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A New York City jury awarded $83.3m to E Jean Carroll in her defamation trial against Donald Trump on Friday.
Carroll will receive $18.3m in compensatory damages and $65m in punitive retribution. The former president is paying Carroll compensatory damages of $18.3m – $11m to fund a reputational repair campaign. The $7.3m is for the emotional harm caused by Trump’s 2019 public statements. Carroll and her legal team were beaming as they left court in a black SUV. They did not answer questions immediately after court let out.
Moments after the decision was announced, Trump decried it as “absolutely ridiculous” on Truth Social, and said he would be filing an appeal.
“I fully disagree with both verdicts, and will be appealing this whole Biden Directed Witch Hunt focused on me and the Republican Party,” Trump wrote. “Our Legal System is out of control, and being used as a Political Weapon. They have taken away all First Amendment Rights. THIS IS NOT AMERICA!”
The Manhattan federal court decision comes less than one year after Carroll won $5m in her sexual abuse and defamation trial against Trump.
This sum stems from Carroll’s rape claim against the president in a June 2019 New York magazine article. The publication ran an excerpt of her then-forthcoming book, What Do We Need Men For? A Modest Proposal.
In that excerpt, Carroll said that Trump raped her inside the dressing room of a luxe Manhattan department store around early 1996. The tenor of Trump’s denials – saying, for example, that she lied and was a political operative – became the subject of her 2019 defamation suit against him.
At the time, Carroll could not sue Trump over the alleged assault, as it would have taken place outside the civil statute of limitations. A novel New York state law in 2022, the Adult Survivors Act, opened a one-year window for adult accusers to file suit for incidents outside the civil statute of limitations.
Carroll filed another lawsuit, this one over the incident and defamatory statements after Trump’s presidency ended. This lawsuit proceeded to trial first and the judge in both cases, Lewis Kaplan, determined jurors’ findings – that Trump sexually abused Carroll and tarnished her reputation – would be accepted as fact in this trial.
As a result, Trump could not re-litigate her sexual abuse claim. The jurors were tasked only with weighing financial penalties for damaging Carroll’s reputation – and the sum required to keep Trump from making still more defamatory statements.
“I’m here because Donald Trump assaulted me, and when I wrote about it, he said it never happened,” Carroll said on the stand. “He lied, and it shattered my reputation. I expected him to deny it, but to say it was consensual, when it was not. But that’s what I expected him to say.”
She continued: “The thing that really got me about this was, from the White House, he asked if anyone had any information about me, and if they did, to please come forward as soon as possible, because he wanted the world to know what’s really going on – and that people like me should pay dearly.”
Trump did not attend Carroll’s first trial but made appearances at the second – marking the first time she confronted him publicly in a courtroom. Trump’s comportment during the courtroom showdowns was in keeping with his infamously bombastic behavior, prompting warnings from the judge.
“Mr Trump has the right to be present here. That right can be forfeited, and it can be forfeited if he is disruptive, which is what has been reported to me, and if he disregards court orders,” Kaplan warned.
“Mr Trump, I hope I don’t have to consider excluding you from the trial … I understand you are probably very eager for me to do that.”
“I would love it, I would love it,” Trump retorted with a gesture.
“I know you would, you just can’t control yourself in this circumstance, apparently,” Kaplan said.
The end stages of this trial were also marked by another hallmark of Trump’s legacy: Covid-related chaos. On 22 January, trial proceedings were postponed as one juror experienced coronavirus symptoms; his leading attorney, Alina Habba, also told judge Kaplan that she felt unwell and had been exposed to Covid.
Trump did take the stand on 25 January. Kaplan restricted the scope of her questions and his responses, as per his prior ruling that he could not re-litigate her claims.
Habba was allowed to ask: “Do you stand by your testimony in the deposition?”
“One hundred percent, yes,” he said, referring to the deposition in which he denied her claims.
“Did you deny the allegation because Ms Carroll made an accusation?”
