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Quit Now, Adeyanju Tells Atiku, Says Obi, Kwankwaso, Wike’s G5 Greed Led To Tinubu’s Emergence
AdminHuman Rights activist, Deji Adeyanju, has called on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to quit partisanship, stating that Atiku, Peter Obi, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Wike’s G5 greed led to the emergence of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the last year’s presidential election.
In a new year message he personally signed, Adeyanju said for over three decades, Atiku’s name has appeared prominently in the Nigerian political lexicon, adding that one cannot deny the fact that he has contributed a great deal in shaping the Nigerian democracy but that he needs to quit.
“From the aborted third republic down to the recently conducted 2023 general elections, Alhaji Atiku has played one role or the other in Nigerian politics, with varying results.
“However, it is now time for him to take a bow from politics and serve as a mentor for the younger generation of politicians,” Adeyanju said, stating that keen observers of political issues in Nigeria will attest to the fact that year 2023 was Alhaji Abubakar’s best shot at the Nigerian Presidency.
“He had everything working in his favour. However, a combination of arrogance, inadequate human relationship, inability to manage the opposition, and several other lesser known factors contributed to his defeat in the polls.
“Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was directly responsible for the division in the opposition that saw President Tinubu emerging with the slimmest victory margin in Nigeria’s recent democratic elections. He failed to support Peter or prevail on him to remain in the PDP, he failed to prevail on Kwankwanso to remain in the PDP, he picked unnecessary fight with the G5 PDP governors and invariably lost in woefully in areas that were hitherto traditional PDP bases.
“Had the G5, Alhaji Kwankanso, Peter Obi and Alhaji Atiku worked under one platform in the 2023 presidential election, we would have had a different president today.
“Sadly, that ship has sailed. It is for the aforementioned reasons that Alhaji Abubakar must drop his intention to run in the 2027 presidential elections. He is not the only politician in Nigeria,” Adeyanju said, adding that Atiku must give way for the younger generation of politicians.
“Alhaji Abubakar should leave behind a legacy of uniting the opposition and pushing for a younger politician to be president of Nigeria. He should assume the role of Moses and let history be the judge. The opposition must also find a way to work together and present a united front in 2027 through a younger candidate,” Adeyanju said, hoping that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar will heed to the call and leave his political legacy unblemished.
The Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, has extended an apology to his political mentor and former governor of the state, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, regarding his past choice of language during their political differences. Shaibu, however, stressed that his aspiration to succeed his principal, Governor Godwin Obaseki, as the next governor of the state stems from a divine conviction to serve the state and restore governance to the people.
Shaibu made these remarks during a live interview on a private broadcast television station in Lagos, which was monitored in Benin City. He said that his decision not to engage in conflicts with his boss, despite their strained relationship, was to avoid using language that might haunt him when he secures the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He said, “I want to be the next governor of Edo State not because l am Philip Shaibu, it is my constitutional right. Before publicly declaring my interest to contest, l had consulted widely with many persons and groups within and outside Edo State. Moreover, l went into prayers to seek guidance and direction from God. The signs l received encouraged me to go ahead with my aspiration, though it was obvious the Governor had his own plans of supporting another person.
“If my party wants to win the election in Edo State, give it to Philip Shaibu but if they want to lose, they should give it to somebody else, not because I am a superstar but because I have the content, I have the quality, I have the experience.”
Addressing his past disagreements with Oshiomhole, Shaibu expressed regret for his choice of language. He affirmed his apology to Oshiomhole and expressed his intention not to repeat such mistakes.
“I regret the language I used in our disagreements. The only aspect I apologise for and continue to apologise for to Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is the language I used. I don’t want to repeat the same mistake,” Shaibu remarked.
While reiterating his allegiance to Governor Obaseki, the Deputy Governor noted his commitment to supporting the Governor and the Government despite ongoing disputes and challenges to his constitutional rights.
“I have over time been deprived of my constitutional rights as Deputy Governor. This has not in any way affected my loyalty to the Governor. I have had to make lots of personal sacrifices to ensure a good relationship and deliver on our promise to Edo people. Sometimes, one has to play the fool for a relationship to survive,” he said.
Open Letter to Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Gcfr, President and Commander-In-Chief of The Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria by The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders' Forum
AdminMr. President,
The joy expressed by you in your New Year message in welcoming your “compatriots to this brand new year 2024” cannot be understood or shared by several millions of our countrymen and women, particularly the people of Mangu, Bokkos, Barkin-Ladi Local Government Areas of Plateau State, where over 200 innocent villagers were killed by terrorists, with more than 300 persons injured, several properties destroyed and thousands of people have been displaced, between Christmas Eve, Friday 24th and Monday 26th December 2023.
The SMBLF commiserates with the affected families, and people of Plateau State, and commends the United Nations (UN), Amnesty International, the Pope, and the International Community, generally, for their unequivocal condemnation of the killings on the Plateau, while urging that the world be conscious of the grave implications of these happenings on the corporate existence of the Nigerian Federation.
The unrelenting massacre bordering on ethnic cleansing and armed occupation of the territories of the indigenous peoples of the Middle-Belt and most parts of Northern Nigeria by identified ethnic militias have shown without any doubt that the Nigerian state, its government, and security forces have continued to fail in the fundamental duty of the security and welfare of citizens as the primary purpose of government as stated in Section 14(b) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Mr. President, unfortunately, and as it was with the Buhari administration, rather than accept the reality of the danger posed to the corporate existence of the federation by an extra-territorial agenda of the Fulani ethnic nationality, backed by organized and well-armed militias, which was, since 2018, declared by Amnesty International as the "4th most deadly terrorist organization in the world", your administration has also, now, in bad faith, dressed this evil in the false garb of “herders/farmers’ clash”, and the blood-thirsty ethnic militias as mere bandits. It is a conflict where one side, fully armed, continues to attack and kill the innocent, who are being deliberately defanged by agents of the Government.
