American actor and wrestler, Dwayne Johnson, popularly known as The Rock has vowed not to endorse the incumbent President of the United States (US), Joe Biden for a second term in his looming rematch with his predecessor, Donald Trump.

Sunday Telegraph recalls that Johnson endorsed Biden in his first presidential election contest in 2022 against ex-President Trump, commending him then as the former vice-president and senator over his “compassion, heart, drive and soul”.

But in an interview with Fox News on Friday, Johnson said, “Am I going to do that again this year? That answer’s no. I realise now going into this election, I will not do that.”

In September 2020, Johnson endorsed Biden and his running mate, Kamala Harris.

“You guys are both experienced to lead, you’ve done great things,” The Rock had said.

“Joe, you’ve had such an incredible career, and you’ve led with such great compassion, heart, drive, and soul…Kamala, you have been a district attorney, a state attorney, a US senator. You are smart and tough. I have seen you in those hearings.”

According to the Guardian UK, the action star, when asked if he would repeat the endorsement said, “Am I happy with the state of America right now? Well, that answer’s no. Do I believe we’re gonna get better? I believe in that – I’m an optimistic guy. And I believe we can do better.

“The endorsement that I made years ago with Biden was what I thought was the best decision for me at that time. I thought back then, when we talked about, ‘Hey, you know, I’m in this position where I have some influence,’ and it was my job then … to exercise my influence and share … who I’m going to endorse.”

Johnson also said his “goal is to bring this country together” but said he would “keep my politics to myself”.

“It is between me and the ballot box,” he said. “Like a lot of us out there, not trusting of all politicians, I do trust the American people and whoever they vote for that is my president and who I will support 100 per cent.”

Former Governor Nasir El–Rufai of Kaduna State has come under intense pressure to jettison the idea of dumping the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), to form a mega political party with some like minds. That was even as an ambassadorial appointment is being dangled before him as an alternative. It would be recalled that the El – Rufai, who played a major role in the formation of the APC in 2014, recently paid a visit to the secretariat of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), in reciprocation to the earlier visit of the National Chairman of the SDP, Shehu Musa Gabam, in company with National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu and a chieftain of the APC, Kashim Ibrahim – Imam. The trio went to break their fast in El–Rufai’s Abuja home. However, some people are prevailing on him not to leave the party, which he helped in its formation and winning the elections in 2015, a credible source conversant with the issue confided in Sunday Telegraph. The Source said: “Some persons are trying to broker some rapprochement, telling him not to leave the party as a founding member of the APC, who played a major role; he should not jettison the party.

“However, the trouble at home is further putting pressure on him to find a new platform to become more relevant because the governor in his home state in his revelation has further damaged him in some way, his reputation as an astute manager of resources and men. “But some of his men are saying that the money was borrowed for some developmental purposes and therefore, what the loan was used for is very visible everywhere; that when you want to kick-start an infrastructural revolution, you need extra finances. That is making him more estranged from the party.” Furthermore, our source said that it was not without reason.

“He has two reasons why he is looking for another party,” our source adds: “Number one: He believes that he was deliberately schemed out of being minister of the federal republic by some entrenched interests and he believes that he was not duly rewarded for the key and critical role he played in the emergence of candidate Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the candidate of the APC and also his emergence as the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. “He believes that he has not been well treated by the leadership of the party and by the government. His critical role has not been acknowledged and rewarded like others, who did not play half of the role he played. “So, it is obvious that he is very angry with the system and he believes that what he did in 2014, and 2015, leading to the formation of the APC can be done again. However, some persons from within the party are also said to be reaching out to him that he should not be angry.

“They are dangling before him the ambassadorial compensation. Whether that will materialize is another thing. “He also needs to be cleared in one way or the other. He is reluctant to take that leap because he believes that it may lead to another humiliation and of course, he also believes that some of the things happening in his home state are orchestrated to haunt him. “That is their response to his move in the last few days by people who believe that they will pay you back, you want to form a mega party. He believes that what is happening in his home state is being orchestrated by the same people, who denied him the ministerial slot.

