The ruling All Progressives Congress and supporters of the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, engaged themselves in a war of words on Monday over an alleged threat to the life of the former Anambra State governor.

The hostility was a fallout of Sunday’s interview on Arise Television, where the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Felix Morka, claimed that the former Anambra governor had “crossed the line” in his recent criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

An emotional Morka claimed that Obi was desperately seeking to incite Nigerians into bringing down the current government.

The APC spokesman subsequently ended his argument with a subtle threat of “he has coming to him whatever he gets.”

He said, “Mr Obi is shooting from the hip. He is not looking or taking an aim. He just shoots widely like the Wild Wild West movies we used to see back in the day. He is absolutely irrational in his thinking about a man who was governor for eight years and left nothing to remember in Anambra State by way of legacy.

“Now that he didn’t win, he is sulking. Rather than get a perspective or figure out why he lost so he can do better in the future, he thinks he can bring down the government by simply being maliciously deceptive. That is wrong.

“I am not somebody to go on the offensive in that manner, but Mr Peter Obi has crossed the line so many times, and I think that at this point, he has come to him whatever he gets.”

Reacting in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Yunusa Tanko, warned the APC against intimidating Obi, his family members or close associates, insisting that such a threat should not be allowed to go unaddressed.

The former spokesman of the Obi presidential campaign council also warned against any attempt to arrest his principal, adding that Nigerians would call for the head of the ruling party.

He said, “That is a threat. If they make the move (to arrest Obi), it will boomerang on their government. In a democratic setting, Obi did not in any way impugn anybody’s integrity, nor did he cross any line. We are not making any false allegations.

“But if they threaten anybody with some level of impunity, believe me, the Nigerian people will react negatively to them. They must learn to accept it. If they have a counter-allegation to the issues we are raising, they should be provided with facts.

“Obi only spoke to the issue that concerns every Nigerian, which he has a right to. So, what this simply means is that what we have been accusing them of, gagging, arresting and then maiming people to the level of intimidation and impunity, is what they are planning to administer on Nigerians starting from this January just because people have spoken against bad governance.”

Speaking further, the Labour Party chieftain called on security agents not to allow the APC spokesman’s threat to slide without proper investigation.

According to him, the Obidient Movement will not be cowed into silence by the ruling APC government.

He said, “We stand firmly with Peter Obi and his vision for a just, equitable and prosperous Nigeria. We call on Nigerians to resist this slide into authoritarianism by continuing to demand accountability, justice and the protection of democratic values. Finally, we urge the security services to not sweep such threats under the carpet as they had done in previous times but engage Mr Morka to elucidate on his utterance.

“Furthermore, the ruling party called to order their mouthpiece and members at large to desist from actions that could heat up the polity. In addition, the government of the day should foster an environment of noble ideas to shape our national discourse and not threats. They must be seen to be tolerant of criticism.

“The level of impunity and attack they put on the previous government of the PDP was worse than this and they are getting less of that criticism in their own government. So, criticising them is a way of uplifting the standards of our democracy. We Nigerians have the right as covered under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to speak to issues.”

Similarly, Obi also reacted to the threat made by the APC spokesman, saying he would not be silenced for speaking truth to power.

Reacting via his official X handle, Obi wondered how a harmless New Year message he gave could elicit a threat from the APC spokesman.

“Have I really crossed the line? I ask the question because my New Year message has now led to threats against my life, my family, and those around me. While I have received all sorts of messages, one Mr Felix Morka has gone further to accuse me of “crossing the line” and has warned that I will face the consequences.

“I find it necessary to share this message again and urge everyone who has not seen it to watch. If I have truly crossed the line, I invite anyone to point it out, as I remain committed to upholding decorum. However, I will not be silenced in my resolve to speak truthfully, especially as our nation continues to drift toward undemocratic practices.

“We are increasingly transforming into an authoritarian and repressive regime, where freedom of expression is being systematically suppressed. May God help us create a better and freer society for the sake of our children,” he stated.

However, the National Publicity Director of the APC, Bala Ibrahim, expressed disappointment over the manner Obi’s supporters and loyalists went about the issue.

While asserting that Morka neither threatened nor insulted anyone in the said interview, Ibrahim urged the former governor to call his supporters to order.