Mr. President, your predecessor had all the facts and evidence of an ideological Fulanisation agenda but preferred to pander and prevaricate than bring justice to the victims of oppression and genocide.
The cycle of attacks, government inaction, and provable official complicity engendered a situation where no less a personality than General T. Y. Danjuma Rtd, former Chief of Army Staff and former Defence Minister, openly advised victims of terrorism to arm themselves, since the Government appears unwilling to stem the atrocities being committed against the indigenous peoples.
Commodore Kunle Olawunmi, a former member of an elite group of Intelligence officers in our military on national television posited that a list of sponsors of Terror was in the hands of the government, with names of those behind these dastardly acts in the country. In addition to the list, the then Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), admitted to having received a list of Terror Sponsors from the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Of course, nothing was done!
The audacious and reckless assertions by some prominent personalities of Fulani Extraction like Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, immediate past Governor of Kaduna State, and Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, who ought to be more "civilized", lent credence to the Fulanisation agenda. Nasir El-Rufai reportedly threatened that “whoever kills a Fulani herdsman, including the army, takes a death loan, repayable in 100 years” on an alleged plan by the military to dislodge a Fulani-occupied settlement on other people’s ancestral home in the outskirts of Jos, Plateau State. He warned that “if the Nigerian Army goes and removes the Fulani settlement, any person wearing Nigerian Army uniform in 14 Western African countries is at risk..”
Governor Bala Mohammed, on his part, justified the possession of AK-47 weapons by the Fulani herders as self-defense in “practicing the tradition of trans-human, pastoralism” throughout West Africa with no regard for national boundaries not to mention ancestral lands of other groups, which has no affinity to the Fulani.
The Buhari administration tried all the tricks in its wits to create Fulani settlements in other people’s territories throughout Nigeria by different strategies of "land grabbing" in the guise of RUGA, Grazing Routes, Cattle Colonies or contrived integrated agriculture Schemes, where new estates would be built for pastoralists with better amenities than the host communities whose lands would be acquired by the Federal Government, contrary to the provisions of the Constitution, which make land use regulations an exclusive state affair. The then Presidential spokesman betrayed the mind of the government when he advised the people that "it was better they released lands than lose their lives".
The horror of the Christmas Eve massacre in Plateau State is not different from the situation in Benue where several communities, particularly in Kwande, Gwer-West, Guma, Makurdi, and Logo Local Government Areas are perennially attacked by the pampered armed Fulani ethnic militias who have taken over other people’s lands and homes.
In Kaduna State, and Southern Kaduna particularly, Chikun, Kajuru, Kachia, Zangon Kataf, Kauru, Lere, Birnin Gwari, and Giwa Local Governments are largely under the control of terrorists. The operations of these armies of occupation claimed to be foreigners were allegedly boosted by El-Rufai's admission of payment of huge amounts of money to Fulani militants across West Africa only to end up lamenting that these associates of his invariably made Kaduna State ungovernable.
The situation in Niger State is not different, if not worse, as according to the immediate past Governor of the State, Abubakar Sani-Bello, terrorists (he called them bandits) have taken over 12 local government areas in Niger State as confirmed during his visit in 2022 to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at the Central Primary School, Gwada. The worst hit Local Governments in the state include Rafi, Munyan, Shiroro, Magama, Mashegu, Mariaga, and Wushishi some of which the terrorists not only have their flags hoisted but also collect taxes and levies, in a state bordering the FCT.
In the Zuru district of Kebbi State, terrorists are so much in control that they audaciously opened fire and killed military men deployed to the area following an earlier killing of scores of vigilantes otherwise known as Yan-Sa-Kai by the terrorists.
In Zamfara, Sokoto and Katsina, peasant farmers of the Hausa as well as other non-Fulani nationalities can no longer access their farms as a result of Fulani terrorism. The case of Zamfara is worst having been virtually rendered ungovernable except for the State capital, Gusau.
Former President Buhari deliberately handicapped himself by a deceitful mindset that people of the North-West were of the same tribes and religion and wondered why they were fighting amongst themselves.
The truth however is that the north-west geopolitical zone is most diverse in ethnic content and the war therein is orchestrated by the desire for new territorial spaces for the Fulani both within and outside Nigeria against the other ethnic nationalities especially the Hausa majority which has for ages been falsely touted as being indistinguishable from the Fulani.
SMBLF holds as indisputably self-evident that all ethnic nationalities were and have settled in their portions of Nigeria before the amalgamation and establishment of Nigeria in 1914, and thus, the current rabid territorial ambition and quest for the alteration of the demographic structures of the federation will lead to chaos and internecine wars, the end of which may be the dismemberment of the fragile Nigerian Federation.
In light of the foregoing, the SMBLF, moved by the patriotic desire for the corporate continuity of Nigeria and, the peaceful and mutually respectful coexistence of its diverse nationalities strongly urges that you, Mr. President consider the following:
1. Your government holds an honest and truthful security inquiry to determine communities wherein the original inhabitants have been displaced in the last 2 decades and enforce the immediate return and resettlement of the people in their ancestral homes.
2. Further to the above, the government should, in no distant future, close all IDP camps to end the shameful and sinful policy of building such refugee camps for the indigenous peoples while their ancestral homes are allowed to be occupied by the armed invaders.
3. That the Security agencies, including the police, the Civil Defence Corps, and others be specially trained and equipped to rise to the challenges as Nigeria is fast becoming a banana or pariah state of its kid-gloves treatment of terrorism.
