The Labour Party (LP) have lashed out at the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu for commending the conduct of Ghana’s presidential election.

Naija News reports that Yakubu, in a video clip on Sunday, praised the rancour-free conduct of Ghana’s election, pointing out lessons for Nigerian politicians.

Reacting in an interview with Punch, the National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh, accused Yakubu of manipulating the 2023 presidential election to favour President Bola Tinubu and asked him to apologise to Nigerians.

He insisted that the INEC boss should be the one to learn from Ghana and not the other way round.

He noted that there were no stories of ballot boxes snatching and glitches during Ghana’s presidential election.

Ifoh said though the LP had moved on from what transpired in 2023, “It is a shame that the INEC Chairman should be talking when, in this case, he should be the one to learn from Ghana.

“He was the architect of exactly what Nigerians are suffering today.

“He owes Nigerians an apology. We didn’t hear of electoral violence, snatching of boxes or any glitches whatsoever (in Ghana). The people spoke through their votes. Their votes counted and the Ghanaians are happy with it,” 

The ruling All Progressives Congress has warned that no alliance of the opposition leaders, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra Governor Peter Obi, will be potent enough to stop President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.

The warning was given by the National Publicity Director of APC, Bala Ibrahim, in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH on Tuesday.

Ibrahim was reacting to a statement by Atiku’s spokesperson, Paul Ibe, that both his principal and his Labour Party counterpart had learnt their lessons in the last general elections and would unite to kick out the “incompetent and clueless” administration of the APC.

According to him, the combined votes of the two leaders, which would have amounted to 12 million, should have been enough to stop the President and prevent the hardship he has meted out to Nigerians. 

Ibe expressed his views on Monday’s edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today.

Reactions have trailed the interview with major opposition agreeing that a coalition of forces or merger could indeed defeat the APC in the same manner as the one witnessed in 2015 when former President Muhammadu Buhari defeated a sitting President, Goodluck Jonathan.

When contacted, Obi’s media aide, Umar Ibrahim, emphasised that his principal was committed to a better Nigeria and would be willing to collaborate with anyone who shared his vision, as long as their desire isn’t state capture.

Ibrahim said, “This dedication stems from his unshakeable optimism in the country’s potential and his focus on the welfare and prosperity of all citizens. Regarding Paul Ibe’s statement about Atiku’s willingness to unite with Obi, it’s clear that both leaders are open to working together to save Nigeria from the APC-led administration’s tyranny.

“However, Obi’s commitment to collaboration isn’t limited to any particular individual or party.”

On its part, the opposition political parties in Nigeria under the aegis of the Coalition of United Political Parties and the Social Democratic Party have expressed concerns, saying the country needed more than a coalition between the 2023 presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party and the Labour Party.

CUPP and SDP stated that to defeat the APC, Nigerians must demand credible elections and form a coalition of trustworthy leaders to spearhead a rescue movement that served the nation’s collective interest.

In an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, CUPP National Secretary, Peter Ahmeh acknowledged that a coalition could aid opposition parties in defeating the APC.

Ahmeh emphasised that the key coalition needed at this time was one focused on ensuring free and fair elections.

He stated, “Our country has its ways. Atiku is a wonderful leader in Nigeria. That is very important. But the fact is there will be some sentiments that will come into play if you don’t put a person from southern Nigeria on the ballot. If you don’t do that, the idea that the northerners have taken over their eight years will now become part of the discussion across southwestern, southeastern, and South-South Nigeria.

“So, what we should do is believe that at the end of the day, these two leaders and other leaders will find common ground, where they will put the interest of Nigeria before their personal interests, allowing us to win this election and determine the future of Nigeria in a way that will benefit all Nigerians.”

Reacting to the possibility of a coalition between Atiku and Obi’s group to defeat the APC, he stated that in addition to a coalition, Nigerians must demand that elections be decided and concluded at the polling unit.

