France will withdraw its ambassador and end all military cooperation with Niger sequel to the coup, President Emmanuel Macron, has said.

“France has decided to withdraw its ambassador. In the next hours our ambassador and several diplomats will return to France,” Macron said.

The president added that military cooperation was “over” and French troops would leave in “the months to come”.

A military junta seized power in Niger on July 26, ousting President Mohamed Bazoum.

The decision followed months of animosity and protests against the French presence in the country, with regular demonstrations in the capital Niamy.

The move hampers France’s counter-terrorism operations in the Sahel and France’s influence in the region, but Mr Macron said France would “not be held hostage by the putschists”, he said on France’s TF1 and France 2 television stations.

The French president said he still regarded Bazoum, currently held hostage by the coup leaders, as the country’s “sole legitimate authority” and had informed him of his decision. He described the deposed president as a “hostage”.

“He was targeted by this coup d’etat because he was carrying out courageous reforms and because there was a largely ethnic settling of scores and a lot of political cowardice,” he said.

The Niger’s military leaders had told French Ambassador, Sylvain Itte to leave the country after they overthrew Mr Bazoum on July 26.

But the 48-hour ultimatum for him to leave, issued in August, passed with him still in place as the French government refused to comply, or to recognise the military regime as legitimate.

Macron’s statement also came hours after Niger’s coup leaders banned “French aircraft” from flying over the country.

The regional air safety organisation, ASECNA, said that Niger’s airspace was open to all national and international commercial flights except for French aircraft or aircraft chartered by France including those of the airline Air France”.

The air space would remain closed for “all military, operational and other special flights”, unless receiving prior authorisation, the message said.

As the Lagos State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal is set to deliver judgment on Monday, the 2023 governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olajide Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, has told his supporters that all hope is not lost.

Adediran stated that whatever becomes the outcome of Monday’s judgment would not be the end of the electioneering process.

According to him, whichever way the judgment goes, there are two more steps to go before the process of the election is brought to a close.

While noting that expectations are high, because of petitions concerning the provisions of the constitution and the 2022 Electoral Act before the Tribunal, Adediran said that he and his party decided to embrace judicial process to strengthen Nigeria’s democratic process.

“Just like I put it here, it’s the court of first instance, which means that whichever way tomorrow’s Judgment swings, there are two more steps to go before the process of the 2023 Governorship election in Lagos State (is) brought to a close.

“I am aware that expectations are high, especially on issues bothering on the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended and the Electoral Act, as well as precedents.

“For me and my political party, the PDP, our resolve to embrace judicial process is to strengthen our democratic process, so as to ensure the best of us are entrusted the positions to serve the rest of us.

“As I refuse to share from the opinion of many, that court of first instance in election petition (Tribunal) rarely do justice, I sincerely hope for thorough and unambiguous interpretations of all grounds of every petition tomorrow in line with the provisions of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electoral Act. 2022,” he said via his social media handles on Sunday.

“To every Lagosian who keeps yarning (sic) for a breath of fresh air in the State of Lagos, I say all hope is not lost.

“I thank you all for staying true to this course, but tomorrow wouldn’t be the end of the 2023 electioneering process.

“It’s not over until it’s finally over…” Adediran added.

Adediran and Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party (LP) are challenging the outcome of the March 18 governorship election in the state, in which Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Sanwo-Olu polled 762,134 votes to defeat Rhodes-Vivour, who gathered 312,329, and Adediran who came a distant third with 62,449 votes.

The PDP candidate is demanding the disqualification of Sanwo-Olu and Rhodes-Vivour in the election for “non-compliance” with the Electoral Act 2022 as well as the guidelines of INEC.

Amid divergent reactions of a resurgence of ter­rorists’ activities in the country, President Bola Tinubu has directed secu­rity agencies to rescue the remaining female students of the Federal University Gusau, Zamfara State, who were recently abducted by terrorists.

The directive is sequel to recent disturbing re­ports that a group of ban­dits broke into a hostel in Gusau in Zamfara State and whisked away some students of the federal university.

But Tinubu while con­demning the act, through his media aide, Ajuru Nge­lale, on Sunday, described the development as repre­hensible act of abduction.

He said the president believes there is no moral justification for such hei­nous crimes against inno­cent victims whose only “offence” was their pursuit of quality education.

“While the president wholeheartedly commis­erates with all families directly impacted by this sad incident, he affirms that his administration has a solemn duty to pro­tect every Nigerian citi­zen, and in line with this commitment, assures the families of the abducted students that no effort will be spared in ensuring their safe return.

“The president pledges that the Federal Govern­ment is determined to en­sure that educational insti­tutions remain sanctuaries of knowledge, growth, and opportunity, and totally free from the menacing acts of terrorists,” the presidential spokesman noted in a statement to State House correspon­dents.

Minister of works, Engr Dave Umahi, has gifted a 13-year-old boy, Greatness Ebisike, N10 million for his mathematical ingenuity.

Barr. Orji Uchenna Orji, a public affairs analyst and former commissioner for information and national orientation under Umahi’s administration in Ebonyi State, disclosed this in a statement.

Orji said the event took place in Lagos during Umahi’s journey to an official event at Victoria Island.

The 13-year-old, who Orji said was an SS1 student and hailed from Abia State in the Southeast of Nigeria, was reported to have aced all mathematical questions thrown at him without the use of a calculator.