4. That the Nigerian state which fought a tribal civil war to secure its corporate existence should not allow another internecine war of diverse tribes brought about by its permissive handling of provocative activities of local Fulani militias aided by collaborators from the West African sub-region and the Sahel.
5. The desire of the Fulani to be treated as an exclusive “race” cannot be allowed to continue in a free and egalitarian Nation. They should seek land for their trade in the same way other Nigerians buy and manage land and stop this sense of entitlement.
Urgent steps be taken to restructure Nigeria in line with the tenets of true federalism, to legitimize multi-level policing such that states and communities will provide commensurate security for their people.
6. That you, Mr President, should rise to the occasion and dare the powers that be; decisively deal with the perpetrators of the senseless killings, end the massacre, and guarantee the safety of lives and property of citizens in all parts of our country, especially the Middle Belt Region, and restore the dignity of citizens and national pride; for which you will ever be remembered!
Mr. President, kindly accept the assurances of our highest regards.
Signed:
Chief (Dr.) E. K. Clark, OFR, CON, Leader.
Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Leader Afenifere.
Chief Dr. Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, MFR, OFN, CFR – President-General, Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide
Dr. Pogu Bitrus, President, Middle Belt Forum
Senator Emmanuel Ibok-Essien, FNSE, National Chairman, PANDEF
The Defence Headquarters has characterised the deadly Christmas Eve attacks in Plateau State, which resulted in nearly 200 deaths, as a calculated attempt to embarrass and undermine the Federal Government.
The incident occurred during the seventh month of President Bola Tinubu’s tenure.
In an interview with Channels TV, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, labelled the attacks in Bokkos and Barkin Ladi as “unfortunate” and without justification.
He suggested the attacks were intended to “embarrass everybody and make the government look stupid.”
Musa said, “The shocking incident that occurred in Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, was quite unfortunate. There was no reason for the attack.
“I think the purpose is to embarrass everybody and to make the government look stupid.”
General Musa disclosed that the Nigerian military is making arrests related to the Plateau Christmas Eve killings and also addressed the military’s delayed response to the distress calls from the attacked villages.
Naija News had earlier reported that over 195 deaths were recorded in the attack.
President Tinubu condemned the violence and ordered relief for survivors, while Vice President Kashim Shettima visited the state to offer condolences.
In his New Year message, President Tinubu, however, did not mention the Plateau attack, asserting improved security since his May inauguration.
However, Amnesty International criticised Tinubu for failing to protect communities in Plateau State and across Nigeria.
The National Hajj Commission has extended the deadline for payment of 2024 hajj.
In a statement on Tuesday, its Assistant Director on Public Affairs, Fatima Sanda Usara said the new deadline is now January 31, 2024 as against December 31, 2023.
Daily Trust had reported that the commission was in dilemma over low turnout and might have to extend the deadline.
NAHCON, however, insisted that it would go ahead with the number of intending pilgrims who made the payment before the December 31 deadline.
But the commission has finally backtracked, admitting that the extension was inevitable.
“The extension was in response to the heartfelt concerns raised by religious clerics, State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards/Agencies/Commissions, State Governors and other stakeholders,” she said.
Usara stated that the federal government’s approval for an extension of the deadline provided an additional opportunity for individuals to participate in this sacred pilgrimage.
“The overwhelming request for extension from various religious communities underscores the significance of ensuring accessibility to a broader spectrum of the faithfuls eager to embark on the spiritual journey of Hajj.
“Consequently, NAHCON is confident that before expiration of the new deadline, with the support of its sister agencies, the commission would have determined the total cost of 2024 Hajj,” she said.
Usara noted that the extension would provide a window for new registrants to do so and by the end of January, those who need to balance up payment would be able to do so as well.
“NAHCON seizes this chance to remind intending pilgrims and other stakeholders that the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has slated 25th February as end date for signing all contracts, signaling the end of payments into IBAN accounts. With this extension, NAHCON has barely a month to finalize payment of all Hajj deposits into its IBAN account for the 2024 Hajj.
“This extension, even though overstretches NAHCON’s preparatory timeline, reflects the Commission’s Chairman, Malam Jalal Ahmad Arabi’s commitment to accommodating the concerns of stakeholders. He expressed gratitude to religious leaders, state boards, and governors for their advocacy on behalf of the pilgrims. Malam Arabi described this collaborative effort as a testament to the shared commitment to facilitating a meaningful and inclusive Hajj experience for all. He prayed all Hajj handlers would utilize this opportunity well for success of 2024 Hajj operations,” she added.
Ubani secures a historic legal victory for Car Dealers and Owners against Nigerian Customs Service
AdminSometime in September, 2019 some officers of the Nigerian Custom Service in their characteristic manner invaded and sealed several car shops all over the country citing the reason that those cars were either smuggled or under- assessed during clearance at the ports.
The Registered Trustees of Auto Dealers in Lagos felt that they have had enough of Custom's harassment, illegality, extortion, and therefore briefed the law firm of Dr Monday Ubani to seek legal redress on their behalf.
In a letter to the Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service, the group through the law firm of Ubani & Co, condemned the September 30, 2019 raid and sealing of their shops by Custom operatives, describing the action as " demonstration of gross irresponsibility, unprecedented impunity and abuse of power"
The Dealers claimed that all the cars in their business premises were duly cleared and with appropriate duties paid. The law firm also forwarded copies of the letter to the Senate President, Speaker, House of Representatives and the Attorney General of the Federation.
Part of the letter which also served as a pre-action notice read:
"We must state here with all sense of responsibility and patriotism that the action of Nigeria Custom officers in this regard is a demonstration of gross irresponsibility, unprecedented impunity and abuse of power.