In a bid to make the forthcoming sallah festivities in Zamfara State more memorable, Senator Abdulaziz Yari has flagged off the distribution of 380 cows to the All Progressive Congress (APC) leaders, stakeholders and the families of those who mostly are destitute in the state.

This was disclosed shortly after the distribution ceremony of the cows in Gusau which was led by the Chairman, Senator Yari Political Organization, Alhaji Lawal M Liman, adding that, Senator Yari has provided 380 cows to distribute to the concerned beneficiaries after considering the cost of living.

“Yari, the former Zamfara governor representing Zamfara West Senatorial District in the National Assembly, has decided to assist considering the fact that, members of the APC in the state are now on the opposition, therefore, things could be difficult.

“The beneficiaries of the gesture include State, Local Government and Ward executives of the APC.

“Other beneficiaries of the gesture include Islamic scholars, youth and women groups and associations as well as community leaders in the state.

“Nine of the 14 local government areas of the state have already collected cows allocated to them.

“We are working to extend the allocations of the remaining Five LGAs and other categories of the beneficiaries’’ Liman said.

He commended the former governor for his concern for the people of the state, especially for those at the grassroots.

Liman urged other political officeholders to emulate the former governor in extending the dividend of democracy to the electorates.

Liman called on Muslims to use the remaining days of Ramadan to pray for peace and stability in the state and in Nigeria in general.

The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) says the recent hike in electricity tariffs could impact negatively on the ease of doing business in Nigeria.

Emeka Obegolu, ACCI’s president, spoke in an interview with NAN on Saturday in Abuja.

Obegolu acknowledged the various challenges already faced by entrepreneurs and investors in the country.

He said small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which are crucial to the country’s economy, would be greatly affected by the hike in tariff.

“The ease of doing business is a critical factor for fostering economic growth, attracting investments, and creating job opportunities,” he said.

“Regrettably, the increase in electricity tariffs can hinder these efforts by imposing additional financial burdens on businesses, especially SMEs, which are the backbone of our economy.”

According to Obegolu, any disruptions or cost increases associated with electricity supply could lead to higher operational expenses.

He said it would hinder businesses’ ability to invest in innovation and expansion and impede their competitiveness in both domestic and international markets.

Obegolu also expressed concern that the tariff hike, combined with other economic challenges such as the removal of fuel subsidy and foreign exchange unification, could further compound difficulties faced by businesses.

“Many enterprises are already struggling with reduced demand, supply chain disruptions, and financial constraints. The burden of higher electricity tariffs exacerbates their challenges and threatens their long-term viability,” he said.

“As advocates for the business community, we urge relevant authorities to reconsider this decision and explore alternative solutions that prioritise the needs of businesses and support ease of doing business.

“It is vital to strike a balance between ensuring a sustainable energy sector and mitigating the adverse effects of tariff hikes on businesses, particularly during these trying times.”

The ACCI president called for constructive dialogue with stakeholders to find collaborative solutions that addressed concerns from both energy providers and businesses.

“Through fostering open communication, promoting transparency, and adopting policies that facilitate business growth and competitiveness, we can create an environment conducive to sustainable economic development and prosperity for all,” he said.

Obegolu said ACCI stands ready to collaborate with stakeholders to address challenges posed by the tariff.

Nollywood actor and comedian, Nwaogu Udochukwu Victor, popularly known as Nkubi and his wife welcomed their first child.

The content creator took to his Instagram page on Saturday, April 6, to announce the good news to his fans and followers.

In the shared post, the actor shared a video showing the photos they took when his wife was pregnant with their child.

However, Nkubi didn’t reveal the gender of the child.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has directed all electricity distribution companies (DisCos) to refund customers wrongly billed with the new rate.

Abba Terab, NERC deputy general manager in charge of market competition and rates, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.