The statement reads in parts: “It was a great and remarkable day for Greatness Ebisike, a highly skilled and mathematically talented chap, when he encountered the usual and rare benevolence of the Hon. Minister of Works, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Engr. David Nweze Umahi.”

“The chap who is currently in his Senior Secondary School One in Lagos is 13 years old and hails from Abia State. His sense of mathematical calculation and accuracy in result is simply amazing. He is quick in providing answers to algebraic questions, especially questions on multiplication and addition in Mathematics. Ask him any mathematical question and he replies correctly in just few seconds.

“A team that accompanied the minister posed several algebraic questions and he rattled them with dispatch and gave them nothing but the answers. When he was asked to give the sum of 70×70×70, he didn’t waste a moment in giving the answer as 343,000. You need to see the passion, the speed, the zeal and the energy with which he tackled every question be was asked.

“The Minister of Works who also witnessed the rattling of the chap was enthused by his performance. The Minister made a gift of N10 million instantly to the talented chap to assist in furthering his education. He urged him to keep up the passion and get developed in the passion as that would make him a precious resource in the world market.

“The chap dined with the Hon. Minister and received executive handshake from the Hon. Minister together with his guardian.

“According to them, ‘It was a golden day in their life, having such a rare privilege and benevolence from a man with the heart of gold,’” it added.

The minister encouraged Nigerians to develop the talent around them for the future of the country.

Members of the National Assembly will on Tuesday resume work after the long recess that lasted over eight weeks.

While the lawmakers were on holiday, Nigerians across the country are experiencing a cost of living crisis as prices of goods and services continue to spike due to policies of the government.

In this report, DAILY POST highlights some of the issues that the National Assembly will have to confront upon their resumption after the holiday

Confirmation of CBN Governor

Last week, President Bola Tinubu nominated Yemi Cardoso as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and the nominee has resumed work in acting capacity.

The nomination has been generating controversy on social media as Nigerians are unclear as to the status of Godwin Emefiele. Many had expressed reservations on the appointment of Mr Cardoso when Mr Emefiele was still in suspension.

However, the CBN in a statement on Friday by its Director of Corporate Communications, Isa AbdulMumin said Mr Emefiele had already resigned.

On Tuesday, the Senate is expected to commence the confirmation process. But DAILY POST learnt that Mr Cardoso may face stiff opposition from some Senators who are concerned about what has been described as “Yorubanization of the economic sector”.

The President’s decision to appoint Cardoso as Emefiele’s replacement and Zacch Adedeji as Acting FIRS boss is not pleasing to many Northern Senators.

Confirmation of new ministers

One other confirmation is the new ministers nominated by President Tinubu. It would be recalled that President Tinubu nominated Jamaila Ibrahim and Ayodele Olawande as ministers of youth.

The Senate is expected to commence their confirmation when they resume on Tuesday.

Also, there is a decision on Nasir el-Rufai and the other nominees not cleared by the Senate. The Senate did not clear the former governor of Kaduna State over security reports. However, President Tinubu is yet to nominate a replacement, instead indicating that the Ministry of Environment is reserved for Kaduna State.

While several media outlets have reported that Mr el-Rufai has opted out, however, with the President not nominating a replacement, all eyes will still be on the Senate regarding the status of Mr el-Rufai.

New Minimum Wage

Last week, the President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Festus Osifo announced that the organized Labour is expecting the President to announce a new minimum wage to cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy removal.

The minimum wage is in the exclusive legislative list in the constitution. As such, the National Assembly has the power to legislate on minimum wage. It is expected to receive the bill on minimum wage from the executive.

Budget

As the National Assembly resumes on Tuesday, Nigerians will get the opportunity to see the fiscal direction of President Tinubu when he presents his annual budget to the two chambers of the National Assembly.

It would be recalled that the President had promised to review the fiscal policy of the country if elected; the budget may give the first prism into his plan.

Normally, the National Assembly ought to have gotten the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and the Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) in line with the Fiscal Responsibility Act; however, the two documents have yet to arrive at the parliament.

Also, the National Assembly may be targeting to keep the January to December budget cycle by ensuring the passage of the 2024 budget before adjourning in December.

Insecurity

Days ago, dozens of female students at the Federal University Gusau, Zamfara State were kidnapped by bandits with only eight reportedly rescued by the Army, hence, the fate of the others remains unknown.

Apart from Zamfara, Nigerians across the country are battling with general insecurity ranging from bandits in the North to separatists agitations in the South-east.

When the lawmakers resume on Tuesday, Nigerians will be expecting reactions from their lawmakers.

Mohbad— mandatory autopsy

Last week, Ned Nwoko, a senator from Delta State announced that he would introduce a bill to make it mandatory for an autopsy to be conducted on every dead person.

Sen Nwoko made the announcement on the heels of the controversy that is trailing the death of Afrobeat singer, Mohbad.

The introduction of such a bill may lead to debates by lawmakers on the death of the Afrobeat singer. Also, it would be recalled that Sen Elisha Abbo also visited the mother of the late superstar.

When the lawmakers reconvene on Tuesday, there is a possibility that the death of the singer will be discussed.

Akpabio’s rumoured impeachment plot

During the recess, there were speculations that some Senators may move against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, particularly the Northern lawmakers.

