The Jigawa government says it has expended N500 million on the provision of improved latrines in schools, hospitals, markets and motor parks across the state.

The Commissioner for Water Resources, Alhaji Ibrahim Hannungiwa, said this on Wednesday in Dutse.

He said the government had adopted proactive measures to ensure the sustainability of its leading position as an Open Defecation Free (ODF) state.

According to Hannungiwa, the state is geared towards surpassing the nation’s ODF target by 2025.

Hannungiwa said the feat was achieved by putting a lot of effort into the execution of viable policies and programmes in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

The Commissioner said the state had set up a committee to work out modalities for the sustainability of its ODF status by ensuring total eradication of the menace.

“Under this committee, more standard public services would be provided at public places and along highways in the state.

“The state government has done a lot in the area of public enlightenment on the importance of using toilets, especially in rural communities.

“Jigawa State is the first and only state so far declared open defecation-free in the country by UNICEF,” he said, adding that the UN Agency appointed the state governor, Umar Namadi, as ODF Ambassador.

He said the governor is expected to deliver a paper on the Nigerian situation in the fight against the ODF at a conference billed to take place in Canada.

Details of expenditure outlined in the N2.176 trillion 2023 supplementary budget for ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) has revealed that the federal government proposed allocation of N5.095 billion for the acquisition of a presidential yacht and N28billion for other needs in the State House.

In the proposed supplementary budget, N28 billion is allocated for the State House, covering various expenditures and improvements.

The proposed budget allocation for the yacht is captured in the budget for Nigerian Navy.

The Nigerian Navy’s budget proposal encompasses a recurring expenditure of N20.42 billion and a capital expenditure of N42.3 billion, resulting in a total budget of approximately N62.8 billion, as indicated in the document.

Additionally, the Nigerian Navy’s budget plan encompasses several key components, including the purchase of vehicles, construction of naval bases in Lekki and Epe, procurement of essential equipment and the acquisition of ammunition.

If approved by the National Assembly, a total of N28 billion will be allocated for various purposes, including house renovations and vehicle purchases for the president, vice president and official vehicles for villa staff.

Specifically, N4 billion is earmarked for the renovation of the president’s residential quarters in Abuja, with an additional N4 billion allocated for the renovation of Dodan Barracks for the president.

Moreover, N3 billion is designated for the renovation of the vice president’s official quarters in Lagos, while N2.5 billion is allocated for the renovation of Aguda House.

For vehicle purchases, the breakdown is as follows: N2.9 billion for SUV vehicles, N2.9 billion for the replacement of pool vehicles, and N1.5 billion for the purchase of official vehicles for the Office of the First Lady.

Another significant expense is the construction of an office complex in the State House, with a budget of N4 billion.

Also, there are allocations for the acquisition, renovation and rehabilitation of two EFCC fortified quarters as part of the State House Complex in Mabushi, with each receiving N1.5 billion.

A similar complex in Guzape is also designated for N1.5 billion in funding, even as N200 million is set aside for the computerisation and digitisation of the State House.

During the budget defense session, Hon. Abubakar Bichi, chairman of the House committee on Appropriation, elaborated on the N2,176,791,286,033 supplementary appropriation bill presented to the National Assembly earlier this week.

He said, “This proposal is meticulously designed to enhance various aspects of our nation’s well-being, with a focus on improving security, food security, and critical road infrastructure. It also aims to address the housing deficit in the country, encompassing slum upgrades and urban renewal efforts.

Additionally, this appropriation seeks to support the wages of workers and facilitate cash transfers to vulnerable Nigerians. It will allocate resources for the upcoming off-cycle elections in Kogi, Bayelsa, and Imo States”.

Breaking down the allocation for key ministries and sectors, the miinistry of Defence is to receive a total of N476,543,847,421, with N215,937,945,659 allocated for recurrent expenditure and N260,605,901,762 designated for capital expenditure.

For the federal ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, a total budget of N200 billion is distributed as N104.800 billion for recurrent expenses and N95.200 billion for capital investments.

Within the Police formations and commands’ budget of N50 billion, N29,661,660,269 is earmarked for recurrent expenses, while N20,338,339,731 is allocated for capital expenditures.

The Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) is allocated a total of N29,700,606,916, with N27,402,410,057 allocated for recurrent expenses and N2,298,196,859 for capital expenses.

