Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Samuela Isopi, has said it was up to Nigeria to decide what to do with the report of the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) to Nigeria for the 2023 general election.

He stated this in Abuja while briefing journalists on the award of postgraduate scholarships to 135 Nigerians.

The statement by the EU envoy is coming after the recent harsh reaction of the presidency to the report presented by the EU EOM.The presidency had rejected the report, saying it was a product of a poorly-done desk job that relied heavily on few persons.

While saying that the report was a jaundiced report, the presidency, through the Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy, Dele Alake, also said the it was to merely sustain the same premature denunciatory stance contained in EU’s preliminary report.

Isopi, however, said the rejection by the presidency would not affect the EU’s relations with Nigeria in anyway, saying the EU and Nigeria have very strong relations. She stated that there were engagements between EU institutions, EU leaders and the administration of President Bola Tinubu, while also recalling a telephone call after his inauguration with the President of the European Union Council.

Isopi added that the EU would continue to collaborate and cooperate with Nigeria in so many areas, even as she said that both the EU and Nigeria will strengthen new areas.

She recalled that since 1999, the EU has been deploying election observer missions to Nigeria on the invitation of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Isopi said: “It is the responsibility of host country, it is the responsibility of the partner country, to is the responsibility the electoral management body to decide if they want to make use or not of that report.

“Our experience with Nigeria so far has been positive and I mean and I can say that the report of the international observation missions, including the European Union, has helped a lot and has helped guide the action and the reform processes and I have no doubt that this will be the case also this time.”

Meanwhile, the EU has announced the offer of postgraduate scholarships to 135 young Nigerians in top European universities, under its flagship educational programme, Erasmus+.

Isopi said the figure places Nigeria on the number one spot among beneficiaries of the EU postgraduate scholarships in Africa in the past five years, and among the top five globally.

She stated that in recent years, the EU has been ramping up support to the academia through the EU’s key funding programmes: Erasmus+ in the higher education sector, and Horizon Europe for research and innovation.

While saying that Erasmus+ offers many opportunities apart from its flagship scholarship programmes, Isopi added that it supports mobility and short stays in Europe for researchers, students and staff, capacity-building of universities and TVET institutions through joint projects with sister European institutions, etc.

Former governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike, has described the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, as a cash cow organisation that needs to be reviewed.

Wike stated this while speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of Governor Siminialayi Fubara’s N195.3bn Port Harcourt Ring Road – a 50.1km project in Port Harcort, on Monday.

The dual carriage road project, to be executed by Julius Berger, spans six local government areas with six flyovers and one bridge, to be completed within 36 months.

Wike said: “Ordinarily, this project you’re doing is meant to be done by NDDC if it was a development commission.

“Unfortunately, what we have is Niger Delta Cash Cow. Unfortunately.

“It is a cash cow, not a development commission. Please, change that phrase to Niger Delta Cash Cow. All they do is go to a primary school; stating that they are doing a six-classroom block which nobody asked them to do.

“Everyone wants to be chairman of NDDC, Minister of NDDC, all because of cash cow. I believe our President would change what we use to have as cash cow to bring development to Niger Delta.

“I’ve never seen a region that hates itself like our region. I’ve never seen that.”

Addressing Fubara, Wike said, “Let me advise you, this good thing you are doing today attracts envy, attracts gang up against you.

“You will see a lot of gang-up against you amongst your peers, particularly in your region.”

“Instead of them to appreciate, they will be asking, what is he trying or show? Just like his predecessor did’.

“Don’t bother about those things. What you must bother about is what good you’ll do for your people.”

The former governor bragged that no sitting governor could match Fubara in landmark projects delivery under current leadership in Nigeria.

Wike said, “In 2007, 2008, one man was governor at a time; in a month we got N100 billion. I was Chief of Staff.

“We put N100 billion in a bank; that we were going to do this road. Up till today there is no Ring Road.

“But today, a man one month in office has awarded a project of N195 billion and has paid N150 billion.

“I challenge any state, any governor today that will say he has the chest, the capacity to engage a reputable company like JB to award N195 billion single contract and pay N150 billion.

“When he (Fubara) will show you 100 days, Nigerians will be shocked.”