“That’s exactly right. She said something, I consider it a false accusation. No difference,” Trump retorted. This sparked an objection from Carroll’s camp. Kaplan said that everything after “yes, I did” was stricken.
“Did you ever instruct anyone to hurt Ms Carroll in your statements?”
“No. I just wanted to defend myself, my family, and frankly, the presidency,” Trump said. Carroll’s team objected again. Kaplan deemed that everything after “no” be stricken, so jurors were ordered to disregard this statement.
In total, Trump’s direct and cross testimony lasted about two or three minutes.
NCAA Grounds Mattini Airline Services Limited, Begins Audit After Runway Incident at Ibadan Airport
AdminThe Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has suspended the license of Mattini Airline Services Limited and launched a comprehensive audit of private jet operators following a runway excursion incident involving one of its planes at Ibadan Airport on Thursday.
A Challenger CL 601 jet operated by Mattini Airline under a Permit for Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF) veered off the runway while landing at Ibadan Airport on January 26, according to a statement by the NCAA.
The regulatory agency said it has commenced an economic inquiry into Mattini Airline’s adherence to its PNCF terms and conditions. Consequently, the airline’s PNCF has been suspended pending confirmation of compliance.
Additionally, the NCAA has kicked off a sweeping audit of all private jet operations in the country – scrutinizing both safety and economic aspects.
The incident is also being investigated by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau to identify contributing factors.
NCAA Director of Public Affairs, Michael Achimugu, said the actions underscore the organization’s commitment to prioritizing safety and maintaining confidence in Nigeria’s aviation industry.
The increased oversight follows repeated incidents and violations involving private jet operators in Nigeria over the past year.
No fewer than 140 officials will track and assess the performance of federal ministries, departments, and agencies ahead of the first assessment exercise at the end of this month.
This is as the officials joined the third technical retreat for delivery desk officers of federal ministries on the implementation of presidential priorities and ministerial deliverables in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital, which began on Wednesday.
A senior official working closely with the Central Delivery Coordination Unit headed by the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination, Mrs Hadiza Bala-Usman, revealed that the officers, who would conduct the assessment, were drawn from 35 federal government ministries, departments and agencies.
“It will involve a permanent secretary and directors of planning and other officials, four each from 35 ministries. They are considering the modalities of the assessment, the key performance indicators and the reporting mechanisms and all of those,” the official who did not want to be mentioned told one of our correspondents.
At the retreat, Bala-Usman echoed President Bola Tinubu’s words to participants when she warned that her principal would sack ministers who failed to perform their duties.
She noted that Tinubu was poised to deliver on his promise of making life better and easier for Nigerians.
Calling for the total commitment of delivery officers and directors of planning in ministries, Bala-Usman said, “We must understand that the President is very serious about his promises and that ministers will be assessed, and ministers will be dropped if they don’t perform.
“You must understand that as ministerial delivery desk officers, you are the engine room that will provide that feedback, constantly track ministerial progress, and report challenges and bottlenecks to the central coordinating and delivery unit.”
The presidential aide, who dove into the specifics, explained, “In the Ministry of Aviation, we will be assessing FAAN on customer experience at the airports; are the escalators, lifts, and conveyor belts functional?
“What are the consequences of delayed time of departure for airlines? These are things that everybody can feel and see.
“When talking about agriculture, we want to see our index of fertiliser use per hectare grow because of the attendant investment that has been made in fertiliser interventions.”
On October 17, 2023, Bala-Usman said her office would begin a quarterly assessment of the performance of the 48 ministers (now 47) appointed by the President by January 2024.
She said January would be the best period to begin the exercise as all the ministries would have received their budgets for the 2024 fiscal year.
“We’re looking to commence an assessment of the respective ministries in January 2024. We’re going to have a quarterly assessment of performance, which will culminate into an annual scorecard,” the former boss of the Nigerian Ports Authority explained in an interview on TVC.
