President Bola Tinubu has stated that Nigerians are beginning to reap the benefits of removing petrol subsidies, urging them to be patient and supportive because a bright future awaits them despite their current hardships.

President Tinubu, who the Secretary represented to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, announced this at the Gala/Award Night to commemorate the 2023 Civil Service Week in Abuja.

According to the President, the first two policies he announced during his inauguration, namely the fuel subsidy elimination and the establishment of a new currency regime, were already yielding positive results, even as he promised palliatives to mitigate the impact of the associated sufferings.

We have received support and commendation from the global community for our courage in introducing these policy shifts.

We shall, without delay, cushion the pains experience by our people as a result of these measures, through a number of work-targeted policy interventions aimed at giving adequate relief and succor to the great number of our long-suffering citizens, he said.

President Tinubu also commended the Federation’s Civil Service Head, Mrs. Folasade Yemi-Esan, on the service’s holistic digitalization efforts, saying that Nigeria’s challenges leave no option but to continue on the analogue front.

While describing digitalization as a compelling option, the President stated that the civil service is the fulcrum of governance and that a paradigm shift is required to make policy-making and governance seamless.

It is in this regard that I am pleased to note that adopting the digitalisation of web processes in the public service is the gateway to efficient resource utilisation and national development, and it is apt and appropriate for this commemoration.

The challenges we face today with governance leave no option to continue on the analog front. The task before us as a people and government are daunting, but the process of success is promising if we make the right choices. Digitalisation is a compelling choice, and we must take it.

The expectations of the civil service this year are full; this is so because the expectations of this administration for the civil service are full. This is so because the civil service is the fulcrum for governance; our vision and mission are predicated on the instrumentation, policies, and programs to spur the National Economic multidimensional front.

Many tough but needful policy and paradigm shifts will be in place to reposition governance for efficiency, effectiveness, and productivity. To match the expectations of this administration, the civil service must increase its reforms, set under the six pillars of the federal civil service strategy, and implementation plan 2021 to 2025 must be focused and attained, he said.

The Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) in Abuja is preparing to deliver its judgement on three petitions seeking to nullify President Bola Tinubu‘s election.

The Justice Haruna Tsammani-led panel has called on all parties to adopt their final arguments.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Tinubu the winner of the presidential election, held on February 25, where he defeated 17 other candidates.

However, the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP, Atiku Abubakar, and flagbearer of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi who placed second and third, respectively, have challenged the results.

Both Atiku and Obi claim they won the presidential election and question Tinubu’s eligibility to contest.

They argue that Tinubu did not secure the majority of lawful votes and request that his Certificate of Return be revoked.

They also propose a fresh election, excluding Tinubu, claiming he was never qualified to participate.

Atiku, in particular, has brought up issues concerning Tinubu’s birth date, education, state of origin, and dual citizenship with Guinea.

He further argues that Tinubu’s degree certificate from Chicago State University actually belongs to a woman.

Obi and the LP have also contested Tinubu’s eligibility, citing a prior indictment and fine from a US District Court for an offence involving dishonesty and drug trafficking. They accuse INEC of breaching its own regulations and guidelines.

If their petitions are successful, the challengers hope that Tinubu’s votes will be disregarded due to his disqualification and that Obi, who they believe met all constitutional requirements, will be declared the winner.

Alternatively, they request a new election in which Tinubu, his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima, and the APC would be ineligible to participate.

While five petitions were initially filed, two parties, the Action Alliance (AA) and the Action Peoples Party (APP), have withdrawn their cases.

The remaining petition from the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) argues that the withdrawal of Tinubu’s initial Vice-Presidential candidate invalidated his candidacy. This case is also awaiting judgment.

• Kanu not released, only granted access to personal doctors — DSS Source
• PDP, CSOs ask Senate to reject recycled, compensated nominees
• APGA urges nominees to implement Tinubu’s manifesto
• Umahi, Kyari, six other nominees to get automatic confirmation 

The decision by the Senate to hastily begin screening of the proposed members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) today may have saved the ministerial nominees from the series of petitions that usually characterise the exercise.

The Department of State Services (DSS) has not released Nnamdi Kanu, the Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a competent source disclosed in Abuja. The source said on Sunday that contrary to reports in a section of the media, the IPOB leader was only granted access to his personal doctors under the supervision of the Service. Some sections of the media had reported that Kanu was on Saturday, released for the first time, since his incarceration two years ago to meet with his personal physicians in an Abuja hospital outside the facility of the DSS. According to the DSS source, access to doctors for suspects in DSS custody is routine in line with the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of the Service.

President Bola Tinubu had on Thursday, presented the list of the ministers-designate to the Senate, few hours to the deadline, through his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.