He added, “Yes, a coalition can help the opposition party defeat the APC. There’s no doubt about that. It will also facilitate the easy defeat of the APC.

“But the most important coalition we need at this moment is one that ensures elections are free and fair. Because if we do that, even when people form a coalition, we still face the problem of draconian leadership that can cause glitches in the server, or manipulate election results without proper authority behind it. The solution is that our elections should be decided by the polling unit.

“The Republic of Ghana has shown this. If you look at the commission chairperson, votes are cast at the polling unit, votes are recorded at the polling unit, and winners are announced at the polling unit. We should do away with these coalition centres, which are fraudulent centres for the manipulation of results.

“We still believe that when the people are determined and stay true to their convictions, the electorate will go to the polling unit and make their decision. But a coalition will only facilitate and make it easier for the opposition to reach the Presidency.”

The National Chairman of SDP, Shehu Gabam, stated that a coalition may not be the right solution at this time.

In an exclusive interview with The PUNCH on Tuesday, Gabam explained that political parties had struggled to unite over a long period, resulting in a trust deficit that affects most parties, with only a few exceptions.

He stated, “The coalition will not do much right now. The decay is extremely bad, and the loss of gravity in the political space is another point of concern. What people are looking forward to is the assembly of credible individuals to form a rescue movement that is credible and has a solid base; this has nothing to do with the coalition of political parties.

“The parties, over a long period of time, could not galvanise themselves. The trust deficit has enveloped the various political parties, apart from a few. Even if you merge all the parties, the roles of individuals who are good, credible, and have been tested will draw people, not the roles of the political parties.

“There is a trust deficit, and this may lead to a crisis among various political parties. What the people are looking for are individuals who have a record of service and the ability to be creative.

Regarding Atiku and Obi, he said, “All I know is that every hand is needed to be on board to salvage the situation. We are talking about salvaging Nigeria. And the knowledge required to do that is not domiciled in a single individual. We have a multitude of talents in the country, with the energy and capacity to turn things around for good; it’s just that they have not been organised.

“So, for me, what is critical is to focus on the individuals, the energy sector, and their intellectual base to harness the strength in our diversity for the benefit of all.”

Similarly, the All Progressives Grand Alliance said it was ready to form an alliance with other progressive political forces across party lines to build a Nigeria that citizens could be proud of.

The National Chairman of APGA, Sly Ezeokenwa, made this known while briefing newsmen in Abuja, echoing similar sentiments expressed by the party’s National Leader and Anambra State Governor, Charles Soludo.

Ezeokenwa stated that with the party’s internal leadership tussle resolved by a Supreme Court judgment affirming his chairmanship, APGA was now poised to reclaim its position in Nigeria’s political landscape.

“APGA proudly has elected representatives within and outside the South East. We are ready and willing to work with all other progressives to build Nigeria because we believe in our country.

“As part of our commitment to reconciliation, we have granted amnesty to party members who are genuinely repentant, irrespective of which side they supported during the crisis,” he said.

But Bala Ibrahim laughed at the thought of both Atiku and Obi, who he described as strange bedfellows, coming together with the sole aim of stopping Tinubu in the 2027 election.

The APC spokesman also said no potential from the opposition, who he said are enmeshed in crisis, can seriously pose any serious threat to the ruling party.

He said, “It is a dream gone wrong. All over the world, you don’t add up the total votes in an election and hope to use it to topple the votes of the winner. No! You don’t do that. A smart winner always capitalises on that to create a crack within the opposition. This is because each candidate is aspiring to win.

“It’s a case of the simple majority providing the winner so far as he meets the requirement and whatever percentage is needed. So, if this is what they are relying upon, then we start celebrating 2027 because they are going to be defeated again. They will be severely beaten.

“We are happy they are learning lessons from the superior antics of the ruling APC. Now that they have admitted they are learning from those lessons, they should wait for new tutorials in 2027. As a matter of fact, the APC has opened a Progressive Institute where they can come with their books and biro to learn more about progressivism.”