“They are taking politics to a different level. By now, having come this far, we should be playing politics without bitterness. We shouldn’t be playing the kind of politics that will reduce us from human beings to lower animals. There is nothing threatening, insulting or harmful in what my boss, Mr Felix Morka, said in response to Peter Obi’s remark.

“There is nothing, depending on how you look at it. If you look at the content upside down or sideways, either way, you look at it, there is nothing to warrant the kind of social media bombardment and threats sent in the direction of the national publicity secretary. The Obidients have to revisit their conscience and understand the main intention of opposition in politics.

“It’s not supposed to be a show of insult and threats. No, we should be playing politics of maturity. I expect someone like Peter Obi, who was a governor for two terms and who has been on the political scene for a long time, to caution his supporters against using threats and language that are capable of derailing the meaning of democracy.”

When contacted, the Force spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, denied knowledge of the incident.

Aadejobi said he wasn’t aware and thus couldn’t tell if there was a threat to Obi and Morka’s life or not.

“I’m not aware of what you are saying. Has he informed us?” Adejobi queried.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Adeola Olamilekan, has announced January 31, 2025, as the tentative date for the passage of the ₦49.7tn 2025 budget.

This comes as the committee prepares to commence budget defence sessions on Tuesday.

Speaking on Monday during a meeting with the chairmen of key committees, Olamilekan outlined the framework for the 2025 Budget Defence Session, designed to guide the legislative process leading to the budget’s enactment.

He noted that following the Senate’s resumption of plenary on January 14, 2025, there will be a two-week recess dedicated to continuing the budget defence process seamlessly.

A retreat is also scheduled for Thursday, bringing together ministries, departments, agencies, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders to provide additional consultation and insights into the budget proposal.

According to the timeline, committees are expected to report back with their findings between January 15 and 18.

This will allow the Appropriation Committee to collate and finalise the documents for consideration.

Highlighting the tight schedule, Olamilekan urged lawmakers to prioritise the budget process over their holidays, stressing the need for prompt and diligent work to ensure the budget is passed within the stipulated timeframe.

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation after nine years in office, saying he will leave office as soon as the ruling Liberal party chooses a new leader after months of slumping polls and internal division.

“I intend to resign as party leader, as prime minister, after the party selects its next leader,” Trudeau, who has been in power since 2015, told reporters in Ottawa following a protracted political crisis that saw top Liberal allies urge him to quit.

It was not immediately clear how long Trudeau will remain in office as a caretaker premier.

He said the Liberal leadership race will be “a robust, nationwide competitive process.”

That means Trudeau will continue to lead Canada when incoming US president Donald Trump takes office this month and will be tasked with leading the country’s initial response to the new US administration, including a possible trade war.

Trump has vowed to impose 25 percent on all Canadian imports, which could prove devastating to the Canadian economy, and Trudeau has vowed to retaliate.

Trudeau’s support within the Liberal party had been teetering through much of last year but plunged to new depths following the surprise resignation in December of his former finance minister and deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland.

In a scathing resignation letter, Freeland accused Trudeau of focusing on political gimmicks to appease voters, including a costly Christmas tax holiday, instead of steadying Canada’s finances ahead of Trump’s promised tariffs.

Canadian media have tipped Freeland as a possible contender to taker over the Liberal Party along with the former Bank of England governor Mark Carney, a Canadian who also previously led the Bank of Canada.

Lori Turnbull, a political science professor at Dalhousie University, said traditionally a Liberal leadership race would take four to six months but this time “they’ve got to be quicker than that.”

“If they don’t have a new leader for the next election, then there’s no point,” she told AFP.

Trudeau’s Liberals are trailing badly in the polls to the opposition Conservatives and narrowly survived three non-confidence votes in parliament late last year.

His minority government had been held up by a deal with the left-wing New Democratic Party but in December the NDP said they would vote to topple Trudeau at the next opportunity.

Trudeau confirmed that he had received permission from Canada’s governor general to suspend all parliamentary business until March 24.

That could could give the Liberals time to choose a new leader while restricting the opposition chances to bring a vote of non-confidence.

Abba Yusuf, governor of Kano, has assigned portfolios to the newly appointed commissioners, permanent secretaries, and special advisers.