She said the annual scorecard would be reviewed during periodic retreats where performances would be assessed against key performance indicators.
The three-month period for the first evaluation will follow a three-day cabinet retreat for ministers and presidential aides, which was held from November 1 to 3, 2023, where ministers signed a performance bond with the President.
The bond signed by each minister and permanent secretaries detailed the deliverables each ministry plans to achieve within the 2024 budget cycle.
“That performance bond is what we’re going to use to track the performance of the ministers,” Bala-Usman had said.
Lawyers, CSOs comment
Commenting on the development, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Mike Ozekhome, said the performance review of the ministers should not be the priority of the government as the nation was in a dire strait.
He stated, “This President should be one in a hurry. This country is battered and tattered. The country is bleeding. The people are downtrodden. There is anger and melancholy. There is poverty. There is agony. Nigerians are crying and in abject penury. There is gnashing of teeth across the divides in Nigeria.
“How can a bag of rice be selling at over N55,000 and the Presidency is talking about assessing ministers? Take a look at the naira that is currently in a free fall because we are subjected to neo-colonial dictates from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
“To me, it is a case of ‘Physician heal thyself’ as the President is trying to heal the ministries. To assess a minister is to know the deliverables. What benchmark did the President set when he appointed the ministers? What was in the All Progressives Congress manifesto as to their deliverables?
“Since the ministers were sworn in more than six months ago, what have they done? If we take the Ministry of Works, for instance, it will be easy to assess how many roads have been constructed or started or earmarked for commencement. But, for other ministries like special duties; how will they be assessed?
“As for the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Humanitarian Affairs, how will they assess them? Where is all the money that has been pumped to alleviate poverty? Why is there so much poverty in the land? What number of Nigerians has been brought out of poverty? What are the verifiable indices to show that this has been done? I have already seen some ministers who are not performing at all. Some of them are just there like onlookers.”
On his part, Chief Yomi Alliyu (SAN), faulted the move, saying, “In the first instance, I don’t see how anyone will assess a minister. The criteria are bound to be subjective rather than objective. This is because ministers are not really the ones working in the ministries. They are just policymakers. The civil servants are the ones who will implement policies. In that instance, it is the members of the public who can assess whether a minister is working or not.
“A minister could be hyperactive and corrupt. We have seen ministers use their former companies as pipes to siphon government money from another ministry and some of them are still serving.
“You will not say because a minister has some media hype, he will score well and perform. Sometimes, it is not the people that you hear of who are the performers in this country. Nobody can evaluate any minister other than members of the public.”
Also reacting, another senior lawyer, Mr Ebun Adegboruwa (SAN), stated that it was PresidentTinubu himself who needed to be assessed.
“I don’t think the President has the moral justification for such an assessment. It is the President himself who needs an assessment. The ministers have no direct responsibility to the people of Nigeria. They were not the ones elected. The buck stops on the President’s table. Is it for the insecurity, inflation, or the collapse of the exchange and forex regime?” he queried.
Civil Society Organisations called on Tinubu to suspend ministers who underperform or are found to be enmeshed in corrupt practices.
The Chairman of Civil Society Organisations in Rivers State, Enafaa Georgewill, made the call in an interview with one of our correspondents, adding that ministers could be likened to employees who should be held accountable when necessary.
Georgewill stated, “The President can be likened to an employer and if an employer employs an employee and the employee is not performing as expected, he who hired them should fire them and where there is a need for caution, disciplinary action like suspension and other reprimand actions should be taken.
“Until those in authority, and in this case, the President, begin to instil discipline and real governance, as well as social welfare, we will not be able to make real progress. So, yes, the President has the power to reprimand ministers and he should use it.”
The Director of Youths for Change, Taiwo Oyayinka, urged the President to ensure the dismissal of underperforming ministers as he had earlier promised.
He said, “President Tinubu promised us last year that ministers who underperform would be dismissed; he should stand by this charge. Corrupt ministers should be flushed out of the system.
