Senior Pastor of House on the Rock, Pastor Paul Adefarasin, has applauded President Bola Tinubu, for the suspension of the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.

Naija News reports that the clergy spoke at the church’s recent programme in a video making the rounds online.

Recall that Emefiele was suspended as the apex bank boss by President Tinubu last week Friday, and was subsequently arrested by operatives of the DSS in Lagos and flown to Abuja in a private jet on Saturday.

Speaking on this, Adefarasin declared that the arrest is the greatest news in recent times, stressing that Emefiele has misguided and misused the wealth of the nation.

According to him, the latest development is a sign that something new is about to happen in Nigeria and urged Christians to be sensitive about the new thing which is about to happen.

As INEC Chairman produces BVAS report for 36 states, FCT

Following a summon issued on him, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, yesterday produced before the Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, sitting in Abuja, a document that contained President Bola Tinubu’s age.

The document, known as Form EC9, was an affidavit of personal particulars which President Tinubu submitted to the INEC in aid of his qualification to contest the 2023 presidential election.

Former Vice President and candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who is challenging the outcome of the presidential election that held on February 25, had in an application filed through his legal team, persuaded the court to summon the INEC boss to, among other exhibits he requested for, produce the document containing Tinubu’s bio-data.

Atiku, in a joint petition filed with his party, insisted that President Tinubu had “demonstrated inconsistency as to his actual date of birth, secondary schools he attended (Government College Ibadan); his state of origin, gender, actual name; certificates evidencing universities attended (Chicago State University).

“The purported degree Certificate of the 2nd Respondent allegedly acquired at the Chicago State University did not belong to him but to a female (F) described as “F” in the Certificate bearing the name Bola Tinubu.

“The 2nd Respondent did not disclose to the 1st Respondent (INEC) his voluntary acquisition of the citizenship of Republic of Guinea with Guinean Passport No. D00001551, in addition to his Nigerian citizenship. The 2nd Respondent is hereby given notice to produce the original copies of his said two passports.’’

Sequel to an application by the petitioners, the Justice Haruna Tsammani-led five-member panel on May 26, issued a subpoena for the INEC chairman to produce 11 sets of exhibits.

Consequently, at the resumed proceedings in the case yesterday, though Prof. Yakubu was not physically present in court, he sent a senior official of the commission to tender four of the requested exhibits.

His representative, Mrs. Moronkeji Tairu, told the court that she is a Deputy Director, Certification & Complaints, Legal Drafting and Clearance Department at the INEC headquarters in Abuja.

Specifically, Mrs. Tairu, who mounted the witness box, told the court that she brought Forms EC8D series, which were results of the presidential election from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja.

The second exhibit she tendered before the court was a Form EC8D(A), which was the final declaration of result of the presidential election by INEC.

Prof. Yakubu’s representative further tendered reports of extracts from the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, machines in respect of Rivers State, as well as certified copies of accreditation data from the BVAS, relating to the 36 states of the federation and the FCT.

Lastly, the witness tendered the certified true copy of the Form EC9 President Tinubu submitted to INEC and it was admitted in evidence and marked as Exhibit PAJ 40.

Mrs. Tairu told the court that owing to the bulky nature of some of the requested documents, the commission extracted 10 copies from each state and packaged the remaining details in flash drives she also handed over to the panel.

Meanwhile, President Tinubu, through his team of lawyers, led by Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, opposed the admissibility of all the documents in evidence.

The All Progressives Congress, APC, through its legal team, led by Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, equally raised its objection against all the exhibits tendered by representative of the INEC chairman.

The Respondents said they would in their final written address, adduce reasons behind their objections.

On its part, INEC, through its lead counsel, Mr. Abubakar Mahmood, SAN, said though it was not opposed to the admissibility of the documents which it described as irrelevant to the case before the court, it, however, contended that the petitioners did not pay the necessary fees.

Responding, the petitioners’ lead counsel, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, told the court that contrary to the position of INEC’s lawyer, his clients, paid N6.7million for the certification of all the documents they requested from INEC.

Earlier in the proceedings, a statistician, Mr. Samuel Oduntan, who testified as the 21st witness in the matter, told the court that based on his analysis, Atiku and the PDP won the presidential election.

