In a dramatic turn of events, Godwin Emefiele, the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has accused the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, of making defamatory statements against him. 

The accusations stem from comments purportedly made by the Senate President at an event, which Emefiele claims have unjustly maligned his character and portrayed him as the root cause of Nigeria’s current economic challenges.

During the televised remarks, the Senate President suggested that the government was at a loss for what charges to bring against Emefiele, citing potential accusations ranging from causing economic turmoil to illegal possession of firearms and unauthorised printing of currency. 

These remarks have sparked controversy and drawn attention to the former CBN governor’s ongoing legal battles, where he has pleaded not guilty and is actively defending his innocence.

Matthew Burkaa, SAN, legal representative for Emefiele, stated in a letter addressed to the Senate President, a copy of which was obtained by Vanguard in Abuja on Wednesday, that the former CBN governor considers these statements false, distorted, and made in bad faith. The statements were deemed to be aimed at disparaging his character.

The letter demanded an immediate retraction of the statement, a written apology, and the payment of twenty-five billion naira (N25,000,000,000) as compensation for the alleged defamation.

The legal team argued that the Senate President’s comments not only undermine the integrity of the judiciary by commenting on a matter currently under legal review but also fail to acknowledge Emefiele’s contributions to the Nigerian economy. 

They highlighted his role in introducing banking sector innovations and his efforts in addressing the P&ID Saga, which had positive outcomes for Nigeria.

Furthermore, the letter emphasised that no policy was enacted under Emefiele’s tenure without the approval or directive of the President and the Federal Executive Council, of which Akpabio was a key member. This point underscored the complexity of attributing the country’s economic woes solely to Emefiele.

The letter read in full: “We are Solicitors to Dr. Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (hereinafter referred to as “Our Client”), on whose brief and instruction, we write this letter to you as follows:

“Our Client’s attention has been drawn to a widely circulated statement made by you against him on Channels Television on or about the 18th February, 2024 which he considers false, distorted and clearly aimed at disparaging his character and indeed made in bad faith. The said statement is contained in a video and was made by you to a large gathering of persons and circulated globally via uncountable online media. The statement which has now gone viral had this heading attached to its preface ”we don’t know what crime to charge emefiele with” in the video, you stated clearly and unequivocally, among other things, as follows:

‘So the kind of debt and the kind of economic mess that we are in, a lot of people do not understand, I remember President Obama saying you cannot know Washington until you get to Washington. So by the time we went in to look at the economic state of the country it was terrible, so the Former Governor of Central of Bank of Nigeria we didn’t even know what to charge him, whether to charge him for putting foam on the … or to charge him for illegal possession of Fire Arms or to Charge him for printing notes without income, I don’t know what we are going to charge him with. But, what I know is that, yes there is hunger today because of the policies that they took.’

“The above statement, whether taken in their ordinary, figurative or literal meaning portrayed Our Client as:

“The cause of the entire hardship in Nigeria today is as a result of the policies of the previous administration.

“A serial offender whose action is responsible for all the hardship experienced by Nigerians today.

“A person who has committed offences that are so numerous that the government is confused as to which of the offences to prefer a charge against him.

“Your Excellency, as the President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, you certainly know, or have reasons to know that the Federal Government of Nigeria had since the 14th August, 2023 preferred Charges against Our Client to which he had long pleaded not guilty and is presently defending same to exonerate himself and show that he is not guilty of the said allegations.

“It is therefore disturbing, that such a statement would be made by the Head of the Legislature of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on a matter that is clearly subjudice. Your statement, with the greatest respect, clearly undermines the honour and integrity of the Court and its independence and indeed has the propensity of prejudicing the case against Our Client. Having submitted to the jurisdiction of the Court, it is only fair and proper that the Court should be allowed to determine the issues submitted to it without unnecessary pressure from any other arm of Government.

“Secondly Sir, as a Senior member of the Bar, a former Governor of a State, A Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and former Minister under the immediate past Administration, Your statement attributing the present economic woes of the country solely on Our Client is most appalling and exposes the inaccuracies in Your assertions, especially, as you were a major player in the immediate Past Administration and worked closely with Our Client and indeed witnessed the innovations he introduced in the banking sector and its impact on the economy whilst in office, as well as the role he played despite all odds in salvaging Nigeria in the P & ID Saga and the positive result it brought for Nigeria. 

“You are also aware that no single policy was carried out by Our Client without the approval, directive or authorization of the President and/or the Federal Executive Council of which you were a key and powerful member.

“It is pursuant to the above and without delving into the matter presently pending in Court that Our Client has instructed that we write to Your good offices and demand the immediate retraction of Your statement which has gone viral and are considered clearly defamatory of Our Client

“These baseless and false allegations clearly defames the character of Our Client and has also caused him great pains and embarrassment as it has lowered his esteem before the right thinking members of the Society in addition to the obvious odium and opprobrium from the unsuspecting members of the Society as a result of the falsity contained in that statement. 

“We therefore have Our Client’s further instruction to demand from you an unreserved apology in writing, published and circulated by the same medium with which you have defamed his character and the sum of Twenty-Five Billion Naira (N25,000,000,000) as reasonable compensation for the willful and unjustifiable denigration of his hard earned reputation. In the event that you fail, refuse or neglect to comply with this legitimate demand, Our Client will be at liberty to seek the appropriate redress available to him under the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The demand for a retraction and apology, coupled with the substantial compensation claim, has raised eyebrows across the nation, putting the spotlight on the role of past and present high-ranking officials in Nigeria’s economic health.