“Such an action will serve as a deterrent to others. There should be no sacred cow in power. All those found culpable should be suspended or dismissed.”
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Segun Sowunmi, said the assessment of ministers was a novel idea, but noted that such an endeavour must be holistic.
He said, “This is the first time we have heard that ministers are going to be accessed and that there will be consequences after the assessment, but you know anything with government, especially in our country, it is always better for you to exercise some caution because if you celebrate early, you may just end up disappointed.
“On the surface, it is a good idea; maybe it will help us scale up service delivery. Also, maybe the report of the assessment can serve as a benchmark either for the others or people who will be taking government office.”
The National Secretary of New Nigeria People’s Party, Mr Oladipupo Olayokun, “I think that is the normal thing to do because when you give someone an assignment, you should periodically assess his performance because don’t forget that the President told Nigerians that the ministers would be assessed. It is a departure from what we witnessed in the past eight years, especially given what Nigerians are experiencing under this government.”
The National Director, Media and Publicity of the Labour Party, Dr Yunusa Tanko, said, “Any minister found wanting shows he or she is not qualified to serve the country. If the President wants to begin to screen his aides, that means he must have presented himself for screening ab initio. He does not have a locus standi to start screening people because if they were screened ab initio, we would have known about their credentials.”
Many have argued that Nigeria is currently facing its most challenging times, prompting a steady exodus of people seeking a better and more comfortable life. Every week, a considerable number of Nigerians relocate to various parts of the world in pursuit of improved opportunities.
Before moving to a new country, it’s important to think things through. You don’t want to relocate and then regret your choice.
Also, it is better to ensure you travel through the legal routes and avoid cutting corners. It’s also important to use a trusted agent or do it yourself (DIY) to avoid getting scammed.
These are the top five countries for Nigerians to consider:
United Kingdom
The UK has become a ‘home away from home’ for most Nigerians in the last three years. The United Kingdom, a sovereign state, is composed of four constituent countries: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, boasting a population of approximately 67 million people.
In the first half of 2023, the UK granted approximately 132,000 visas, and those are all sorts of visas, which include visit, work, and study visas.
The UK economy is one of the strongest, and the British pound is the joint fifth-strongest currency in the world.
It has also proven to be a strong educational destination for most Nigerians.
USA
The USA has one of the most iconic cities in the world, which is perfect for all your travel or vacation needs.
Tagged ‘land of opportunities’ The USA is where one can achieve anything they put their mind to, no matter who they are.
Its multicultural population, coupled with abundant natural resources, a robust culture of innovation, and a resilient domestic system, makes it a good destination which matches with the ‘Can do spirit’ in Nigeria.
The USA is home to the world’s biggest educational schools.
Australia
Regarded as both a country and a continent, Australia, inhabited by 26 million people, presents abundant opportunities for migrants seeking employment.
It further distinguishes itself by providing affordable tertiary education at universities of choice, supported by a stable economy and expansive public service sectors.
It also offers a lot of sporting activities and is a perfect destination for animal lovers.
At least 72 per cent of Australians speak English as their main language, making it easier for Nigerians to communicate with others in the country.
Canada
Canada has consistently gained a reputation as a haven and a beacon of hope for a better life for numerous immigrants from different countries around the world.
The country’s unemployment rate of around 5.8% (December 2023) is ranked one of the lowest in the world, with a high demand for skilled, semi-skilled, and unskilled workers.
With a literacy rate of 99 percent, Canada has one of the best educational systems in the world. It also has a world-class infrastructural system.
Germany
In June 2023, the German parliament passed an immigration law that was devised to encourage more people from outside the European Union, including Nigeria, to come work in the country.
It is the second-largest economy in the world in nominal terms, after the United States, and the third-largest in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms, after China and the United States.
Germany provides high-quality education and efficient public transportation, and it has a reputation for innovation and technology.