According to NERC, customers should be refunded through energy tokens no later than April 11, and file evidence of compliance with the commission by April 12.

On April 3, NERC approved an increase in electricity tariff for customers under the Band A classification.

The commission said customers under the classification, who receive 20 hours of electricity supply daily, will pay N225 per kilowatt (kW), starting from April 3 — up from N66.

The NERC also directed all electricity distribution companies to provide as much clarity as possible to all affected customers.

“All DisCos shall ensure that only the newly approved Band A feeders listed in their April 2024 supplementary orders are maintained as band A for the purpose of vending to prepaid customers and billing for post paid customers on their networks,” Terab said.

“All DisCos are required to immediately post on their websites the schedule of approved Band A feeders that have been affected by the rate review.

“All DisCos shall set up a portal by 10th April 2024 on their website that allows all customers to check their current Bands by entering their meter or account numbers.

“All customers wrongly billed at the new rate should be refunded through energy tokens no later than Thursday 11th April 2024, and file evidence of compliance with the Commission by 12th April 2024.

“The Commission shall monitor compliance with the requirements listed above and shall continue to provide support to all stakeholders as required.”

On Aprile 5, NERC fined Abuja Electricity Distribution Plc (AEDC) N200 million for overcharging customers.

NERC said AEDC must reimburse affected customers by April 11.

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Senate President, Mr Godswill Akpabio over “the failure to refer the alleged N3.7 trillion budget padding to appropriate anti-corruption agencies for investigation and prosecution, and to recall Senator Abdul Ningi who blew the whistle on the allegations.”

Mr Akpabio is sued for himself and on behalf of all members of Nigeria’s Senate.

It would be recalled that whistleblower Ningi last month was suspended for three months over his allegations that the 2024 budget was padded by over N3 trillion and that the country is operating two budgets.

In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/452/2024 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court, Abuja, SERAP is seeking: “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr Akpabio to refer the alleged N3.7 trillion budget padding to appropriate anti-corruption agencies for investigation and prosecution of suspected perpetrators.”

SERAP is also seeking: “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr Akpabio to immediately take steps to ensure the reinstatement of whistleblower Abdul Ningi who was suspended from the Senate over his allegations that the lawmakers padded the 2024 budget by irregularly inserting projects worth N3.7 trillion.”

SERAP is also seeking: “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr Akpabio to put in place transparency and accountability mechanisms to ensure that the trillions of Naira budgeted for constituency projects are not embezzled, misappropriated or diverted into private pockets.”

In the suit, SERAP is arguing that: “Granting this application would serve the public interest, encourage whistleblowers to speak up, improve public services, and ensure transparency and accountability in the management of public resources.”

SERAP is arguing that, “Directing Mr Akpabio to refer these allegations to appropriate anticorruption agencies and to reinstate whistleblower Abdul Ningi would be entirely consistent and compatible with the letter and spirit of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and the country’s international obligations.”

SERAP is also arguing that, “The allegations by Senator Ningi amount to public interest disclosures and can contribute to strengthening transparency and democratic accountability in the Senate in particular and the country as a whole.”

According to SERAP, “Suspension of Senator Ningi by the Senate followed a seriously flawed process and it amounts to retaliation.”

SERAP is also arguing that, “Senator Ningi’s status as a whistleblower is not diminished even if the perceived threat to the public interest has not materialised, since he would seem to have reasonable grounds to believe in the accuracy of the allegations of budget padding and corruption in the Senate.”

The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare and Mrs Adelanke Aremo, read in part: “It is in the public interest and the interest of justice to grant this application. No whistleblower should ever be penalised simply for making a public interest disclosure.”

“Directing Mr Akpabio to refer the allegations to appropriate anticorruption agencies would help to address the lingering problem of budget padding and corruption in the implementation of constituency projects.”

“Directing Mr Akpabio to refer the allegations to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) would also ensure probity and accountability in the budget process.”