Vanguard News

The immediate-past Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele, has vowed to sue the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, for alleged defamation.

The Senate president had at Senator Barinada Mpigi’s thanksgiving service in Koroma, Tai Local Government Area, Rivers State on February 18, stated that President Bola Tinubu’s administration did not know the crime to charge Emefiele with.

He added that the President inherited an economic mess from the former CBN governor.

However, in a letter through his lawyer, Mathew Burkaa (SAN), addressed to Akpabio, Emefiele demanded an apology in written form and published in the media or be slammed with a N25bn lawsuit.

In the letter dated February 19 and a copy which was sighted by our correspondent on Wednesday, Emefiele claimed that the interpretation of the senate president’s comment meant that he is a serial offender whose action is responsible for all the hardship experienced by Nigerians.

The letter partly read, “We are solicitors to Dr. Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (hereinafter referred to as “Our Client”), on whose brief and instruction, we write this letter. The above statement, whether taken in their ordinary, figurative, or literal meaning portrayed our Client as:

“The cause of the entire hardship in Nigeria today is as a result of the policies of the previous administration.

“A serial offender whose action is responsible for all the hardship experienced by Nigerians today.

“A person who has committed offences that are so numerous that the government is confused as to which of the offences to prefer a charge against him.”

Emefiele noted that the comments of the senate president undermined the integrity of the court and its independence, adding that it was detrimental to his ongoing trial.

He said, “As the President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, you certainly know, or have reasons to know that the Federal Government of Nigeria had since August 14, 2023, preferred charges against our client to which he had long pleaded not guilty and is presently defending same to exonerate himself and show that he is not guilty of the said allegations. It is therefore disturbing, that such a statement would be made by the Head of the Legislature of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on a matter that is clearly subjudice.

“Your statement, with the greatest respect, clearly undermines the honour and integrity of the Court and its independence and indeed has the propensity of prejudicing the case against Our Client. Having submitted to the jurisdiction of the Court, it is only fair and proper that the Court should be allowed to determine the issues submitted to it without unnecessary pressure from any other arm of Government.”

The former CBN governor also noted as a minister in the last administration, attributing the parlous economic situation to him was appalling.

He added that without the approval of the President and/or the Federal Executive Council of he was a key and powerful member, he could have done nothing on his own.

Emefiele said, “Secondly Sir, as a Senior member of the Bar, a former Governor of a State, A Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and a former Minister under the immediate past Administration, Your statement attributing the present economic woes of the country solely on Our Client is most appalling and exposes the inaccuracies in Your assertions, especially, as you were a major player in the immediate Past Administration and worked closely with Our Client and indeed witnessed the innovations he introduced in the banking sector and its impact on the economy whilst in office, as well as the role he played despite all odds in salvaging Nigeria in the P & ID Saga and the positive result it brought for Nigeria.

“You are also aware that no single policy was carried out by Our Client without the approval, directive, or authorization of the President and/or the Federal Executive Council of which you were a key and powerful member.”

He called on the senate president to immediately retract his statement which had gone viral or risk being sued.

Emefiele said, “It is pursuant to the above and without delving into the matter presently pending in Court that Our Client has instructed that we write to Your good offices and demand the immediate retraction of Your statement which has gone viral and is considered defamatory of Our Client

“These baseless and false allegations defame the character of Our Client and have also caused him great pains and embarrassment as it has lowered his esteem before the right-thinking members of the Society in addition to the obvious odium and opprobrium from the unsuspecting members of the Society as a result of the falsity contained in that statement.

“We, therefore have Our Client’s further instruction to demand from you an unreserved apology in writing, published and circulated by the same medium with which you have defamed his character, and the sum of N25,000,000,000 as reasonable compensation for the willful and unjustifiable denigration of his hard-earned reputation. If you fail, refuse, or neglect to comply with this legitimate demand, Our Client will be at liberty to seek the appropriate redress available to him under the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

A group of international students in the United Kingdom have sued the UK Home Office over an accusation of cheating in the English Language tests.

The students were seeking compensation for unlawful detention and loss of earnings after the Home Office canceled their visas

According to the Economic Times, the UK government has made payments in at least two cases, but lawyers have expressed frustration at the department’s refusal to agree to a standard settlement scheme for wrongly accused students, which they believe would accelerate the process of securing justice.

The law firm Bindmans is representing 23 students who have already won immigration appeals, and overturned the Home Office’s decision to cancel their visas amid cheating allegations, and is pushing for the department to treat this as a group action.

Clients are seeking compensation for wrongful arrest, false imprisonment, loss of earnings (during the period their contested immigration status meant they were prohibited from working) and damage to their mental health.

Attempts to secure compensation come 10 years after the Home Office took steps to cancel the visas of about 35,000 international students, after a BBC documentary revealed evidence of cheating in some English language test centres.

Although cheating happened in some Home Office approved test centres, thousands of students have spent years protesting that they were wrongly affected by the department’s decision to classify 97% of those who took the test as possible cheats.

Some of the firm’s clients were not initially told that they had been accused of cheating but were detained by immigration enforcement officers during dawn raids, with no clear indication of what had prompted the arrest, Alice Hardy, a partner at Bindmans, said.

“Our clients have been through hell. The Home Office deliberately concealed from them the fact that they had been accused of cheating, denying them the opportunity to defend themselves, and instead removed their immigration status with no in-country right of appeal. They lost everything as a result; homes, livelihoods, the right to work, study and pay rent. They suffered the shame and rejection of their families, relationship breakdowns, destitution and the torment of seeing everything they had worked for taken away from them,” Hardy said.

