The House of Representatives has accused the Nigerian Navy of buying the controversial N5 billion presidential yacht captured in the 2023 supplementary budget without the approval of the National Assembly.

It was earlier reported that the Navy had confirmed the delivery of the presidential yacht, saying that the sailing boat had been in the country since June 2023.

In an interview with The Punch on Friday, the spokesman for the Nigerian Navy, Commodore Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan, said the procurement was done during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari to replace the defunct presidential yacht, insisting it was for training.

But the Chairman of the House Committee on Navy, Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, has denied knowledge of any budgetary allocation for the procurement of the presidential yacht.

Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune on Saturday, the Plateau lawmaker stated that the Committee will investigate the infraction committed by the Navy.

He said: “Yes, I’m not aware of it.”

Gagdi, who expressed concern over the development, argued that there were no provisions in the approved budgetary provisions for the Nigerian Navy over the past four years.

The lawmaker stated that the procurement of the sailing boat is out of place, stressing that it must be provided for the 2023 budget.

He said: “It is, it must be provided for unless if it is a special intervention which we can oversight, even if it is a special intervention, we can oversight.”

While responding to a question on any other subheads provided for among the N62 billion supplementary budget proposed for the Nigerian Navy that he considered as unnecessary, Gagdi said the Navy has been treated unfairly.

He said: “Navy has been treated unjustly. If the Army has over N200 billion, the Air Force will have N112 billion, and the Navy will have only N62 billion. It means they didn’t consider the Navy as one of the Armed Forces agencies that protects the national assets.

“You want revenue, you don’t want crude oil theft, you don’t want piracy, you don’t want oil bunkering, instead of strengthening the Agency that is vested with the responsibility of defending the country by sea, in terms of our natural resources, you’re giving money to other sister Agencies beyond the Agency that’s is responsible for the economy prosperity of the nation.

“I don’t think that that supplementary budget is even fair to the Nigerian Navy, I can say that any day, any time.

“But I equally see that the presidential yacht in the budget is equally not supposed to be there.

“It can’t be provided for in the budget. There’s nothing wrong with the appearance of the budget, but again, if the Yacht is already been in our water.

“Who provided for the logistics, you paid for the yacht and the yacht was supplied. What is the arrangement with the Nigerian Navy? I don’t have answers to these until we investigate what is going on.”

When asked about the possible time to commence the investigation into the procurement of the presidential Yacht, he said: “I don’t want to be under pressure, I can’t say anything until I go back to the House, call Committee members, sit down and study the nature of things before we commence investigation.”

The French Government has repatriated $150 million stolen from Nigeria by the former military Head of State, the late General Sani Abacha.

The Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, Catherine Colonna, made this known during a visit to President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Friday.

Speaking on the Abacha loot, the French Presidential Envoy said the repatriation of the loot followed the completion of long legal processes, stressing that it is a good achievement for France.

“It was a long process, but we are glad that it was concluded. Sometimes, justice may be slow, but this is a very good achievement,” she said.

She conveyed the goodwill of President Emmanuel Macron and expressed the readiness of France to expand mutually beneficial collaboration with Nigeria across multiple sectors.

Colonna also commended President Tinubu’s leadership in ECOWAS and proceeded to extend a formal invitation to President Bola Tinubu to attend the forthcoming Paris Peace Forum.

She said: “We support your efforts at ECOWAS. We are behind you because we believe that constitutional order is a treasure for all countries, and democracy must be a reality.”

In his remarks, President Tinubu expressed his appreciation to France for the return of the Abacha loot and also acknowledged the signing of a €100 million agreement between Nigeria and France to support the i-DICE programme, a Federal Government initiative to promote investment in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Creative Arts Industries.

President Tinubu also commended the strengthening of bilateral relations between Nigeria and France, noting that this progress followed his visit to Paris after his inauguration.

“Thank you for the good news on the return of Abacha loot. We appreciate your effective cooperation concerning the return of Nigeria’s money. It will be judiciously applied in attaining our development objectives,” the President told Catherine Colonna, the Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, who delivered the news.

The President, while emphasizing the need to reinforce collaboration on both political and economic fronts, welcomed the growing cooperation between the two countries in areas of shared interest, such as climate change, economic integration, education, and culture.

Niger Crisis

On the situation in Niger Republic, President Tinubu, who is the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, said Nigeria is monitoring the situation in the neighbouring country, and exploring diplomatic channels to avoid bloodshed.

He said: “Leadership is about responding to the needs of the people, their cries, and their frustrations. Nigeria shares a border with Niger across the expanse of seven Nigerian states, and most of these states are very populated. Therefore, I need to guide ECOWAS carefully and steadily so that we manage our anger carefully.