The Rivers State House of Assembly has voted to override Governor Siminalayi Fubara and pass 4 new bills into law.
According to reports, this development occurred during plenary on Friday (today) at the House of Assembly Quarters after the Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule read 4 letters addressed to him by the governor wherein he declined his assent to the four new bills which had been sent to him for assent.
Governor’s accent no longer required
The House relying on Section 100 subsection 5 said the assent of the governor is not required for the passage into law of the said bills.
- The section stats that “where the Governor withholds assent and the bill is again passed by two thirds majority, the bill shall become a law and the assent of the Governor shall not be required.’’
- Amaewhule also accused Governor Fubara of having no plans to conduct local government elections in the state, saying “by the reasons given by the Governor it means he doesn’t plan to conduct local government elections in the state”.
- Speaking further said, “the key thing here is that this law removes the power of the Governor to appoint Caretaker Committee Chairmen for the Local Governments, the Governor is not happy that we’re removing his powers to appoint caretaker chairmen.”
The 4 Laws passed are:
- The Rivers Local Government Amendment Law
- The Rivers State Traditional Rulers Amendment Law
- The Rivers State Advertisement and Use of State-Owned Property Prohibition repeal law.
- The Rivers State Funds Management and Financial Autonomy Law.
What you should know
In a related development, a Federal High Court in Abuja had a few days ago nullified the N800 billion budget passed by the Edison Ehie led group of the Rivers State House of Assembly and signed into law by the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
The court also upheld the suit filed by the Assembly and Speaker Martin Amaewhule, against Fubara, which sought an order of injunction restraining the governor from frustrating the Assembly under his leadership as speaker, among others.
The presiding judge, James Omotosho, held that everything done by the 4 lawmakers was null and void.
[Nairametrics]
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano state on Friday, January 26, said he has no plans to dump the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) on whose platform he won the governorship polls.
Yusuf was responding to an invite by the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, to join the APC.
Governor Yusuf, whose election was affirmed by the Supreme Court penultimate week, is the only NNPP governor in Nigeria.
However, Ganduje on Thursday, January 25, wooed Yusuf and his godfather Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso as well as Ibrahim Shekarau of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), asking them to join APC, according to him, in the interest of Nigerians and the country.
During the party’s stakeholders’ meeting in Kano, Ganduje said: “I am appealing to Governor Yusuf, along with his members from the NNPP, to defect to the ruling APC at the national level to ensure massive political growth of the state.
“We are working very hard to ensure more members of the National Assembly from Kano State and others from other political parties join hands with the progressives as doors of the party remain opened to all.”
According to Ganduje, the APC would commence e-registration and the target is to get the highest number of membership from the state and also have a one party state.
He added: “We will provide an enabling environment for all defectors for the overall political growth of our party and state,” disclosing that “some opposition governors and National Assembly members will soon join the ruling party.”
In his reaction, Yusuf however, rejected Ganduje’s invitation, telling the APC national chairman he would not exit from NNPP.
The governor spoke in a statement by his media director, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa.
The statement read: “We heard that he (Ganduje) is begging the Governor to join the APC. What is surprising is, that Ganduje as a former governor and former deputy governor, knows better than anyone the right channel to send a message to a sitting governor.
“Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf does not have plans to leave his party and will not leave the party. Changing a political party is like changing a house. You just cannot wake up, pack your bags, and say I have left my party. There are things to be done before you decide to change your house.”
During the meeting held at the APC secretariat in Kano, Ganduje also said the Kano state APC has accepted the Supreme Court judgment in good faith, hailing President Bola Tinubu for his love for the state chapter of the party.
Ganduje said talks have reached an advanced stage such that other smaller parties nationwide, including governors and lawmakers, would soon dump their political parties and join the ruling APC.
Ganduje explained that the coming of the Kano governor (Yusuf) to APC will strengthen the ruling party in Kano and at the national level, driving developments to the state.