28 names including four ex-governors, seven women and youths were presented to the Senate by the president, with a promise by Tinubu to send 14 more names from 11 states that are yet to be represented in the proposed cabinet.

The Guardian investigation from the committee on Ethics and Public petitions on Friday indicated that no petition had been received against any of the 28 nominees.

Accordingly, the category of nominees to be screened on Monday may not encounter petitions, an issue that had in the past, denied many the opportunity of being confirmed as Ministers.

There were allegations that the government deliberately waited till the last minute to submit the list to avoid public probes.
Indeed, the senate had to postpone its yearly recess to commence the screening today.

Even as the Senate said it would give automatic confirmation to deserving ministerial nominees, political parties and civil society organisations have advised the Senate to outrightly reject those who were compensated for political roles played during the election as opposed to merit or competence in addressing the nation’s teething socio-economic, political and security problems.

The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which said it may meet within the week to address matters arising from the nomination and other related issues, however, charged the Senate to display patriotism by rejecting nominees found to be incompetent for the federal cabinet job.

Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Ambassador Umar Damagum, said that consultation was already in progress on sundry issues affecting the party and added that within the week, the leadership will unveil its position to the public.

Spokesman of the party, Debo Ologunagba, who declined to make an official statement on the matter when contacted, however, said the position of the party would be disclosed within the week.

But a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the PDP described the nomination as mere job opportunities for loyalists and political associates of the President.

He said: “Are you surprised about this? Were you expecting anything more? We know that the President must compensate his boys and others who ran around to perpetrate all sorts of irregularities in that election to ensure his emergence.

“The country’s comatose economy requires serious revolutionary steps to fix it, who among these nominees has that capacity? He queried.

For the National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Mr Sylvester Ezeokenwa, the ministers-designate ought to be familiar with the manifesto of the President especially in finding solutions to the hardship in the country.

Ezeokenwa, who said his party had no issue with the caliber of the ministerial nominees said, it is during the implementation of their assignments that Nigerians would know whether they are fit or not.

In its own reaction, the Human Rights Writers Association (HURIWA), said some of the nominees failed to fight insecurity when they were governors in their states, and as such shouldn’t be confirmed by the Senate.

According to the President of the association, Emmanuel Onwubiko, the human rights violations tendencies of some of the nominees are too high to be trusted with another public office.

He also drew the attention of the Senate to the huge debts incurred by the state where one of the nominees served as finance commissioner, adding that it would be dangerous to reward such a person with a federal cabinet appointment.

“So, the Senate must be thorough and meticulous in screening these nominees who we believe are opportunistic political jobbers brought for political compensation. It is obvious that the President doesn’t want to solve the problems of insecurity, otherwise why appoint someone who created the enabling environment for the rise of insurgency by Fulani herdsmen and is not known to have fought them with the goal of ending the insurgency?”, he queried.

Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central).

Senate majority leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, had disclosed that the Senate would not waste time to commence the screening at 11am on Monday.

He also revealed that some nominees will be given automatic confirmation and be asked to simply take a “bow and go”.

“But take a bow and go is not an unparliamentary convention, it has become a practice all over the world and that person must be a former member of the parliament, who is well known to us. Somebody we have confidence in his ability.”

At least eight of the nominees who were members of the National Assembly will benefit from the automatic confirmation.

They are the current acting National Chairman of ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abubakar Kyari, who represented Borno North in the 8th and 9th Senate; Senator John Enoh, who represented Cross River Central in the 8th Senate and Senator Abubakar Sani Danladi who was former acting governor and deputy governor of Taraba State.

Others are former Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Nkiru Onyejiocha, who represented Isuikwuato/ Umunneochi federal constituency, Abia State; Olubunmi Tunji Ojo, who represented Akoko North East/ North West federal constituency, Ondo State. He was the chairman, House Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC; Abubakar Momoh, a two-time member of the House of Representatives who represented Etsako federal constituency, Edo State and Ekperikpe Ekpo, who represented Abak federal constituency from 2007 and 2011 from Akwa Ibom State.

As the Senate begins screening the ministerial nominees Monday, a lawyer and Founder of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, has urged the lawmakers to allow the constitution to prevail.

Speaking with The Guardian at the weekend, he said they have the constitutional power to reject any nominee, I hope they do so and not trade public interest with political interest.

Itodo, however, expressed disappointment with the approach taken by the President, “because we thought that this president would have done things differently and I think it is a missed opportunity. What I mean in this case is attaching portfolios to the names. It is important, my expectation was, he was going to do something differently, given his antecedents but it is a missed opportunity.

“They should also interrogate their leadership competence, their records. Some of these people who have been nominated know some of their antecedents so they should ask them.
I didn’t expect someone like El Rufai to have been appointed in view of the video that went viral over incendiary comments that he made. One expects the senate would take this up during the screening.