“Investigating and prosecuting the allegations of budget padding and corruption would end the impunity of perpetrators. It would build trust in democratic institutions with the ultimate aim of strengthening the rule of law.”

“Years of allegations of budget padding and corruption in the implementation of constituency projects have contributed to widespread poverty, underdevelopment and lack of access to public goods and services.”

“Allegations of budget padding and corruption in the implementation of constituency projects have also continued to have negative impacts on the fundamental interests of the citizens in several communities and the public interest.”

“Combating budget padding would improve access of Nigerians to basic public goods and services, and enhance the ability of ministries, departments and agencies to effectively and efficiently discharge their constitutional and statutory responsibilities.”

“Section 15(5) of the Nigerian Constitution requires public institutions to abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power.”

“Section 16(2) of the Nigerian Constitution further provides that, ‘the material resources of the nation are harnessed and distributed as best as possible to serve the common good.’”

“Section 13 of the Nigerian Constitution imposes clear responsibility on the National Assembly including the Senate to conform to, observe and apply the provisions of Chapter 2 of the constitution.”

“Section 81 of the Nigerian Constitution and sections 13 and 18 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act constrain the ability of the National Assembly to unilaterally insert its own allocations in the budget without following the due process of law.”

“Nigeria has made legally binding commitments under the UN Convention against Corruption to ensure accountability in the management of public resources.”

“Articles 5 and 9 of the UN Convention against Corruption also impose legal obligations on the National Assembly including the Senate to ensure proper management of public affairs and public funds.”

“Article 33 of the Convention requires government institutions including the Senate to ensure the protection of whistleblowers against any unjustified treatment. Granting this application would ensure that these commitments are fully upheld and respected.”

“Senator Ningi is a whistleblower, who is protected under article 33 of the UN Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a state party. Senator Ningi is a whistleblower because of his public interest disclosures on alleged budget padding and corruption in the Senate in the context of carrying out his work as Senator.”

“According to our information, Senator Abdul Ningi, the former Chairperson of the Northern Senators Forum (NSF), recently told BBC Hausa that the lawmakers sought the service of a private auditor and discovered irregularities in the budget.”

“Senator Ningi reportedly said, ‘For example, we had a budget of N28 trillion but after our thorough checks, we found out that it was a budget of N25 trillion. How and where did we get the additional N3 trillion from, what are we spending it for?.’”

“According to BudgIT, a total of 7,447 projects culminating in N2.24tn were indiscriminately inserted in the 2024 budget by the National Assembly. 281 projects worth N491bn, and 3,706 projects within the range of N100–500m, worth 759bn were inserted in the budget.”

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress has vowed not to rest until it unseat Julius Abure as national chairman of the Labour Party.

Disclosing this in an interview with Sunday PUNCH, the NLC spokesman, Benson Upah, said that despite the ‘illegal’ national convention that returned Abure to office, the union would never confer legitimacy or give recognition to his leadership.

He said, “Our position on this matter is clear and has not changed. Abure remains unknown to us. It is not a question of removal. As far as we know, he does not exist.”

The development is coming at a time when a group of retired workers under the aegis of Lagos Assembly of Labour Veterans and Trade Unionists also called for the resignation of the embattled national chairman of the party and the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, over their contentious leadership struggle.

The party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, also seems to be at loggerheads with the leadership of the LP over the manner it conducted the convention in Nnewi, Anambra State, despite his plea for wider consultation.

The former Anambra governor had expressed his frustrations at an X (formerly Twitter) Space session organised by Parallel Facts last Friday night.

While explaining his absence at the national convention that got Julius Abure re-elected as the party’s national chairman, Obi told his audience that he didn’t attend the event because the party’s leadership failed to heed his appeal for wider consultation with relevant stakeholders before the exercise.

His speech has since set tongues wagging and further fuelled earlier speculations that the LP presidential candidate may have started shopping for a new platform despite being guaranteed the 2027 ticket at the convention.