Yusuf asked new appointees, sworn in on Monday, to serve with dedication, integrity, and humility to meet the administration’s expectations.

Wada Sagagi, the former secretary to the state government (SSG), was sworn in as the commissioner for investment, commerce, and industry.

Ismail Danmaraya is the new commissioner for finance; Shehu Sani is the commissioner for power and sustainable energy, while Dahiru Hashim will serve as the commissioner for environment.

Also sworn in were Abdulkadir Abdulsalam (commissioner for rural development), Abdullahi Waiya (information), and Wada Ma’aji (public procurement).

Sanusi Dawakin-Tofa, the spokesperson to the governor of Kano, said in a statement that Yusuf asked the new cabinet members to rededicate themselves to meeting public expectations.

“I remain fully committed to fulfiling my campaign promises. These appointments therefore reflect our determination to identify and empower individuals who will help us implement policies and programmes that make a tangible difference in the lives of our citizens,” the statement reads.

“Over the past months, we have worked tirelessly to address pressing issues, including infrastructure development, education, healthcare, security, empowerment and employment generation for the citizens.

“Today’s appointments and the creation of the Local Government Service Commission further demonstrate our resolve to build a more efficient and people centred government.”

The house of representatives committee on appropriation says the budget defence by ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) will begin on Tuesday.

Abubakar Bichi, chairman of the committee, spoke in Abuja on Monday while addressing journalists ahead of the budget defence.

On December 18, President Bola Tinubu presented the proposed 2025 budget of N49.7 trillion to the national assembly.

Tinubu said the proposed budget reinforces his administration’s roadmap to secure peace, prosperity, and hope for a greater future for Nigeria.

“This budget christened, “Budget of Restoration: Securing Peace, Rebuilding Prosperity,” strikes at the very core of our Renewed Hope Agenda and demonstrates our commitment to stabilising the economy, improving lives, and repositioning our country for greater performance,” Tinubu had said.

On December 19, the appropriation bill scaled the second reading at the senate and house of representatives.

After a meeting with members of the committee on Monday, Bichi told journalists that the defence will end on January 17.

He said the reports on the exercise will be presented before the house on January 31.

“We are going to study the budget. All our committees will study the budget. I believe the budget is for Nigerians (and) for our development—infrastructure and other important things—and I am sure Nigerians will be happy with it,” the lawmaker said.

“We just had an integration meeting today for the 2025 appropriation bill. You have been aware that the president has presented the budget to us, and by tomorrow we will start the budget defence by all the MDAs.

“From tomorrow to the 17th, we are going to do our budget defence and we will likely harmonise by the 22nd.”

The federal capital territory (FCT) police command says two men were killed and two other persons were injured in an explosion that occurred at the Tsangayar Sani Uthman Islamic School in the Kuchibuyi village under the Bwari area council.

In a statement on Monday, the command said a team of police operatives, including its explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) team and the area commander of Kubwa, mobilised to the scene.

“The area was immediately cordoned off to protect residents and facilitate a thorough investigation,” the statement reads.

“During the rescue operation, victims were promptly evacuated and rushed to the hospital for medical attention. Preliminary investigations revealed that three men from Katsina had visited the owner of the Islamic school, Mallam Adamu Ashimu.

 

“The three visitors are suspected of having brought the explosive device with them.

“Tragically, two of the men died in the explosion while tampering with the improvised explosive device (IED) on the school veranda, while the third man and a female trader sustained severe injuries and are currently receiving treatment under police guard.

“The FCT Bomb Squad has confirmed that it was an IED explosion, as remnants of the device have been recovered. Mallam Adamu Ashimu, the owner of the school, has been taken into custody for questioning, and further findings will be communicated in due course.”

Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo state, says those involved in the stampede that claimed the lives of 35 children must face justice regardless of their social status.

The incident occurred at a funfair organised for children at Islamic High School in Bashorun area of Ibadan in December 2024.

A magistrate court in Ibadan has remanded the organisers in custody after they were charged by the police.

The police filed a four-count charge against them, including conspiracy, negligent acts causing harm, and failure to provide adequate security and medical facilities at the event.

Speaking on Monday, Makinde said the rule of law will prevail, despite calls for clemency, pointing out that similar incidents in Anambra and the FCT were not punished.