"Though the Nigeria Customs and Excise Management Act gives you the power to examine, mark, seal and take account of any goods contravening your regulations. In this case, you did not examine, mark, seal, and take account of the particular vehicles identified as not being properly cleared, but rather sealed up the entire premises without any form of examination or inspection of papers. "This very act of yours, has no protection under the Act, but smacks of impunity, illegality and flagrant abuse of executive power.
"The moment when Nigerian Government agencies elevate the pursuit of revenue above the right and welfare of the citizens, Nigeria is doomed. Take notice therefore that you have 14 days from the day you receive this letter to unseal all our client's members' business premises to enable them carry out their lawful businesses as Nigerian citizens.
"Take further notice that you have a period of 30days from the date you receive this letter to pay a compensation of 10 billion to our clients for the severe hardship, suffering, embarrassment, loss of business, physical, mental and psychological torture and trauma your arbitrary, lawless and inconsiderate action has caused our clients and their families, failing which our client shall be left with no other option than to seek redress through a competent court of law".
When the warnings and requests were flagrantly ignored, the law firm instituted an action at the Federal High Court, Lagos against NIGERIAN CUSTOMS SERVICE BOARD, CHAIRMAN NIGERIAN CUSTOMS SERVICE BOARD, and the COMPTROLLER GENERAL NIGERIAN CUSTOMS (as Defendants) in SUIT NO: FHC/L/CS/665/2021, asking the Court to determine the following Questions:
Whether the Defendants have any power, authority or justification to invade and seal off the Plaintiff’s members respective business premises, on the ground that the Plaintiff’s members vehicles were smuggled, which allegation they later abandoned for another allegation - that the vehicles were not properly assessed and cleared by the designated Defendants’ officers at the Port, and demanding the Plaintiff’s members to come to the Defendants office with their vehicle Custom clearance documents, which documents were issued to the Plaintiff’s members by officials of the Defendants after duly inspecting, assessing and clearing their vehicles at the port?
Whether the Defendants, after their officials had inspected, assessed and cleared the Plaintiff’s members vehicles at the Port, have any right, justification, power or semblance of power to intercept the same vehicles on the road (in transit), or at the car shop and detain same for a re-assessment known as Debit Note (DN) on the ground that they were not properly assessed and cleared by their officers, and thereby demanding payment of additional duty from the Plaintiff members.
The Plaintiff then sought the following reliefs against the Defendants:
A DECLARATION that having duly inspected, cleared and issued the required Customs clearance papers to members of the plaintiff at the Port, and the plaintiff members having paid the fee (Custom Duty) as duly assessed and demanded by officers of the Defendants, the Defendants have no power, authority or justification to thereafter invade and seal off the same Plaintiff members business premises, on the ground that the Plaintiff members vehicle were (smuggled or) not properly assessed and cleared by the designated officers of the Defendant.
A DECLARATION that the Defendants’ directive to the Plaintiff members to come to the Defendants office with their vehicle Customs clearance documents for re-assessment and re-clearance, and directing their officers to raise a Debit Note (DN) to that effect is unwarranted, unjustified and unlawful.
A DECLARATION that the Defendants, after their officials had inspected and cleared the Plaintiff members’ vehicles at the Port, have no right, justification, power or semblance of power to intercept the same vehicles on the road (in transit) and detain them on the ground that they were not properly cleared, and thereby demanding payment of additional money from the Plaintiffs or their Customers.
A DECLARATION that the invasion and sealing off of the Plaintiff members’ respective business premises since the 30th day of September, 2019 on the ground that the Plaintiff members vehicles were not properly cleared, and demanding the Plaintiff members to come to the Defendants’ office with their Vehicle Customs clearance documents for inspection and re-assessment (which documents were issued to the Plaintiff’s members by the officials of the Defendants after duly inspecting and clearing the said vehicles at the port) is unlawful and unjustified.
A DECLARATION that the practice of intercepting the Plaintiffs members vehicles by officials of the Defendants on the road (in transit) and detained on the ground that they were not properly assessed and cleared, and thereby demanding payment of additional money from the Plaintiff’s members or directing them to raise Debit Note (DN) to that effect is unwarranted, unjustified, and unlawful.
AN ORDER of mandatory injunction directing the Defendants to, with immediate effect, unseal the business premises of all members of the Plaintiff which was unlawfully and arbitrarily sealed off by officials of the Defendants since 30th day of September, 2019.
AN ORDER of Perpetual Injunction restraining the Defendants from further invading and sealing the business premises of the members of the Plaintiff on the ground that the vehicles in their Car Shops which had earlier been inspected, assessed and cleared at the Port by officers of the Defendant were not properly inspected, assessed and cleared.
AN ORDER Directing the Defendants to pay to the Plaintiff the sum of N5,000,000,000.00 (Five Billion Naira) as general and aggravated damages for the arbitrary and unlawful invasion and sealing off of the Plaintiff’s members business premises since the 30th day of September, 2019, and for the huge economic loss and depreciation in business fortunes of members of the plaintiff on account of the unlawful sealing off of their business premises since 30th day of September, 2019.
Interest on the judgment sum at the prevailing monetary policy rate (Central Bank of Nigeria Rate) from the date of judgment until judgment sum is fully liquidated.
The Cost of action as assessed by the Court.
The Defendants in their defence first alleged that the Plaintiff’s Vehicles were smuggled, and the Plaintiff denied it and stated that there were no smuggled vehicles found in the car shops of any of its members visited and sealed by the Defendants’ officers. Moreover, following the Defendants’ request, the Plaintiff’s members submitted their import and clearing documents for their vehicles, and after two weeks of check in the Defendants’ system, the Plaintiffs were informed by the Defendants’ officers that the issue was no longer smuggling, but false declaration and underpayment.