“It is an opportunity for the Senate to either ask him to withdraw that or apologise for making those statements because it is actually an insult and a disregard for the sensibility of Nigerians.

Setting agenda for whoever will become the Minister of Foreign Affairs, a former director general of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Lagos, Prof Bola Akinterinwa, said the person must first seek a better understanding of Nigeria’s three foreign policy principles- Non-alignment policy; Foreign Policy Concentricism, as espoused by a diplomat and immediate past chief of staff to former President Muhammadu Buhari, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari; Constructive and Beneficial Concentricism, as propounded by Ambassador Oluyemi Adeniji, and more importantly, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi’s Consultation Doctrine.

Akinterinwa, now of the International Relations Department, Achievers University, Owo, Ondo State, said these principles have generally been misconstrued, yet they are always applied.

He stated: “Nigeria must redefine its foreign policy to respond to the New World Order and to the new alliances that are in the making, as well as to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and African Union (AU) policy attitude to unconstitutional change of government in Africa.

“The policy is currently placing emphasis on military coupists, but ignoring coups by civilian-sponsored or assisted coups.”

The professor of International Relations charged Nigeria to raise the issue of democratisation of the United Nations (UN) system and make noise about the two permanent seats for Africa, insisting the matter cannot be kept in the cooler for too long.

In addition, he called for the redefinition of the content of ‘Africa as centrepiece of Nigeria’s foreign policy,’ especially in terms of policy of reciprocity, good neighbourliness, regional integration and national security and importation of Fulani herdsmen from West and Central Africa.
The Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) identified the economic challenges besetting the country as an issue that must be addressed by the newly appointed Ministers recently unveiled by President Tinubu.

Also, the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) while expressing disappointment over the choice of some of the ministerial nominees stressed the need to tackle unemployment and rising poverty among Nigerians.

Yusuf Yabagi Sani

IPAC chairman, Yabagi Yusuf Sani expressed optimism that the ministerial nominees would live up to the expectations of Nigerians.

He noted: “In terms of track records, all the individuals I saw there, at least the ones that I know, are people that you can go to sleep with your eyes closed as far as performance is concerned. They have what it takes in terms of track records and professionalism also. So, I don’t expect anything less than performance,” he said.

“We should expect performance and commitment to take the economy out of the woods so that Nigerians can begin to experience what we call the dividends of democracy.”

Auwal Musa Rafsanjani who chairs the TMG applauded President Tinubu over the inclusion of a sizable number of women on the list of his ministerial nominees.

Expressing disappointment over the inclusion of some controversial former governors on the list, he identified the corruption, wastefulness and security challenges in the country as areas requiring urgent attention.

For the former National Chairman of APGA, Chekwas Okorie, allocation of portfolios to the ministers has propensity to either douse or arouse tension in the polity.

He stated that ministries and agencies of government are not of equal importance and value, stressing that the President must strike ethnic and religious balance in order to carry a cross section of the country along and give Nigerians a reasonable sense of equal citizenship.

He stated that by doing so, tension in the polity would be reduced, adding that the Ministers should work to impress on the president the need for community policing to solve the country’s security challenges.

Okorie told The Guardian in Enugu that, “It is constitutionally mandatory for President Tinubu to appoint a minimum of 37 ministers to ensure that each of the 36 states plus the Federal Capital Territory, FCT”, adding that, “he may appoint more than this number depending on his political and administrative calculations.”

He recommended that the ministries and parastatals be grouped in categories of A, B, and C; so that each of the six geopolitical zones should get an equal share of the ministries and parastatals from each of the categories.

“This will be a welcome departure from the nepotistic and parochial tendencies of the Buhari dispensation. The role of the ministers in solving security issues in the country is tangential. Their roles are basically to implement the policies and programmes of the Tinubu administration to facilitate the welfare and economic development of the country. The various security agencies have their jobs cut out for them to ensure the security of lives and property of Nigerians. I am of the strong conviction that the introduction of state police and community policing in the country’s security architecture will resolve our security problems to a large extent.”

On his part, former Spokesperson of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Mazi Chuks Ibegbu, added that appointment of ministers without a strategic plan on how to rescue the country from the present quagmire makes no sense.

“You may like to appoint any number of persons as Ministers but without a strategic plan on how to cushion our current sufferings, you are making a great mistake. We need economic policies with a human face and we need the right Nigerians to drive it. From what I have perceived from that list, most of the people there are there for political settlements. That means already, the plan is not to salvage the country. Some of the people there still have questionable scorecards and these are people we have decided to recycle. It does not make any sense.

“We are however, watching that with their appointment, they should hit the ground running by ending the current economic hardships, solving present insecurity and giving the people hope again in their country”, he said.

