The PDP calls on Nigerians to remain at alert, calm and united as our Party continues to lead the charge to defend Democracy and ensure that the Will of the people as expressed in the February 25, 2023 Presidential election is respected and restored.

Signed:

Hon. Debo Ologunagba
National Publicity Secretary

yemi1504:
DJ Onipasan on the beat increasing cost of living like mad 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣. Don't be surprised after this suffering for 8 years, N1gerians go vote APC again! Abi no be the N1gerians wey I know? Wey dey tribalistic and religious past anything. Shior! Tueh!

Kaycee9242:
Nice one, this is really shege pro max

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has approved an upwards price increase in the price of pre paid electricity meters in the country.

In a circular signed and dated 5 September 2023 by the commission’s Chairman and Commissioner Legal, Licencing and compliance, Sanusi Garba and Dafe Akpeneye, respectively, it stated that a single phase pre paid meter would now cost N81,975.16k from the N58,661.69k while three phase pre paid meters is increased to N143,836.10k from N109,684.36k.

The circular said the new price was to ensure a fair and reasonable pricing of meters to both MAPs and end-use customers.

“Ensure MAP’s ability to recover reasonable costs associated with meter procurement and maintenance while ensuring that their pricing structure allows for a viable return on investment. Evaluate the affordability of meter services for consumers, aiming to prevent excessive pricing that could burden end-users. Ensure that MAPs are able to provide meters to end-use customers in the prevailing economic realities.

NzogbuNzogbu:
K