The Plaintiff further informed the Court that there couldn’t have been underpayment/undervalue when the Plaintiff’s members’ vehicles were duly and physically inspected by the Senior Customs Officers (some of them at the level of Deputy Comptroller) who signed and authorized the release order, and that no Importer/Dealer sees the imported vehicles until the clearing process has been concluded by the Customs, and by which time all the necessary charges have been taken care of by the Importer/Dealer. Besides, all payments made by its members were in accordance with the Defendants’ valuation and directive which precedes the signing of the release order. The Plaintiff informed the Court that what its members pay was what they were asked to pay which is programmed in the Defendants’ system. The amount given to the Plaintiff members to pay is what the Defendants’ system accepts, which is called Automated Assessment. The Plaintiff further informed the Court that the Defendants’ officers are in the habit of stopping, checking, harassing and extorting money from its members’ customers after they drive out into town with their purchased vehicles, and this negatively affects their business, and that when its members’ customers call them to inform them of the harassment by the Defendants’ officers on the road, they usually intervene and inform the harassing officers that the necessary Duties on such vehicles have been paid, but the harassing Defendants’ officers would usually respond with the slogan “Senior Officer Release, Junior Officer seize”.
The Defendant admitted sealing 434 Car marts/Shops of the Plaintiff’s members in Lagos on suspicion of non-compliance with Customs Procedure, and informed the Court that some of the Plainiff’s members have complied with their directive by making undertaking to make the additional payment, and the car mart of those members have been unsealed, but the Plaintiff said those members were coerced/induced by the Defendant into executing undertakings for additional Duty payment under duress in the office of the Defendants.
The Defendant having seen how weak its case was, at a point abandoned the susbstance and began to chase shadow by challenging the jurisdiction of the Court on the ground that the Plaintiff is not a registered entity, and has no power to institute the suit, and also that there was no cause of action against the Defendants. The Plaintiff in a bid to rebut the assertion tendered its Certificate of incorporation to show it was a legal entity. Having seen that the plaintiff is a legal entity, the defendant like a drowning man seeking to catch a straw to survive, argued that the Plaintiff instituted the suit as Registered Trustees of Auto-Mobile Dealers Friends Association which is not recognized in law, as what the law recognizes is Incorporated Trustees of a body and not Registered Trustees of a body.
Hon. Justice A. O. Awogboro in her judgment delivered on the 27th day of December, 2023, first dealt with the issue of jurisdiction, and held that the only way of proving that an entity is registered is by providing a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation, which the Plaintiff has provided, and the argument of whether it sued as a Registered Trustees instead of an incorporated trustee is of no consequence.
Going into the substance of the case, the Honourable Judge, held that the sealing up of the car marts of the plaintiff’s members was unlawful and arbitrary, as there was no justification for the unlawful act. She held that the argument that some members of the Plaintiff have complied by undertaking to make the additional payment as a result of which their car marts were unsealed is not tenable and does not in any way support or justify the arbitrary action of the Defendants because those members did not agree to do so willingly but out of coercion and duress, so that they could be able to carry on with their business. The allegation of coercion and duress were not denied by the Defendants.
The Honourable Judge granted the major reliefs sought by the plaintiff and then Ordered as follows:
AN ORDER OF MANDATORY INJUNCTION directing the Defendants to, with immediate effect, unseal the business premises of all members of the Plaintiff which was unlawfully and arbitrarily sealed off by officials of the Defendants since 30th day of September, 2019.
AN ORDER of Perpetual Injunction restraining the Defendants from further invading and sealing the business premises of the members of the Plaintiff on the ground that the vehicles in their Car Shops which had earlier been inspected, assessed and cleared at the Port by officers of the Defendant were not properly inspected, assessed and cleared.
AN ORDER directing the Defendants to pay to the Plaintiff the sum of N500,000,000.00 (Five Hundred Million Naira) as general and aggravated damages for the arbitrary and unlawful invasion and sealing off of the Plaintiff’s members business premises since the 30th day of September, 2019, and for the huge economic loss and depreciation in business fortunes of members of the plaintiff on account of the unlawful sealing off of their business premises since 30th day of September, 2019.
Interest on the judgment sum at the prevailing monetary policy rate (Central Bank of Nigeria Rate) from the date of judgment until judgment sum is fully liquidated.
Dr Ubani and his client were full of appreciation for the erudite judgement delivered by the learned judge and recommend such boldness and uprightness to be exhibited by judges of various courts in the land in order to end impunity in the system.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Dr Akindele Egbuwalo as the acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the National Coordinator of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA).
Naija News reports that until his appointment, Egbuwalo was the National N-Power Programme manager.
Recall that the president had directed the suspension of Halima Shehu as the NSIPA boss over allegations of corruption and financial malfeasance.
According to Channels Television, Egbuwalo will be in an acting capacity as the NSIPA NC/CEO pending the conclusion of the investigation into Shehu.
Recall that Shehu was appointed by President Tinubu in October 2023, and her appointment was confirmed by the Senate on October 18, 2023.
Shehu worked as the National Coordinator of the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme, where she used her banking and career expertise to see to the digitalisation of the programme.
The former banker worked at the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, from 2017 to 2022.
[NaijaNews]
A report by market intelligence firm, TrendForce, has revealed that prices of storage drive laptops and computers will go up by 50% in 2024.
According to the report, the price increment is predicated on the need for suppliers to reach the breakeven point after a rebound from the decline in NAND flash memory prices.
This would make computer SSD drives more expensive this year and ultimately lead to higher prices for laptops and computers.