“These situations persisted for up to 10 years and caused untold suffering. It is now apparent that the allegations were based on thin evidence.”

The firm issued the 23 claims between October 2020 and March 2022 but only one case has settled. Lawyers had hoped to persuade the department to develop a scheme, based on the model of the Windrush compensation scheme, that would set out clear categories under which damages could be paid, which they hoped would speed up the process. The Home Office has rejected the lawyers’ proposal, Bindmans said.

“It is open to the Home Office to repair some of the damage done by apologising to our clients and agreeing a sensible, efficient settlement scheme to enable them to move on with their lives. It is deeply disappointing that they are declining to do that,” Hardy said.

At least one student represented by a different law firm has received compensation after an allegation of cheating in the test. Mohammad Bhuiyan received about £13,500 in compensation in 2021 from the Home Office for wrongful detention after being held in immigration detention for 47 days after an accusation of cheating in an English language test.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “The 2014 investigation into the abuse of English language testing revealed systemic cheating which was indicative of significant organised fraud. Courts have consistently found the evidence was sufficient to take the action we did.”

Last week, Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, played host to his Nasarawa State counterpart, Abdullahi Sule, at the Government House, Okemosan, Abeokuta, the state capital. As stated by the August visitor, the courtesy call aimed to congratulate Prince Abiodun on his victory at the Supreme Court and to also commiserate with the family of the late former Minister of Finance, Dr Onaolapo Soleye, who died late last year at the age of 90. With a shared experience of prolonged litigation spanning over six months, the visit was an auspicious movement for the two friends to exchange pleasantries over their hard-won victory. “I am here to congratulate my brother over his victory at the Supreme Court, it was not an easy fight,” Governor Sule declared.

Beyond that, he also seized the occasion as a unique opportunity for cross-fertilization of ideas on how to achieve the developmental agenda set for the people of his Nasarawa home state. And he didn’t mince words on this as he said: “I am also here to appreciate (Abiodun) him for all the good works that he is doing and to learn from what he is doing in Ogun because Ogun to Lagos is the way Nasarawa is to Abuja, we have so much to learn from Ogun State. While on a tour of the state, one thing that particularly caught his fancy, among other critical landmark achievements, is the sprawling network of road infrastructures. Without much ado, this great accomplishment speaks for itself. Even as a cynic, you can only ignore it at your peril because posterity judges better than humans. For being so impressed, Governor Sule commended Abiodun for his giant strides in road construction and infrastructural development in the last four and a half years. Expressing delight at the good road network that criss-crosses the state, described infrastructure as a catalyst for investments and industrial growth. His words: “So many projects like the AgroCargo Airport are going on in the State. I know about the various projects that President Muhammadu Buhari came to commission. “The last time I came here was when Nestle was beginning to build their factory and the Brewery was also building their site. Today, I have not only seen those industries, but I have also seen the dualisation of the Sagamu-Abeokuta road. We zoomed here in 20 minutes. “That is what a private thinking person will do to attract investments as investments will not come without somebody doing something.” Engr. Sule rightly observed that most of the projects were sited at the grassroots, adding that it would help in their socio-economic endeavours. “I am even happier that most of these projects are done at the grassroots as people will be able to benefit especially in the area of agriculture, health, and education,” he added. The network of road infrastructure is not the only thing that stands out Ogun State among its peers. Beneath all the remarkable achievements in its capacity for Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). It is the magic wand that puts the state in the leading role. The recent report by the Economic Confidential which listed Ogun State as the second leading economically viable state in Nigeria after Lagos is the evidence of the capacity of the state for IGR. For three consecutive sessions under the present administration, the state has routinely maintained its competitive edge over the rest of the country.

The Nasarawa governor, while applauding the creativity Prince Abiodun has brought into governance, openly confessed the readiness of his administration to learn from the state. “We have so much to learn from Ogun State. Ogun is to Lagos what Nasarawa is to Abuja. In the area of revenue, Ogun State is doing very well and there are states that do not generate the kind of revenue Ogun is generating. “The biggest of them all is the area of your revenue. You will not appreciate it until you understand what other states that are not generating this kind of revenue are doing,” he said. There is, indeed, a direct link between revenue-generating capacity and economic viability. Without adequate funds, the desire of the administration to create an enabling environment for direct foreign and local investments in the state wouldn’t have been possible. Since Governor Abiodun assumed office, the commitment of his administration has been toward sustainable industrial growth. Yet, sustaining a leading position among other competing states is not by wishful thinking. It is one thing to evolve a roadmap to industrialisation; it is another thing to sustain the action plan. The pursuit of an industrialisation policy has been the overarching objective of all successive governments, but none has achieved the level of success the present administration has recorded within the four and a half years of its inception. The difference is in the commitment to a sustainable environment for industrial growth through the aggressive development of a network of road infrastructures. Apart from the network of road infrastructure visible across the three senatorial districts, continuous improvement in the Ease-of-Doing Business is also a major attraction for investors. This is evident in the creation of four economic zones in the last four and a half years in addition to the Agbara Industrial Zone, which includes the Ota and Kajola axes.