DAILY POST gathered that the move is still among a few lawmakers, with Southern lawmakers rallying around the former Akwa-Ibom governor.

When the lawmakers resume, it will become clearer if the impeachment scare is real or a fluke.

[DailyPost]

Over two weeks after the Central Bank of Nigeria promised to clear over $10bn foreign exchange debts owed Deposit Money Bank, the apex bank has yet to do so according to findings by The PUNCH.

This came as the naira was sold between 990/$ and 995/$ by Bureau De Change operators on Friday and Saturday in Lagos, Abuja and Kano.

On the Investor & Exporter forex window, the naira however appreciated to 747.76/$ on Friday, from 772.98/$ on Thursday.

The immediate past acting CBN Governor, Folashodun Shonubi, on September 6, 2023, said the apex bank had concluded negotiation on dollar debts with commercial banks, disclosing that all forex exchange backlogs would be cleared within one to two weeks.

According to him, deposit money banks have assisted the apex bank to clear the majority of its overdue FX forward contracts at maturity.

As such, he said the CBN had reached an agreement to reimburse the lenders within one or two weeks following extensive debt restructuring talks that lasted over a long period of time.

“In response to questions about the backlogs, the banks have been working with the CBN on various structures to clear them. So, what happens is that at maturity, they make the foreign exchange available to those that need it.

“We are discussing with them so we can structure their own. So, we are working towards clearing them in the next one or two weeks. It is something we have been discussing for a while,” Shonubi had told audience at a forum in Lagos

However, multiple top bank executives told The PUNCH on Sunday that almost three weeks after the promise, the apex bank had yet to make good its promise.

They said the development had put banks in a very tight FX liquidity position, a situation that has made many lenders to temporarily suspend several FX transactions including school fees and Personal Travel Allowance applications.

Findings show the situation has also worsened dollar liquidity at the parallel market as bank customers shift to the black market to meet their forex needs.

“The FX backlogs have not cleared. The promise has not been made good. We are hoping that the new CBN governor will begin a discussion with banks on it or clear them immediately,” the executive director of a commercial bank told one of correspondents on condition of anonymity.

Also, a top official of Tier-2 bank privy to the development, said, “We have yet to see the FX backlogs cleared including the overdue forward contract obligations. We don’t know when this will be cleared. Unfortunately, the situation has worsened our FX position, making many banks to put some FX demands of their customers on hold.”

A report by JPMorgan, a United States-based lender put the total amount of forward contract debt owed by the CBN at $6.84bn. The CBN has however dismissed the report.

Reports had put forward contracts and dollar swap deals between the apex bank and banks at over $10bn.

The CBN could not be reached for immediate comments as of Sunday.

Naira slumps

On Friday, pressure mounted on the naira at the black market with BDC operators in Lagos, Abuja and Kano lamenting dollar scarcity,

An Abuja-based BDC operator, Sanusi Ibrahim, said, “We sold the naira for as high as 1,000/$ on Saturday. On Friday, we were buying and selling for 980/$ and 995/$.”

Another BDC operator, who is based in Ikeja, Yusuf Kareem, said, the naira was sold for 995/$. It is scarce; I cannot sell below that because I also bought it expensive. Only those who have it can sell.”

At the parallel market, Pound Sterling was bought and sold for £1,235/ and £1,250/, while Euro was bought and sold for 1,025/€ and 1,028/€, according to operators in the segment of the market.

On the Investor & Exporter forex window, the naira however appreciated to 747.76/$ at the close of Friday, from 772.98/$ on Thursday.

Manufacturers fear closure

Meanwhile, operators in the economy have feared further rise in cost of goods and services, and more shutdowns of their operations over the worsening naira value.

They called for urgent intervention in the sector to prevent more hardship on Nigerians.

The National Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Association of Small-Scale Industrialists, Segun Kuti-George, said higher prices would be the unavoidable consequence of the current exchange rate.

He expressed dismay that the floating of the naira which was supposed to curb speculation of currency speculation, had consequently escalated the activities of speculators.

According to Kuti-George, unless the government moves swiftly to stem the tide of the naira depreciation especially at the parallel market where more customers access the FX, more factories would be forced to shut down.

He said, “It is ironic that what works in other places don’t work in Nigeria. The cost of production is rising, because we still import a large part of our input, especially equipment. Most of the raw materials that we use are imported.

“So, when the cost of input goes up, the cost of production also goes up. This will happen to the price of products. The question now is – will people be able to afford our products now? Will imported products not be cheaper than our own to the extent that people will be rejecting our products for imported ones? Unless the tide is stemmed, there will be more factories closure.”

Inflation

The President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Francis Meshioye, said the current exchange rate would inevitably lead to a hike in the prices of products given the toll it would take on manufacturers to access foreign exchange.

According to him, the floating of the exchange rate will not mean anything to operators if the naira continues the free.

Meshioye said, “It is an unpleasant development because that is the major currency through which we purchase our goods outside the bounds of our nation. It means that the cost of raw materials will continue to skyrocket.

“It is unpleasant. We hope that the government will do something about it. While we float the exchange rate, it should not be allowed to be somersaulting and skyrocketing to unreasonable levels which will not augur well for the country, knowing full well that we are not just trading amongst ourselves.”