A constitutional lawyer, Kayode Ajulo, Chairman, Centre for Anti-corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL), Debo Adeniran and Wale Adeoye, a journalist and writer, said the administration of President Tinubu must be ready to obey the tenets of rule of law.

They also posited that the government must not interfere in the judicial system with the aim to influence justice and order of the courts.

According to Ajulo, “What they need to do is so clear. Government must be ready to accept any order or injunction from the court when this is done there is no fast way out. This will be a great day for the justice delivery system in Nigeria.

“Rule of law is doing things the way it ought to be done, whether it favours the government or not. The opposite of rule of law is when you deploy sentiment, ethnicity or religion to apply the law. The government must be ready to apply, obey and respect the rule of law, if this is done, President Tinubu will end as a hero in the country.”

Adeoye said the incoming Minister of Justice and Attorney General must ensure that the government under which is to serve, does not take laws into its hands. It must also be prepared to ensure that justice is served without class and or ethnic discrimination.

He also added that the incoming Minister of Justice must start with a radical judicial reformation aimed at flushing out corrupt judges.

Adeoye added that the nominated Minister of Information must adopt the tactics of mass communication and not just issuing press statements to media houses and thinking he has reached out to the masses. He needs to find a way to engage Nigerians through the use of mass communication.

Adeniran on his part advocated the separation of the office of Attorney-General from that of the Minister of Justice.

He said one of the cardinal challenges affecting adherence to rule of law is the combination of the two positions in one hand.

In line with earlier speakers, Adediran said the incoming Minister of Justice must be ready to uphold the tenets of justice without fear, favouritism and partiality.

However, President, Yoruba Council Worldwide, Oladotun Hassan has urged President Tinubu not to hesitate to immediately remove any minister that didn’t live up to the expectations of their offices.

Hassan, who doubles as Secretary, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Epe branch, said the President promised to hit the ground running, and with what the country is going through, there’s no better commitment than the zeal that is expected of the ministers to commit themselves to the services of their fatherland.

“In terms of rule of law, economy and insecurity, we know the present situation, the killings in Plateau and Zamfara States, the bandwagon of kidnapping in the southeast, and the overzealous touts in the southwest, all these are symptoms of insecurity.

“Even in the Niger Delta, the recent display of Asari Dokubo are symptoms of insecurity. In a sane society every youth must be engaged. If the youths are constructively engaged, we can use our population for economic revolution, there’s nothing stopping us from outsmarting China, Russia or even the USA.

“I urge President Tinubu that anytime he notices that those he picked are wanting in place of their assignments, he should kick them out.

“Tinubu should work closely with NASS to ensure the independence of the judiciary and ensure rule of law is at the uppermost no matter whose horse is goad. Rule of law does not have friends. He needs to ensure that all hands are on deck. The marching order must be to all the ministers to commit themselves to service. They must give an account.”

Acting National Publicity Secretary, Youth Party (YP), Ayodele Adio said with new ministers stepping in, there’s hope for a well-defined plan and strategy to revive the economy.

Speaking with The Guardian, Adio, however, stated that there’s a perceived lack of urgency among politicians in Abuja, as if they’re waiting for an elusive ‘eighth’ day of the week to take action.

He said: “Nigerians are grappling with one of the world’s highest unemployment rates, soaring inflation, and low wages, making the cost of living unbearable. Businesses, too, are struggling to stay afloat in this challenging economic climate. The public’s demands are straightforward: lower inflation, increased wages, and improved living conditions.

“Regrettably, there seems to be no comprehensive strategy in sight to address these pressing issues, a fact that raises concerns. It’s noteworthy that the federal government has yet to make a significant move to curb the alarming rise in food prices or to counteract the severe decline in citizens’ purchasing power and productivity. This lack of action should be a matter of concern for all Nigerians.”

[Guardian]

A faction of the Labour Party (LP) led by Lamidi Apapa is opposing a nationwide protest proposed by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC).

Instead, this faction suggests that Nigerian workers can express their discontent over the growing hardship in the country by not going to work until their demands are addressed by the Federal Government.

The National Publicity Secretary of the faction, Abayomi Arabambi expressed his concerns during a press briefing in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

He acknowledged that the removal of subsidies has added to the difficulties faced by Nigerians.

However, Arabambi voiced his fear that the call to action issued by NLC President Joe Ajaero “is capable of setting Nigerians against the Tinubu Administration for violent overthrow.”

He said, “Our party noted that the NLC president Comrade Joe Ajaero without facts baselessly accuse President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of showing enormous disdain and contempt for Nigerian people and workers by the declaration of war of attrition on Nigerian workers and masses without any care leaving them to the throes of hopelessness and helplessness.