The recent commissioning of two factories and extension of the Tropical General Investment (TGI), along Interchange, Sagamu is a good testament to the administration’s commitment to the effect of Easy-of-Doing Business. Governor Abiodun, while commissioning the two factories, described the event as a classic example of the success story of the state and a reference point in Direct Foreign Investment (DFI). “If we had not increased the ranking of the state on the ease-of-doing business index, you would not be expanding your business. You are a testament to the fact that we are truly working the talk and we are proud to be associated with you,” he said. The most celebrated infrastructure for agroindustrial transformation is the construction of the Agro-Cargo Airport project which would soon commence operation. The Airport with the longest runway in Nigeria (4km) is primed to support the planned investment of over $400 million for a Special Agricultural Processing Zone (SAPZ) in the adjourning lands. “All these projects have changed the face of the state as well as the well-being of the people,” Abiodun enthusiastically said. The discussion on infrastructure will not be complete without a mention of the housing policy of the present government. As an administration that places a premium on humans as a means and an end to development, the governor has left his imprint in this critical sector. In terms of housing, Ogun State has been adjudged to be the friendliest in the area of provision of affordable housing, bridging the housing deficit for the benefit of the people in the state and the nation at large. It was in furtherance of his housing policy implementation that the government recently announced its decision to commence the rebuilding of structures inside the Government Residential Area (GRA) Ibara occupied by civil servants in the state to give way to a smart city. According to the Commissioner for Housing, Jamiu Akande Omoniyi, the decision aligns with the GRA Regeneration Programme initiated by the present administration. To this end, no fewer than 33 housing units sitting on about seven hectares of land at the Annex of the Government Technical College, Idi Aba, Abeokuta, had been demolished as part of the regeneration programme.

To this end, the Ogun State Housing Corporation has been monitoring compliance with the evacuation order issued by the state government to civil servants residing in the housing units. Part of the vision to invest in affordable housing is to prepare the ground for the increasingly growing population of the state due to its proximity to Lagos, the nation’s commercial nerve centre. The idea is to bridge the yawning gap between the demand and supply sides of affordable rent. As the gateway to the largest and fastest growing commercial city in the West Africa subregion, it has become imperative for the government to have a sustainable future action plan to absorb the exodus of people seeking affordable rent in Ogun State. Otherwise, the population explosion that will eventually result from the trend will overwhelm the government with its catastrophic consequences. This is why the governor has made affordable housing schemes the primary objective of his developmental agenda both for social security and economic advantage of an ever increasing population. And he has left his imprints in the sand of time.

NATIONWIDE PROTEST AGAINST THE TINUBU REGIME IS LONG OVERDUE!

• We support the decision of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to embark on a 2-day mass protest
• We call on the TUC and other labour affiliates to mobilize and join the protest
• Tinubu must stop  attack on the working people
• For 200,000  minimum wage Now

The Revolutionary Socialist Movement (RSM) backs the decision of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to embark on a 2-day nationwide warning protest against the rising cost of living, insecurity and other anti-people policies of the Tinubu-led Federal Government.  We believe a nationwide protest of this is long overdue and we call on the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and other affiliate unions to immediately join and commence mobilizing for a total, comprehensive and massive protest on the 27th and 28th of February. 

The resolution of the NEC meeting of the NLC held on Friday 16th of February to embark on this strike is well-deserving and long overdue. In fact, we believe the protest action should have commenced after the removal of the fuel subsidy and floating of Naira. As we warned during those periods, the economic policies of the Tinubu regime will bring nothing but more hardship on the mass of the working people. The economic crisis of Nigeria did not just start today. The origin of the current crisis can be linked to the successive capitalist governments of the country that have incessantly looted the collective wealth of people, privatized the commanding heights of the economy and subjected economic decisions to the recommendations of the world imperialists.

We also support the other resolutions of the NLC, especially with the commencement of an indefinite strike action if the government fails to meet the demands of the workers. We call on the NLC to start making plans for this indefinite strike as the Tinubu-led FG has no magic to perform in a few days. The NLC should be wary of all forms of romance and cosmetic measures of the FG to avert the strike action. Even, we have seen during this same Tinubu regime how he has used Court Order to impede the constitutional right  of the the Congress. Hence, the NLC must be prepared for all these tactics of the FG.

Similarly, the past few days have recorded protest breakouts in several parts of Nigeria including Niger State, Kano State, Lagos State, and Oyo State, to mention but a few. These are testaments to the fact that people are ready to hit the street. The role of the NLC is to provide the necessary leadership and direction for the people. Even, the protest actions have the potential to grow into larger, interconnected ones without the intervention of the Labour front. Hence, we charge the Trade Union Congress and other affiliate unions to rise to the duty and lead the people to freedom, emancipation and progress.

The labour leaders should fight for full  payment of wage award of 35,000  to all categories of workers both in the public  and  private sectors.   The labour leaders must prepare to lead protracted struggle against  the state governors that have received huge sum of palliative but refused to share and even pay workers wage award.

In the same vein, the TUC President, Festus Osifo, must have realized how wrong he was to support the removal of subsidy and  Naira devaluation policy (according to Vanguard Newspaper, June 16 2023). The policy he supported has been hunting millions of Nigerians, collapsing thousands of small businesses, and causing a surge inflation of goods and services. We believe this is an opportunity to show remorse and re-commitment towards fighting, side by side with the working people, against policies that will further wreak havoc on the masses of the people.

To us in the Revolutionary Socialist Movement, the leadership of the Labour movement must provide clear demands and lead the people to achieve those demands. We propose that the NLC and TUC should, together with the demand for a living minimum wage of at least N200,000, link the struggle to the return of a well-monitored subsidy scheme on the PMS, reversal of all hiked fees at public tertiary institutions, renationalization of the power and petroleum sector and so on.

All of these events are clear indications that the Labour Movement needs to initiate the building of a genuine mass working people’s political party or reclaim the existing Labour Party with a revolutionary programme and method to wrestle power from the thieving elite, backward capitalist ruling elite and establish a workers and poor people’s government armed with socialist programmes. Such a socialist government will ensure the human and material resources of the country are used on the basis of socialist planning for the benefit of all and the genuine development of the society.