Also, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCT) is set to receive N100 billion; the Department of State Services (DSS), N49,046,831,697; State House N28 billion; federal ministry of Works, N300 billion; federal ministry of Housing, N100 billion; Service Wide Vote, N615 billion, capital supplementation, N210.500, and Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), N18 billion in funding.

Meanwhile, economic experts have expressed strong dissatisfaction with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recently revealed supplementary budget proposal, which allocates N6.9 billion for the purchase of vehicles for the State House and N1.5 billion for new cars for the office of the first lady, among other seemingly extravagant items.

An economist, Dr Ayo Ojo, described the proposed expenditure as excessive spending on luxurious cars by the presidency and National Assembly, while Nigerian citizens bear the brunt of substantial taxes.

He said, ‘‘In the supplementary budget, amounting to N2.17 trillion submitted to the National Assembly for approval and aims to address various pressing financial needs of the government, N2.9 billion is designated for the acquisition of Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) for the Presidential Villa, with an additional N2.9 billion slated for the replacement of vehicles within the government’s fleet.

“Furthermore, N4 billion is allocated for the construction of an office complex in Aso Rock, and N3 billion is earmarked for the renovation of the Vice President’s official residence in Lagos.

‘This is extravagant spending, especially as Nigerians grapple with rising living costs. Petrol prices have tripled since the removal of the costly fuel subsidy program by Tinubu, and the exchange rate has reached a record low after the Central Bank allowed the currency to weaken. While these measures may have long-term economic benefits, they have exacerbated the cost of living crisis in Nigeria.’’

Reacting to the supplementary budget, vice president of HighCap Securities Limited, David Adonri, said the supplementary budget 2023 is contrary to expectations.

“We were expecting President Bola Tinubu to rationalize expenditure and then review the huge budget inherited from the previous government of Mohammodu Buhari,” he stated.

He explained that the 2023 budget was a big deficit budget, and adding N2.1trillion to the already overblown budget means that the deficit in the budget will escalate very severely.

Noting that the escalation of the deficit has serious implications,

Adonri further said, “The deficit of the supplementary budget will have to be financed by additional borrowing as this will increase the debt profile of the Country.”

On his part, Fisayo Soyombo, an investigative journalist, stated:via his X handle: “All this from a president who, in his Independence Day speech just four weeks ago, urged Nigerians to “endure this trying moment. The president is enjoying; the people are enduring…”

Soyombo’s views are shared by multiple Nigerians who are venting their anger at the insensitivity of the presidency.

“How can anybody justify this? How?” Another Nigerian said on twitter, referring to the breakdown of the supplementary budget.

Meanwhile, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu, has said the N18 billion allocated to the commission in the supplementary budget was not all for the conduct of election.

Yakubu gave this clarification when he appeared before the House of Representatives Appropriation committee, chaired by Hon Abubakar Bichi (APC, Kano), to defend the 2023 supplementary.

He said the substantial part of the allocation is for personnel cost, adding that there was no budgetary provisions for the conduct of unforeseen and unbudgeted bye-elections.

He noted that the commission has not attended to the five vacancies in the House and four in State Houses of Assembly.

“So, we have to make provisions for the conduct of by-election in 11 constituencies – five federal constituency, four state constituencies and two senatorial districts and for that we have appropriation for N1.6 billion

“This is in summary of breakdown for the N18 billion for personnel emolument and overhead for augmentation of for the conduct of the three off cycle cycle governorship election and for the conduct of 11 by-election hoping that and praying that there will be no by-election again so that we just confine ourselves to the 11,” Yakubu stated.

On his part, minister of Works, Engr David Umahi, said the N300 billion requested by the ministry in the supplementary budget became necessary to restore some of the funds removed from the 2022 supplementary appropriation.

Umahi said the request for additional funds is to enhance project completion and provide emergency repair works on failed sections of the road in the federal capital.

“The 2023 supplementary budget proposal, the sum of N300 billion is proposed for the Ministry of Works targeted especially to the highway sectors. This is to curate an environment for free flow of traffic on the federal road network to enhance movement especially as yuletide approaches.

“The breakdown of the proposal is as follows. The ongoing projects including the ones removed in 2022 supplementary appropriation is premised to take N197, 276, 594, 011. We have through the motion of the NASS for interventions over a number of emergencies on our roads, we prepared a total intervention on 260 projects totalling N217 billion,” he added.