“We have a colleague and a democratically-elected leader, President Bazoum, being used as a human shield. If we are not careful, he and his family can be endangered.

”I am deploying all appropriate back-channel strategies to avoid bloodshed in Niger Republic. We recognize the wishes of our people; they do not want war, but that does not mean we can not take bold and decisive action.”

President Tinubu said Nigeria will continue to galvanize international partners in the determined pursuit of a peaceful resolution to the situation in Niger Republic.

Governor Chukwuma Soludo has allocated N2 billion in startup capital to empower over 5,000 youths from Anambra State’s 21 local government areas.

Naija News reports that this initiative follows thorough training and the launch of the “1 Youth, 2 Skills” development programs by the state government.

Recently, the first group of beneficiaries received their grants in Awka, marking the start of an impactful journey for these aspiring young entrepreneurs.

Hon. Chuks Azotani, the chairman of the committee on Information Technology and Creative Economy in the Anambra State House of Assembly, encouraged the beneficiaries to make judicious investments in their newly acquired skills and businesses to realize the scheme’s objectives.

Hon. Azotani commended Governor Soludo for the program, which promises to combat unemployment and foster economic self-sufficiency among the state’s youth. He believes that this initiative will not only create a more prosperous Anambra but also nurture a generation of young entrepreneurs who will become employers of labour.

Azotani emphasized the significant economic impact of the “1 Youth, 2 Skills” program initiated by the Soludo administration and facilitated by the State Ministry of Youth Development, particularly in Information, Communication, and Technology. He urged the beneficiaries to leverage the skills and knowledge they’ve acquired effectively.

The lawmaker expressed his joy that approximately 100 of the first batch of beneficiaries hail from the Dunukofia local government area, assuring the area’s youth that more promising opportunities are on the horizon.

In his closing remarks, Azotani encouraged Nigerian youth to engage in meaningful ventures, especially in the field of ICT, emphasizing that the Soludo administration has more programs designed to create platforms for the socio-economic development of Anambra State.

He also called on the people of Anambra to join hands and support the state government’s efforts to enhance the prosperity and livability of the state.

In a thought-provoking keynote address at the 3rd annual national public lecture hosted by First News, Bishop Matthew Kukah, the esteemed leader of the Catholic Church in the Sokoto Diocese, offered a candid perspective on Nigeria’s ongoing challenges. The event, titled “The Nigerian Question: Survival of the Federation in The Throes of Increasing Economic Challenges,” took place in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, and drew attention to the pressing issues facing the nation.

Bishop Kukah emphasized that those responsible for Nigeria’s problems are not immune to the consequences of their actions. He acknowledged that while every country faces its share of difficulties, it falls upon the citizens and purposeful leaders to address these issues collectively.

Kukah remarked, “The good thing about Nigeria is that everybody knows the problems, and the individuals responsible for them are not exempt; they too do not know peace.”

He highlighted the limited opportunities for many Nigerians to explore the world beyond their immediate surroundings due to various troubles. While recognizing that every nation has its unique challenges, Bishop Kukah pondered the essential question: What does Nigeria truly aspire to become? He alluded to the fact that the current global order is the result of over two centuries of exploiting Africa to build prosperous nations. Nigeria, like other nations, must find its own development path.

Addressing the potential of democracy in Nigeria, Bishop Kukah underlined the need for certain fundamental prerequisites to be in place for democracy to thrive. He drew attention to the critical issue of addressing the “bread and butter mentality” currently prevailing in the nation, asserting that democracy may seem like a mere lottery without addressing this fundamental concern.

Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, the publisher of First News, stressed the importance of the lecture in the context of Nigeria’s challenging economic landscape. He expressed concern that the nation’s economic problems persist, seemingly defying conventional solutions. The lecture aimed to foster discussions and explore potential remedies for these pressing economic challenges.

Representing Bayelsa State, Governor Senator Douye Diri, through the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Gideon Ekeuwei, urged Bayelsa’s residents to focus on self-development as a means of adapting to the ongoing economic situation. This call for personal growth reflects the urgency of the economic challenges that Nigeria faces.

In the midst of these concerns, Bishop Kukah’s insights provide a fresh perspective on Nigeria’s journey toward a prosperous and harmonious future. As the nation grapples with economic hardships and multifaceted issues, his message resonates with the need for collective action, purposeful leadership, and a reimagining of Nigeria’s path to development.

As its candidate for the Kogi State governorship election on November 11, the Labour Party has endorsed Senator Dino Melaye of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Melaye announced the news on his X (formerly Twitter) profile on Friday. He stated that the partnership aimed to free Kogi State from the oppressive regime of Governor Yahaya Bello, which was run by the APC.