Makinde noted that while granting bail to suspects is permissible, the judicial process will ensure justice is served.

“In the outgone year, we faced challenges. 2024 started for us here in Oyo State almost on a tragic note,” Makinde said.

“On 16th January 2024, we had an explosion here in Bodija. It affected even my office. The impact was felt all around Ibadan. We’re closing it out.

“And then, towards the end of the year, we had the stampede at Islamic High School, Bashorun. 35 innocent souls were lost; may we not see such again in Oyo State.

“Quite a number of people have been reaching out to me, saying, ‘Oh, this incident happened in Anambra State. It also occurred in the FCT. Nobody went to jail. Why is it that in Oyo State, some people are going to jail?’

“I said, ‘Well, Oyo State is not Anambra State, and no matter how highly placed, justice must be done.

“The judiciary is here; it’s in their court. If you think you can grant bail pending trial, I have nothing against it. But for the trial, the people must go on trial.

“So, people come to me, and I’ve been saying to them, ‘Oyo State, even if this entire country decides not to follow the rule of law, in Oyo State, we will follow; we will dare to be different. We will uphold the rule of law.”

Abia South Senator, Enyinnaya Abaribe, has expressed his willingness to stand as a guarantor for Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.

Abaribe made the remark while addressing journalists after his visit to Governor Alex Otti of Enugu State.

He also urged President Bola Tinubu to listen to the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi and other stakeholders over their calls to release Kanu.

Abaribe informed Tinubu that releasing Kanu would put a stop to the issue of criminalities in the Southeast.

He said: “I expect that the President will listen to both his Attorney General and every one of us who have been agitating that the issues in the Southeast; first of all the insurgency, the sit-at-home on Mondays and every other thing we have noticed in the Southeast, what we now know in the Southeast is that criminals and all other people who advocate violence have taken over and using the name Nnamdi Kanu to perpetuate all these their despicable acts.

"We know that the President, being a listening President, will also look at all the issues involved which we have presented to him from various mediums and that he will do the needful and release Nnamdi Kanu so that it will put a stop to all these things that are happening in the Southeast and bring back the Southeast as the hub of production in Nigeria.

“So he needs Nnamdi Kanu out so that all those things that are holding us down in the Southeast, that have made us not produce as much as we ought to produce, will not be there.

“So, we continue to call on President Tinubu to release Nnamdi Kanu and we are ready and willing to be guarantors for him to be released so that we can have life coming back into the Southeast and take it away from the criminals, kidnappers, the cultists and dangerous elements that are floating around us who have made it a point that they would perpetrate violence, do criminal activities and use Nnamdi Kanu’s name as their reason.”

Kanu remains incarcerated since June 2021 when he was rearrested and subjected to extraordinary rendition from Kenya to Nigeria.

Upon his return to Nigeria, the Appeal Court in Abuja ordered his release but the Nigerian government refused to let him off the hook.

Former staff members of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) who were dismissed in a mass layoff last year, have sued the apex bank.

In a court document seen by TheCable on Monday, the workers alleged that the CBN violated internal policies, Nigerian labour laws, and their contractual rights.

The claimants, represented by Stephen Gana and 32 others, filed a class action lawsuit at the national industrial court of Nigeria (NICN), Abuja.

They said their termination process, carried out through letters, titled, ‘Reorganizational and Human Capital Restructuring’, and dated April 5, 2024, violated both the CBN human resources policies and procedures manual (HRPPM) and Section 36 of the Nigerian constitution.

The claimants said the process lacked the necessary consultation and fair hearing mandated by law.

The originating summons, filed on July 4, 2024, under the NICN Civil Procedure Rules 2017, raised several questions for the court to consider, including whether the claimants were denied their constitutional right to a fair hearing before and after their appointments were terminated.

The workers also claimed that the termination letters, issued on the basis of “restructuring,” were arbitrary, illegal, and unconstitutional.

Insisting that they continue to work for the apex bank, the claimants are seeking a court ruling that their dismissals are “void and useless”.

Additionally, they sought a restraining order to prevent the CBN from firing them without following the proper procedures, immediate reinstatement, and payment of salaries and benefits from the date of termination.