“Labour party agree with the NLC leadership only on all lawful demands but disagree totally with a resolution calling for mass action. Calling on Nigerians wherever they may be to begin mobilization to take action on their own against a legitimate Government even to the extent of directing associations, individuals and other entities including the ones already on the streets to ensure that the government listens to the people is a treasonable felony offence.

“Workers can be called to embark on a strike by sitting at home until the Government meets their demands.”

Justice Chima Centus (CC) Nweze of the Supreme Court of Nigeria has been reported dead.

DAILY POST learnt that Justice Nweze died on Sunday at the age of 64.

However, the Supreme Court is yet to confirm his death as of the time of filing this report.

DAILY POST recalls that Justice Nwaeze had, in a dissenting judgement in 2020, declared Emeka Ihedioha of the People Democratic Party, PDP, winner of the 2019 Governorship election in Imo State.

Also, in a split judgement of three-against-two, Nweze delivered the controversial judgement of the Supreme Court which declared then Senate President, Ahmad Lawan as the authentic candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for Yobe North Senatorial District for the 25 February general election.

Justice Nweze, a native of Obollo, Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State, was born on September 25, 1958.

In 2014, Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration approved the recommendation of the National Judicial Council (NJC) to appoint Nweze to the supreme court.

[DailyPost]

Businessman, Banks, Lawyer, Army Generals Others Suspected

No Comment From Suspect

Security agencies, the military, the judiciary and the Central Bank have launched a probe over an alleged N125billion fraud affecting a 24-year concession agreement with the Nigerian Army Shopping Complex – The Arena at the Ikeja Cantonment, Lagos.

It was gathered that investigators from the Police, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria(Bankers Committee) are separately examining allegations linking a businessman Mr. Whoba Ogo, a lawyer, very senior officers of the army, bankers and a security firm, among others, to the crimes.

Mr. Ogo did not respond to our correspondent’s enquiries on his Facebook page and on WhatsApp. He also did not acknowledge a question sent to his official mobile line by text message.

Investigators, it was learnt, have also linked the crime to a major foreign exchange racketeering involving some commercial banks in violation of CBN FOREX regulations.

Several sources close to the investigation, told our correspondent that the security agencies are discovering evidence for money laundering, advance fee fraud, forgery, stealing and criminal conspiracy and conversion of over N125billion against Ogo and the other suspects.

Our investigation shows that Mr. Ogo is believed by investigators to have fled the country with his family to The United States of America (USA).

It was also learnt that the N125b, and counting, is the property of a firm, Woobs Resources Limited whose Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Arc. James Onyemenam, has already petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the EFCC

Onyemenam, it was gathered, has also filed and won suits against Ogo at the Lagos Court of Arbitration and the Federal High Court of Nigeria while another suit is pending at the Court of Appeal.

Our informants within the EFCC and NPF, on oath of anonymity, reported that very senior politicians and high-level government functionaries have been procured to extinguish the ongoing investigation or scuttle this matter by every means, which with the benefit of hindsight may not be unconnected with the delays noticed with securing justice from the courts and enforcing such judgment. Our correspondents are also investigating roles of these institutions in the matter and why it has taken almost 12 years to resolve the matter, despite judgments from a court of competent jurisdiction

In two of the petitions that prompted the investigation, seen by our correspondents, Onyemenam urged security agencies to get to the root of the matter.

He identified Ogo as his former business partner and minority shareholder, who connived with several accomplices to unlawfully remove him from the firm, to clear the way to defraud the company.

Onyemenam, an architect, said the fraud was committed in the course of the company’s execution of the 24 years concession to design, finance, construct and operate a modern market (the Nigerian Army Shopping Complex – The Arena) at the Ikeja Cantonment, Lagos.

In his petition, he told the IGP and the EFCC Chairman that Ogo in connivance with several accomplices, including bank officials criminally converted the money belonging to the company and has been using same to acquire properties in Nigeria and abroad.

According to him, Ogo absconded with his family to Texas, the USA over 23 months ago immediately the EFCC commenced its investigation in May 2021, from where he has continued to carry out his illegal activities.
Several sources confirmed to our correspondent the claim that Ogo had fled abroad.

The CEO appealed to the IGP to direct investigation into the case with a view to arresting and prosecuting the suspects, if the investigation finds them culpable.

Onyemenam, a majority shareholder in the firm, made the allegations in a May 18, 2023 letter to the IGP titled “Complaint of criminal conspiracy to wit: money laundering, advance fee fraud, forgery, stealing and criminal conversion of the sum of N125billion and counting, property of Woobs Resources Limited against one Whoba Ogo and others.’