But Upah said the issue of whether Obi should stay or leave the party should not be debated, saying the former governor was free to determine his destiny.

According to him, the NLC cannot stand in the way of the presidential candidate should he decide to defect to another political platform.

While describing him as an asset, the spokesman reiterated that the congress would not stand in his way if he chose to leave.

“The right of choice is available to Mr Obi. If he chooses to leave the party, that is his preference. We can’t sit in judgment over him on that. But if he chooses to remain, of course, Peter Obi is an asset any day. I rest my case on that,” he added.

Mr Eket Eko Ogbonga is the National Secretary of the Network for Electricity Consumer Advocacy of Nigeria.

In this interview, Ogbonga speaks on the controversial subsidy removal through an increase in the tariff paid by consumers in Band A who, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) says, are consuming 20 hours of electricity and above daily from N68/KWh to N225KWh, saying less than five per cent of those in the Band get 20 hours supply. He also speaks on the metering problem and how Distribution Companies (DISCOs) are smartly collecting money for electricity not supplied. Excerpts:

What kind of advocacy has been going on since the announcement of the tariff increase for Band A electricity consumers last week?

What are we going to tell Nigerians when the government has already made up its mind? Before this time, we saw it coming and we warned against the implication it’s going to have on the economy and Nigerians. We are not so much against tariff increases, the problem we have is that we have a Commission that is always churning out regulations but with no capacity to monitor implementation.

You said NERC cannot ensure compliance. How?

I deal with facts. In 2020-21, the Commission came up with what it called a Service-Based Tariff based on the principle that the more electricity that is supplied to your business or household the more you pay. Now this led to the reclassification of electricity consumers’ tariff bands. We have band A: The consumers there would be supplied a minimum of 20 hours a day to pay at that rate; Band B 18 hours, Band C 12 hours, Band D 8 hours, and Band E 4 hours. We surveyed Band A customers and we discovered that less than 5 per cent of those in that Band received 20 hours. We discovered that some customers in 11 months never had 18 hours of electricity supply but they are on Band A.

How do you measure?

We have meters and the prepaid meters are smart. If you have 50 outages in a day, the meter records it. So you can extract that information. So there is software you can use to get that information without tampering with the meters. Why do you think the DISCOs revenues are rising? It is because they are collecting money from Nigerians for power not supplied. So, we have a situation where some hoteliers on Band A never had an 18-hour supply for 11 months.

So, why do you think the DISCOs revenues are rising under the Multi Year Tariff Order, MYTO? Section 19 of MYTO and Sections 13 and 14 of the MYTO 2023, 2024 state clearly that where there’s failure on the part of the Distribution Company to deliver on the committed service level of 20 hours minimum for Band A, 16 hours minimum for Band B, 12 hours for Band C, there shall be retroactive adjustment of customers in those clusters and compensated. But there is no condition on how to measure. Was it going to be the DISCO that would measure, was it the Commission or the customer? So when we made noise about it, they came out with a regulation on compensation.

Nothing is said about how we will measure; you left it to the DISCOs and not the consumers. Will the DISCOs now say “We did not supply electricity to you; we are going to compensate you?” Haba! The question is how do you measure it? Is there a mechanism put in place by the Commission on how they can measure? They are talking about going to feeders. Do consumers know what feeders are? Do consumers have access to the feeders? So, these are the problems we are having.

Moving forward, what do we need to insist on?

Tariff increase, whether you call it cost reflective tariff, is not the silver bullet that is needed in the market. Why tariff increase or a reflection of cost in the market? We are dancing around the problem and our priorities have not been set right. First, what is the percentage of customers in Band A that are metered? We have a huge metering gap. The meter is the revenue assurance tool in the business of electricity. Why do we have revenue shortfalls, huge subsidies they are talking about? Aggregate, technical and commercial losses are as high as 47 to 49 per cent. This means that for every N100 of electricity generated, transmitted and distributed, you are losing N47 to N49 and you are recovering the balance.