Umahi also said N18.6 trillion was required to address the road sector in the next four years, just as he urged the National Assembly to take steps towards addressing the problem.

He told the lawmakers that for the executive to respect their motion on certain intervention, it must have a contingency fund.

Also defending his supplementary budget, the minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, said out of N100 billion allocated to the FCT, N3.4 billion is proposed for buying

vehicles for the security agencies as all of them have complained of lack of vehicles and logistics.

“Insecurity has been a problem of FCT before I came on board and so we felt that we should be able to tackle it head-on by providing logistics to various security agencies.

“Of course, there is infrastructure needed which was abandoned before I came. But they need to be completed now that the dry season is coming for example, B6, B12. When I came on board I had to make these contractors like Julius Berger… all of them go back.

“Again, talking about the completion and taking off of the Abuja rail project, you would agree with me that this is one project that Mr President takes so important, and which helped in decongesting our traffic situation.

“As I came on board, Mr President directed the day the Nigerian Bar Association held their conference that he wants to ride on this metro line at least in his one year in office, which is a major if we can achieve it and which we think with your support we are going to achieve it,” Wike said.

In his defence, minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, said the N200 billion allocated to the ministry in the supplementary budget was to, among others, address food insecurity.

Kyari said for the coming rainy season of 2024, N11.7 billion is

earmarked per zone for the six zones of the country for agricultural development.

“Food security is top of the agenda of Mr President. Food security is part of national security and for this reason we had a challenge with Anthrax. We had a disease that has threatened some states and if care is not taken it can wipe out livestock and it can be transferred to humans.

“It is important that it should be taken care of and we also have trans-boundary migratory pests like locusts. So we have budgeted N9.1 billion for that purpose. In addition there is the issue of the strategic food reserve. So an amount of N25.5 billion has been earmarked.

“Also, there is the provision of seeds and seedlings, and other agricultural inputs for each zone of the country to the tune of N11.7 billion per zone. The National Agricultural Growth Scheme earmarked support for this at N25 billion,” he stated.

Earlier, the Appropriation chairman, Bichi explained that the supplementary Appropriation Bill sent to the National Assembly earlier this week was “specifically structured to improve the country’s security, food security and critical road infrastructure sectors, and to bridge the housing deficit in the country, including slum upgrades and urban renewal.

“It will also support the provisional wage to workers and cash transfers to vulnerable Nigerians. It will also cater to the upcoming off-cycle elections in Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo States.

“We have invited the relevant MDAs to defend and shed more light on their submissions. At the end of the hearing, we will collate our analysis in a report and send it back to the House.

“I have divided this into two sections – We will start with the Non-security agencies, and later, we will go into an executive section for the Security Agencies,” he added.

President Bola Tinubu has written the House of Representatives, seeking approval to take a loan of

$7.86 billion and €100 million under the federal government 2022-2024 external borrowing plan.

The President’s request was contained in a letter addressed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen who read it at plenary on Wednesday.

Tinubu said if the loan request is granted, the funds will be used to develop infrastructure, agriculture, health, education, water supply, security and employment as well as financial management reforms.

He said in the letter that the Federal Executive Council under the Muhammadu Buhari administration approved the loan on May 15 to finance infrastructure, health, education, agriculture, insecurity and other sectors.

“The House is invited to note that following the removal of fuel subsidy and its impact on the economy in the country, the African Development Bank (AFDB) and the World Bank Group (WBG) have indicated interest in assisting the country in mitigating the economic shores and recent reforms with a sum of $1 billion and $2 billion respectively in addition to the Federal Executive Council approved 2022-2024 external borrowing plan.

“Consequently, the required approval is of $7,864,508,559 dollars and in terms of euro, €100 million euros.

“The project cuts across all sectors with specific emphasis on infrastructure, agriculture, health, education, water supply, security and employment as well as financial management reforms, among others.

“The total facility of the projects and programmes under the borrowing plan is $7,864,508,559 dollars and then in Euro, 100 million euros respectively,” the letter read.

Liquidity Crisis: Power Sector Operators Seek Cost-reflective Tariff

Operators in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) have called for the adoption of cost-reflective tariffs for energy to consumers to attract more investments and curb the liquidity challenge in the sector.

While acknowledging that the sector has not delivered on the objectives of the privatisation 10 years ago, they noted that poor liquidity was a major contributor to the market failure.