“After a wide consultation and in the interest of our dear State, the Labour Party on this day has resolved to adopt the PDP Gubernatorial Candidate, Senator Dino Melaye as its candidate for the November 11th Kogi State Governorship Election,” Melaye said.

Melaye will face off against other candidates, including Ahmed Ododo of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has stated that his administration has delivered more housing units in its first four years in office than all of his predecessors combined.

Speaking during a meeting with the UNDP country representative in Nigeria, Mohamed Yahya, in Abuja, Governor Abiodun highlighted his government’s achievements, including success in the Women Empowerment program, laying of over 5,000 KM of fiber optic for high-speed internet access across the state, the launch of a job portal with over 150,000 registrations in the first week, and the construction of the Gateway Agro-Cargo Airport with a 4KM runway, which is the longest in Nigeria. He also mentioned a planned investment of over $400 million for a special agricultural processing zone (SAPZ) near the airport.

Governor Abiodun called for cooperation between the state and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in sectors such as housing, energy transition, ICT, women empowerment, job creation, and employment. These sectors are the major focus of his administration under the ISEYA Developmental Pillars.

The UNDP representative, Mohamed Yahya, outlined the organization’s objectives, including poverty alleviation, SDG implementation, democratic governance, and impact measurement. He mentioned the UNDP’s Jubilee Program, which aims to place 20,000 Nigerians in the public and private sectors while the organization pays their salaries for one year, with 5,000 companies participating and 4,000 placements already recorded.

Governor Abiodun expressed the intent to collaborate with UNDP in various areas, including baseline data development, arts and creative economy, expansion of the Ogun State for Women Project, climate change, TVET training, mini-grid power solutions, and sustainable housing projects, among others.

October 26, 2023, was significant for Nigeria. It was the day the Supreme Court of Nigeria (SCN), following the same path of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) decided on who would be the President of Nigeria for the next four years. I was not eager to listen to the pronouncements of the panel of seven senior jurists in Nigeria. Being a legal practitioner or put differently, as a learned as opposed to a schooled Nigerian - a wording that does not amuse one of my friends that I call “egbon kekere”, I was not expecting a different decision than was announced. Many other Nigerians, for different reasons did not expect anything different.

I had confidently told one of my teachers as well as a dear friend to expect the confirmation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (PBAT), by the Supreme Court as the president of Nigeria, in spite of the loud noises (whether at the Chicago State University or on the so-called PBAT’s FBI papers), in faraway United States of America. Both issues, are not foreign judgements to be canvased before the Supreme Court for consideration. Even then, foreign judgements have procedural hurdles before they can be placed before the SCN, moreso, when not pleaded at the PEPT. And what’s the emergency in the “discovery” on an issue late Gani Fawehinmi had brought before the courts over two decades ago?
I was at Abeokuta on the day of judgement. As usual, there was no electricity and I was not ready to power the generator loaned to me by retired Justice Abidoye Olugbemi; as a friend desirous of making me happier at Abeokuta. My not putting on the generator was not because of the horrendous jump in the price of fuel. It was because I normally do not find it easy to crank the set to supply electricity. Hence, I did not have the option of watching the television. Luckily, a friend sent me a live YouTube link to watch on my phone. As I watched, my internet supplier went caput or “pafuka” as we say in Pidgin!

I no longer had the luck of listening to the weighty voices of my Lord Justices without their faces. I still ask myself why My Lords allowed the cameras into the court but hid their faces from viewers. The Yoruba say: “oju l’oro wa”, meaning eye contact is the essence of verbal communications. And you only hide your face when you are ashamed of what you are doing or when you are afraid and needed protection by being ‘faceless’.