The owner of London Line Transport Company Ltd, Emmanuel Viashima, has demanded N5 billion in damages for his automobile workshop where 32 vehicles allegedly belonging to the former governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, were towed away by the asset recovery committee.

Viashima, in a petition addressed to the State Governor, Rev Fr. Hyacinth Alia, expressed his grievances over the invasion of his premises by the asset recovery committee.

Last week, the committee stormed the automobile workshop, which is reportedly owned by Oracle Business Limited, a company associated with the former governor, and seized 32 vehicles.

Viashima, the Chief Executive Officer of the company, clarified that although the land belongs to Oracle Business Limited, it was leased to him.

The petition, dated July 14, 2023, and signed by Viashima, was made available to newsmen in Makurdi on Monday.

According to Viashima, the committee members, led by Tom Uja, forcefully broke into his premises, took stock of the vehicles, and confiscated them.

The petition was also copied to the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, National Human Rights Commission, the Inspector General of Police, the Commissioner of Police, Benue State Command, President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Makurdi, Secretary to the Benue State Government, Chairman of the Assets Recovery Committee, and the Tor Tiv.

Viashima mentioned that the committee members harassed his workers, who had started recording the invasion and seized some of their phones, which were later returned.

According to the petition, not all the vehicles seized from the workshop belong to the former governor.

Viashima listed the owners of the impounded vehicles, including former governor Samuel Ortom, his wife Mrs Eunice Ortom, himself, a traditional ruler, and some aides of the former governor.

Viashima further stated that his wife’s Lexus 250 was severely damaged by the committee during the towing process. He proceeded to itemise each of the 32 vehicles that were taken away, along with their owners and vehicle particulars.

He stated, “Contrary to claims by the Asset Recovery Committee that 30 vehicles were towed away from the company’s premises, the number of vehicles forcefully taken away from the company by the committee is 32.”

Viashima petitioned the governor’s office to address the issues raised and rectify the erroneous impression created in the minds of the public.

He requested the release of the seized vehicles and the payment of N5 billion in damages by the Benue State Government, considering the economic impact of his losses, in order to mitigate the said losses and revive his collapsed business.

“Your Excellency, it is in the light of the foregoing that I petition your good office to look into the issues I have raised herein with the mindset to erase the erroneous impression created in the minds of the public order a release of the vehicles seized as well as payment of N5 billion damages by the Benue State Government in view of the economic impact of my losses to enable me to mitigate the said losses and jumpstart my crumbled business”.

A Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday adjourned proceedings until October 24 for adoption of written addresses in the trial of a surgeon Dr. Anuoluwapo Adepoju, who is charged with alleged evasion from investigation into a failed plastic surgery by the Federal Competition and Consumers Protection Commission (FCCPC).

The case, which was scheduled for adoption of addresses yesterday, could not go on.

Adepoju is standing trial alongside her clinic, the MedContour Services Limited, on a five-count charge bordering on refusal to honour an invitation for investigation into a post-body surgery complications, as well as production of investigation documents.

She was re-arraigned on July 17, 2020, alongside her medical outfit before Justice Mohammed Liman where she pleaded not guilty to the charges and was granted bail on self recognisance.

Trial has since commenced in the suit and the FCCPC had also since closed its case.

Her defence counsel filed a no case submission on grounds that no case had been established against her by prosecution to warrant her entering a defence.

Meanwhile, Justice Liman had ruled against the no case submission by the defendant on April 7, 2022 because the evidences before the court satisfied the elements of the criminal charges pending against the defendant.

The court had then adjourned the case for the defence to open its case.

The case, however, has suffered several adjournments for various reasons. On May 5, 2023, the defence opened its case and called the first defendant as sole witness.

The defendant was led in evidence and also cross examined after which the court adjourned the case until June 21, for adoption of written addresses.

On June 21, the court did not sit and the case was then adjourned until July 17 (yesterday) when the case was further adjourned till October 24.

In the five-count charge brought against the defendants, the prosecution alleged that the first defendant failed to appear before the FCCPC in relation to investigation into a reported failed plastic surgery in compliance with the commission’s summons dated April 15, 2020.