He added that, “We have to trade outside of our bounds. The implication of this is that our prices may be unreasonably higher than prices of other countries. That implies, among other things, that our products may be found to be too expensive. If you want to look at the unavailability of disposable income among the citizenry, the choice of buying Nigerian-made products, which may be expensive and foreign products which are cheaper is low. It is pathetic.”

Scarcity

The President, Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria, Dr. Aminu Gwadabe, said the volatility of the local currency had continued to underpin the nation’s slow economic growth.

He said, “The high demand pressure at the 1&E window and the parallel market due to lack of sufficient liquidity have been fuelling the widening gap between the I&E Window and the parallel market rates.

“Combination of several factors including the investors’ backlog estimated at $6.8bn and disincentives to bring fresh funds into the economy is one of the major concerns.

“In the same vein the dwindling receipt of Diaspora remittances and resurrection of subsidy on petrol are major deterrents and big concerns to fresh liquidity in the market.”

According to him, the uncertainties and loss of public confidence on the local currency has heightened demand pressure in all segments of the market.

He said, “In addressing the challenges of the I&E window, there is need for the legislation of the willing buyer and willing seller concept. This will lead to enhanced liquidity in the foreign exchange market and enhance public confidence.

 “It is also imperative in this regard to recognise the inclusion of the BDCs at the I&E window to continue to play their roles of moderating and correcting the markets.”

He advised the Federal Government on how to bring in more Diaspora remittances.

The CBN had recently announced operational mechanism for the BDCs to trade foreign currencies at similar rates obtainable on the Investor & Exporter forex window.

It gave the directive to all BDCs and the general public in a circular number TED/FEM/PUB/FBC/001/007 dated August 17, 2023, titled, ‘Operational mechanism for Bureau De Change operations in Nigeria’.

The circular stated, “The spread on buying and selling by BDC operators shall be within an allowable limit of -2.5 per cent to +2.5 per cent of the Nigerian exchange market window weighted average rate of the previous day.

“Mandatory rendition by BDC operators of the statutory periodic reports (daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly), on the financial institution forex rendition system which has been upgraded to meet operators’ requirements.”

Confidence

The Director/Chief Executive Officer, Centre for The Promotion of Private Enterprise, Dr Muda Yusuf, said the new CBN Governor,  Dr Olayemi Cardoso, was assuming the leadership of the CBN at a very crucial time in the economic history.

He said, “There is a serious confidence crisis in the foreign exchange market fuelling an unprecedented speculative onslaught on the naira. The economy is grappling with severe adverse effects of depreciating exchange rate, soaring energy costs, ravaging inflationary pressures, huge backlog of foreign exchange obligations that needs to be cleared and debt service obligations that need to be redeemed.  Sadly, these outcomes are manifesting at a time when the country’s foreign reserves have been substantially encumbered.

“There is an apparent deceleration in the pace of economic reforms as the outcomes are at variance with expectations. The social costs of the reforms were substantially higher than anticipated, resulting in push-backs from the civil society.”

He said the economic management orthodoxy of market forces was being called to question in the light of the social outcomes of the market-oriented reforms.

He said there was a measured re-emergence of political economy with the reappearance of fuel subsidy and divergence in exchange rates.

This was evidently an economic management quandary that the new economic team would have to manage, and urgently too, he said.

Yusuf said, “Meanwhile, the CBN must ensure strategic and transparent intervention in the forex market to minimise volatility, as far as the reserves can support. In addition to the I and E window, it has become necessary to create an autonomous window in the banking system where the currency can trade freely without any encumbrances. This is necessary to avert the diversion of remittances to other jurisdictions or the black market.  We cannot afford to live in denial at this time.

“The clearance of the backlog of forex obligations should be accorded high priority to restore the confidence of domestic and foreign investors.”

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has slammed the Organised Private Sector, OPS, over its opposition to a nationwide strike on the grounds that the economy cannot withstand country-wide industrial action now.

It said that the OPS was opposing the strike because it wanted to continue paying slave wages to workers.

Also, the NLC alleged that some groups suspected to be agents of the government were planning to sabotage the ongoing struggle for palliatives to cushion the negative effects of subsidy removal on petrol.

An impeccable source told Vanguard, yesterday, that the government was working hard to use some members of the union and some associations to discredit the struggle with the argument that any strike embarked upon by labour would worsen the economic situation.

The source also said that some of the associations from the organized private sector had resorted to taking laughable positions because they were afraid that they might be bound to implement any position the government would take that would favour workers.

Asked what could be the possible outcome of the NEC meeting tomorrow, the source said: “It’s difficult to predict what will be the outcome of NEC because the government is using more time creating division and sabotaging the struggle, instead of using the same time and energy to solve the problems at hand.

“They are creating more time using all manner of tactics on those who will attack and oppose the NLC leadership and those who will say the leadership is on its own.

“The issue is that the worker on the street, the worker in the factory is being hurt by the economic hardship and so many of them cannot go to work. You can see the opinion of the government, you can see the manufacturers association, NECA talking because they want to continue to pay slave wages.

NLC’s posers for OPS

“Why have the organized private sector on their own not raised the wages of workers? If they are patriotic, must they wait for the public? Even the public sector raising wages is sending shivers into their spines and they are saying NLC should not take action.