Let’s look at the situation in Zambia, Kenya and South Africa. In Zambia for instance, to guarantee revenue in the electricity sector, the meter is paramount. If you meter 100 per cent as it is done in Zambia, their ATC and C is 17 per cent. The solution to the liquidity in the market is the huge metering gap of over 7 million of unmetered customers which now leads to the inability of the Distribution Company to collect revenue. You are not guaranteed your revenue. I bought energy three days ago for N50, 000 for services not yet used.

So, if you meter 100 per cent like is done in Zambia and Kenya, it will reduce revenue loss and shoot up your revenue collection. So, you cannot generate until distribution launches higher than generation to continue running around. In other words, until you can guarantee that what you generate you can distribute and get your money, we are not going to get there. And what will help you do that is the meter.

But there are claims that electricity supplied in any of the Bands can be measured…

If they claim so, let them provide the evidence because we are dealing with their document. The MYTO that threw up Service Based Tariff, Section 19 of the 2020 or 2021 and Sections 13 and 14 of MYTO 2023 state clearly that where there is a failure on the part of the electricity company to deliver up to a certain level, and upon confirmation by who is not stated and it says if it comes to NERC, and NERC verifies it, then NERC will order for a retroactive adjustment and compensation. They should mention one customer in the whole of Nigeria in 2022, 2023 and 2024 that they have measured its supply and asked for compensation. Would you beat your chest that you get 20 hours of electricity supply daily? The real thing is that Nigerians are not being supplied electricity based on the committed service level.

But is it a surprise to you that the Federal Government wants to save N1.14 trillion in electricity subsidies?

Why should it be if we are ready to do the needful and if the Distribution Company can distribute electricity? We have what they call MYTO Daily Load Allocation, is it all the Distribution Companies that are getting their daily load allocation? No. this is because they cannot take the product to consumers.

It is not about no money in the market, it is because of the environment that is created where those who are saddled with the responsibilities are only rent collectors. The same MYTO established what is called Performance Improvement CAPEX in 2021, and huge sums of money were allocated, I challenged NERC to publish how the money was spent by DISCOs.

What exactly is your grouse with the project?

Sometime in November 2022, some people and I were invited to the World Bank, and we were told that the Federal Government was asking for additional funding of $3 billion for the power sector and they told us about $9 billion that was already spent.

Who is tracking that money and where has the money gone? What impact has it made in the sector? The problem in our electricity sector is not what these guys want Nigerians to believe. The problem is the ability to tell Nigerians the truth about what is going on in the sector.

What should we do if we are going to have a grant or a loan of $3billion and you pump this money to raise the metering level to at least 80 to 85 per cent, the liquidity prices will drop sharply and the Federal Government would not be wasting that amount of money.

The Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) is flexing its muscle, directing all supermarkets and grocery stores within the state to ensure clear price tags on all products. Failure to comply will result in hefty fines or even closure, the agency warned.

This directive, announced on the Lagos State government website, comes as part of LASCOPA’s ongoing efforts to protect consumer rights and ensure transparency in pricing. Afolabi Solebo, LASCOPA’s General Manager, emphasized that the absence of price tags is a clear violation of both consumer rights and the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency Law.

“Without clear price tags, shoppers are left in the dark,” stated Solebo. “They cannot compare prices effectively or make informed decisions about their grocery purchases. This is simply unacceptable and contradicts the Consumer Protection Act, which mandates the clear display of prices for all goods and services.”

LASCOPA is taking a no-nonsense approach. The agency will impose fines on non-compliant stores, and repeat offenders risk being shut down entirely. Solebo urged residents to be vigilant and report any supermarkets or grocery stores neglecting to display prices on their products.

This move by LASCOPA follows a similar action taken in February by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) which sealed a supermarket in Abuja for its opaque pricing practices. It appears that price transparency is becoming a top priority for consumer protection agencies across Nigeria.