The witness told the court that he inspected and analysed electoral materials used for conduct of the election, especially the Forms EC8A, which were polling unit results in 26 states of the federation.

Answering questions under cross-examination, the statistician said he carried out quality checks before he reached conclusions on data he presented in the reports he tendered in evidence before the court.

While being cross examined by President Tinubu’s lawyer, Chief Olanipekun, SAN, the witness said he had in the past analysed electoral materials in many election-related disputes.

He, however, admitted that no pictorial evidence of the electoral materials he inspected at INEC’s headquarters at the behest of Atiku and the PDP was attached to his report before the court.

According to the witness, the process of his analysis involved the deduction of votes credited to the three major political parties, in polling units where the election was marred by irregularities.

He told the court that he was not equally satisfied with results from both Adamawa and Kano states, which were won by the PDP and the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, adding that he had in his report, also called for deduction of “irregularities votes” in the states Labour Party won.

Answering questions from APC’s lawyer, Prince Fagbemi, SAN, the witness, said: “I have been following INEC’s activities since 1999. I am aware that the chairman of INEC had in the buildup to the 2023 general elections, stated that results of the election would be electronically transmitted and in real time.

“I, however, did not hear at any time before the election when he said that owing to the issue of security and cash crunch, the commission could no longer transmit results of the election electronically.”

Asked if he extracted information from the BVAS machines before packaging his report, the witness, said: “As at the time of preparing the report, the BVAS machines had already been reconfigured for another round of elections. So they were not available for me to extract information from them.

“I am aware that the laid down rule was that the BVAS machines were to be used for the accreditation of voters,” he added.

He told the court that from results of 26 states he analysed with his team, comprising six members, Atiku secured majority votes in 12 states.

“I was the only one that signed the report because I was the team leader,” he added.

However, the APC drew the attention of the court to the fact that while the witness in a page in his report, claimed he analysed results in 28 states, on another page, he claimed the analysis was with respect to all the 36 states of the federation.

The Justice Tsammani-led panel adjourned further hearing on the case till today.

In a recent development, the National Economic Council has disclosed that it has received recommendations from the National Salaries, Income, and Wages Commission regarding the payment of N702 billion as cost of living allowance to civil servants. This move is believed to be part of the intervention plans aimed at mitigating the effects of the discontinuance of petroleum subsidies, which was announced on May 29, 2023.

Following the inaugural National Economic Council meeting at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa on Thursday, the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, revealed this information to State House correspondents.

According to Mohammed, there was an intervention that involved a suggested amount of money for civil servants as a petroleum allowance. The recommended sum ranged from N23.5 billion to N45 billion per month.

Following President Bola Tinubu's directive to the governors to establish palliative structures to alleviate the difficulties resulting from the discontinuation of petrol subsidies, Thursday's announcement was made. This announcement was made just two weeks after the directive was given.

In an exclusive interview, he revealed that the National Economic Council (NEC) had been presented with recommendations on how to utilise any revenue increases to alleviate the potential negative effects on the workforce.

Following recent developments, it has been recommended that a consequential adjustment be made to the allowances given to workers. The estimated amount of this adjustment is N702.92bn, and it is proposed that it be given as a petroleum allowance to all workers. Additionally, there is a suggestion to provide a monthly offer of either N23bn or N25bn to help alleviate the impact on workers.

Upon returning, the governor made a statement regarding the council's review of salaries and wages, indicating that there were additional suggestions presented for consideration.

According to Mohammed, the government has taken a comprehensive approach to address the issues, challenges, and problems related to the palliative. To achieve this, a small committee of the council was established to review and develop a term of reference. The aim of this committee is to identify specific areas where the palliative can be sourced and determine how it will be distributed to alleviate the suffering of workers and other vulnerable groups.

The committee was comprised of a select group of individuals, each representing a specific geopolitical zone within Nigeria. The Governor of Kebbi State was appointed as the chairman, with other members including the Governors of Anambra, Benue, Kaduna, Cross River, Oyo, and Bauchi. It remains to be seen what decisions this committee will make and how they will impact the country as a whole.