The prosecution also alleged that without sufficient cause, the first defendant also refused and failed to produce documents which she was required to produce in compliance with the commission’s notice of investigation dated April 14, 2020.

The defendant was alleged to have prevented and obstructed the commission from carrying out its investigation into the said issue.

The offences contravened the provision of Sections 11(1)(a), 33(1)(a), 110, 113(1)(a) and 159(4) of the FCCPC Act, 2018.

International airlines in Nigeria have adjusted the exchange rate for selling tickets to Nigerians to N803/$1, according to reliable sources in the travel agency, IATA.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) informed stakeholders that the IATA exchange rate would change from N776.90/$1 to N803.90/$1.

They have advised ticket agencies to close out unfinished ticket sales by the close of business Monday to avoid a potential rise in ticket prices.

This adjustment is a response to the recent depreciation of the naira, as demand pressure exceeds the supply of foreign exchange.

Recall last week that the exchange rate depreciated to N803.9/$1 on the I&E window, reaching its weakest level to date. It seems that this is the rate currently adopted by the airlines.

However, a quick check on the FMDQ portal indicates that rates have slightly improved, closing at N795.28/$1. The NAFEX rate closed at N772.21/$1, suggesting that rates may change again in accordance with market realities.

Airlines began benchmarking ticket sales against the value of the exchange rate at the I&E window after the Central Bank revised guidelines for the operations of the forex market.

Meanwhile, the exchange rate on the parallel market depreciated to N820/$1 on Monday while peer-to-peer traders exchanged at about N818/$1.

The Labour Party (LP) has told President Bola Tinubu that his removal from office by the court will not cause anarchy in the country.

Tinubu had asked the presidential election tribunal to dismiss the petition filed by LP seeking to nullify his victory on the grounds that he did not secure 25 percent of the lawful vote cast in the federal capital territory (FCT).

Tinubu, through Wole Olanipekun, his counsel, in a final written address to the tribunal against the petition, said the FCT is the 37th state for electoral purposes and any other interpretation would “lead to absurdity, chaos, anarchy and alteration of the very intention of the legislature”.

Olanipekun said the petition is novel and not familiar with the country’s electoral laws.

Reacting, the LP in a statement on Monday by Obiora Ifoh, national publicity secretary of the party, said Tinubu’s comment was unnecessary since the matter is before the court.

The LP said the All Progressives Congress (APC) must be cautious in its approach to the matter which is still in court, noting that no amount of pressure on the judges in the tribunal can change the processes and requirements that the law has put in place.

“We are worried that the statement which formed part of his submissions and was contained in his final written address against the Labour Party’s petition pending at the PREPEC, and meant to be in the exclusive custody of the court was leaked to the media,” the statement reads.

“We still do not know the reason behind this act of desperation, even when the matter is still pending in court. We will however be careful not to term the action as sub-judice.

“Having said that, the Labour Party thinks that the statement was unnecessary since the matter is already before the court, and going ahead to pontificate on it could be construed as interference in the duties and responsibilities of the judiciary.

“The truth of the matter is that there are no sentiments when it comes to matters of law. The law is the law and once the law has stipulated the manner and how a matter must be carried out, it must follow that pattern.

“If the law has stated the requirement that a presidential candidate must meet before he can be declared, there is no shortcut to it.

“Therefore, if the constitution which is the ground norm of the law in Nigeria has stated clearly that you must score at least 25 percent in FCT before the president can be declared, anything short of that can not remedy it.

“We insist that no amount of threat from the APC on the judges in the tribunal can change the processes and requirements that the law has put in place. It must be followed and that is the position of the Labour Party.

“Let me assure the APC and their leaders that if there were no absurdity, chaos, and anarchy when they forced their way into power, Nigeria will still witness peace when they are eventually evicted from power.”

[TheCable]

Five inmates of the Kuje Custodial Centre have bagged university degrees in various disciplines at the National Open University of Nigeria.

This is as over 200 inmates at the centre are enrolled in tertiary education.

Speaking during the presentation of certificates to the graduands in Abuja on Monday, the Controller General, Nigerian Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa, said education was a potent means of rehabilitation.