Industry analysts noted that SSD price increases have already become noticeable, ending the era of exceptionally affordable storage. However, TrendForce expects an additional sharp increase in prices as manufacturers cannot recoup their expenses and inventories are running out.
What TrendForce is saying
The market intelligence firm in the report stated:
- “Major domestic players in the NAND Flash industry indicate that NAND Flash suppliers, driven by the goal of profitability, will continue to aggressively raise prices. It is anticipated that prices will need to increase by over 40% once again for major manufacturers to break even. To achieve profitability, future price hikes are expected to be at least 50% or even higher.”
Looking at the global NAND Flash market share in 3Q23, TrendForce noted that Samsung holds the leading position with a market share of 31.4%. The second position is held by the SK group, with a market share of 20.2%, followed by the U.S.-based Western Digital in third place with a market share of 16.9%. The Japanese company, Kioxia ranks fourth with a market share of approximately 14.5%.
NAND flash production reduction
According to TrendForce, the industry indicates that due to the lower profitability of NAND Flash compared to DRAM, international giants are actively reducing NAND Flash production.
- “Taking Samsung as an example, since September of this year, the reduction in NAND chip production has expanded to 50% of total capacity, focusing on products with stacked layers up to 128 layers. The goal is to accelerate destocking and stabilize prices, with plans to gradually increase prices in 2024”
- “TrendForce has indicated that following Samsung’s expansion of the production reduction to 50%, other suppliers are also maintaining a restrained wafer allocation strategy. After more than half a year of production reduction in some processes and capacities, there is a structural supply shortage, providing an advantage for chip manufacturers in price control.
- “Observing the market in the fourth quarter, there are almost no low-priced sources available for purchase. However, buyers still tend to maintain high inventory levels and continue purchasing,” it added.
[Nairametrics]
The year 2023 was tumultuous for Nigeria’s federal parliament. It witnessed the end and the beginning of the ninth and tenth assemblies respectively.
While the previous legislative session drew to a close peacefully, the current one began on a rancorous note with a keenly contested leadership race that birthed acrimony that has refused to fizzle out. Here are some of the highlights of issues that defined the country’s highest law making body in 2023:
High legislative turnover
The 10th Assembly is populated by mostly first time lawmakers – about 70 per cent – many of whom lack a deep knowledge of legislative proceedings, which often reflect in their contributions to motions and debates.
Many of the old and experienced legislators lost out to not only rivals in their political parties who got the tickets, but also to greenhorns from other parties during the general elections.
Experts had spoken severally on the implications of high attrition of experienced lawmakers on the performance of the National Assembly.
“The continuous replacement of the significant members of the legislature after each general election cycle has serious implications for its ability to perform its role effectively.
“This has led to several capacity gaps in our legislative practice and procedures at both the state and national levels,” said Professor Abubakar O. Suleiman, the Director General of the National Institute For Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS).
“Legislators hardly develop an understanding of the legislative practice and procedures before they are changed. This negatively affects the legislators’ capacity in discharging their duties as some of the most experienced legislators are not often returned.
Rancorous leadership tussle
The race for senate presidency and speakership of the 10th National Assembly was said to be the most intense, crowded, and rancorous in recent history.
While the contest for the leadership of both chambers had always been dogged by high-wired politicking, drama, and executive interference, that of the current National Assembly assumed an unprecedented dimension.
It was shaped by intense lobbying, horse trading, alliances and vote buying as aspirants struggled to outspend one another in a bid to get the support of their colleagues.
Despite presidency interference and pressure which forced many aspirants to drop out, daring lawmakers contested against the favoured candidates.
Abdulaziz Yari gave Godswill Akpabio a run for his money in the Senate presidency race, which ended 46–63 in favour of the latter.
In the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas faced a calibre of candidates, who had almost equal chance of clinching the speaker’s seat.
But a few days before the election, all the other candidates except two, the former Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Idris Wase and Sani Jaji, stepped down and declared support for Abbas, who later got 353 votes. The two others had three votes each.
The jostle for principal offices also raised dust among senators and leadership of political parties.
The then chairmen of both APC and PDP, the two parties, with the highest lawmakers in the Red Chamber, rejected the names announced by Akpabio. Again, after presidential intervention, normalcy was restored to the parliament and the defeated candidates resigned to fate.
Akpabio’s holiday ‘enjoyment’ statement
The Senate President drew the ire of Nigerians after his August 7 “holiday enjoyment allowance” remark shortly before adjourning plenary for a long recess made the rounds on social media.
“To enable all of us to enjoy our holiday, a token has been sent to our various bank accounts by the Clerk of the National Assembly,’’ Akpabio told his colleagues, apparently forgetting that the proceeding was being live streamed.
The “holiday bonus” comment came weeks after the lawmakers were allocated N70 billion to support their “working conditions” in an amended 2022 supplementary appropriation act.
Nigerians lampooned the Senate President, saying it was very unfortunate that such a statement could be made by Akpabio at a time when Nigerians were feeling the heat of high living cost following fuel subsidy removal.
Impeachment rumour
During a long recess in August, there were reports of moves by some disgruntled lawmakers to remove Akpabio as Senate President.
Akpabio had dismissed the impeachment move, describing it as complete imaginations and sometimes laced with malice, saying the Senate under his leadership was stable.
But the anti-Akpabio senators were said to have accused the Senate President of orchestrating what they called an imaginary impeachment plot targeted at pitching lawmakers against President Tinubu.
‘Empty’ budget box
The 2024 budget generated controversies few days after it was presented to the parliament by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Unlike his predecessors, sectoral allocations of the budget were not captured in the president’s budget speech, raising insinuation in some quarters that Tinubu submitted empty boxes to the parliament.