Who are the key players in the committee? Apart from the obvious ones, such as the Budget Office and the Central Bank of Nigeria, who else is involved? What role do they play in the committee's decision-making process? And who is Rukayat El-Rufai and what is her involvement in the committee? These are all questions that need to be answered in order to fully understand the workings of this committee.

Oil marketers under the aegis of Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA) have called on the federal government to pay them their outstanding petroleum equalisation fund (PEF) to enable them get money for fuel importation.

The marketers also called on the NNPC to release the petrol that they paid for three months before President Bola Tinubu announced the removal of fuel subsidy

National president of NOGASA, Mr. Bennett Korie, who disclosed these yesterday in Abuja, insisted that there is need to also consider the problems associated with the subsidy removal.

Korie, while speaking with journalists decried that its members now spent as much as N25 million to purchase a 45,000 litres truck of Premium Motor Spirit popularly referred to as petrol.

Before the subsidy was withdrawn, a fuel tanker was purchased for N7 million.

According to NOGASA, the situation has made it impossible for its members to cough out the differentials.

He however assured the federal government that they are completely in support of the subsidy removal.

“We are 100 per cent in support of subsidy removal, but you know that everybody is talking about subsidy removal but they don’t talk about the problem behind the subsidy removal. It is good to remove subsidies but there are things that people don’t know, for instance, some of the marketers don’t have the money to pay the differentials.

“This is because in less than an hour that Mr. President announced the removal of the subsidy, the price changed and that affected a lot of marketers. We are talking about millions of naira. Before the removal, a tanker of fuel was selling for about seven million, but in less than an hour, it went up to 25 million naira, where is the money?

Korie said that Nigeria’s high interest rate of 30 per cent was making it difficult for marketers to make profits. According to him, where would marketers get money from to continue the distribution of petroleum products across the country.

He urged the federal government to pay marketers their outstanding of the Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF) to boost their capital and enable them to stay in business.

“Subsidy was removed without considering some of these problems. At the same time, before now, we have this PEF. But they are not paying the marketers. There is no money, where do we get the money?

“Therefore, I want to use this opportunity to appeal to the government to please pay marketers their PEF, so that they will continue in business, if it is not paid, we would not get fuel to sell,” he said.

The House of Representatives, on Thursday, unanimously voted against a motion seeking to make the Federal Government address the issues causing Nigerian professionals to migrate to other countries en masse, in search of greener pastures.

A new member of the House, Philip Agbese, had moved a motion titled ‘Need to Declare Emigration of Young Nigerians Abroad A.K.A Japa Syndrome a National Emergency,’ urging the government to “convene a national summit with key stakeholders to effectively address the ‘Japa Syndrome.’

The phenomenon is popularly known as ‘Japa,’ a Yoruba word that simply means to go away from a problem or trouble.

Agbese also prayed the House to “declare a state of Emergency on the factors that predispose young Nigerians to give up on Nigeria in preference for other nations.”

The lawmaker cited statistics from the Nigerian Economic Summit, which says a growing number of young Nigerians are relocating abroad. He also said recent reports by the African Polling Institute indicate that 69 per cent of young people would opt to relocate abroad if given the chance or if the opportunity presents itself.

He added that there is a 40 per cent increase in the number of young Nigerians leaving the nation, compared to the number captured in 2019, as the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs reported that international emigration from Nigeria in 2020 total 1.7million, which is a substantial increase from 990,000 in 2010.

Agbese said, “The House is concerned that the growing statistics of young Nigerians leaving Nigeria and securing permanent residence in the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Canada portends a grave danger for our nation in many ways from economic to intellectual and social aspects.

“The House is also concerned that the Nigerian population is made of two-thirds of persons under the age of 30 and a good number of these persons are already afflicted with what today is acceptably referred to as the ‘Japa Syndrome,’ as estimates indicate a staggering tens of thousands have relocated to the USA, Canada, South Africa and, even, Gambia over the last two years;

“The House is worried that the eagerness to migrate to countries that offer hope seems to have a compelling influence. The House is also worried that those leaving Nigeria are not just the poor but middle class who possess skills/workforce, including bankers, lecturers, health care practitioners, doctors, nurses, and trained manpower, all of whom were trained in Nigeria and emigrating at a time when their services are needed to build a strong and vibrant economy in Nigeria.