Were My Lords afraid of being marked down by the supporters of one of the appellants, since they had promised hell and brimstones since justice, for them, was for their candidate to be declared the winner? Or was the problem that of not knowing how far the desperate appellant who finally left the American courts would go? Why the faceless reading of judgements? Did we not know the 7 My Lords, already with their passport size photographs widely available on the internet? I thought to myself that what is worth doing at all is worth doing well. No-one dared to order the Justices to allow cameras into their court. If they chose to allow the klieg lights, probably for transparency, then they should have gone the whole hog and allowed their respective faces to be beamed all over the world.
Though very few Nigerians stepped forward to cast a ballot on which of the three people were at the fore-front of the selection process. Actually, out of the registered voters of 93 millions, only 28.63% voted in trying to select a president. Like him or not, PBAT was the announced winner. Unlike the situation in many countries, Nigerians knew that their votes would not count in the end. They knew the SCN must push all other responsibilities aside whenever the electoral industry was in full swing. In the large part, we lack the spirit of sportsmanship to call and concede to the opponent.
All sorts of arguments were brought to justify why even the third person in the race should be declared the winner of the selection. So much was made of the immediate electronic transmission of results from polling units. Though it was not the law, but it was promised by the head of the selection process. Was he bound to fulfil a promise made on television if it became impossible for him to execute? But then, what about accountability as expected from a public official given the humongous costs involved in acquiring the technology? He did promise and failed to deliver. Shouldn’t he have resigned?
Well, we wait for someone to sue him for the damages suffered from the failure to transmit immediately. I asked a Professor friend of mine who demonstrated so much disdain for the failure of the representation, if that failure really vitiated the entire process and should lead to the cancellation of the entire process? I did not get an answer till date. Parties’ representatives signed manually and kept copies that were later collated and subsequently uploaded. Were there manipulations within the hours of delay? No credible evidences were provided to support this position. The vociferous nature of the cries actually made me think about the possibility of my compatriots having planned a technological heist that would have made the manipulation of the Kenyan 2017 presidential elections a child’s play.
Their other grounds, including hanging on to the absurd interpretation of the 1999 Constitution to the effect that the overall winner of majority votes failed if he/she did not have 25% of the votes cast in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory even if such candidate had 25% of votes cast in two-thirds of the states of the federation. To have upheld this absurdly mischievous argument would have meant that voters in Abuja have a veto over the overwhelming two-thirds of the states making up the country.

Just as the supporters of one of the appellants had issued threats on any Nigerian who dared to oppose their preferred candidate, they became very loud in vociferous cries of the people watching the judiciary. Though I do not belief their preferred candidate would support such bullying of the justices on social media, he did not try to curb his supporters.

The attempt to intimidate the judiciary was resisted by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), when he stated that justices do not operate on the basis of public opinion but rather, according to the law. And what constitutes public opinion these days? Vox Populi? How do we arrive at the voice of the people? Is it the voices of those who are loudest on social media if a summation of that were possible?
Or would what religious leaders of all sorts say constitute the voice of the people in a country like Nigeria with a diversity of religions with all sorts of self-serving liars regularly giving us all sorts of messages from God? There were several such cacophony of messages as we approached and during the 2023 elections. Some claimed God told them they were the next president of Nigeria. Gullible followers agreed, remained supportive as these people paid the humongous sums demanded by the shifting alliances of thieves that we call political parties as premium for seeking to use their platforms to acquire political power. Some rallied followers behind ethnic agenda making an unnecessary issue over the ruling party’s decision to have what we now call Muslim-Muslim ticket. Many of us, especially the Yoruba, with adequate socialization into religious tolerance, never thought this was an issue, in spite of the contrary preaching of Yoruba Pentecostal mis-leaders.

The ‘trance – like gyratic’ fervour towards these politicians in religious garbs remained high despite the clarity that they have no “anointing” to deliver messages from God to Nigerians or that such lies couched as Vox Dei (God’s Voice) had been wrongly interpreted or prematurely delivered. Some, especially the Pentecostals, over-reached themselves as they announced in details how God would translate their chosen one into Aso Villa. Unfortunately, most of these prophesies came to nought, including on how God had decided that the justice system would rectify the process.

By the way, if we could ascertain Vox Populi, should we willy-nilly succumb to it as justice? Unequivocally, I say not at all. We have to live with the decision of the seven Justices, despite the well-articulated parting or valedictory shots of Justice Musa Dattijo Muhammad, who further affirmed that the judiciary was not bereft of corruption. He raised concerns about some decisions arrived at by the highest court of the land. Pushing for reforms, especially of the office of the CJN from which the two immediate past occupiers left with ignominy though they received soft landing, he added what seemed strange to me. Justices are appointed on the basis of their representation of their respective ethnicities or if you like, in the non-constitutional but more modern Nigerian lingua, their geo-political zones. So, what should one of the appellants whose geo-political zone was not represented at the apex court do? Reject the decision of the seven justices?

Well, we all must rise, acquiesce and in unison say: As the Court Pleases. In effect, it was the decision of the hidden-faced seven justices with strong voices that mattered in the end. And this raises the fundamental question of why we spent so much money to undergo a charade in order to be described as democratic in spite of the cries of a number of people like myself who, overtime have been insisting that elections/selections do not make a country democratic. Why did we acquire expensive foreign exchange draining hardware and software but failed to use them? The value of the naira that has nose-dived would have been slightly better without these and similar acquisitions. We need not calculate the discord the 2023 presidential selection brought into Nigeria, including many lives lost. Should we really continue with this charade of national presidential selections? Are we unable to think through what could work for us with minimal human and material losses and conflicts? I have never seen as much ethnic and religious divisiveness in Nigeria as that brought by the 2023 selections.