A member of the House of Representatives, Yusuf Galambi (NNPP, Jigawa) had, during an interview with BBC Hausa Service, accused Tinubu of presenting “empty boxes”, suggesting that, the president was not ready for budget defence but only came out to deceive the populace.
The speculation became rife when lawmakers, during debate on the proposals, complained that they were not provided the budget details, which they said would limit their comments.
In a move to douse the controversy, the Senate Appropriations Committee hurriedly released few details, including sectoral allocations while the budget ministry a few days later released the full budget breakdown.
The first appropriation bill in the life of the 10th National Assembly was passed in record 31 days after presentation on November 29 and was signed into law yesterday by the president.
Tribunal verdicts
The Court of Appeal nullified the elections of some lawmakers, including ranking ones, following petitions by their opponents challenging their elections. New ones, mostly first timers, were inaugurated after the court ruled in their favour.
Those sacked from the Red Chamber were Elisha Abbo (Adamawa), Simon Davou Mwadkwon (Plateau), Napoleon Bali (Plateau), Abubakar Sadiku Ohere (Kogi) and Darlington Nwokocha (Abia).
About 15 members of the House were affected by the court rulings.
Plateau state has the highest number of lawmakers sacked by the court, all of them PDP members. They were Dachung Bagos, Beni Lar, Isaac Kwalu, Peter Gyendeng Ibrahim and Musa Agha. They were replaced by members of LP and APC.
SUV controversy
The purchase of 109 Toyota land cruisers for senators and 360 Prado for members of the House of Representatives raised dust as it always does in the previous assemblies.
Nigerians expressed their anger at the purchase of the vehicles costing billions of Naira at a time when many citizens are finding it hard to meet their basic needs.
Over the years, the purchase of new vehicles for the lawmakers after every four years had been controversial, which drew condemnations and portrays them as self-serving.
However, the criticism and condemnations did not stop the purchase of the luxury vehicles for the lawmakers.
Dust over job racketeering probe
One of the high points in the House of Representatives in the course of the year was the dust raised over the probe into job racketeering and mismanagement of the Integrated Personnel Payroll and Information System (IPPIS) in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
Daily Trust reports that the committee in the course of its investigations unearthed mind-blowing revelations of large scale jobs’ racketeering involving key officials of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), including its chairperson, Muheeba Farida Dankaka and her special assistant, Haruna Kolo.
10th House Legislative Agenda
On November 14, 2023, Speaker Abbas Tajudeen unveiled the 8-point Legislative Agenda of the 10th House, with a pledge to partner with President Tinubu on the successful implementation of the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ of the current administration.
The agenda include, strengthening good governance, improving national security, law reform, economic growth and development, social sector reform and development, inclusion and open parliament, influencing/directing Nigeria’s foreign policy, and climate change and environmental sustainability.
LP senators’ protest over minority leadership
Another dramatic turn in the course of the year was the protest over minority leadership in the Senate.
The Red Chamber witnessed a rancorous session when Akpabio announced Abba Moro (PDP, Benue) as minority leader and Osita Ngwu (PDP, Enugu) as minority whip to replace Simon Mwadkwon (PDP, Plateau) and Darlington Nwokocha (LP, Abia), whose elections were nullified by the appellate court.
The announcement did not sit well with LP senators, who described the arrangement as injustice against other minority parties.
[DailyTrust]
The Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Education on Tuesday announced the suspension of accreditation of degree certificates from Benin Republic and Togo.
According to a statement on Tuesday signed by Augustina Obilor-Duru on behalf of the Director of Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Education, the government lamented that “some Nigerians deploy nefarious means and unconscionable methods to get a Degree with the end objective of getting graduate job opportunities for which they are not qualified”.
It followed an investigative report by Daily Nigerian Newspaper titled “How Daily Nigerian reporter bagged Cotonou varsity degree in 6 weeks”.
According to the government, the suspension persists pending the outcome of an investigation involving the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Education of Nigeria and the two countries as well as the Department of State Security Services and the National Youths Service Corps.
The statement reads, “ The Federal Ministry of Education vehemently decries such acts and with effect from 2nd January 2024 is suspending evaluation and accreditation of degree certificates from Benin and Togo Republics pending the outcome of an investigation that would involve the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria and the two countries, the ministries responsible for Education in the two countries as well the Department of State Security Services and the National Youths Service Corps.
“The Ministry therefore wish to call on the General Public to support its efforts, show understanding and provide useful information that will assist the Committee in finding lasting solutions in order to prevent further occurrence.
“The Ministry has also commenced internal administrative processes to determine the culpability or otherwise of her staff for which applicable Public Service Rules would be applied.
“The issue of degree mills institutions, i.e institutions that exist on paper or operate in clandestine manner outside the control of regulators is a global problem that all countries grapple with. FME has been contending with the problem including illegal institutions located abroad or at home preying on unsuspecting, innocent Nigerians and some desperate Nigerians who deliberately patronize such outlets. Periodically, warnings have been issued by the Ministry and NUC against the resort to such institutions and in some instances, reports made to security agencies to clamp down on the perpetrators. The ministry will continue to review its strategy to plug any loopholes, processes and procedures and deal decisively with any conniving officials.”
The PUNCH reports that in 2020, the NYSC said it would commence the prosecution of Nigerian graduates with fake credentials, especially from West African countries.
A former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed also in 2020 noted that certain Nigerians were purchasing fake degrees from degree mills in and out of Nigeria.
In September 2023, a newspaper exposed a certain London Graduate School selling fake honorary degrees to Nigerians.
[Punch]
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President Bola Tinubu has suspended Mrs Halima Shehu, the National Coordinator and chief executive of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA).