The court filing references Article 16.4.1 of the HRPPM, which mandates consultation with the joint consultative council (JCC) and adherence to fair procedures before employment actions adversely affect staff.

The claimants said the provision was flagrantly disregarded, as they were given just three days to vacate their positions and hand over official property.

They are also seeking N30 billion in general damages for psychological distress, hardship, and reputational harm caused by the dismissal; and an additional N500 million as the cost of the suit.


COURT ENCOURAGES AMICABLE RESOLUTION

In another document dated November 20, 2024, the court called for an amicable resolution of the matter.

Gana and their counsel represented the claimants while Inam Wilson alongside seven other lawyers represented the CBN (the defendant).

In the document, Obaseki Osaghae, the presiding judge of the industrial court, acknowledged the defendant’s preliminary objection, filed on November 4, 2024, challenging the suit’s admissibility.

The claimants responded with a counter-affidavit, which their counsel confirmed had been served.

In response, the judge encouraged both parties to explore a settlement under Section 20 of the National Industrial Court Act (NICA) of 2006.

“It is my view that parties should attempt an amicable resolution of this dispute,” Osaghae said.

The matter was, therefore adjourned to January 29 for the hearing of the preliminary objection or to review the progress of any settlement discussions.


BACKGROUND

In 2024, CBN terminated the appointments of about a thousand staff. The dismissal was said to have been conducted in four batches between March and May of the aforementioned year.

Some workers claimed that they received severance payments as low as N5,000, while others said their gratuities were absorbed entirely to offset outstanding loans.

Although the layoff was officially attributed to a “reorganisation” and “human capital restructuring”, the affected staff argued that the process violated the CBN Act, which mandates board approval for significant employment decisions.

On December 4 last year, the apex bank said its early exit package (EEP) was entirely voluntary and without any negative repercussions for eligible staff.

The CBN’s statement followed reports that 1,000 staff were sacked from the apex bank.

Reacting to the development, the house of representatives asked the CBN to suspend the “planned” retirement of 1,000 staff.

The lower chamber had also set up an ad hoc committee to investigate the “process and legality” of the exercise.

Speaking on the matter on January 3, Olayemi Cardoso, governor of the CBN, said the 1,000 staff who left the bank were not forced to leave.

Cardoso also said the early exit programme and the restructuring and reorganisation were to optimise the bank for enhanced efficiency.

Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, says his life is under threat because of his criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

The former governor of Anambra made the allegation after Felix Morka, national spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said, "Peter Obi has crossed the line so many times and has it coming to him whatever he gets".

During an interview with Arise Television, Morka described Obi as an “irrational being” and slammed his public commentary.

The APC spokesperson labelled Obi’s claims as "ridiculous" and "deceptive," criticising his 8-year tenure as Anambra governor for lacking legacy.

He added that Obi needs to figure out why he lost the 2023 presidential election and should stop being dishonest.

Obi, in his New Year message to Nigerians, criticised Tinubu and expressed concerns over "institutional corruption, mismanagement, poverty, hardship, and an escalating debt profile".

He noted that "corruption has been deeply entrenched in government" while "nepotism has become the norm on Tinubu's watch".

He also demanded "vigorous, positive actions" from the administration to bring succour to Nigerians.

'HAVE I REALLY CROSSED THE LINE?'

Reacting to Morka’s comments on his X page on Monday, Obi asked Nigerians if he has "crossed the line" after receiving threats against his life, family, and associates following his New Year’s message.

The LP chieftain added that he would continue to speak "truthfully," noting that Nigeria is drifting towards authoritarianism and undemocratic practices, which, according to him, must be addressed.

"Have I really crossed the line?" Obi asked.

"I ask the question because my New Year message has now led to threats against my life, my family, and those around me.

“While I have received all sorts of messages, one Mr. Felix Morka has gone further to accuse me of "crossing the line" and has warned that I will face the consequences.

"I find it necessary to share this message again and urge everyone who has not seen it to watch. If I have truly crossed the line, I invite anyone to point it out, as I remain committed to upholding decorum.

"However, I will not be silenced in my resolve to speak truthfully, especially as our nation continues to drift toward undemocratic practices.

"We are increasingly transforming into an authoritarian and repressive regime, where freedom of expression is being systematically suppressed.