He said: “Mr. Whoba Ogo (a director and minority shareholder of the company) and I entered into a Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) by which we agreed to use the company as the joint venture vehicle to bid for and execute The Arena project for the Nigerian Army;

“I am aware that as from 2009 to date the suspect Whoba Ogo and others have conspired amongst themselves together and with the company’s banks to criminally convert the sum of N125 billion and still counting using the same to acquire properties all over Nigeria and abroad.

“As the majority shareholder and Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the company, I hold 275,000 shares out of the company’s issued share capital of 500,000 shares.”

He explained that the Nigerian Army granted the company a 24 years concession to design, finance, construct and operate a modern market (the Nigerian Army Shopping Complex – The Arena) located at the Ikeja Cantonment, Lagos on a Build, Operate and Transfer basis.

The Arena, with all its infrastructure, is expected to be transferred back to the Nigerian Army at the expiration of the 24 years and 2 two years construction moratorium.

It was also noted that the financing of the project was carried out with borrowed funds from his banker, Messrs. Oceanic Bank International Plc (now Ecobank Plc) and other creditors (ie. contractors and consultants).

He added: “I got a final award dated 6 March, 2015 from an arbitration tribunal.”

The tribunal Award, seen by our correspondent in the petition, decided that:

The Joint Venture between Mr. Whoba Ogo and James Onyemenam is valid, enforceable and subsisting.

James Onyemenam is the holder of 275,000 out of the 500,000 fully paid up shares of the company.

The resolution by which Mr. Whoba Ogo purported to remove James Onyemenam as Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the company is contrary to the Joint Venture Agreement and is consequently set aside.

James Onyemenam remains the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of the company. Sterling Chambers (Barristers and Solictors) remain the Company Secretaries of the company.

The petitioner noted that furthermore, the Federal High court in Lagos in a judgment delivered by Justice Faji on 27th April, 2020, dismissed Ogo’s application to set aside the arbitral award and granted his application for the enforcement of the said Award as well as perpetual injunction restraining Whoba Ogo from obstructing his contractual rights.”

He accused Ogo, one Victor Ukutt of Victor Ukutt and co, Col Kingsley Umoh and his security company of illegally taking over The Arena since October 2011, saying they are still perpetuating illegalities in the management of the Arena, “in clear violation of the aforementioned court judgment. The revenues generated from the Arena since 2011 are being criminally diverted to other private purposes.”

He alleged that the suspects fraudulently opened several new bank accounts without the Board of Directors’ resolution so that they can divert the company’s funds, changed the mandates of the company’s accounts with several listed banks of which they are joint signatories without the approval of the Board of Directors of the company.

It is indeed suspected that some bank officials are in collusion with the the alleged suspects in illegally operating accounts without the appropriate mandates from the directors of the company.

He said Ogo, his wife and Ukutt were illegally diverting proceeds from the Arena using shell companies to launder the proceeds of their crimes.

He alleged that it is from the proceeds of these illegal transactions that Mr. Whoba Ogo and his wife Safiya Ogo acquired the following properties listed in the petition: Sandworth Court Arepo, Sandworth Court Ajah, Sandworth Court Karu, L’arcade Mall Owerri, L’arcade Guest House Owerri, Sandworth Garden, Owerri, A parcel of land located at Ibeju Lekki, Land located at Ibeju Lekki containing 488 plots, Plot 87 Oyediran estate, Yaba Lagos, Block 80 Flat 2 Glover estate, Ebute Metta Lagos, 30.63 hectares of land located at Ibah, Lagos, 4808 Coventry Lane, Arlington TX 76017 Texas, USA and Pent floor apartment at Lekki Phase 1, amongst others.

Niger’s military leaders have warned the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) not to send troops to the Republic of Niger.

General Abdourahmane Tchiani, also known as Omar Tchiani, and the chief of Niger’s presidential guard, declared himself leader while the country’s elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, has been held by the military since the coup took place last week.

The military leaders in Niger warned against any military intervention in a statement read on Niger national television.

“The objective of the ECOWAS meeting is to approve a plan of aggression against Niger through an imminent military intervention in Niamey in collaboration with other African countries that are non-members of ECOWAS, and certain Western countries,” Aljazeera quoted the military spokesperson, Colonel Amadou Abdramane, to have said.

During the meeting, the regional body issued a seven-day ultimatum to the military junta in Niger to reinstate President Bazoum as democratically elected President or face a range of stiff sanctions.

It also tasked all Chiefs of Defense Staff of the member-states to proceed for an emergency meeting to strategize on effective ways to implement a possible military operation to restore constitutional order to office.

ECOWAS, which recognised Bazoum as the legitimate President of the nation, threatened to impose land border closures and no-fly zone conditions on Niger Republic should the military coup masterminds fail to heed its ultimatum.