Represented by the Controller of Corrections, FCT Command, Ibrahim Idris, Nababa expressed confidence that the inmates could compete favourably with their counterparts without stigmatisation.

He said, “Education is transformative and a powerful rehabilitative tool for development in every society. Therefore, with these certificates, they are fit to compete anywhere without being stigmatised.

“We appreciate the National Open University of Nigeria for their unwavering support to the correctional service all over the federation in ensuring that inmates are reformed through education. Over 200 inmates have enrolled in tertiary education in the Kuje centre alone.

“We encourage other inmates of the facility to take advantage of this free education and other vocational skills to equip themselves for success in larger society upon release.”

He also pledged to continue the service’s partnership with the institution in curbing insecurity in the country.

The Vice Chancellor, NOUN, Prof. Olufemi Peters, who spoke through the National Coordinator, Special Study Centres, Mrs Modupe Adesina, urged all inmates to make the best of the opportunity that had been given to them through a partnership between the Nigerian Correctional Service and NOUN to improve and empower themselves.

The Centre Director, Controller of Corrections, Francis Enobore, called on the public to desist from stigmatising ex-offenders, saying they have been corrected, and should be accepted back into society with all rights and privileges, to avoid going back to crimes.

[Punch]

Lawyers representing President Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima have urged the Presidential Election Petitions Court sitting in Abuja to increase their client’s votes from 8,794,726 declared by the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission Mahmood Yakubu, to 8,800,369 votes.

Tinubu’s lawyer, Wole Olanipekun SAN, told the PEPC to uphold the testimony of its star witness, Senator Michael Opeyemi, who told the court that in Kano State, the votes secured by Tinubu were not properly recorded and had a shortfall of 10,929 votes.

Recall that on March 1, INEC’s Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu announced Tinubu as winner of the polls with 8,794,726 votes while Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi of the Labour Party were said to have scored 6,984,520 votes and 6,101,533 votes, respectively.

But the first and second runners-up as declared by INEC, filed separate petitions asking the PEPC to nullify Tinubu’s election victory.

During his defence of Tinubu’s victory however, Olanipekun tendered INEC certified national election result sheet and Kano state presidential result sheet as evidence.

In their final written address, Olanipekun told the court that Tinubu’s actual score in Kano state was not reflected in the final results declared by the INEC chairman.

He urged the court to declare that it was an arithmetic error and order that 10,929 votes be added to Tinubu’s score.

“In paragraph 83 of the respondent’s reply, it has been pleaded that the votes scored by him in
Kano State was discounted by 10,929; Exhibits RA20 and RA21 were tendered before this
Honourable Court and the sole witness called by the respondents was made to speak to them,
identifying the figures relevant to the pleading as appearing in column 9 of each of the exhibits,
that is, the votes recorded in RA20(Form EC&D) was discounted by 10,929 in Exhibit RA21
(Form EC8D(A).

“It was a mere arithmetical error which is apparent on the two exhibits. Thus, the court has the power and jurisdiction to add the discounted figure of 10,929 to the final votes of 8,794,726, recorded for the respondent, to make his votes come to a total of 8,800,369, in conformity with Exhibits RA20 and RA21. We urge the court to so hold,” Olanipekun prayed separately in his address to Obi petition.

He also brought same submissions in the petition by filed Atiku, having tendered the result sheet for Kano and the national election.

Furthermore, Olanipekun asked the court not to consider Obi’s evidence because his star witness, the chief spokesman of the LP Presidential Campaign Council and National Director, Media, Labour party, Yunusa Tanko, allegedly “dumped” it on the court without demonstrating it.

“This witness also admitted that he did not open the various envelopes dumped on the court, because there was no time, and as such, he only opened some.

” Accordingly, we respectfully urge this Honourable Court to take note of the fact that the petitioners only succeeded in dumping their documents before this Honourable Court, without the requisite demonstration and linkage with the relevant portion of the case.

“We urge the court to observe that this petition(by Obi) has been prosecuted without the relevant documents, in respect of which the court could have taken a decision in their favour,” Olanipekun prayed.

The learned silk equally asked the PEPC to declare that the reports tendered by experts and a statistician in Obi and Atiku’s case were premeditated and not truthful.