President Tinubu, according to Channels Television, approved Shehu’s suspension with immediate effect and ordered her replacement.
This comes merely three months after her confirmation for the appointment by the Senate.
Recall that Shehu worked as the National Coordinator of the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme, where she used her banking and career expertise to see to the digitalisation of the programme.
The former banker worked at the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, from 2017 to 2022.
[Vanguard]
Preparations are in top gear for the commencement of production in Dangote Refinery, as the petrochemical company has received the fourth crude shipment of, one million barrels of bonny light crude supplied by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), and expecting the fifth crude shipment, anytime from now.
The fresh one million barrels of crude was the fourth consignment to be delivered to the Dangote facility out of the six million barrels of crude being expected by the world's largest single-train refinery.
It would be recalled that Dangote Refinery had earlier, received three million barrels of crude.
Managing Director of Dangote Ports Operations, Mr. Akin Omole, had then told newsmen at the Dangote Quay, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos that the Refinery will receive about four million crude shpment before the end of 2023 and the remaining two by the early of January 2024. He said the crudes supply would put the Refinery in good stead to commence operation.
Once the 6 million barrels are fully delivered, it will facilitate the initial run of the refinery as well as kick-start the production of diesel, aviation fuel, and LPG before subsequently progressing to the production of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
This latest development will play a pivotal role in alleviating the fuel supply challenges faced by Nigeria as well as the West African countries.
Designed for 100% Nigerian crude with the flexibility to process other crudes, the 650,000 barrels per day Dangote Petroleum Refinery can process most African crude grades as well as Middle Eastern Arab Light and even US Light tight oil as well as crude from other countries.
Dangote Petroleum Refinery can meet 100% of Nigeria’s requirement of all refined products, gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and aviation jet, and also has a surplus of each of these products for export.
The refinery was built to take crude through its two SPMs located 25 kilometres from the shore and to discharge petroleum products through three separate SPMs. In addition, the refinery can load 2,900 trucks a day at its truck-loading gantries.
Dangote Refinery has a self-sufficient marine facility with the ability to handle the largest vessel globally available. In addition, all products from the refinery will conform to Euro V specifications.
The refinery is designed to comply with US EPA, European emission norms, and Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) emission/effluent norms as well as African Refiners and Distribution Association (ARDA) standards.
While receiving the first consignment, President of Dangote Group, Mr. Aliko Dangote stated: “We are delighted to have reached this significant milestone. This is an important achievement for our country as it demonstrates our ability to develop and deliver large capital projects. Our focus over the coming months is to ramp up the refinery to its full capacity. I look forward to the next significant milestone when we deliver the first batch of products to the Nigerian market.”
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has sharply criticized President Bola Tinubu’s New Year address, calling it a “harvest of deceit, false claims, and empty promises.”
This reaction follows Tinubu’s speech where he acknowledged the frustration of Nigerians due to recent economic decisions, including fuel subsidy removal and Naira devaluation.
In his address, President Tinubu admitted to the challenges faced by Nigerians and defended his administration’s decisions as necessary to prevent a fiscal crisis.
He highlighted the removal of the decades-long fuel subsidy as a key measure.
Reacting to the speech, the PDP, through its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, described Tinubu’s address as uninspiring and failing to tackle critical national issues.
The party pointed out the President’s neglect of issues like insecurity, economic hardship, high inflation, and unemployment.
The PDP accused Tinubu’s administration of implementing policies that worsen the nation’s socio-economic situation.
The PDP further criticized President Tinubu for claiming that his actions were in the country’s best interest, alleging mismanagement of resources and a lack of concrete economic policies.
They accused the administration of prioritizing luxury and unnecessary foreign trips over national welfare.
The statement urged President Tinubu to provide a detailed account of national earnings, including those from the removal of the fuel subsidy, amid allegations of misappropriation.
The PDP also called on the National Assembly to exercise its oversight role more effectively to hold the executive accountable.
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery, on Monday, received the fourth shipment of one million barrels of bonny light crude oil, supplied by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited.
A statement from tne $20bn firm stated that the oil company was expecting the fifth crude oil shipment soon.
The plant had earlier received three shipments of crude oil, as officials of the company told our correspondent that the refinery would start pumping out refined Automotive Gas Oil, also known as diesel, and aviation fuel or JetA1 this month.
In the statement issued on Monday, the company said, “The fresh one million barrels of crude was the fourth consignment to be delivered to the Dangote facility out of the six million barrels of crude being expected by the world’s largest single-train refinery.”
The Managing Director, Dangote Ports Operations, Akin Omole, had earlier told journalists at the Dangote Quay, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos that the refinery would receive about four million crude oil shipment before the end of 2023.
According to him, the refinery would get the remaining two by the early of January 2024, adding that this would position the refinery to begin production.
He explained that once the six million barrels were fully delivered, it would facilitate the initial run of the refinery and see to the production of diesel, aviation fuel, and Liquefied Petroleum Gas, before progressing to the production of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol.
The 650,000 barrels per day capacity Dangote refinery can meet 100 per cent of Nigeria’s requirement of all refined petroleum products including petrol, diesel, kerosene and jet fuel, and also has a surplus of each of these products for export.
Dangote Refinery has a self-sufficient marine facility with the ability to handle the largest vessel globally available, from where it has been receiving the crude oil shipments.
After receiving the first consignment of crude, the President, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, had said, “We are delighted to have reached this significant milestone. This is an important achievement for our country as it demonstrates our ability to develop and deliver large capital projects.
“Our focus over the coming months is to ramp up the refinery to its full capacity. I look forward to the next significant milestone when we deliver the first batch of products to the Nigerian market.”