[TheNation]
Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has once again sworn-in nine Commissioners who earlier resigned their appointment in the wake of the governor’s face-off with his predecessor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, thereby re-admitting them into the State Executive Council (SEC).
The Commissioners include Professor Zacchaeus Adangor, Dr. Jacobson Nbina, Dr. Gift Worlu, Mrs. Inimefien Aguma, Egnr. Chukwuemeka Woke, Prof Chinedu Mmom, Dr. Dakorinama Kelly-George, Isaac Kamalu, Esq., and Mr. Ben Chioma.
Recall that the Commissioners, loyal to former Governor Wike, were earlier screened and confirmed for the second time by the Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly on January 17, 2024.
Speaking after the swearing-in ceremony at the Government House, Port Harcourt, on Friday, Governor Fubara charged them to engage in activities for which they will be positively remembered by posterity.
The governor told the appointees that: “I wish you well in your coming back. Stand for justice, and stand for the interests of our dear state. That is the purpose of your appointment and that is the truth.
“I can see how heavy your hearts are. But I assure you that I don’t have anything against anyone of you. You were caught in between during the crossfire.
“I will advise that you give your best. Like I said the first time, let this State and posterity remember you for what is good.”
A private jet with 10 persons onboard has reportedly crash-landed in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The jet was said to have crash-landed on Friday around 11 am at the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport.
Firefighters and rescue officials from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria have been deployed to the scene.
Details later…
[Punch]
The Supreme Court has upheld the five-year jail term imposed on Farouk Lawan, a former member of the House of Representatives, affirming the judgment of the Court of Appeal. Lawan was convicted and sentenced in 2021 for accepting a $500,000 bribe from Femi Otedola, Chairman of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Ltd.
In a unanimous decision on Friday, a five-member panel of the Supreme Court agreed with the 2022 judgment of the Court of Appeal, which had affirmed Lawan’s five-year sentence on count three of the three counts brought against him at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Justice John Okoro, who prepared the lead judgment, had it delivered by Justice Tijjani Abubakar. The apex court found Lawan’s appeal to be without merit and dismissed it accordingly.
A Federal Capital Territory High Court had sentenced Lawan to seven years imprisonment for receiving a $500,000 bribe while serving as the chairman of the House’s ad-hoc committee investigating the fuel subsidy fraud in 2012.
The trial judge, Angela Otaluka, held that Lawan demanded $3m and received $500,000 from Femi Otedola in 2012 to remove Otedola’s oil company, Zenon Oil and Gas, from the list of firms indicted for fraud in the fuel subsidy regime.
She also held that Lawan was guilty of all three counts of corruption and bribery.
Not satisfied, Lawan approached the appellate court where his jail term was reduced from seven to five years.
Lawan is at the apex court urging the court to set aside the judgments of the lower court.
Reading the lead judgment, Justice Tijjani Abubakar upheld the decision of the appeal court and dismissed the appeal.
Edo Governor Godwin Obaseki‘s Special Adviser on Strategy, Performance and Project Monitoring, Mrs. Sarah Ajose-Adeogun, aka Madam Sarah, has resigned.
Ajose-Adeogun, a former Senior Manager with the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC), in a post on her Facebook page, said: “l came, l saw and l conquered,” confirming her resignation as an Adviser to Obaseki.
The resignation may not be unconnected with the battle of supremacy and survival of the fittest rocking the outgoing Obaseki-led government.
Ajose-Adeogun’s office was once shut by the Chief of Staff to Edo Governor, Osaigbovo Iyoha, because the ex-senior official of SPDC allegedly refused to yield her seat in a commercial flight to Obaseki.
Her resignation came barely one month after former Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Obaseki, Andrew Okungbowa, also quit.
Obaseki whose second term ends on November 12, 2024, is at loggerheads with his Deputy, Comrade Philip Shaibu, over succession.
Shaibu is interested in succeeding Obaseki who is believed to be backing a Lagos-based lawyer, Asue Ighodalo.
