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The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has launched a legal challenge against President Bola Tinubu over the recent increase in petrol prices and alleged corruption within the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
The lawsuit, filed on Friday, September 13, 2024, at the Federal High Court in Abuja, bears the case number FHC/ABJ/CS/1361/2024.
SERAP seeks a court order compelling President Tinubu to direct the NNPCL to reverse the controversial hike in petrol prices from ₦845 to ₦600 per litre.
The suit names the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, and the NNPCL as respondents. SERAP’s legal action demands not only a rollback of the price increase but also an investigation into allegations of corruption and mismanagement within the NNPCL.
In its application, SERAP argues that the increase in petrol prices is unjust, illegal, unconstitutional, and unreasonable, impacting the economic well-being of Nigerians and calling for accountability in the management of the country’s petroleum resources.
SERAP is also asking the court “to compel President Tinubu to direct Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, and appropriate anti-corruption agencies to probe the allegations of corruption and mismanagement in the NNPC, including the spending of the reported $300 million ‘bailout funds’ collected from the Federal Government in August 2024, and the $6 billion debt it owes suppliers, despite allegedly failing to remit oil revenues to the treasury.”
SERAP is asking the court “to compel President Tinubu to direct Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, and appropriate anticorruption agencies to prosecute anyone suspected to be responsible for the alleged corruption and mismanagement in the NNPCL, if there is sufficient admissible evidence, and to recover any proceeds of corruption.”
In the suit, SERAP is arguing that: “The increase in petrol price is causing immense hardship to those less well-off. As the economic situation in Nigeria deteriorates, the increase is pushing people further into poverty.”
SERAP is also arguing that, “Holding the NNPC to account for alleged corruption and mismanagement in the oil sector would serve legitimate public interests.”
The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyer Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN, read in part: “The increase in petrol price constitutes a fundamental breach of constitutional guarantees and the country’s international human rights obligations.”
“Corruption in the oil sector and the lack of transparency and accountability in the use of public funds to support the operations of the NNPC have resulted in persistent and unlawful hike in petrol prices.”
“Increasing petrol prices at a time when millions of Nigerians continue to face worsening economic conditions is entirely inconsistent with constitutional and international obligations to ensure the minimum living conditions compatible with human dignity.”
“The arbitrary increase has placed a disproportionate burden on the marginalized and most vulnerable sectors of society, particularly those disadvantaged by poverty.”
“The increase is seriously jeopardizing their living conditions, as well as individuals’ physical, emotional, and individual development, and intensifying and worsening socioeconomic conditions in the country.”
“The increase constitutes a serious human rights problem because of the intensity with which it undermines the enjoyment and exercise by Nigerians of their human rights and renders their civic participation illusory.”
“The fundamental right to life includes not only the right of every Nigerian not to be deprived of his/her life arbitrarily, but also the right that he/she will not be prevented from having access to the conditions that guarantee a dignified existence.”
“The growing poverty and inequality in the country has continued to adversely affect the right of Nigerians to participatory democracy, and impede their ability to participate in their own government.”
“Nigerians have for far too long been denied justice and the opportunity to get to the bottom of why they continue to pay the price for corruption in the oil sector. The increase in petrol price has rendered already impoverished citizens incapable of satisfying their minimum needs for survival.”
“The increase is not inevitable, as it stems from the persistent failure of successive governments to address the allegations of corruption and mismanagement in the oil sector and the impunity of suspected perpetrators.”
“Persistent increase in petrol prices keep people in poverty which in turn perpetuates discriminatory attitudes and practices against them.”
“The government has a legal obligation to mobilize the maximum of the country’s available resources to ensure people’s socio-economic rights and to protect the most vulnerable and disadvantaged Nigerians.”
“The government also has the legal obligations to probe and prosecute allegations of corruption and mismanagement in the NNPC, and to ensure access to justice and effective remedies for victims of corruption.”
“Investigating and prosecuting the allegations of corruption and mismanagement in the oil sector would be entirely consistent with the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], and the country’s international anti-corruption obligations.”
“Section 13 of the Nigerian Constitution imposes clear responsibility on the government to conform to, observe and apply the provisions of Chapter 2 of the constitution. Section 15(5) imposes the responsibility on the government to ‘abolish all corrupt practices’ including in the NNPC.”
“Under Section 16(1) of the Constitution, the government has a responsibility to ‘secure the maximum welfare, freedom and happiness of every citizen on the basis of social justice and equality of status and opportunity.”
“Section 16(2) further provides that, ‘the material resources of the nation are harnessed and distributed as best as possible to serve the common good.”
“According to our information, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited recently increased the price of premium motor spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, across its retail outlets.”