It is sad that we go through all these wastages of individual and national wealth in order to be described as a democracy. In the end, there are no improvements in the lives of our people. If anything, poverty and insecurity are getting worse by the day. The elected officials are collectively laughing openly at the expense of the people at the hallowed legislative assemblies of the federation and the states as the respective executive arms play along, acquiring frivolities as personal play toys with no thoughts of letting the people ‘breathe’; thereby, snuffing life out of many.

No, Nigeria is not a DEMOCRACY. It is the extent to which a government of the people, by the people and for the people nudges humanity towards utmost freedom that makes a country democratic. The core of this effort are the improvements on the achievements of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights coupled with strides on the achievements of the Sustainable Development Goals. These are not “dividends” of democracy, they are the core or the principal on what it takes to be democratic. Selections/Elections representing just an aspect of participation is a small portion of the three facets of the simplistic definition of democracy. “By the people” is merely one-third of the equation and even within that one-third, in the 2023 presidential election, it was the will of the seven hidden faces with strong voices that, in the final analysis, really counted.

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has called for the perpetrators behind the attack on Joe Ajaero, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), to be brought to book.

The President of PENGASSAN, Festus Osifo and Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, in a statement released on Friday, described the attack on Ajaero as an existential threat to the trade union movement in Nigeria.

PENGASSAN further stated that the attack on Ajaero was a blatant violation of human rights and an assault on the principles of democracy, freedom of expression and association.

Recall that Ajaero was arrested in Owerri, the capital of Imo State on Wednesday, during a protest by workers in Imo State.

Workers in the state had protested over an alleged “serial and habitual abuse and violation” of their rights by the state government.

Police said Ajeoro was taken into custody for his protection, but the NLC said he was brutalised after his arrest.

The Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, in his reaction to the development, accused the NLC leader of mixing politics with unionism.

PENGASSAN in reaction to the development wrote, “Violence against union leaders or any individuals fighting for the rights of workers is not only an attack on them but also undermines the fundamentals of social dialogue and activism. These acts of violence seek to silence the voices of those who speak up for the vulnerable and marginalized, and they must be vehemently condemned by society as a whole.

“PENGASSAN demands that the authorities conduct a thorough investigation into this cowardly attack and bring the perpetrators to justice. We call on law enforcement agencies to ensure the safety and security of all workers, activists and union leaders, providing them with the necessary protection to carry out their essential duties without fear of reprisal.

“We also urge civil society organizations, trade unions, and citizens to stand in solidarity with NLC and Comrade Joe Ajaero and to denounce this act of violence. It is crucial that we collectively reject any attempts to suppress voices that advocate for the rights and well-being of workers and fight for a more equitable society.

“Our noble Association stands in solidarity with our ally in the struggle, Comrade Joe Ajaero, and expresses deep concern for his well-being and recovery. We will continue to work tirelessly to support the rights of workers, advocate for social justice, and combat any form of violence or repression that seeks to curtail the progress we have made thus far.

“All PENGASSAN members are hereby put on red alert as the days ahead will be stormy and tumultuous. We urge all trade unions and the two labour centres to respond to this ugly act in a very drastic way because injury to one is truly an injury to all.”

The first container freight train of the Lagos-Ibadan railway has taken off from the Apapa port.

The rail project was constructed by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

In a statement published on its website on Thursday, the construction firm said the container freight train carried thirty 40-foot containers to Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.

According to the company, the container train departed Apapa and arrived Ibadan in two and half hours, adding it is the first container freight train after the cement freight train started operating on July 4th.

The statement reads: “The first container freight train of the Lagos-Ibadan railway, built by CCECC, has set off from Apapa Port in Lagos, Nigeria.

“This train is the first container freight train after the cement freight train started operating on July 4th.

“It departed from Apapa Port and carried a total of 30 40-foot containers, arriving at Ibadan station in just two and a half hours.

“The Nigerian Railway Corporation plans to operate one pair of container trains daily and gradually increase the number of trains as the demand grows, improving the railway transportation system behind Lagos Port.”

In September, the federal government inaugurated cargo movement on the Single-Gauge Rail (SGR) from the Apapa port to Ibadan.

During the inauguration, the train moved from the Ebute Metta station before proceeding to Apapa for the launch, and then to Ibadan over the 157-kilometer rail track.