Also, in an exclusive interview with one of our correspondents on Tuesday, the PDP Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, explained that both the former Vice President and the former Governor of Anambra State were partly to blame for the hardships Nigerians were currently facing.

Osadolor called the potential unity between Atiku and Obi an illusion, noting that neither has demonstrated a commitment to collaborating.

“Atiku and Obi coming together is still illusionary because they have not committed themselves to coming together.

“If they go ahead and come together, they will provide a viable alternative to this APC-failed administration.

“The truth is that Atiku has paid his dues, and Obi has also paid his dues. Both of them contributed to where we are now. If they had united in the last election, Nigeria and Nigerians would not be in the current pain we are in now.

“But for 2027, anybody with his head on his shoulders will be better than President Bola Tinubu. Atiku and Obi will be a welcome development if they agree to work together and manage their egos. But I believe there will be more viable options that we can pick from.

“Atiku brought Obi to the light in 2019, so what Obi searched for and couldn’t find in 2023, he may also want to search for the same thing in 2027. So, for me, it is an ego issue. If Obi can manage his ego and if Atiku can open his heart more, they stand a chance, but I will not foreclose Nigeria’s liberation on them.”

Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State says some financially less-buoyant states may not survive if the tax reform bills before the National Assembly are passed and signed into law by President Bola Tinubu.

“Some states may not be able to survive so it is something that must be carefully studied so that we don’t hurt ourselves in the long run,” the governor said on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Tuesday.

“Well, the tax issue has a lot of components – there is the good aspect and there is the bad aspect. So, we are studying the situation so as also to advise our people on the way forward. It’s an ongoing process and we will continue with the engagement,” he said.

The new tax bills introduced by the Tinubu administration have been enveloped in widespread controversy and sparked scathing criticisms and stiff opposition from many including the 36 state governors under the aegis of the National Economic Council (NEC). The 19 governors in northern Nigeria have also unequivocally rejected sections of the bills.

Lawal, one of the governors in the north, said it would be difficult for many states to pay the N70,000 minimum wage if the tax reforms are implemented.

The governor said, “Reform in a system is inevitable and we should always expect reforms. However, in trying to do that, we also need to be careful not to be in a hurry to do something that will later hurt us.

“So, I believe we should carefully study the situation, and have a clear understanding and take a common stand.

“There is a component of it that talks about derivation and definitely, if we are to go by it, it is going to affect some of the states in terms of what kind of inflows they have and invariably it may make it difficult for some states to be able to pay their salaries.”

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has apprehended 10 persons on INTERPOL’s watch list while attempting to enter the country.

Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Minister of Interior, disclosed this on Tuesday during the inauguration of the NIS Technology Innovation Complex in Abuja by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“In the last couple of days, 10 people on the INTERPOL and immigration wanted list were apprehended in one week.

“Before now, those individuals would have entered Nigeria, causing terror. But under the new leadership, Nigeria is a no-go area for any criminal element,” Tunji-Ojo stated.

The newly inaugurated NIS Technology Innovation Complex boasts advanced features, including a command and control center for monitoring regular migration, an NIS data hub, an ECOWAS biometric card production center, an interior data center, and a solar power station to ensure sustainable energy supply.

The minister stated the ability of the complex to assess the risk levels of individuals entering Nigeria, detect irregular migration, and oversee unmanned borders across the country.

He said the solar-powered station is projected to save the country over N300m annually in energy costs.

“We decided to implement an end-to-end energy solution. The 0.5KW solar power plant is 100 per cent operational and connected to the facility,” Tunji-Ojo said.

The minister further noted that the NIS has trained 250 officers to ensure 24/7 surveillance, operating in eight-hour shifts.

“For the first time in the history of this country, we now have over 200 borders under comprehensive surveillance. This state-of-the-art technology has revolutionized our border governance,” he added.