“The House is disturbed that if this scenario continues with our able minds, brains and skilled personnel leaving, Nigeria may fall into a grave crisis in our critical sectors from education to healthcare, thereby making a bad situation worse.”

The lawmaker pointed out that the young population remains one of our greatest assets. “Though the prospects of a growing Nigerians in the Diaspora could be beneficial in a way, it should not be at the expense of our needed manpower,” he added, stressing that it bothers on national pride “when our young bright minds leave the country in droves, conveying an impression that ‘Nigeria is a sinking ship that everyone is rushing to get out of.’”

Agbese also stated that life-changing decisions, whether to stay in one’s country or emigrate, should not be anchored on challenges ranging from insecurity to poor health sector, poor educational system and poor economy, among others.

However, after a ranking member of the House, Dennis Idahosa, seconded the motion, another ranking member, Sada Soli, raised a constitutional point of order to say that the motion would infringe on the fundamental rights of Nigerians if adopted by the chamber.

Soli said, “Chapter 4 of the Constitution is talking about the fundamental rights; and go to Section 35 talking about the personal liberty of an individual. This motion, as it is, looks nationalistic but it contravenes the provisions of the Constitution.

“It is the liberty of a Nigerian if he is qualified and he is normal, and he has all the granted right of movement (to) anywhere he wants. It is the right of a Nigerian if he has the right qualifications, to go anywhere to source for a living. The Constitution of Nigeria allows even dual citizenship, talk less of moving somewhere to earn a living. If we allow this motion on this floor, it contravenes the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Opposing Soli, another ranking member of the House, Ahmad Jaha, argued that the motion was more about the factors causing mass exodus from Nigeria and not a restriction of exit from the country. He urged the lawmakers to “be mindful of the prayers of the motion before killing it.”

Jaha partly said, “The mover of the motion is not praying that everybody should be stopped from going abroad. We should take this into consideration. But it is advising because we have to tell each other the truth; the factors enumerated, which are the actual factors or reasons behind people leaving this country to seek greener pastures somewhere (else).

“What he is trying to say in a nutshell is that the international community has identified the reasons why Nigerians are compelled to go outside the country. What he is saying now is ‘let there be a national summit so that all these factors will be given priority, so that at the end of the day Nigerians will be discouraged from going abroad. So, as far as I am concerned, this motion is apt and it should be considered.”

The immediate past Deputy Speaker of the House, Ahmed Wase, said “As good as the motion may be, first the fundamental issue raised in the Constitution; no law, including our motions and bills…if you go to Section 1(3) of the Constitution, it says any law that is inconsistent with the Constitution to the extent of that inconsistency is best null and void. So, as far as I am concerned, we have to rule on the point of order (raised by Soli) before we can proceed, otherwise, we will be contributing to the contravention of our own constitution.”

When the Speaker eventually put adoption of the motion to voice vote, the lawmakers unanimously voted against it.

The Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has been accused of fraudulent activities by the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN).

Oil marketers have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene and put an end to the purported exploitation that is taking place in the distribution of petroleum products.

During a protest in Apapa, Lagos, reporters were addressed by Folalu Ebenezer, the Secretary of the IPMAN/NNPC PDO Forum, on Thursday.

In a surprising turn of events, Ebenezer has come out in support of the removal of fuel subsidies. However, this support comes with a caveat as they are urging the President to investigate the alleged racketeering that has been reportedly perpetrated by NNPCL officials. What could be the motive behind Ebenezer's sudden change of stance? Is there more to this story than meets the eye?

According to his statement, it appears that IPMAN was obligated to make payment in advance for the products supplied by NNPCL through the Authority to Pay (ATP) system, in order to facilitate the loading of said products at the designated Private Depot (PDO).

Months after payments were made through the NNPCL portal, marketers are still unable to access the product, according to Ebenezer's lament.

According to a member of the group, several individuals have claimed to possess tickets dating back as far as nine months prior to the fuel subsidy removal, yet they have allegedly been unable to load any products.