“Should they be talking to the NLC on the pages of newspapers or as stakeholders and employers we should have met to look at all these issues together.

“So those are some of the things the government is doing, getting all these organisations to be saying this strike will affect productivity.

“The governors that are telling people to work for only two or three days in a week, the other days they are not working, does it not affect productivity?”

On whether there is any attempt to use some unions or members of the unions to divide the ranks of the NLC, he said: “The government is even talking to some of the union members.”

Responding to the allegation that the Trade Union Congress, TUC, may have been conquered by the government to work against the NLC, the source who spoke on the conditions of anonymity because he was not permitted to speak on behalf of the Congress said he would not want to use the world conquered because they (TUC) have made their own demands to the government, adding, “we need to wait and find out what the government is doing about the demands.”

‘Govt using groups against NLC’

He, however, said, “Government is using groups to infiltrate the NLC and swell public opinion against the sufferings of workers.”

Fielding questions on whether the NEC meeting would decide on the date for the commencement of the strike after the expiration of the 21-day ultimatum, he said: “The NEC meeting will decide the next action.

“In most instances, it’s when you report progress that the issue of strike or no strike comes up. So the issue of strike is expected to form part of the NEC discussion. It will consider whether there is anything on the table.”

Further asked whether the government has invited the NLC to a meeting after the last Friday expiration of the 21 ultimatum, the source said, “ There is no invitation from the government on any meeting.”

OPS warning

The Organised Private Sector of Nigeria, OPS, had warned that the economic indicators were not good and the nation could not afford a nationwide strike.

OPS in a statement, yesterday, pleaded with the federal government and Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, to do everything possible to avoid the strike.

Recall that the 21-day ultimatum by the NLC to embark on an indefinite strike expired on Friday, with the president of the labour movement, Joe Ajaero, saying Congress would meet tomorrow to decide when the indefinite strike would commence.

However, to avert the strike, Vanguard gathered yesterday that the government has again invited leaders of NLC for a meeting today to thrash out issues raised by the union, especially the removal of fuel subsidy and what it described as foisting of anti-people policies on Nigerians.

Show good faith, OPS tasks govt

But the OPS, comprising the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN; Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, NACCIMA; Nigeria Employers Consultative Association, NECA; Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, NASME; and Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists, NASSI, tasked government to demonstrate good faith in keeping to its promises during the negotiations and abstain from making promises it didn’t intend to keep.

In the statement, titled “OPSN Position On The NLC Strike,” OPS said: “The view of the OPSN is that of deep concern, if not anxiety. As a matter of fact, the Organised Private Sector of Nigeria, OPSN, is reiterating its call on the federal government and the Labour unions to work assiduously to avert the looming disruption of socio-economic activities in the country.

‘’The economic indicators are not good and simply put, the economy cannot afford a nationwide strike at this time.

“We have keenly watched the back-and-forth consultations between the government on the one hand and the National Labour Congress, NLC; and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, on the other.

‘’It is evident that the series of consultations between the federal government and the labour unions have not yielded positive results and the latter has resolved, in one way or the other, to go ahead with the protest/strike.

“We are worried that adequate consideration is not given to the dire situation of the economy and the devastating/disruptive impact that a nationwide strike will have on the country at this time.

“Look, the government and labour need to understand that our economy is being de-marketed and the livelihood of the average Nigerian is being diminished by this incessant bickering. One is beginning to wonder if the well-being of more than 200 million Nigerians is being factored into their negotiations.

“While recognizing the right of the labour union to pursue the welfare of its members, we continue to implore the government to employ its best endeavours to re-engage the leadership of the unions and find an amicable ground to avert the imminent disruption in business activities that will attend the protest and nationwide strike.

‘Consider the economy’

“We opine that adequate consideration should be given to the dire state of the economy and the possible, unintended consequences of social unrest that may result from the protests.

“In the same vein, while appreciating the deep concern of our members about the imminent strike, we urge the management to be circumspect in their business operations, as we continue to intervene in last-minute attempts to avert the strike. Adequate measures should be taken to protect company assets and contingency plans be made to keep business afloat.

“Meanwhile, it is important to begin to have a conversation around how the labour unions and the government can resolve their issues without jeopardizing the livelihood of the average Nigerian and truncating our business projection and activities.

“There should be some innovation around how the conversation between the government and labour will not always end up in holding the economy hostage. The unintended consequence on the fortune of the average business and people of Nigeria is unwarranted and becoming too high.

“Government should demonstrate good faith in keeping to its promises during the negotiations and abstain from making promises it cannot or does not intend to keep.

‘’On the other hand, labour should do a realistic assessment of its demands, within the context of prevailing economic realities, while going the extra mile to indicate how its demands could be met.

“We look forward to a time when labour would extend the scope of its demands to include recommendations on how government can meet those demands, with implementation strategies and realistic timelines. Governance is a collective effort and all the segments of the society should realistically hold government accountable and demand improved well-being of the people.”

Pro-labour CSOs urge NLC to declare indefinite strike

Meanwhile, ahead of the NLC National Executive Council, NEC, meeting tomorrow, one of its major allies and pro-workers’ civil society group, the Joint Action Front, JAF, has urged the leaders of NLC to be firm on the indefinite strike option.