The Amalgamated Civil Society Organizations of Nigeria (ACN), a non-profit, non-governmental, anti-corruption organization, has called for the inclusion of the youthful Nigerian population into governance.

ACN which has over a million civil society groups (both CSOs and NGOs), has called for inclusion of the youthful Nigerian population into governance.

This call is coming as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is about constituting his cabinet and other organs of government since assuming the mantle of leadership.

The Amalgamated CSOs/NGOs said they are joining the clarion call by opinion leaders, traditional rulers, women groups, youth groups and well-meaning Nigerians, that the time of using recycled politicians, failed or disgruntled politicians, is over, as the group observed that the nation was full of youthful technocrats and bureaucrats with a lot of energy that are eagerly waiting to contribute their quota to National Development.

The ACN therefore, solicited for the cooperation of the present administration to look beyond former governors, ministers and people that have hitherto brought Nigeria to where it is today. The group rather urged President Tinubu to look for viable, virile, professional and youths presently occupying the various offices nationwide and continue to engage them, instead of using worn-out, fatigued and corrupt leaders that have brought the country to its knees.

In a press release, the National President of the Amalgamated CSOs of Nigeria (ACN), Comrade Gbenga Ashiru Abiodun and its General Secretary, Comrade Yakubu Abdullahi, posited that “the continued usage of old hands will not augur well for the country, knowing full well that, most of them are facing graft issues and corruption allegations over their necks.” The group added that, again, “age was not on their side as they no longer have what it takes to preside over 21st Century organizations, as they are fatigued and too old to take modern decisions capable of bringing the desired change.”

The Amalgamated CSOs said President Tinubu was a change agent who is fixed on changing the country. Therefore, he should work with the youthful population, comprising both male and female, to change the narrative on ground as well as look at the possibility of using proactive youths, presently occupying positions of authority who are already doing well with or without supervision.

According to the anti-corruption organization, they want government to make use of the youths, to enable them head strategic positions in the present administration. They equally appealed to Nigerians to prevail on the President to tow this line that will bring an overall socio-economic development of the nation.

The CSOs noted that the youths are already playing a significant role in governance, because “65 per cent of Nigeria’s population is under 25. Therefore, we need to prioritize the affairs of the youthful population like never before. They also echoed that, “the collaborative efforts between generations are vital to achieving a sustainable effective and efficient governance that serves the collective interest of all.”

The Amalgamated group noted that “fresh and viable young people bring fresh perspective to issues and matters that affect the generality of Nigerian,” adding that, the youthful population of people in governance presently can also be taking into cognizance as most of them are doing extremely well, “like the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi and others who are daily changing the narrative in their respective endeavours and have become Nigerian youth ambassadors globally, for making efforts to change from below, under him, the organization has been repositioned and rebranded.”

The ACN also emphasized that the inclusion of youths and young people in the present administration, will promote “inclusivity, diversity and intergenerational dialogue between the old and the new, thereby leading to a robust, more rounded and equitable decision making that is expected in today’s management globally. The CSOs further advised the President to retain, promote and elevate outstanding young people inherited from previous administrations, looking at some high performing government agencies today led by youths and who are doing the nation proud.

They earnestly called on President Tinubu to discard and retire those so-called leaders that have brought the nation to “where we are today,” as the CSOs noted that “those so-called politicians do not mean well for the country, but only work towards achieving their self-serving agenda.”

The ACN has therefore reiterated that the only way that change can percolate to the grassroots of the country is by using strong, youthful energy backed up by sound decision making personalities who are desperate to bring change.

And, this, they observed, “can only be achieved by the young people who have a vision already of what they want Nigeria to look like or be in the next millennium.”

They advised that President Tinubu should retire and tell the old brigade to their faces to go and relax and be honourable advisers from the sidelines, “as these groups of people are too old and cannot add value to the system as envisaged by the President who is poised and ready for a change like the young people.”

The CSOs have therefore called on all Nigerians and well-wishers of the present administration to advise the President on this line of action of choosing the youths as against the tired legs, as well as make use of high performing youths presently occupying positions, to bring the needed change and transformation Nigeria so desires.

[authorityngr]