This was the resolution of the Extraordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the ECOWAS, which held on Sunday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

According to the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray, who read the communiqué, the body “call for the immediate release and reinstatement of President Mohamed Bazoum as President and Head of State of the Republic of Niger and for the full restoration of constitutional order in the Republic of Niger.

“Reject any form of resignation that may purportedly come from His Excellency, President Mohamed Bazoum; considered the illegal detention of President Bazoum as a hostage situation and hold the authors of the attempted coup that are solely and fully responsible for the safety and security of His Excellency President Mohammed Bazoum, as well as members of his family and government.

“In the event the Authority’s demands are not met within one week, take all measures necessary to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger.

“Suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between ECOWAS Member States and Freeze all service transactions including energy transactions. Freeze assets of the Republic of Niger in Aqua Central Bank. Freeze of assets of the Niger and the state enterprises and parastatals in commercial banks.

“Suspension of measure from all financial assistance and transactions with all financial institutions, particularly EBID”, he said

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has told the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice that it does not plan on going on strike or carrying out any industrial action.

Naija News reports that organised labour had proposed to carry out protest on Wednesday, August 2, over the removal of subsidy on petrol, its attendant hardship on Nigerians and the inability on the government to roll out palliatives to cushion the harsh effect of the stoppage of subsidy payment.

Ahead of the protest, the Solicitor-general of the federation had stated that if the NLC carry on with its plans it would be disobeying a subsisting court order.

But in a letter from the Falana Chambers to the Permanent Secretary/Solicitor -General with the title, ‘Re-NLC in contempt of court,” signed by Sam Ogala Esq., the NLC pointed out that there is no order be it interim, interlocutory or perpetual order from either the National Industrial Court, or any other court restraining Nigerian workers from participating in peaceful rallies convened by it.

According to the NLC, there is a subsisting judgement that the right to demonstrate and to protest on matters of public concern are rights that are in the public interest which individuals must possess and exercise without impediment as long as no wrongful act is done.

The letter read in parts, “In your reaction to the decision of Nigerian workers to participate in peaceful rallies to protest the worsening economic crisis in the country you were reported to have accused the leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress of treating the order of the National Industrial Court with contempt.

“Contrary to your unwarranted allegation, the Nigeria Labour Congress does not intend to disobey the ex parte order of the National Industrial Court to the effect that “The defendants/Respondents are hereby restrained from embarking on the planned Industrial Action/or strike of any nature, pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice dated 5th June 2023.”

“You will agree with us that the National Industrial Court or any other Court has not granted an order of interim, interlocutory or perpetual injunction restraining Nigerian workers from participating in peaceful rallies convened by the Nigeria Labour Congress.

“Since the constitutional right of Nigerian workers to protest peacefully cannot by any stretch of imagination be classified as an Industrial action or strike of any nature, you ought not have threatened our client with contempt of court.

“It is pertinent to draw your attention to the case of Inspector-General of Police v All Nigeria Peoples Party (2008) 12 WRN 65 where the Court upheld the fundamental right of Nigerians to protest without police permit. In the leading judgment of the Court, Justice Adekeye said as follows:

“The right to demonstrate and the right to protest on matters of public concern are rights which are in the public interest and that which individuals must possess, and which they should exercise without impediment as long as no wrongful act is done.

“If as speculated by law enforcement agents that breach of the peace would occur our criminal code has made adequate provisions for sanctions against breakdown of law and order so that the requirement of permit as a conditionality to holding meetings and rallies can no longer be justified in a democratic society. Finally, freedom of speech and freedom of assembly are part of democratic rights of every citizen of the republic; our legislature must guard these rights jealously as they are part of the foundation upon which the government itself rests.

“Having advised the Nigeria Labour Congress and its allies to conduct the rallies peacefully, you may wish to advise the Nigeria Police Force to comply with section 83(4) of the Police Establishment Act 2020, which “where a person or organization notifies the police of his or its intention to hold a public meeting, rally or procession on a public highway or such meetings in a place where the public has access to , the police officer responsible for the area where the meeting rally or procession will take place shall mobilize personnel to provide security to provide security cover for the meeting, rally or the procession.”

Violence was expected last Friday, July 28, 2023 when the Shia population in the country marked the Ashura Festival held worldwide by the Shiites. The prediction almost did not come to pass but for a last minute duel near the Wuse Market, Abuja when as usual, armed security men engaged the Shiites, and bullets flew.

No, it is not as if the Shiites are bounded to violence, but the security services, including the armed forces, seem to have locked it in their brains that the Shiites will always be violent, so a counter-force must be on ground. It is like a cat and mouse game and the mouse cannot plead innocence even if the facts on ground supports its claim. Even if the Shiite processions are peaceful, the security services assume they have a duty to disperse them because the latter would not have taken permission from the police.