The Governor is also engaged in a face-off with numerous members of PDP’s Legacy Coalition, led by the National Vice Chairman, Southsouth, of the party, Chief Dan Orbih, the immediate Edo Chairman of PDP, who declared Ighodalo won’t succeed Obaseki.
More...
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) executive chairman, Zack Adedeji, has disclosed that the government is developing a comprehensive tax reform that will lower the entire amount of taxes collected in the nation to a single digit under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
Adedeji made this disclosure on Thursday during an appearance on Politics Today on Channels TV.
Naija News reports that he also reiterated that the education tax will serve as the primary funding source for the recently implemented student loan.
According to him, the government was focused on streamlining the country’s tax to a single digit.
He said, “Just a few days ago, Mr President approved the commencement and implementation of student loan, one of the major sources of income or sources of funding for this student loan is education taxes being paid by tax payers, so I do not see where they will say that you see an increase in income and you do not see an increase in services,” he said.
“We are coming up with a comprehensive tax reform that will reduce the total tax we collect as a nation to a single digit from these multiple taxes to only one digit kind of tax system that will want to focus on.”
The Presidency has replied to the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, over the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited’s (NNPCL) $3.3 billion emergency crude repayment loan.
Naija News recalls that the repayment loan was secured on August 16, 2023, and was designed to bolster the naira and stabilize the foreign exchange market.
The transaction, arranged by the African Export-Import Bank, was not only intended to support the national currency but also to aid the Federal Government’s monetary and fiscal reforms.
Notably, three weeks ago, the Federal Government received $2.25 billion of the $3.3 billion foreign exchange facility from the bank.
However, in a statement on Thursday, Atiku called on President Bola Tinubu to provide a detailed account of the repayment loan, adding that the only available details were emerging from sources within the NNPCL.
He highlighted that the transaction is being facilitated by a Special Purpose Vehicle named Project Gazelle Funding Limited, which was incorporated in the Bahamas.
Reacting to Atiku’s query on Thursday, presidential aide, Otega Ogra said the Tinubu’s administration has taken the time to educate all Nigerians further on the loan at various times.
He said the loan also known as Project Gazelle, is a financing agreement secured by NNPC Limited to prepay future royalties and taxes to the federal government.
Ogra stated that NNPC Limited’s project is a forward-thinking financial strategy that aligns operational needs with broader economic goals by utilising future crude oil sales for immediate funding, enhancing liquidity, and contributing to Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves.
He said the project showcases NNPC Limited’s operational autonomy and financial acumen while ensuring immediate liquidity, minimising the impact on future earnings, and potentially enhancing Nigeria’s credit rating.
Ogra noted that the repayments are strategically planned and tied to future oil sales, with conservative pricing in oil sales contracts mitigating the risks associated with oil price volatility.
The Katsina State Elders Forum has kicked against the planned decision to relocate some departments of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and crucial projects to Lagos State.
It also asked President Bola Tinubu to stop the scheduled relocation of the ongoing expansion project of the Umaru Musa Yar’adua International Airport in Nigeria’s best interest.
Speaking at a press conference held on Wednesday in the state capital, the Secretary of the Forum, Aliyu Mohammed, described the decision as unwarranted and unconstitutional.
Mohammed said President Tinubu risks losing the support of northern Nigeria unless the relocation of some CBN departments to Lagos is halted, adding that the move is a deliberate attempt to cripple the economy of the North.
He said: “The briefing is on recent unfortunate development brought up which we want the Federal Government to address.
“The intention of the Federal Government to move important projects from the Katsina Airport to Lagos, according to a letter we saw written by a contractor suggesting to the minister of aviation that the hanger project from the Katsina Airport should be moved to the south suggesting places like Enugu, Calabar or Lagos.
“This must be instigated by either the minister of aviation or one of his closest. They intend to do that for no disclosed reason. The reasons given to us were so clumsy. They mentioned things like unskilled labour, the distance between Lagos and Katsina, and lack of water, among other reasons.