This is as the federal government has so far spent about N3.34 trillion in the past 10 years to subsidise the sector.

Speaking at the just concluded 2023 NESI market participants and stakeholders roundtable (NMPSR) in Abuja,  chairman and board of directors of Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited, Sani Bello,stated that the absence of a cost-reflective tariff has represented a major challenge that must be addressed to provide sustainable liquidity for the entire value chain.

He explained that the ever-present liquidity challenge exacerbated by inflation and a dearth of foreign currency has continued to affect the industry’s operations. 

“While we acknowledge the effort of the current administration in trying to resolve and improve the foreign exchange environment, we look forward to a way out that will midwife an enabling environment for existing and prospective investors to thrive within the NESI.

“What we continue to tackle today is the lack of cost reflective tariff that will provide sustainable liquidity for the entire value chain, strengthened laws and enforcement of these laws that will criminalise and deter energy theft as well as non-payment of electricity bills,” he said.

In his intervention, the immediate past managing director, Abuja Electricity Distribution Company Plc, Engr. Adeoye Fadeyibi pointed out that presently only Ikeja, Eko and Abuja Disclosure can continue as a going concern.

He noted that negative cash flow in the industry was affecting operations and the ability to improve power supply to customers.

Also speaking, the country director, Energy Market and Rates Consultant Limited, EMRC, Rahila Thomas said with less than 45 per cent of customers metered, customers were wary of constant increases in tariffs.

She observed that ATC &C (Aggregate Technical Commercial and Collection Losses) is one of the major variables driving up tariff cost in the market, stressing that there should be a balance between what the regulator proposes and what’s obtainable in the market.

“Every six months, the regulator is expected to review the tariff using economic indices to bring pricing to market level. Some of these variables are inflation, forex, and generation capacity.

“A review ought to have happened in July and the realities in inflation and forex mean tariff ought to have gone up but for political reasons this hasn’t been done. Government is now paying subsidies that have amounted to N3.34 trillion. Out of that the government has paid N2.8 trillion to support tariffs.

“Unfortunately, all these monies are resting on the books of the DisCos which has impaired their ability to attract funding to improve their network”.

In her remarks, the chairman/CEO, Mojec Meters Limited, Chantelle Abdul said while it was the duty of the distribution companies to provide electricity meters to customers, financial challenges in the sector means they are unable to do so.

“There are about 10 million customers in need of meters. Seven million customers without meters and three million with old meters that need to be replaced. The cost to finance that is about $1.5 billion.

“We are talking about opening up the market and whether the regulator should be regulating the price of meters. Majority of customers are poor and won’t be able to pay for meters”.

While admitting that it would be difficult to grow the sector while relying on government’s intervention or funding, she noted “We need to develop a bankable proposition, and that requires a cost reflective tariff and right pricing of meters”.

Recall that President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, on Monday declared that there is a need to rebase tariffs in the NESI in order to recognise the real costs and loss levels of the entire value chain, and allow for adequate cost recovery for investments.

The President, who declared open the NMPSR with the theme: NESI Privatization and its 10-year Milestone: The Journey so far, opportunities and prospects, said Nigeria needs to have a clear plan to rebase tariffs, so we recognize the real costs and loss levels of the entire value chain, and we allow for adequate cost recovery for investments. We need to be clear on what shortfalls are and how we will finance them. And there must be a clear path to extinguishing historic sector debts to various value chain stakeholders. A reconciliation exercise in this regard is already underway.

Represented at the event by  the Special Adviser to the President on Energy and Power Infrastructure, Office of the Vice President, the President Sodiq Wanka, said,

“We need to quickly develop and execute a clear roadmap for serving profitable pools of customers. This includes industrial and agricultural clusters and strengthened participation in the West African Power Pool in the immediate term.

“And we must deepen engagement with the Nigerian public on power – including communicating sector strategy and key milestones and curbing energy theft through community engagement and penalties.

Operationally, there a number of key imperatives that we must pursue:

80 per cent of grid generation today is from gas. We intend to convene all relevant stakeholders to develop a gas policy for the power sector delineating where the power sector will get gas from and how it will pay for it. We cannot build a sector on best endeavour arrangements.

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, said the Federal Government needs an estimated N18.6 trillion to address the road sector in Nigeria over the next four years.

Umahi made this known on Wednesday during the budget defence for a supplementary budget of N2.1 trillion, which was held at the request of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, chaired by Hon. Abubakar Bichi.