“The price of the product increased to N855 per litre, from about N600, and in some instances above N900 per litre. The apparently unlawful increase in petrol price followed a scarcity caused by the reported refusal by suppliers to import petroleum products for the NNPCL over a $6 billion debt.”
“The NNPC allegedly failed to remit USD$2.04 billion and N164 billion of oil revenues into the public treasury, as documented in the recently published 2020 annual report by the Auditor-General of the Federation.”
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
We are not involved in commercial activities — British Navy
CONTROVERSY is currently trailing the continuous issuance of bunkering permit by the Nigerian Navy, a development stakeholders in the Nigerian maritime industry have described as an aberration.
Speaking to Vanguard at the on-going Lagos International Maritime Week, Commodore Igbani Agwu, General Manager, Planning of the Nigerian Navy, said that the Navy had to come to issuance of bunkering permit because the space had to be regulated because of the unwholesome activities being experienced in that sector.
Agwu also said that the Navy had to come into the issuance of bunkering permit because Nigeria is the only country in the world where oil theft occurs, hence the Naval intervention.
However, some stakeholders who spoke to Vanguard debunked the claims by the Navy saying that crude oil theft occurs all over the world but that the Navies of other countries are not involved in the commercial activities of their shipping industries.
A member of the Nigerian Ship Owners Association, NISA, who pleaded anonymity, said that Nigerian Navy’s involvement in the issuance of bunkering permit can only be permissible in Nigeria because of the entrenched interest the Navy as an institution has in commercial shipping activities.
The NISA member also said that oil theft takes place in Mexico, Iraq, Iran, Somalia, Cameroon, Sudan and other parts of the world.
Also commenting, the President of the Nigerian Master Mariners Association, Capt Tajudeen Alao, argued that before the Nigerian Navy started the issuance of bunkering permit, the Nigeria Customs Service was solely in charge of such issuance.
Alao explained that the Navy got involved because of the abuse of the entire process of issuing bunkering permits and approvals adding that the Navy is also put in charge of economic breaches on the nation’s waters.
He said: “The process of issuing bunkering approval is not an easy procedure. The approval is first given to the Flag Officer Commanding, FOC, who in turn sends the approval to the Headquarters of the Nigerian Navy in Abuja before permit is finally granted to the applicant,
“I agree that there is oil theft in some parts of the world but our own situation is worse than what is obtainable elsewhere. All those areas you just mention do not have creeks like we have in Nigeria. Even with the kind of measure the government has put in place, oil theft is still going on, oil pipelines are still being broken.
“Crude oil theft is an international crime, because it is big business and the people involved are ready to invest anything, money, blackmail in order to achieve their aim’’.
A British Navy officer, Commander Dan Wiskett told Vanguard that the British Navy is not in any way involved in the commercial activities of his country.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised serious allegations against the Presidency, accusing it of orchestrating plans to rig the September 21 governorship election in Edo State in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a statement released by the PDP’s Edo State Chairman, Anthony Aziegbemi, the party claimed that the Presidency has disbursed $2 million to compromise officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security operatives, and to buy votes.
According to the PDP, the funds were also handed to APC governorship candidate, Monday Okpebholo.
The PDP further alleged that the Presidency instructed the National Security Adviser and the Department of State Services to disrupt elections in the party’s strongholds, intending to manipulate the outcome in favor of the APC.
Responding to these accusations, the APC dismissed the claims as baseless, suggesting that the PDP might be delusional.
The APC described the allegations as unfounded and designed to distract from the election process.
The statement reads in part, “As part of the evil ploy, security chiefs have been ordered to make heavy deployments to the strongholds of the PDP, especially those of Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, and our party’s candidate, Dr Asue Ighodalo, with the plan to destabilise the voting process in those areas.
“Some of the polling unit, registration area, and ward electoral officials have been discovered to be card-carrying members of the APC. Their task, we have learned, is to delay the result of their respective units with the aim of inciting violence and creating an unfavourable atmosphere during the election to favour the APC candidate during the compilation of results.”
However, the PDP said it would win the governorship election in a peaceful and credible contest, stating that its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, was poised for victory and would secure at least 70 per cent of the votes on election day.
The party called on President Bola Tinubu to live up to his responsibility as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and allow the will of the people to prevail by ensuring a free, fair, and credible election in Edo State.
“The President must realise that keeping Edo State and Nigeria safe and peaceful is his primary responsibility, and must therefore not allow the fear that his party will lose the forthcoming governorship poll in the state to lead him to disrupt peace and security, and set Edo State and Nigeria ablaze,” the party stated.
The National Deputy Organising Secretary of the APC, Nze Chidi Duru, while speaking with Sunday Punch, stated that the PDP was the party known for rigging elections.