The JAF, umbrella body for pro-Labour civil society groups, also assured the NLC of its commitment to support the NLC to defend the interest of workers and the oppressed poor.
Reacting to the upcoming tomorrow’s NEC meeting of the NLC, JAF Secretary, Abiodun Aremu, said: “For JAF, we have no option but to await the final call and direction of the NLC for the indefinite strike to commence.

“We can only urge the Congress to be firm in its resolve on the strike. As for JAF, we have historical and ideological reasons we must as of necessity side with the NLC to defend the interest of the working people and the oppressed poor.”

NLC circular, summoning the NEC meeting titled “Notice of emergency National Executive Council ( NEC) Virtual Meeting” dated September 22, 2023, was addressed to the presidents/general secretaries, treasurers and all its affiliates.

Signed by Congress General Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja, the circular read: “You are invited to the Emergency National Executive Council, NEC, virtual meeting of the Nigeria Labour Congress scheduled for Tuesday, September 26, 2023, at noon. Your attendance will be of utmost importance.”

Vanguard had last Friday reported that a meeting of leaders of NLC would be held this week to decide on an indefinite strike to force the federal government to address the suffering across the country, caused by the removal of subsidy on petrol.

NLC had between Tuesday, September 5 and Wednesday 6, embarked on a two-day nationwide warning strike to protest, among others, perceived government insensitivity to the plight and suffering of Nigerians, especially workers.

Ahead of the warning strike, the NLC had issued within 14 working days or 21 days from September 1, 2023, an ultimatum for the government to address the excruciating mass suffering and the impoverishment experienced around the country, and threatened an indefinite strike, if the government failed to address its demands.

When Ogbonnaya Ukeje died in Lagos two days after Christmas Day in 1981, Bode Rhodes-Vivour was a 30-year-old lawyer making his way up the rungs of public service in the Ministry of Justice in Lagos State. Mr. Rhodes-Vivour had been called to the Nigerian Bar a mere six years earlier, in 1975. 

In 1989, when Mr. Rhode-Vivour succeeded Nureini Abiodun Kessington as the Director of Public Prosecutions in Lagos State, the case concerning the estate of Ogbonnaya Ukeje was already in its sixth year in the High Court of Lagos. Mr. Ukeje’s daughter, Gladys, had filed the case in 1983 to challenge her exclusion from a share in her father’s estate merely on the ground that she was female.

In January 1992, Justice Moni Fafiade, who became a judge of the Lagos High Court in 1983, the same year the case originated, delivered judgement in Gladys Ukeje’s case. The case lasted nine years in the High Court alone. Bode Rhodes-Vivour was still a Director in the Lagos State Ministry of Justice. 

Two years later, in 1994, when Bode Rhodes-Vivour was appointed a judge of the High Court of Lagos, the appeal by Gladys Ukeje’s family against the decision of the High Court of Lagos in her favour had been pending in the Court of Appeal for two years.

In 2005, five years after the first brief of argument was filed in the Supreme Court Appeal in Gladys Ukeje’s case, Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour was elevated from the High Court of Lagos to the Court of Appeal. By the following year, in 2006, all the parties had filed their briefs of argument. 

Four years later, when Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour arrived the Supreme Court, after a five-year sojourn on the bench of the Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court appeal in Gladys Ukeje’s case had been pending for over a decade. 

On April 11, 2014, thirty-one years after the case was filed in the High Court of Lagos, 20 years after he was first appointed a judge, and four years after his elevation to the court, Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour delivered the judgement of the Supreme Court upholding the right of Gladys Ukeje to a share in her father’s estate. 

By this time in 2014, Ahmed Lawan was already something of a phenomenon in Nigerian politics. In 1999, Lawan arrived the National Assembly as the member representing the proud people of Bade/Jakusko constituency of Yobe State in the House of Representatives. He was a member of the All Nigerian Peoples Party, ANPP. In 2007, after two terms in the House, Lawan was elected to the Senate by the people of Yobe North Senatorial Zone. In 2019, twenty years after his arrival at the National Assembly and having logged the record for the most durable parliamentary career in Nigeria’s history, Ahmed Lawan became the 14th president of Nigeria’s Senate. 

In this capacity, Ahmed Lawan was, officially, the third most powerful man in the country. If he desired to extend the duration of his improbable political longevity, Lawan had few realistic options. As the 2023 election season approached, he made his bid for a ticket to the presidency on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, of which he was a founding member. When the final tally was announced on June 8, 2022, Lawan lost out in the contest, coming a distant fourth. 

Eleven days earlier, on May 28, the APC had organised the primaries for the Senate. In Yobe North, the seat that Lawan occupied in the Senate, the winner of the primaries was Bashir Machina, a rich businessman and politician, who had also served in the cabinet at the state level. However, as soon as the presidential primaries concluded, a concerted effort began to deny Machina the ticket in favour of Lawan. 

To forestall this, Machina sued on June 22, 2022 in the Federal High Court in Damaturu, the capital of Yobe State, asking the court to affirm the outcome of the senatorial primaries that he won. Three months later, on September 28, the High Court rendered judgement. By the beginning of December, the Court of Appeal had also issued judgement, and on World Anti-Corruption Day, December 9, 2022, the case arrived the Supreme Court. In less than two months, on February 6, 2022, the Supreme Court issued judgement, implausibly declaring Lawan the winner of senatorial primaries that he did not participate in.