Kayode Salako

Publicity Secretary

For RSM

The undeniable truth is that 99% of Nigeria's current challenges stem from General Muhammadu Buhari's presidency, marked by the highest levels of incompetence and recklessness, resulting in eight years of devastation. The consequences of his actions are what we are now experiencing. Tinubu's confused tenure exacerbated matters by adding fuel to Buhari's already consuming fire, unlike what an Obi presidency could have achieved in alleviating them by extinguishing the flames. Is it appropriate for Buhari to roam freely amidst the catastrophic damage he inflicted upon this nation?

Meanwhile, let's refrain from solely blaming Nigerians from all regions for mistakenly voting for Tinubu. The reality is that Nigerians transcended religion and ethnicity to vote for Obi, only to be deceived by the same heartless individuals—Buhari and INEC chief, Prof. Yakubu Mohammed.

Another institution equally culpable alongside Buhari is the judiciary. Let judicial officers stop this annoying pretense as if they live in another world. How can reasonable men unreasonably search for self-evident truths and even bury them under the weight of technicality when found? I assert this with the utmost sense of responsibility.

Not a few defenders of neoliberalism have criticised the judgment of the Federal High Court in the case of Femi Falana SAN v Attorney-General of the Federation for directing the Federal Government to fix the prices of essential commodities in the country. The criticism of the judgment is anchored on the claim that Nigeria is a capitalist country. It is surprising that such critics are not aware that the leading capitalist countries in the world regularly subsidise energy and gas and regulate the prices of certain goods and services.

According to Hugh Rockoff, governments in the United States "have fixed the price of gasoline, the rent on apartments in New York City, and the wage of unskilled labour, to name a few. At times, governments go beyond fixing specific prices and try to control the general level of prices, as was done in the United States during both world wars and the Korean War, and by the Nixon administration from 1971 to 1973."

Sometime in October last year, in response to the growing demand for rent control in the United Kingdom, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan recently said that: “Londoners re-elected me on a manifesto pledge to push for the powers to control rents and I will not stop advocating for this lifeline on their behalf. I am delivering on my promise to build a better, fairer, and more prosperous London by building more affordable homes in the capital and providing vital support to Londoners through the cost-of-living crisis. It’s about time the government did the same.”

Notwithstanding that Nigeria operates a so-called free market economy, several laws have imposed a duty on the Federal Government and State Governments to regulate the prices of fuel, tickets for train and domestic air travels, schools fees paid in government colleges and tuition in tertiary institutions, water rates, electricity tariffs, telecom call rates, tolling fees paid by road users, land use charge, fees for land documentation, rents paid by tenants and wages paid to workers. The Federal Government has just set up a Wages Review Panel to recommend the minimum wage payable by the public and private sectors in the country.

It is common knowledge that the federal government fixes duties on goods imported into the country. In particular, the Nigeria Customs Service is legally obligated to collect such duties. However, the Government has decreed that import duties shalll not be paid in respect of certain goods and products, including all basic foods items, medical and pharmaceutical products, books and educational materials, baby products, fertilizer, locally produced agricultural and veterinary medicine, farming machinery and farming transportation equipment, plant and machinery imported for use in the export processing zone.

Some private companies that are required to pay import duties running to several trillions of Naira are also granted duty waivers by the federal government. In the last 5 years of the Buhari administration, they gave duty waivers of N17 trillion to a few "captains of industry.". Similarly, the Tinubu administration has extended such facilities to not less than 34 companies. It is submitted that the federal government is duty bound to prevent the beneficiaries of such humongous duty waivers from fixing the prices of the goods without regulation.

The Central Bank of Nigeria is legally mandated to fix the exchange rate of the Naira visavis other currencies. But contrary to the letter and spirit of the Central Bank Act, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has continued to devalue the Naira through dollarisation. The CBN has also floated the currency to allow market forces to fix the exchange of the Naira. But, the various circulars recently issued by the CBN, in the past couple of weeks, have confirmed that the federal government can no longer afford to allow market forces alone to fix the exchange rate of the Naira without regulation.

It is interesting to note that the services provided by a number of professional bodies are fixed and controlled by law. For instance, any lawyer who fails to pay the annual practising fees shall be denied audience in courts. The Stamp and Seal (purchased from the Nigerian Bar Association) shall be affixed to all documents, including court processes prepared by lawyers. In addition, the 2023 Legal Practitioners Remuneration Order has fixed the professional fees charged by legal practitioners. Any lawyer who fails to comply with the Remuneration Order shall be sanctioned by the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee.

Therefore, the Order of the Federal High Court which has directed the Federal Government to control the prices of essential commodities in Nigeria is in accordance with section 16 (1)(b) of the Constitution which has imposed a legal obligation on the Government to control "the national economy in such manner as to secure the maximum welfare, freedom and happiness of every citizen on the basis of social justice and equality of status and opportunity."

Last week, Vice President Kashim Shettima announced the plan of the Bola Tinubu administration to set up a Commodity Board which will be given the mandate to assess and regulate food prices, as well as maintain a strategic food reserve for stabilising prices of crucial grains and other food items. That’s the way to go if the poor in the society are to “breathe” as the implementation of the reforms embarked upon by the Tinubu administration gather pace.