In a recent interview, Ebenezer revealed that there was a significant increase in ticket prices in January 2023. According to him, marketers were required to pay an extra N1,072,000 naira per ticket. This raises questions about the reasons behind the sudden price hike and the impact it had on the industry. Further investigation is necessary to uncover the full story.

Despite making the payment, it appears that the members have not yet retrieved the products. With over 4,500 tickets still unreleased on the portal, including a staggering 500 dynamic tickets, one can't help but wonder what could be causing the delay.

The informant has reported that NNPCL is allegedly demanding IPMAN members, who have already purchased tickets for their products, to pay an extra N13,702,000 per ticket.

The accusations made by the scribe suggest that the national oil firm may have been involved in diverting the product that was paid for by its members to private companies and personal tank farms.

A report released by the Centre for the Study of African Economies (CSAE) has shown that the Nigerian economy is not creating jobs for young citizens.

The report which covers a period from 2000 to 2020, also shows that the mining sector is worse in lack of job creation.

Presenting the report, one of the CSAE researchers, Mma Ekeruche said the research shows that the economy is not creating jobs for young people.

According to her, the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the continent more especially Nigeria with jobs declining from 51 million to 31 million with women and youth mostly affected.

“From 2000 to 2020, jobs have declined in Nigeria. The worst hit is mining, which fell from 29 percent to 10 percent in 2020.

“Employment growth in financial and business services increased by 24 percent and employed a large number of people.

“Mining can’t absorb large numbers of people and it is on the decrease. The sectors that contributed are the financial and the business sector which is also resilient to shock.

“Agro processing, financial and business, ICT, Tourism, formal trade and transportation increased in the share of employment and hold the keys to future jobs,” she said.

According to her, highly skilled and the female population will be the most needed in future jobs adding that 41 million jobs will be created for male, while 16 million jobs will be created for females if the needed infrastructures are created.

Mma mentioned the challenges that will affect the future jobs to include – poor infrastructure, lack of access to finance, corruption, skills gaps, land policies.

The researchers recommended that investment should be increased on infrastructure, close skills gaps, strengthen development of financial institutions, improve governance and regulatory framework and increase logistics.

Speaking during the unveiling of the report which was launched at the CSAE office in Abuja, the Advisory Partner and Chief Economist, PwC, Nigeria, Dr Andrew Nevin, said music, entertainment, fashion and cyber security will play a serious role in the Industries Without Smokestacks (IWOSS) adding that such businesses have a good value chain.

Speaking, a lecturer with University of Nigeria Nsuka, Prof Emmanuel Nwosu said African countries have not been able to have a substantial value for their export that’s why the export is low.

On his part, the Chief Economist at the Development Bank of Nigeria, Prof Joseph Nnanna said the federal government has taken the bull by the horns for having a law that enables the private sector to generate and distribute power.

He said several jobs will be created with the economy looking promising in the aftermath of the CBN’s direction to unify the exchange rate adding that such have sent a signal to the international community that Nigeria is open for business.

Chief Research Economist, African Development Bank, Nigeria Dr Anthony Simpasa, said the bank is very clear on how they look at partnership that will unlock potentials adding that their partnership is on how to reduce poverty.

In Nigeria, he said they undertook numerous programmes focusing on the youth.

“This programme will benefit all the sectors of the economy adding that the Bank has invested in that area.

Deputy Director, McArthur Foundation Nigeria, Dr. Amina Salihu said they must enlighten the society to know what is changing in the future.

She said there must be a mix of a political economy with effective institutions that have influential networks.

She said over 100m dollars in the last five years has gone to the empowerment of the Nigerian people and boosting the economy.

The Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Tony Elumelu Foundation, Aluwafemi Aro said most of the entrepreneurs in Africa are challenged by lack of access to capital adding that their target is new businesses and growing businesses that have the potential for job creation.

The Defence Headquarters says troops of Operation Delta Safe (OPDS) have destroyed 57 illegal refining sites and apprehended 16 suspected oil thieves in the last two weeks.

The Director, Defence Media Operation, Maj.-Gen. Musa Danmadami, said this on Thursday in Abuja at the bi-weekly news conference on the operations of the armed forces.

Danmadami said the troops had sustained the tempo in the war against oil theft, illegal refineries and other criminal activities through aggressive raid, patrol and clearance operations amongst others.