This kind of status-indexed shunt granted to political higher-ups like Ahmed Lawan by Nigerian courts is mostly manufactured or enabled by the judiciary. It is now crippling Nigeria’s courts and the irony is that the only people in the position to end it are the ones complaining. 

When he inaugurated a cohort of 72 new Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SANs, on December 8, 2021, then Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Tanko Muhammad, reported that 33 or nearly five per cent of the 681 cases considered by the Nigerian Supreme Court during the year were “political cases”. This was rather a curious category to maintain or report on. Judicial doctrine ordinarily views political cases with reluctance. Nigerian law knows nothing of the sort.

It knows of election petitions as are contests over the outcomes of elections, mostly governed by the Electoral Act, which prescribes strict time limits for their disposal. Most likely, this is a category of cases instituted by Nigeria’s politicians seeking to judicialise intra-party squabbles over the spoils of political plunder. Increasingly, it seems these have become the mainstay of judicial enterprise in the country. 

Last week, as he swore-in nine newly appointed Justices of the Court of Appeal, current CJN, Olukayode Ariwoola, reinforced the complaint from the judges that “political cases are taking a monumental toll on our dockets”. 

Gladys Ukeje and Ahmed Lawan are both Nigerians. One is female, the other is male. The former is from the South, while the latter is from the North. They both journeyed memorably through Nigeria’s courts, ending up in the Supreme Court with remarkably different experiences. For Gladys, the journey began in Lagos; for Lawan, it began in Damaturu, Yobe State. For Gladys, the journey from the High Court to the Supreme Court took over three decades. For Ahmed Lawan, it was less than eight months. 

By assigning priority to “political cases” in a manner that grants swift access to courts for politicians like Ahmed Lawan but no exit from courts to ordinary citizens like Gladys Ukeje, Nigeria’s judiciary sustains a two-track judicial system by which it puts the interests of politicians above those of the citizens whom they are meant to serve. It also encourages the twin evils of undue judicialisation of politics and the politicisation of the judiciary. It is little wonder that some have resorted to describing Nigeria’s courts as the “lost hope of the common man”.

By consecrating an Ahmed Lawan into an indispensable citizen while at the same time making a Gladys Ukeje into the expendable citizen, Nigeria’s judges have turned citizens into manure to feed the whims of politicians as a matter of law. 

This juxtaposition is everything that is wrong not merely with Nigeria’s courts but with the country and its governance. The country has been judicially rendered in hock to big men. When courts become captured for the purpose of exclusively enabling the whims of big men, they lose the authority of judicial office.

The solution to this is in plain sight. If Nigeria’s judges were to insist on politicians taking their place on the queue of judicial dysfunction, like every other citizen, they will be forced to either find a way to fix the judiciary or else fix their internal party dysfunctions and spare the judiciary from being captured by and for “political cases”. 

Emerging  musician, 27-year-old Ilerioluwa Aloba alias Mohbad passed away on September 12, 2023 of undisclosed reasons and crowds poured out  in the streets. In Lagos, youths marched in Lekki, Iju-Ishaga and Ikorodu with a huge concert at the Muri Okunola Park on Victoria Island featuring leading musicians like Davido, Falz and Zlatan.

Youths in Taraba State rolled on the streets and held candle light procession in Abuja.  They marched in Anambra, Oyo, Ondo, Delta, Ekiti, Cross Rivers, Ogun, Osun and Edo states. People were also on the march in Nairobi, Kenya where Nigerian music and films are quite popular, and London and New York  with  large Nigerian migrant populations.

The message was the same: ‘Justice For Mohbad’ as if they are  certain that  he would not get justice unless they move to put pressure on the Nigerian state.

The tidal waves of protests caught many of us by surprise, especially when those widely accused of complicity in his death are members of his former record label and manager. So, why are people who have not protested the biting inflation that has seen the price of rice rise in eight years from N7,500 to N58,000 and the Naira in the same period crashing from about N200 to N1,000, taking to the streets for a rising youth?

 Why are youths who have not rallied against the plethora of new fees in the universities, mass abduction of students in schools and kidnap of youths answering the national call to serve, on the streets for a relatively new musician whose first album was just three years ago?

First, his story of rising from want and deprivation, surviving a broken home, emerging from the streets and striving to build a future with street music  despite  alleged attacks and torture by his former managers, resonated with the youths.

They identified more with his life story not so much because they read about him or listened to his few interviews, but because he had a direct dialogue with them through his lyrics.   In his ‘Peace’ musical track, in which he talked about “frenemies”, he sang: “Been through many things, 

Many many gists 

But, I still find my peace (Imole)

Oh-ah I do like say me I no dey see Like say I no dey hear 

Which kind person be this?”

In it, he described himself as: “Money chaser, faster than a bullet Flyin’ like a rocket Badman wey never rest King of South and the West Faster than a car…”

In ‘Feel Good’ he sang: “Plenty enemy (Mohbad) Wey dey follow me Maje k’o mumi (Don’t let him catch me)

Even if na die minute Emi omo (I, a child of the) ghetto … 

 I don work tire I don pray tire I don go Mountain of Fire I know there is a day All my pains will go away… 

Til then, I smoke it away…”

He also playfully sang in a video in which he was wearing jersey No 7: “If I dey play football, I go bench Messi, bench Nemar, bench Ronaldo…”  

Certainly, Mohbad was no Bob Marley, Max Romeo  or Fela who addressed social issues. Apart from telling his personal stories, his focus was being on the fast lane; making money, women, cars and living the good life. For instance, on education, he sang: “I know know mathematics…Mathematics teacher  wey no get money na jangbajastics”(Nonsense). 