The plan is in accordance with the Fifth Alteration to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 which stipulates that the Government shall direct its policy towards ensuring the right to food and food security for the people. It is also a revival of the Commodity Boards that were abolished as part of the conditionalities of the World Bank-inspired Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) that was imposed on Nigeria in 1986 by the General Ibrahim Babangida regime.

This is a welcome development as the official announcement comes after the federal high court in Lagos ordered the federal government to fix the prices of essential goods within seven days. It is however pertinent to note that notwithstanding that the Attorney-General of the Federation has filed an appeal against the judgment, the federal government and some state Governments have been compelled to halt the moves by landlords and traders to fix the prices of goods in defiance of relevant laws.

Hence, on February 16, 2024, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) temporarily sealed off a popular shopping mall, Sahad Stores in Abuja for persistently displaying lower prices on shelves and charging higher prices. The Commission exercised its powers under Section 18(f) of the FCCPC Act. Even though the shopping mall has since been reopened based on the undertaking of the owner to stop further involvement in “misleading” or “deceptive” pricing practices, the FCCPC has demonstrated its resolve to protect consumers from wanton manipulation of prices by traders.

In the same vein, the Lagos State Government has warned that it would start penalizing house owners found guilty of renting out their apartments at exorbitant fees. This disclosure was contained in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Housing, Mr. Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, who stated that the government would wield a big stick on allottees who engaged in sharp practices. Mr. Akinderu-Fatai said that residents of various state housing schemes have filed complaints about the high rent being charged by homeowners, adding that the state government would not hesitate to withdraw allocation from culpable home owners.

A few days ago, a bag of cement was sold for as much as N13, 000 in many parts of the country. But based on public outcry, the federal government and major cement manufacturers have jointly resolved to peg the price of 50kg bag of cement at between ₦7,000 and ₦8,000 depending on the location nationwide. The Minister of Works, Sen. David Umahi made this known to newsmen after a protracted meeting with major cement manufacturers in the country on February 19, 2024. The meeting was convened at the instance of President Bola Tinubu.

In view of the rising cost of living in Nigeria as a result of the religious implementation of neoliberal policies dictated by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, the Nigerian people should mount pressure on the Federal Government and State Governments to invest in massive production of food and other goods. Meanwhile, the skyrocketing duties and tariffs imposed on essential commodities that are imported into the country should be substantially reduced so as to make them cheap and affordable in line with the terms of the judgment of the Federal High Court.

In fact, what you are about to read is a two-pronged response to a two-pronged attack on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by two notable Northern leaders. The attack by the Sultan of Sokoto was responded to by the Yoruba Nation activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho, while the second attack by the Emir of Kano was responded to by Tunde Rahman, one of Tinubu’s presidential aides. Let’s take them one after the other: Sultan/Igboho first; then Emir of Kano/Rahman after that, both as they were reported in the media.

“Insecurity, poverty can’t be tackled overnight", Igboho tells the Sultan of Sokoto. Mr. Adeyemo maintained that the blame of bad economy, perennial insecurity problem, food inflation, unemployment and youth restiveness should not be heaped on Tinubu's administration, which is just about eight months old.

“Yoruba nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, on Thursday, took on the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, contending that the nation’s twin challenges of insecurity and poverty cannot be resolved overnight.

“He emphasized that relevant stakeholders in governance, economy, security and other critical sectors should be committed to finding ways round the insecurity challenge and socioeconomic obstacles for Nigeria to achieve peace and steady development.

“In a statement he personally signed, in reaction to the position of Mr. Abubakar on the prevalent hardship and spate of insecurity in some parts of the country, Mr. Adeyemo stressed that President Bola Tinubu’s administration should be allowed to work out solutions capable of addressing the situation.

"Recall that Mr. Abubakar, who is also the chairman, Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council, had, during the sixth executive meeting of the council in Arewa House, Kaduna (last week) Wednesday, declared that Nigeria is sitting on a keg of gunpowder due to poverty, hardship and ravaging insecurity bedeviling the nation.

"(While) Mr. Adeyemo posited that the Sultan’s position on the current state of the nation was not out of place (he) maintained that the blame of bad economy, perennial insecurity problem, food inflation, unemployment and youth restiveness should not be heaped on Tinubu’s administration, which is just about eight months old".

According to Igboho's statement, “it is important for our leaders at all levels, be it religious or traditional, to demonstrate commitment to bringing solutions to the table at this crucial point in our history. Our problems as a nation are foundational.

“Nigeria had been in a precarious state in terms of bad governance, poor economy, terrorism, insecurity, irresponsive leadership for decades. I believe that the Federal Government is not unconcerned about the plight of the people and has taken steps to remedy the situation.”

"Mr. Adeyemo noted that while the nation could not gloss over the incessant attacks by rampaging herdsmen on farmlands, most especially during the immediate past regime of former President Muhammadu Buhari, thus forcing thousands of farmers to abandon farm settlements, it is thoughtful to say that the effect of farmers/herders’ clash, leading to killings (and the) destruction of farms, has been devastating on food production and agriculture value chain.

“This worrisome development has been one of the major causes of food insecurity and increase in prices of food items and commodities. We need to allow the incumbent administration to explore all measures being deployed to address inflation, foreign exchange issues, exorbitant foodstuff prices, which will soon yield results.

“The recent decision by the government to deploy troops for the protection of farmers against herders’ attacks, which are negatively affecting harvest and food productivity, will further boost the confidence of peasant farmers and agric. entrepreneurs to return to the farm. Also, the plan to set up the National Commodity Board will checkmate escalating food inflation,” the statement added.