He said that 27 wooden boats, 158 storage tanks, 149 ovens and eight dugout pits were discovered and destroyed within the period.

He added that troops also recovered 122,600 litres of crude oil, 89,850 litrers of AGO, seven vehicles, 18 pumping machines, one outboard engine, one speedboat, six assorted ammunitions, one weapon and one tricycle.

According to him, all recovered items and arrested suspects have been handed over to the relevant authority for further action.

“It is worthy to mention that a total of N82.4 million was denied the oil thieves during the period in focus,” he added.

Danmadami said the air component had on June 2 and June 3 conducted air reconnaissance and air interdiction operation at Okoro Nyong and Ndele which were observed to be rife with illegal refining activities.

He said the locations was bombarded and destroyed while the illegally refined products and equipment were engulfed in flames as a result of the air strike.

In the South East, Danmadami said the troops of Operation UDO KA continued to clampdown on the Indigenous People of Biafra, Eastern Security Network terrorist and other criminals in the zone.

He said the troops neutralised two terrorists and apprehended 25 suspects, as well as recovered several arms, ammunition and other items during the period.

At the valedictory session of the 9^th Senate last Saturday, a ‘Most distinguished’ (as they address themselves) told his colleagues that many owe their stay in the green chambers to the ‘benevolence’ of his wife, a retired judicial officer. Despite the best efforts of the (now former) Senate President Ahmad Lawan to apply the ‘off the mic’ principle to gag the father-confessor, the damage to the reputation of the Nigerian judiciary was already done.   

Senator Bulkachuwa started by drawing his colleagues’ attention to the fact that his wife, Zainab Bulkachuwa, who retired three years ago as president of the court of appeal, had been very supportive of them. Given that she presided over several election tribunal cases while in office, questions are now being raised about whether a few of the judgments were ‘arranged’ by her senator-husband. For the benefit of readers who may not have watched the proceedings, here is what transpired. “Mr. President, at my age I don’t think I will lobby anybody under the sun. I will do the right thing, and I always do the right thing and sincerely and honestly too. So, I (can) look at faces in this chamber, who have helped me and sought for my help when my wife was the president of the court of appeal…”  

Evidently uncomfortable with the direction Bulkachuwa was going, the senate president interjected, “I think I will advise that you just round up and take your seat…this kind of insinuation will mean that there was favour and the rest of it. I don’t think it is a good idea.” If the 83-year-old senator understood the admonition of the senate president, he ignored it as he merely doubled down on his claim. “Well, Mr Chairman, I must say that (it is) okay to round up, since that is what you want me to do. I will do that and must thank, particularly my wife whose freedom and independence I encroached upon while she was in office; and she had been very tolerant and accepted my encroachment and extended her help to my colleagues.” The senate president interjected again and this time, more firmly: “Please, I don’t think it is a good idea going in this direction. It is not a good idea.” 

Even before the Freudian Slip by Bulkachuwa, Nigerians already knew we have a challenge in the judiciary. Only a few months ago, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, complained about the workload of the Supreme Court, seeking an amendment to the 1999 Constitution so that certain cases could terminate at the appellate court. But he was challenged by Mr Joseph Daudu, SAN, a former president of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA). “Let any one table the Bill to amend the Constitution seeking the deletion of interlocutory appeals and we will tell the entire Nigeria why in reality there are excruciating delays in the Justice delivery system” Daudu vowed. One of the reasons he cited is “over concentration of the judicial docket on political and electoral cases as if the entire justice sector and judiciary was created for the benefit of politicians.”   

In my January 2018 piece, ‘When Judges Imperil Democracy’, I bemoaned a situation in which “our politicians are no longer content with hiring Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), they also have their own judges.” That sadly is what was imputed on the floor of the Senate by Bulkachuwa. But then, it is no secret that the only cases that many of our Judges are interested in are those that border on elections and related matters. Because they are deemed ‘juicy’. Meanwhile, many other serious cases suffer from neglect and needless adjournment.  