He said, “I am hoping that it is not coming from their bad behaviour in the past when the security apparatus in the then PDP-led government of (Goodluck) Jonathan were said to have used state funds to support political endeavours.
“We hope that is not what is colouring whatever source or so-called intelligence they received. If they claim to have one, it must be something they must prove, and they are more than welcome to bring it to the public domain.
“But outside of that, it calls for concern that they are bringing up their bad behaviour, for which the party was known in the past.”
A former Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole has claimed that the embattled Deputy Governor of the state, Philip Shaibu has decamped to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He said that Shaibu decamped to the APC out of the frustration he suffered in the hands of Governor Godwin Obaseki.
Obaseki stated this at UNIBEN during the grand finale of the APC governorship campaign.
He accused Obaseki of diverting funds and allocations from the Federal Government meant for projects in the state into his private pocket.
Oshiomhole said, “It’s only under Obaseki that his deputy governor had to decamp to APC due to his frustration.
“Obaseki has refused to sign the Peace Accord. They killed the policeman attached to our governor in waiting but Obaseki warned that they should not be arrested.”
Obaseki and Shaibu have endured a troubled relationship.
The strife led to the impeachment of Shaibu by the Edo State House of Assembly.
But an Appeal Court sitting in Abuja reinstated Shaibu as deputy governor.
Naija News reports that on September 21, the people of Edo State will decide their next governor.
Frontrunners in Saturday’s governorship election are Monday Okpebholo of the APC, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP).
Emerging reports indicate that the Dangote Refinery is poised to sell petrol at ₦766 per litre to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC).
This development follows the arrival of at least 300 trucks from NNPC at the refinery.
Multiple sources within the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, NNPC, and major energy marketers have confirmed that the agreement to supply crude oil to the Dangote refinery in naira has significantly influenced the pricing of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
NNPC spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, announced on his X handle (formerly Twitter) on Saturday that the trucks have arrived and are set to begin loading petrol on Sunday, September 15, 2024.
A major marketer who spoke with Punch on the development said, “What we are going to see based on the deal between NNPC and Dangote is similar to the DSDP (Direct Sale of crude oil and Direct Purchase of petroleum products) transactions that used to exist between NNPC and foreign refineries in the past.
“And this has really impacted positively on the price of petrol that Dangote is selling to NNPC, because the cost is around ₦766/litre. But I can’t tell how much NNPC is going to sell to marketers now.”
Another senior aide to President Bola Tinubu, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the petrol would be sold at ₦766/litre.
The chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum, has raised concerns about internal party loyalty, citing Senator Dino Melaye’s actions during the recent Kogi gubernatorial election.
In a recent interview with Daily Trust, Umar Iliya Damagum, addressed remarks made by Senator Dino Melaye, who had referred to the PDP as a "once upon a time party."
Damagum didn't mince words, squarely placing some of the responsibility for the party's challenges on Melaye's shoulders.
"Let me remind you about that statement credited to Dino. He's part of the problem," Damagum said, citing Melaye's run for governor in Kogi State, where, according to the chairman, the senator didn't even vote for himself. "Put that on record: he didn’t go out to vote in his own election," Damagum emphasised, highlighting what he viewed as a lack of commitment to the party.
The PDP Chairman went on to question Melaye's role in allegedly harming the party’s image, stating that anyone given the party’s platform has a responsibility to uplift its fortunes. He acknowledged that while winning or losing is part of the process, candidates owe it to the party to at least lose "credibly."
Senator Dino Melaye has been suspended by the PDP for alleged anti-party activities, further deepening internal rifts within the party.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria has reopened the verification portal for nurses and midwives on its website.
Checks by our correspondent on the NMCN portal on Saturday showed that nurses and midwives can now submit verification requests.
Our correspondent confirmed that the verification portal was reopened on Friday.
When our correspondent checked the portal, it read, “Good news, verification requests are back online.
“Please note that henceforth expiration dates on renewal applications will be calculated based on the date you applied.”
Also, a nurse, Anthony Ijeoma at Nursingworld Nigeria, confirmed that the portal has been reopened.
Ijeoma commended the efforts of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives for bringing the change to fruition.
“I also commend NMCN for listening to reason and reopening its verification portal for nurses within and outside the country,” he stated.
PUNCH Online reported that the sudden deactivation of the verification portal by the council in February plunged countless Nigerian nurses and midwives working abroad into turmoil.
Already, some nurses without the necessary verification from the NMCN find themselves in violation of visa conditions and employment laws, resulting in legal consequences.
Many nurses abroad, including those in the United Kingdom and the United States, have been forced to return to the country over the issue.