The Sultan’s statement, though not unexpected, was reckless, provocative and inciting, to say the least. What does he mean that they can no longer restrain their people? For eight years they restrained the same people while Buhari ruined the country irreparably but cannot now restrain the people while Tinubu grapples with the ruins left behind by Buhari! Interestingly, Sunday Adeyemo’s statement, though straight to the point, was measured; it was more of that of a statesman than of an agent provocateur like the Sultan's. Nigerians are no fools!

Titled “Olayemi Cardoso’s dilemma” the second response by Tunde Rahman started by detailing the CBN governor’s antecedents that he said eminently qualified him for his present job before stating the variables that he said would make or mar Cardoso in his new assignment: “But in the wake of the floating of the Naira, some of the variables shaping the value of the national currency, including limited production in the country as a result of insecurity, Nigerians’ high taste for imported products, dwindling exports, poor dollar remittances, humongous school fees of Nigerian students abroad and medical tourism - all of which engendered a strong demand for dollar, far outweighing supply - seem to be clearly beyond his control.

"Until these situations change for the better, no monetary policies by the CBN will work any miracle, hence Cardoso’s predicament. For instance, in his presentation at the sectoral debate organized by the House of Representatives… the CBN governor lamented that the growing number of Nigerian students studying abroad, increasing medical tourism and food imports have led to the depreciation of the Naira against the Dollar. According to him, over the past decade, foreign exchange demand for education and healthcare totaled nearly $40 billion, surpassing the total current foreign exchange reserves of the CBN, while personal travel allowances accounted for a total of $58.7 billion during the same period”

The question here is: Since we know the problems, tell us what we are doing to solve them! I read of efforts to revamp some hospitals; good! But what are we doing to reverse the "japa" of doctors and other medical staff? What are we doing to revamp our institutions of higher learning? What efforts are we making to engage university teachers and implement the MOU entered into with them?

Not done yet, Rahman continued: “Another critical yet intriguing factor but seemingly odd in Cardoso’s reckoning is the perception in some quarters of some of the decisions of the CBN, which the apex bank considers purely administrative, but which some others give strange connotations. One of such is the decision to move some departments of the bank; notably banking supervision, other financial institutions supervision, consumer protection department, and payment system management department from Abuja to Lagos.

" Indeed, until the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, spoke on this issue last week, I had reckoned that the imperative of the planned relocation of some CBN departments and the headquarters of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria from Abuja to Lagos was evident enough. I had reasoned that the Northern politicians, including Senator Ali Ndume from Borno State, who had moved to bring down the roof over the development, were merely playing politics.

Rahman then quoted the Emir as saying: “We are indeed suspicious on why Mr. President single-handedly relocated key departments of CBN and outright relocation of FAAN to Lagos. We are receiving a series of messages from my subjects, and most of them expressed concern over the relocation of CBN and FAAN to Lagos. President Tinubu should come out clean on this matter and talk to Nigerians in the language they would understand. Do more enlightenment on this matter. I, for one, cannot tell the actual intentions of the government. We should be made to actually understand why the relocation of the CBN and FAAN offices back to Lagos.”

Rahman said many would wonder “why some members of the northern elites are losing their cool, misinterpreting this move and, perhaps inadvertently, heating up the polity on this rather elementary matter. Is their reservation altruistic? Or are they just being sincerely mistaken and reading unnecessary motives into the policy?” While I agree that the Northern leaders' views on this issue is not altruistic but unhelpful, tribal, sectional, selfish and myopic, I disagree with Rahman that more PR by Cardoso would have changed the Northern leaders’ opinion. No amount of PR will! Rahman advised the CBN governor to “be political without being partisan”. I disagree! The CBN governor is not a politician and must resist every insidious effort to turn him into one.

However, I agree with Rahman that “those who are responding negatively to the policy (of moving some offices from Abuja to Lagos) are treating Abuja as if it belongs to the North rather than being the symbol of the entire country as the Federal Capital Territory. In that capacity, as the FCT, Abuja belongs to all and belongs to no one. In the same vein, as the economic capital and nerve center of the country, Lagos is a melting pot where representatives of virtually all ethnic and cultural groups in the country reside and earn a living. There is absolutely nothing that says that the headquarters of all federal agencies must be located in the federal capital even when economic considerations and efficiency dictate otherwise. Some federal agencies reside neither in Abuja nor Lagos at present, and their work goes on unimpeded”.

O yes! If need be, let more FG offices be moved from Abuja to Lagos and other parts of the country. Akinola Aguda, Kayode Esho, Tai Solarin and other Yoruba conscientious and eminent luminaries who thought they were being patriotic when they recommended and or supported the movement of the capital from Lagos to Abuja will squirm in their grave, seeing how the North is appropriating to themselves alone what should belong to all of us equally! Every part of Nigeria is qualified to house any agency of the federal government if we are truly the Federal Republic of Nigeria and not an appendage of the feudal North.

The 181-megawatt Geometric Power plant in the Osisioma Industrial Layout of Aba in Abia State will now be commissioned on Monday, February 26, 2024, according to a statement by the company’s management issued just now.

The plant was originally scheduled for inauguaration on Saturday, February 24, by President Bola Tinubu.

The new date was chosen by The Presidency in Abuja due to what insider sources described as unexpected developments.

The president will commission the 188-MW thermal plant alongside Aba Power Ltd which will take electricity from the new plant and supply to nine of the 17 local governement areas in Abia State.

 Reacting to the decision to postpone the long-awaited commissioning to Monday, an energy consultant in Lagos, Engineer Cliff Eneh who was a senior manager with the defunct National Electric Power of Nigeria (NEPA), after serving as a senior engineer with the Texa Power and Light Corporation in the United States, said this morning: “A 48-hour difference is not significant.