Yet, the Constitution grants every Nigerian the right to peaceful assembly and movement. Some may ask: why do the Shiites not give peace a chance by not holding street processions? The answer is simple: it is part of their religious tradition, especially Ashura, a day of mourning which commemorates the beheading of Imam Hussain bin Ali in Karbala, in today’s Iraq in 680 CE. So long as the Shiites do not endanger public peace nor infringe on the constitutional rights of other Nigerians, they should have the right to practise their religion.

A primary problem we are faced with today emanates from our cumulative 29-year military rule during which public processions must be licensed by the state, otherwise, it would be seen as a challenge to the government in power. Maximum force is then used to subdue or subjugate the marchers or protesters.

Tragically, the shootings during such encounters are indiscriminate and passers-by sometimes fall victim. For example, on January 21, 2020, a journalist, Alex Ogbu of Regeant Africa Times who was covering a Shiite procession at the Berger Roundabout in Abuja, was killed when a police officer shot him in the head.

It is difficult to give an accurate statistics of how much Shiite blood has been shed in our streets. But Senior Advocate of Nigeria Femi Falana had on Monday, November 5, 2018 petitioned the National Human Rights Commission to investigate the extra-judicial killing of 492 members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, IMN, the main Shiite group within four years by the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Police Force.

In one encounter on December 12, 2015, 348 Shiites were killed by the army in Zaria for allegedly blocking the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff. Two days later, the army shot Shiite leader, Sheik Ibraheem Elzakzaky and captured him and his wife, Zeenat. The couple have remained in detention for eight years now despite at least four court orders, including that by the international ECOWAS Court setting them free.

The Shiites of course are not angels; they commit infractions. But whenever they do, they should be charged to court rather than government resorting to illegalities and extra judicial massacres.

The two-month-old Tinubu administration need not inherit the alleged enemies of past administrations; it should set Zakzaky and other Shiite detainees free in accordance with the lawful orders of the courts. This will send a clear message to the police, security forces and the military that the Shiites are not the enemies of Nigeria.

In any case, if the leaders of Saudi Arabia and Iran who lead the two main Islamic tendencies, the Sunni and the Shia, have closed ranks and signed peace agreements, there is no reason why the Nigerian state should be seen perpetuating a war against the Shiites.

Nnamdi Okwu Kanu, the 55-year-old leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB is another political prisoner that should be set free. He was illegally abducted in Nairobi, Kenya on June 18, 2021 and has since been detained by the SSS. He had previously been arrested on October 14, 2015 and granted bail on April 28, 2017. After his home was raided in September 2017 by the military, during which 28 IPOB members were allegedly killed, he fled the country.

It is true that Kanu is a separatist leader who advocates for the secession of Eastern Nigeria, if necessary, by force of arms, and he is uncouth. But the fact remains that he is a political prisoner who should be protected under our laws and international conventions. Cases such as Kanu’s are better handled politically, especially when we have millions of Nigerians who as Igbos, believe rightly or wrongly, that they are marginalised and treated as second class citizens in the land of their birth.

Holding on to Kanu indefinitely or jailing him would not resolve our National Question. Rather, it can further complicate matters. I reiterate that the Tinubu administration does not need to inherit the enemies of the Buhari administration. Also, the issue is to address the question of marginalisation raised and how to drastically reduce or curb the serious insecurity, social and economic crises this has engendered especially in Eastern Nigeria.

We should also learn from how we handle separatist agitators. For example, after the country returned to civil rule, the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB led by Ralph Uwazuruike emerged in 1999. When it was repressed, a more intemperate breakaway faction, the Biafra Zionist Movement , BZM, led by Benjamin Onwuka emerged in 2010.

After the BNM attacked the Government House, Enugu on March 7, 2014, and later, the Enugu State Broadcasting Service, it was repressed and Onwuka was imprisoned for three years. That same year, a more virulent strain, the IPOB emerged; and with Kanu’s abduction, the most violent separatist, Simon Ekpa has emerged. Unlike Uwazurike, Onwuka and Kanu who operated in Nigeria, Ekpa is operating from Europe with Finland as base.

The case of Yoruba separatist agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, a.k.a. Sunday Igboho, is the most straight forward. The Buhari administration could not check banditry in the country and Igboho decided to lead a self-defence movement in Western Nigeria. The SSS in the early hours of July 1, 2022 invaded his home in Soka, Ibadan. The SSS claimed there was a “hot gun duel” Igboho fled to Benin Republic where that country’s authorities arrested him and his wife while trying to board a flight to Germany.

The Benin government eventually gave him a conditional release from prison, but have kept him in the country. A simple amnesty is required for Igboho so he can be free to return home.

The simple advice to the Tinubu administration is: set all political prisoners free while also addressing the grievances of the Nigerian people.