Mohbad is a story of hope turned hopelessness, a rising star, shot down from the firmament, and a youth whose promising life was avoidably cut short by a harsh, uncaring system. A system that failed a youth when he persistently cried for help, when he feared for his life.  

After physical altercations with the management and members of his old record label, he went public. In a video he posted, the clearly traumatised youth said: “I’m at the hospital for CT Scan for head impact and chest X-ray as a result of the assault. I had the meeting clear headed and without any influence too.”

In response, the owner of his former Marlian Records label, Mr Azeez Fashola, popularly called Naira Marley, said in his own video: “If Mohbad didn’t do a video, I wouldn’t  bother explaining because it is  nothing big, it is a family issue. Obviously, he is not in a right frame of mind…Mohbad is not  a type of person  that fights, he doesn’t fight…unless he is high…maybe he is mad already”. Then he added in Yoruba language: “…You know  when somebody is mad and they are beating  out the madness in him, he would calm down.”

Mohbad had also petitioned the police. His June 27, 2023, petition was titled: “Petition of threat to life, malicious damage of properties valued (at) the sum of five-million-naira, assault occasioning harm, oppression and conduct likely to cause breach of peace”. But after his controversial death, the police has been unable to tell the public if it investigated this petition and the stage of such investigation. But if it did not, why it ignored the cries of a youth who feared his life was about to be snuffed out. This led to feelings that had the police acted or granted him protection, he might still have been alive today, writing songs and entertaining his fans.

As the protests spread, the police instituted a 19-person investigation team, and  in collaboration with  the State Security Services, is  investigating the circumstances of his death. This has led to the exhumation of his corpse for forensic examination.

 The speed with which he was buried within 24 hours in a coffin so small that his neck had to be bent, and in an unmarked grave, also  inflamed  passions. But these could have been the actions of a family too shocked  to think straight.

Lessons the ‘Justice For Mohbad’ teach us include the fact that Nigerians can rise for the underdog without  identifying with his region or religion. Nigerian youths can rally against the state like the EndSARS case or against perceived injustice no matter who is involved. The peaceful nature of the mass protests again demonstrates that Nigerians, even in anger, can protest peacefully, and that as in almost all cases, mass protests do not degenerate into violence until the police intervenes in an attempt to curb the human rights of Nigerians to assemble and publicly protest their feelings.

The speed the protests were organised, together with their massive nature and spread across the country and its borders, reminds us all once again of the power of the internet which, like the rain, cannot be stopped.

Generally, the case raises once again, the challenges of the deadly mix of music, money, drugs, sex, bad managers, cultism, thuggery and power relations. 

May Mohbad rest in power.

Members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) serving in Taraba state will be paid N50,000 medical allowance.

Only corps members posted to schools in the state will be eligible for the stipend.

The state’s Commissioner for Information and Re-orientation, Zainab Usman, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

According to her, the governor, Agbu Kefas, has approved the new payment structure.

She said the governor also approved N25,000 as accommodation allowance per term and N10,000 as monthly support from the state government.

She said development was necessitated by the high increase in school enrollment as a result of the government’s declaration of free basic education, uniforms and other learning materials.

“The surge in new enrollments witnessed in our primary and secondary schools over the past ten working days has necessitated immediate action,” Mrs Usman said.

It is gathered that there has been a tremendous increase in enrollment in schools across the state as a result of the free education policy introduced by the governor.

A teacher, Isa Mohammed, who teaches at the Salihu Dogo Primary School, Jalingo, disclosed that the school has enrolled over 300 new pupils since resumption last week Monday.

“As an emergency response to the education situation, His Excellency has approved significant allowances for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members serving in Taraba State schools, and they include an additional ten thousand naira will be added to their monthly allowance,” PREMIUMTIMES quoted her as saying.

“A one-time payment of fifty thousand naira as a medical allowance. An accommodation allowance of twenty-five thousand naira per term, totalling seventy-five thousand naira for three terms.

“Also, Exceptional Youth Corps members who distinguish themselves while serving in schools will be offered automatic employment opportunities.”

She said: “Uniforms, shoes, socks, and books will be made available by January to support students in their pursuit of education.

“Commencing this term, an ICT-based registration system will be introduced. This will apply to Teachers, both new and returning students. Ensuring that they are registered will guarantee the provision of essential school materials upon their arrival.

“Schools that have reached their maximum capacity in terms of facilities will implement a shifting system temporarily while additional buildings are provided to meet the increasing demand.

“In the coming year, the State Government will cover the examination fees for all SS3 students, enabling them to write both WAEC and NECO examinations. Exceptional students will be eligible for sponsorship and scholarships.

“Also, adult learners seeking new enrollment should be directed to the various Mass Education Centers, ensuring accessibility to education for all.”

She added that the state governor has tasked the state’s Ministry of Education and Ministry of Youth and Sports Development to ensure prompt implementation of the new measures approved by the state government