“We are proud of the support the Federal Governemnt has of late been giving to the Geometric Power integrated company, the only group in Nigeria that will generate and distribute its own power; other power firms either generate or distribute but do not get involved in both”.

Described as the biggest investment in the Southeast, Geometric Power has spent some $800 million dollars on its integrated power project, which includes building a 27-kilometre natural gas pipeline from Owaza in Ukwa west LGA in Abia State to the Osisioma Industrial Layout in Aba.

“We have, in addition, installed 150,000 kilometres of cables and wires and installed four new power substations as well as refurbished three others inherited from the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN”, explained Ben Caven, a former NEPA Executive Director famous for leading Transmission, Generation and Engineering Divisions simulatenously in the former state-owned power utility.

 Caven is now the Managing Director of Geometric Power Ltd.

Patrick Umeh, a former executive with the Los Angeles Water and Light in the United States who later served as Commissioner in-charge of Markets, Market Rates and Competition at the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), described the tibular poles mounted by Geometric Power in Aba and the environs as “incomparable in Africa.

“Only in cities like Tokyo and San Francisco in California you have facilities of this quality and sizes.

“Much as they are very tall, as all of us can see, the tubular poles here are actually about 10 meters deep.

“In other words, in the unlikely event of a natural disaster like earthquake in Aba or the environs, Aba Power and the Geometric Group will still be able to supply electricity to its numerous customers”.

The Geometric Power Group was founded by Professor Bart Nnaji, a globally respected academic engineer in the United Staetes, who has been Nigeria’s Minister of Science and Technology and later Minister of Power.

Nnaji embarked on the integrated project after then World Bank President James Wolfensohn and then Nigeria’s Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala visted Aba on March 17, 2004, and discovered that the greatest challenge facing both large-scale and medioum-scale industrialists in Aba, reputed to be the centre of indigenous manufacturing in Nigeria, is epileptic power supply.

Both Wolfensohn and Okonjo-Iweala appealed to Nnaji to assist with a power plant dedicated to Aba, following the 22MW Abuja Emergency Power Plant he led a team of Nigerian engineers to build in Abuja from 2000 to 2001 that supplied uninterrupted power to critical places like the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Company, the Central Bank headquarters, the Aso Rock and the entire Central Business District of Abuja.

‘Electricity was rarely available in Aba”, noted Chief Alphonsus Udeigbo, President General of the 22,000-member Aba Landlords Protection and Development Association (ALPANDA), “and when it was available it was so poor that it couldn't power your household appliances, let alone industrial machines”.

The inauguartion of the Geometric Power next Monday, according to Sir Alexander Maduakor, President of the Association of Aba Industrialists, “will mark a new dawn in the country, not just in Aba or Abia State”.

Foundation member of All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Osita Okechukwu, has urged the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) to remove Imo State Governor, His Excellency, Hope Uzodimma as its chairman, before he wrecks our great party.

He made the call while reacting to the shameful bungling of the Edo State Gubernatorial Primary, which Uzodinma chaired.

In a statement in Abuja, Wednesday, the foundation member of APC appealed to the Progressive Governors Forum to as a matter of urgent national importance to remove His Excellency, Hope Uzodinma as chairman for the mismanagement of Edo State Gubernatorial Primary election which regrettably produced three candidates, a sordid scenario not befitting of a progressive party.

Okechukwu wondered why His Excellency Hope Uzodimma who bungled similar assignment in Edo 2020 should be given second assignment and asked how many more malfeasance do we still expect from my big brother, before he is eased out of vital assignments?

He posed critical questions among which are: how can a sane Chairman of APC Governors Forum deliberately breach the extant laws by announcing result with impunity; albeit consigned to the dust bin his elementary knowledge that it is the sole duty of the Returning Officer?

Based on the foregoing, is it appropriate for chairman of Progressive Governors Forum to abandon the more germane issue of advising Mr President alongside with other progressive governors on how best to rescue Nigeria from the dire economic doldrums, thus chasing rat while the house is burning?

“For me it is obvious that Uzodimma seems not understand the demands of his office as Progressive Governors Forum, but chooses to meddle with political assignments, which amounts to chasing rat while the house is on fire.”

Moreover, our party should take serious steps to quickly repair the monumental damage that Governor Hope Uzodimma has done to the image of our national chairman Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, whom he cajoled into endorsement of his cancelled shambolic primary election,”

When reminded that he was one of the key early supporters of Governor Uzodinma, he agreed and said he had apologised for the grievous error and is warning the Progressive Governors Forum to avoid more grave wreckage as chameleon never changed its antics.

Enumerating the serial misfortune harvested by the Imo State Governor, Okechukwu narrated how APC’s misfortunes started with Anambra State gubernatorial primary election which Uzodimma mangled and metastasised during the party’s Congressional elections in the Southeast zone in 2022, which he pocketed.

He stated: “Then, as if that ugly prelude to 2023 general elections was not enough, Governor Uzodimma generated hatred, rancour, malcontents and alienated APC membership long before Peter Obi’s factor.”

“The summary of Uzodimma’s woeful leadership is the 2023 presidential election results in the Southeast, which posted dismal outcomes:
Abia-8,914 against 85,058 in 2019, Anambra-5,111 against 33,298 in 2019, Ebonyi-42,402 against 90,726 in 2019, Enugu-4,722 against 54,423 in 2019 and Imo-66,406 against 140,463 in 2019.” Okechukwu submitted.