I therefore align myself with the sentiment expressed by Mr Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, also a former NBA president. “Senator Bulkachuwa’s statement at the valedictory of the 9th senate is a monumental disgrace for our institutions. This man deserves to be taken up immediately by the authorities. It is a blight on my confidence in our systems,” said Agbakoba, who added that he had represented a senatorial candidate in the election that brought Bulkachuwa to represent Bauchi North in the 9^th Senate. “We lost in three courts. Senator Bulkachuwa seems to suggest why.”   

Nigerians can remember the initial attempt at the beginning of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to tackle money related corruption among judges. The homes of some were broken into at night and searched, bank accounts were frozen, and dirty money trails were reportedly uncovered. A few were arraigned in court. After the government supposedly fighting corruption became muddled in its own internal contradictions, the entire idea collapsed. The ‘gra gra’ ended. The chase was abandoned. And Judges and politicians soon found compromise. Then, all went quiet.  

Unfortunately, the moral crisis associated with corruption among judges is one reason why the refrain ‘Go to court’ has today become a cruel joke in the country. Most ordinary Nigerians have come to expect only judgments rather than justice from our courts. But with what Bulkachuwa said in the hollow chambers of the senate, it should worry all of us that some of our judges have earned a reputation as wheeler-dealers of a tainted citadel of justice!  

Ganduje Versus Kwankwaso  

The political battle between the immediate past Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) presidential candidate in the 2023 polls, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso is getting out of hand. Fielding questions from State House correspondents last weekend, Ganduje threw caution to the wind: “I know he (Kwankwaso) is in the building, but we have not met. Probably if we met, maybe I could have slapped him.” Kwankwaso has since responded: “I heard that he (Ganduje) said he would have slapped me, but I’m here. He was in a confused state when he said that. These are my political boys (and) if they see me, they lower their gaze.”  

My brother, Mahmud Jega has weighed in with the argument that a leaner, younger, and obviously fitter Kwankwaso would probably be more dangerous in any physical bout between the two men. But then, Jega also forgot that Ganduje spent years at the University of Ibadan where he got his doctorate degree in Public Administration and may have picked one or two tricks in street fighting from that city-village. On a more serious note, the war of attrition between Kwankwaso and Ganduje speaks to the fickle nature of the relationships between politicians in Nigeria. It is also reflected in the service they deliver to the public. If loyalty and trust mean nothing in their personal life, then we are all forfeits when they manage our expectations. That exactly is what is happening today in Nigeria.   

The relationship between Kwankwaso and Ganduje dates to 1992 when the former was Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives under the transition to civil rule programme of General Ibrahim Babangida and the latter was a civil servant with the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) ministry in Abuja. When in 1999 Kwankwaso secured the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial ticket for Kano, he picked Ganduje as his running mate. Having won the election, they both served the first term but were defeated in 2003. Appointed Minister of Defence by President Olusegun Obasanjo, Kwankwaso made Ganduje his SA until 2006 when he resigned. In 2007, the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua appointed Kwankwaso to the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) while Ganduje was appointed as the Executive Secretary of the Lake Chad Development Commission. When he ran again for the Kano governorship in 2011, Kwankwaso also picked Ganduje as his running mate. And when leaving office in 2015, he anointed his deputy as successor. But less than a year into Ganduje’s term, crises between them began.   

That Kwankwaso was the one at the Villa to report the action taken by the new administration in Kano to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu only buttresses Ganduje’s point that the governor is a ‘stooge’. But how the two of them resolve their personal problems is of no concern to me. I just hope that they do not set Kano State ablaze.   

Trouble on the Homefront  

On Tuesday, there was drama at the swearing in ceremony of the new House of Representatives Speaker, Hon Tajudeen Abbas. The speaker apparently forgot ‘the order of precedence’ at home and his first wife would not have that. So, she chose to displace the second wife in the public glare. In Zamfara State, a ‘civil war’ is also brewing between defeated Governor Bello Matawalle and his successor, Dauda Lawal-Dare. The problem began when the new administration asked Matawalle to return government vehicles he allegedly took away. The number was put at 17. At the end, the government harvested more than 40 vehicles from the residence of the former governor. But for Matawalle, the vehicles are not the real issue. “The saddest thing is that, in my Gusau house, all my wives’ rooms were broken, even hijabs have been taken away. Stoves were all put in a car and taken away,” Matawalle wailed and who would not feel for him? With the stoves now carted away, how will his wives cook? “This is robbery, they entered everywhere in my houses, even my daughter’s wedding clothing materials (Kayan Lefe) were not spared.”  