“This project was awarded by the previous government in the year 2022 when the contractors moved to the site and started the job. They commenced work in earnest.
“It’s very surprising and unfortunate that the same contractor who initially agreed to do the job wrote a letter to the minister of aviation seeking for relocation of this very important project from Katsina to Lagos.
“We are calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the minister of aviation, and whoever is responsible that the Katsina Elders’ Forum is vehemently opposed to this relocation decision.
“We are not ready to accept it and we are warning the Federal Government never to temper with this all-important project. There is a University of Transportation located in Daura that could be very relevant to this all-important project in Katsina.
“Another area of concern is the movement of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s about 11 critical departments. This is a deliberate attempt to cripple the economy of the North. All these departments they intend to move out of Abuja will make it difficult for the North and Northerners to access the facilities or the services rendered by the bank.
“We are calling on President Tinubu to as a matter of urgency reverse the decision otherwise, the north definitely will not move again. They have set some reasons that are unattainable. It’s unwise for Tinubu to come today after the North elected him into power to make these decisions. He is going against the constitution of Nigeria.
“We are therefore warning him to reverse these unwarranted and unconstitutional decisions. Whoever is advising the President to make such decisions is an enemy of the country and is not interested in Nigeria’s development
“We are not ready to reelect him in 2027 once he continues with these decisions. Despite all the challenges of insecurity in the North, Tinubu is not making any effort to curb the insecurity. The Forum on behalf of Northern Nigeria and Nigerians in general want President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to revisit the decision and have a rethink
“He should rejig his cabinet by bringing patriotic Nigerians that will advise him to work in accordance with the interest of Nigerians.”
South-South leader, Edwin Clark has told President Bola Tinubu that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike is not ready to make peace with his predecessor, governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Clark insisted that Wike’s activities are clear indications that he is not ready for peace in Rivers State.
He shared his reservations via a statement in Abuja yesterday.
According to him, the nullification of the budget presented by Fubara shows that the crisis in the state is still ongoing.
The elder statesman lamented that while the Rivers governor has fulfilled his part of the 8-point pact issued by Tinubu, Wike has refused to do the same.
Clark wrote, “It will be recalled that Tinubu intervened in the crisis when he issued an ‘8-point pact’ to both parties which include: That the governor of Rivers State, Siminalaye Fubara and his allies should withdraw all court cases pertaining to the matter, even though this is against the 1999 Constitution and against popular opinion of Rivers people and indeed Nigerians, Governor Fubara and his associates, including the Speaker recognised by the court, Edison Ebie, have complied with this proclamation.
“The expectation is that the 26 decamped legislative members who had filed cases in court, would have also done same. But they refused, giving rise to the judgment delivered by Justice James Omotoso on January 22, 2024, stating amongst other things, the nullification of the 2024 Budget which was presented by Governor Fubara, passed and signed into law.
“Justice Omotoso said he based his judgment on the fact that the legislatures said there was no evidence of settlement of the matter before him.
“From the above, it shows clearly that Governor Fubara, obeyed Mr. President and carried out his directives, in violation of the 1999 Constitution ‘for the sake of peace,’ except that which he is currently precluded from doing by the courts. Even though majority of Nigerians were not happy with the terms of the settlement.
“Having done all these against the Constitution which Fubara, as Governor of Rivers State swore to uphold, Nyesom Wike is not seen, wittingly or unwittingly, by his latent or otherwise conduct, advancing peace in Rivers State.
“Let the truth be told to President Tinubu, Wike is not ready for any form of peace. Therefore, I call on the President, once again, to call him to order to allow the elected Governor Fubara, whom he Wike claimed he made to govern Rivers State, peacefully.
“However, I did not anticipate that Mr. President would proclaim an 8-point agreement that appears to be one-sided and unconstitutional, when I appealed to him to call Wike to order.”