The minister stated that the National Assembly must wear its ‘thinking cap’ to urgently address the road issues in the country.

His words: “On the whole, to address our road sector for the next four years, we would be needing about N18.6 trillion and so the National Assembly must have to wear its thinking cap on how we can address seriously our road sector.

“I also appeal to the National Assembly that the Executive to respect your motions on certain interventions. We must have a contingency fund.

“When you ask me to go and intervene on certain roads which have collapsed, and I have to liken the situation to a man on life support. The man needs immediate attention. Where there is an emergency, the road is cut and the people are suffering, movement is stopped, it needs an emergency.

“So, we appeal for contingency to respect your directives on fixing emergency situations.”

[OpinionNigeria]

Operatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority on Thursday rescued some passengers after a container-laden truck rammed into their commercial bus with number plate FKJ 366 XT in the outer Marina area of the state.

We learnt that the victims sustained varying degrees of injuries in the accident which occurred at about 7 a.m.

The Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, LASTMA, Mr. Adebayo Taofiq, said in a statement that the accident occurred as a result of over-speeding which led to a brake failure.

He said, “Immediately the accident happened, our personnel who were along the axis quickly moved to the scene to rescue the occupants of the trapped commercial bus (“driver and passengers) with the support of sympathetic road users.”

Taofiq confirmed that policemen from the Lion Building led by the Divisional Crime Officer, provided security backup while the rescue operations lasted.

According to him, Ashafa Moyosore (Zebra 1, Olowu), who led the rescue operations rescued all the passengers including the driver, and were taken to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.

“The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Bolaji Oreagba, however, warned the motoring public particularly commercial bus drivers to exercise caution, restraint, and adhere to the speed limit while driving on Lagos road, especially at this period of ember months,” he added.

[nigerianeye]

The Presidency has said the soon-to-be resuscitated National Homegrown School Feeding Programme will cater for over 10 million pupils across the country.

This was disclosed in a press statement, signed by Oyedokun Oyewumi of the office of the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on School Feeding.

The statement indicated that the SSA, Dr. Yetunde Adeniji, gave the assurance during a visit to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp at the Transitional Learning Center, Wassa, Abuja.

The presidential aide was at Wassa to inspect the school feeding programme sponsored by a NGO, Maple Leaf Early Years Foundation, in collaboration with the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons.

She added that the school programme would ensure that no child in each public school is left behind.

Adeniji, in the statement commended the programme at Wassa for its demonstrable success in bolstering school enrollment and attendance rates, saying that it is an instrumental force in the advancement of education, the alleviation of hunger, and the dismantling of the cycle of poverty.

She said the school feeding initiative under the President’s renewed hope agenda is targeting pupils from primary one to three across Nigeria.

According to her, the initiative resonates with the sentiment that every child deserves the opportunity to flourish and contribute to the nation’s development.

Adeniji commended the efforts of the organization, saying it underscores the paramount importance of education and nutrition in the comprehensive development of every child, irrespective of their circumstances.

She affirmed that initiatives of this nature hold the power to effect substantial positive change in the lives of the most vulnerable citizens.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s unwavering commitment to the welfare of the nation is exemplified by the Renewed Hope agenda.

“Within this framework, a vision is cast for a Nigeria wherein every child enjoys access to quality education and nutritious sustenance, regardless of their background or geographical location. Dr. Adeniji articulated that by investing in the youth today, a brighter and more prosperous future is being forged for the nation”, she said.

While reiterating the objectives of the school feeding programme model, the SSA said the programme is aimed to increase resilience, promote equity, stimulate growth and poverty reduction.

“The school feeding program stands as a transformative force in realizing the Renewed Hope vision. Beyond its immediate impact on addressing childhood nutrition, it serves as an incentive for families to prioritize education,” Adeniji said.

[Leadership]

THE Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, has justified the N18 billion contained in the proposed supplemental budget for the commission when he appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations yesterday.

The chairman of INEC was one of the guests that came before the committee. He noted that the N18 billion in the additional budget is not fully for the conduct of the governorship elections in Kogi, Bayelsa, and Imo, but is primarily for human costs.

According to INEC chairman, N1.6 billion will be spent on 11 by-elections in constituencies and senatorial districts throughout the country.

“The N18 billion in the supplementary appropriation is not all for the conduct of elections,” Yakubu explained. Actually, a significant portion of it is about staff costs.