While President Tinubu should help Matawalle retrieve his wife’s hijabs from Governor Lawal-dare, it may also be important to pay attention to the trouble that seems to be brewing in the military. No, it is not what some people think! On 28^th May, a day before she ‘handed over’, former First Lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari chaired the public presentation of a book written by the president of the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA), Mrs Vickie Anwuli Irabor. Titled ‘The Journey of a Military Wife’, the author is the wife of the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor. Now, why is this important?  

Last week, I found myself among a group of retired senior military officers, some of them General Irabor’s course mates. They were angry that his wife did not portray them well in her book. That elicited my curiosity. On Monday, I got the book. Although poorly produced and certainly could have been better edited (assuming it went through any such process), the book contains much relevant information about the military that researchers will find useful. The story of how she met her husband, the marriage and his military career are also interesting. So, I find it a good book in terms of contents. But I also discerned what riled the retired Generals.   

According to Mrs Irabor, most retired military officers exhibit certain behavioural traits after their tour of duty, and she warned their wives to be fully prepared: “Furthermore, since the tension and absenteeism which the job brought to the family is gone, nights would be free so military wives must prepare!” (emphasis’ hers). And then the punchline: “While this may sound like a joke, some retired military wives during an interview revealed that the sex life of retired officers got to another level because the military job and its tension is no more there, so all they do is sex!” (Again, emphasis’ hers).  

While I plead with the retired Generals to see the lighter side of the ‘revelation’, I also hope Mrs Irabor is ready for a serious ‘indoor game’ once her husband retires.    

The Labour Party has suspended its National Legal adviser Barr. Samuel Akingbade along with twelve other officials over attempt to factionalise the party in support of Lamidi Apapa-led faction.

Other suspended party officials include the Osun State Women leader Mrs. Susan Ojo and 11 Local Government Chairmen across the state, who were said to be involved in gross misconduct with a vow to create animosity within the party in the state.

Speaking with newsmen on behalf of the party leadership on Thursday at the party secretariat in Osogbo, Osun state Chairman, Bello Adebayo said the suspended officials were trying to factionalise the party in the state.

“All identified card-carrying members of the Labour Party who were part of a NEC meeting that took place in Bauchi, Bauchi State on Wednesday, 3rd May, 2022 are hereby suspended indefinitely.

“Among those identified and affected by this decision are; Barr. Samuel Akingbade (National Legal Adviser), Mrs. Susan Ojo (State Women Leader) and 11 chairmen of Local Government of our party in Osun State who participated in a meeting organized by the National Legal Adviser and suspended State Woman Leader.

“These members stand suspended for anti-party activities and gross misconduct. This decision will be forwarded to the National Working Committee of the Labour Party and other relevant bodies including all security agencies for further actions.

“Without prejudice, we are all aware that our party is currently facing some challenges at the national level, and this is snowballing into crisis in some states. However, we have been so lucky in Osun State, the State Executive of the party has remained united in spite of the shenanigans of some people.

“We cannot shy away from the fact that some members of the party have been attempting to take advantage of the crisis at the national level to cause confusion and division in Osun State Chapter of the Labour Party. We equally acknowledge the presence of members with inordinate ambition, which is gradually leading to the factionalization of the party.

“The intention is to create parallel structures at the National level and the states to lend support to the dirty agenda of scuttling the legal struggle of reclaiming the mandate of Mr. Peter Obi and Dr. Datti Baba-Ahmed in the 2023 Presidential election.

“We observe that if the activities of these undemocratic persons are not checked on time, it will either weaken the Labour Party structure in Osun or collapse it totally. Based on the foregoing, the State Executive Council of the Labour Party met on Thursday, May 11, 2023 to address all the issues and forge ahead.

“At the meeting, we resolved among other things, that: We affirm and assert our loyalty, support and commitment to the National Working Committee of our great party led by our lawfully recongnised National Chairman, Barrister Julius Abure”, he said.