Tunji-Ojo also revealed that the facility houses an automated visa system that ensures visa approvals within 48 hours and produces ECOWAS travel documents for seamless regional mobility.

“We now have an ECOWAS travel document that will facilitate easy movement and travel. “We now have an automated visa regime with 48 hours of visa approval,” he added.

President Bola Tinubu commended the innovation and described it as a vital step in modernizing Nigeria’s immigration infrastructure and enhancing national security.

The minister reaffirmed his commitment to improving service delivery while declaring that the measures will not only fortify Nigeria’s borders but also reduce inefficiencies that have cost the country billions annually.

Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has revealed that his administration will never consider negotiating with bandits.

He stated that the Zamfara State Government is not in any rush to strike a deal with the militants in order to restore peace to the state.

The governor also debunked reports of kidnappings by bandits in the Maradun Local Government Area of the state.

Reports had emerged that gunmen kidnapped more than 50 women and children in a raid on Kakin Dawa village, with the State Police Command allegedly stating that more operatives had been deployed to the area.

However, during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Lawal described the news as false and inaccurate.

“I am not aware of that incident. I am here in Zamfara State, and I haven’t heard about that incident,” he said.

“I am not aware that 50 people were kidnapped in Maradun Local Government. Whoever gave you that information, it’s not correct.”

According to Lawal, the North-Western state has not recorded any kidnapping incidents in the last six months.

“There may be pockets of kidnapping here and there, but I can’t rule that out. These and all the measures put in place are not what they used to be in the past. In the past, hardly a day went by without hearing that 300 people were being killed.

“Within the last six months, I don’t think there has been any such incident reported in Zamfara State. Insecurity is still there, but we are making conscious efforts to handle it to the best of our ability,” he said.

The nation’s political elite has started the process of rigging the 2027 general elections, Prof Adele Jinadu has said.

Delivering his keynote address at the Policy Dialogue on “State of Anti-Corruption Policy and Practice in Nigeria,” in Abuja, yesterday, the Professor of Political Science said known party members were being appointed as commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

His words: “They have started the process of rigging the next general election through the appointment of known party members. Next year, many commissioners will be due for re-appointment. They will use the power of appointment to put those who will do their bidding.

‘’Vote buying is done through procurement, they are amazing war chest for 2027. EFCC should go to party primaries where they give huge amounts of not only naira but even dollars to buy party tickets, instead of going after poor voters who get just N2,000 or N4,000.

“Nigerian citizens have been deceived for too long. The battle has begun. We are at a critical point. Time is running out but it is not too late. We have to adopt the Night Watch Man approach.

“You must fight for the future. We should not just fold our arms doing nothing. I am not tired of fighting. We must give not give up. We must speak truth to power.”

Assessing the nation’s anti-corruption fight, he observed that political interference had not allowed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and Independent Corrupt Practices and Offences Commission, ICPC, to do their jobs.

According to him, the interference comes in various ways, including the constant removal and replacement of chairmen on the two organisations, with EFCC having the ninth chairman since its establishment in 2003.

On the wide-spread corruption in the country, Prof. Jinadu said: “The tragedy of our democratic politics and the underlying causative roots of the problem of corruption is that our political class continues to push its self-interest, almost to the point not only of their own self-destruction but also of stultifying our national development.

“What we need to do now is to bring morality back into our politics and firmly reject the politics of immorality, that is at the heart of our country’s problem of corruption.”

Describing abuse of power as the worst form of.corruption, Prof Jinadu said: “The abuse of the power of incumbency has reached disturbing heights of impunity in our country’s Fourth Republic.

“The worst form of political corruption, it fuels other forms of corruption in the country. It makes nonsense of the ex-ante indeterminacy of democratic elections, the possibility of today’s winners becoming tomorrow’s losers and the possibility of today’s losers becoming tomorrow’s winners in our politics of electoral succession.”