“You will recall that in April this year, there was a 40 per cent increase in peculiar allowance to public servants. It was not provided for in our 2023 budget because the budget was passed in December last year so it couldn’t have made provision.

“At the same time there is another circular from the government dated February, where the Duty Tour Allowance (DTA) and other consequential allowances were increased by government. There was no provision in our statutory budget.

“We have one of the largest workforces in the country, over 15,600 staff and it is not easy to find the money to pay in the absence of supplementary appropriation. So, we made a case to the government and we have been included in this supplementary appropriation.

“For the component dealing with 40 per cent peculiar allowance, for the 16,614 staff of INEC, will require N10.6 billion and we have made provision for that.

“Since the budget was passed in 2023, a lot of the parameters have changed. For instance, the cost implication of PMS (Premium Motor Spirit) has changed from 197 per liter to over 600 now. So we need augmentation. Part of the N18 billion is going to augment the elections in the three states.

“There’s no budgetary provisions for the conduct of this unforeseen and unbudgeted by-elections. Not many people in Nigeria will believe that within four months after the inauguration of the national and state assemblies, 11 vacancies have occurred, 11 by-elections in four months. Unfortunately, the majority are coming from the House of Representatives. There are five vacancies in the House of Representatives.

“The bill has been specifically structured to improve the country’s security, food security, and critical road infrastructure sectors and to bridge the housing deficit in the country, including slum upgrades and urban renewal.

“It also support the provisional wage to workers and cash transfers to vulnerable Nigerians. It will also cater to the upcoming off-cycle elections in Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo states.”

[NaijaTimes]

Saudi Arabia said Thursday it was launching a fundraising campaign for Palestinians in war-torn Gaza where Israel is pressing a massive military operation following the October 7 Hamas attacks.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler, donated 20 million Saudi riyals (roughly $5.3 million) to the campaign, the state-affiliated channel Al-Ekhbariya reported.

The campaign “comes within the framework of the Kingdom’s well-known historic role in standing with the brotherly Palestinian people,” said Dr Abdullah al-Rabeeah, head of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, according to the official Saudi Press Agency.

The move comes nearly one month after Hamas militants killed 1,400 people and kidnapped more than 230, according to Israeli officials, in the deadliest attack in the country’s history.

Since then, Israel has relentlessly bombarded Gaza and sent in ground troops in a bid to destroy Gaza’s Hamas rulers, in an assault that the health ministry says has killed 8,700 people, two-thirds of them women and children.

Saudi Arabia, home to Islam’s holiest sites, has never recognised Israel and has long fashioned itself as a champion of the Palestinian cause, issuing statements condemning the recent attacks on Gaza civilians.

Before the war broke out, Saudi officials were participating in US-brokered discussions about normalising ties with Israel, although the talks have since been put on hold, a source briefed on the process told AFP in mid-October.

Saudi Arabia does not allow the kind of pro-Palestinian protests seen in other Arab countries since the war began, which has left little room for public expressions of solidarity.

Some Saudis have settled for social media posts on private accounts.

Last month, the Al Hilal football club posted a picture of a player wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh scarf, only to delete it soon after.

Political speech is tightly restricted in Saudi Arabia, including on social media, with judges routinely handing down heavy sentences for posts critical of the government.

“We cannot talk about supporting Palestine publicly,” said Ali, a government employee who did not want to give his surname due to the sensitivity of the issue.

“I used to pay from my pocket money to support the Palestinians during the intifada 20 years ago. Now we have been silenced and we cannot even write a supportive post on social media.”

[DailyTrust]

The Senate has sworn in Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the senator representing Kogi Central senatorial district.

Natasha is now the first female Senator from Kogi State and the fourth female Senator in the 10th Upper Legislative Chamber

Senate President Godswill Akpabio directed the clerk of the senate to administer the oath to her on the floor of the upper legislative chamber on Thursday.

This followed her presentation with the Certificate of Return by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the duly elected Senator for Kogi Central.

DAILY POST reports that the Court of Appeal had on Tuesday affirmed Akpoti-Uduaghan as the winner of the Kogi central senatorial district election.

The election petition tribunal had on September 6, affirmed Natasha as the duly elected Senator as it nullified Ohere’s victory citing inflated polling results in favor of Ohere in some units and deliberate undercounting against Akpoti-Uduaghan.

[DailyPost]