He called for judicial reforms in order to properly tackle corruption, saying “we must begin a process of reforming our legal system in fundamental ways, and away from their excessive formalism and elitist bias, in order to engender a more progressive, activist and public interest legal culture, which will provide legal anchor for social and distributive justice as state policy.”

The Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, has disclosed he encourages his daughters to retaliate whenever their husbands hit them.

Disclosing that domestic violence and wife battery form 45 percent of cases in nine Shari’a courts of Kano in the past five years, Sanusi said he usually tells his daughters this when they are getting married.

He made this known at the National Dialogue Conference on Gender-Based Violence, GBV, prevention from an Islamic perspective themed: ‘Islamic Teachings and Community Collaboration for Ending Gender-Based Violence.’

According to Sanusi: “You can take that verse and say that as a husband, I’ve been given this permission to beat my wife light. And nobody will deny that, nobody will say it is haram if you comply with all the rules. But if you live in a society in which those rules are never applied, nobody who is angry remembers to look for a chewing stick or a handkerchief.

“They just slap these women and punch them and kick them and beat them. I just wrote a doctorate thesis on family law, and I researched nine Shari’a courts in Kano. 41% of the cases over a five-year period had to do with maintenance. 26 per cent had to do with harm. And out of those, 45 per cent were cases of wife beating, or domestic violence. And when we go to the content analysis, not one case of wife beating was light beating.

“It just does not make sense. Now I said it before, and I know I’ve been attacked for it, and I’ll continue saying it. When my daughters are getting married, I say to them, if your husband slaps you, and you come home and tell me my husband slapped me, without slapping him back first, I will slap you myself because I did not send my daughter to marry somebody so he can slap her. If you do not like her, send her back to me. But don’t beat her.”

The Naira is back to appreciation against the dollar at the official foreign exchange market 24 hours after it depreciated.

The Central Bank of Nigeria exchange rate data for Tuesday showed that the Naira strengthened to N1,525 per dollar from N1,538.50 traded on Monday. This represents an N13.5 gain against the dollar compared to the N1538.50 exchanged the previous day.

Meanwhile, the black Naira failed to appreciate as it closed at N1665 per dollar on Tuesday from N1630 traded on Monday.

DAILY POST reports that the Naira weakened for the first time in the FX market on Monday since CBN introduced the Electronic Foreign Exchange Matching System (EFEMS) for transparent FX transactions.

Economists are optimistic that if the Naira can maintain its gain against the dollar in the FX market, this would impact the price of imported goods.

The United States offered a $10 million reward on Tuesday for information leading to the arrest of a Chinese man and co-conspirators wanted for hacking computer firewalls.

Guan Tianfeng, 30, is believed to be living in China’s Sichuan Province, according to the State Department.

An indictment charging Guan with conspiracy to commit computer fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud was unsealed on Tuesday.

The Treasury Department said it had imposed sanctions on the company Guan worked for, Sichuan Silence Information Technology Co Ltd.

Guan and co-conspirators at Sichuan Silence allegedly took advantage of a vulnerability in firewalls sold by UK-based cybersecurity company Sophos Ltd, according to the indictment.

“The defendant and his co-conspirators exploited a vulnerability in tens of thousands of network security devices, infecting them with malware designed to steal information from victims around the world,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said in a statement.

Some 81,000 firewall devices were simultaneously attacked worldwide in April 2020, the indictment said, with the aim of stealing data, including usernames and passwords, while also attempting to infect the computers with ransomware.

More than 23,000 firewalls were in the United States, of which 36 were protecting “critical infrastructure companies’ systems,” the Treasury said.

“The zero-day vulnerability Guan Tianfeng and his co-conspirators found and exploited affected firewalls owned by businesses across the United States,” FBI agent Herbert Stapleton said.

“If Sophos had not rapidly identified the vulnerability and deployed a comprehensive response, the damage could have been far more severe.”

According to the indictment, Sichuan Silence sold its services and the data it obtained through hacking to Chinese businesses and to government entities, including the Ministry of Public Security.