On February 7, the council released a circular on the guidelines for requesting verification of certificates for nurses and midwives in the country.
By the circular, nurses and midwives must have a minimum of two years post-qualification experience from the date of issuance of the permanent practicing licence, and the council shall request a letter of good standing from the chief executive officer of the applicant’s place(s) of work and the last nursing training institution attended and responses on these shall be addressed directly to the Registrar/CEO, NMCN, among others.
This led to state councils and chapters of the National Association of Nurses and Midwives in Nigeria in Lagos, Ogun, Kwara, Ebonyi, Bauchi, Kaduna, Yenagoa, Ondo, Plateau, and others to petition the nursing council and the headquarters of their association to demand the withdrawal of the circular on certificate verification.
Some nurses and midwives also protested the guidelines, and some dragged the NMCN to court, and the court case was withdrawn.
On February 27, the House of Representatives also asked the council not to implement its revised guidelines for issuing verification certificates to nurses and midwives in the country.
The professionals have said that the council’s action is an attempt to hinder their freedom to pursue career opportunities abroad.
They also said it was not unconnected to the plan of the Federal Government to reduce the number of health workers emigrating out of the country to seek greener pastures abroad.
On Friday, NANNM appealed to the Federal Government to address the association’s demands with urgency.
The National President of the association, Michael Nnachi listed some of the pressing needs of the association as the re-opening of the nurses and midwives certificate verification portal, payment of salaries of all staff of Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, constitution of the board, creation of special nurses salary structure or immediate review of nurses peculiar professional allowances.
Nuhu Ribadu, the national security adviser (NSA), says the federal government is working “tirelessly” to end insecurity across the country.
NAN reports that Ribadu spoke on Friday in Damaturu, the capital of Yobe, during a condolence visit to the state over the recent insurgency attack in one of the communities.
The NSA praised personnel of the armed forces and other security agencies for their efforts in tackling insecurity.
He added that their sacrifices have improved the security situation in the country.
“The federal government is working tirelessly to end insecurity,” he said.
“It’s only a matter of time before the entire nation is secure.”
Wale Edun, the minister of finance and coordinating minister of economy, also commiserated with the people who lost loved ones to the incident.
Mai Mala Buni, governor of Yobe, thanked the federal government delegation, noting that the visit gave the people of the state a sense of belonging.
He urged Nigerians to continue praying for the success of President Bola Tinubu, saying “his success is the nation’s success”.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has fined the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and other electricity distribution companies for overbilling customers.
NERC published the fine in its September 2024 supplementary order on Friday.
According to the electricity regulator, out of all the distribution companies (DisCos), AEDC has the highest fine of N1.69 billion.
The order, signed by Musiliu Oseni, NERC vice-chairman, and Dafe Akpeneye, commissioner for legal, licensing, and compliance, follows a comprehensive investigation into AEDC’s billing practices.
According to the order, NERC discovered that AEDC and other distribution companies overcharged customers between January and September 2023.
The commission said the respective fines “represent 10 percent of the overbilled amount”.
NERC also said AEDC’s annual operating expenditure would be reduced by N1.69 billion effective from September 1.
Other DisCos penalised are Eko Distribution Company (EKEDC) (N1.41 billion); Benin Distribution Company (BEDC) (N804 million); Enugu Distribution Company (EEDC) (N310 million); and Ibadan Distribution Company (IBEDC) (N15 million).
According to the order, Ikeja Distribution Company (IKEDC) will pay N1.41 billion as a fine; Jos Distribution Company (JEDC) N1.33 billion; and Kaduna Distribution Company (KAEDCO) N115 million.
Also, Kano Distribution Company (KEDCO) was fined N20 million, Port-Harcourt Distribution Company (PHDC) N1.16 million and Yola Distribution Company (YEDC) N54 million.
NERC said the penalty was a response to the distribution companies’ non-compliance with previous directives aimed at capping estimated billing for electricity consumers.
Five people have reportedly died in an accident that involved the campaign convoy of Monday Okpebholo, governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Edo.
TheCable understands that the accident occurred on Thursday at Warrake road in Uzebba of Owan west LGA, Edo state.
It was learnt that one of the vehicles in Okpebholo’s campaign convoy hit a Toyota Camry conveying five persons, killing the occupants, including the driver.
The victims were said to be returning home after attending a burial ceremony.
The bodies of the deceased have been deposited at a mortuary in Edo State University, Uzaurie, in Etsako west LGA of the state.
One of the victims was identified as Emmanuel Edionwe.
According to the Punch, a relative of Edionwe, who did not want to be named, said the family is devastated about the news of their son.
“We just learnt that five of them have died after the collision with Okpebholo’s convoy. There is just one of them who is in critical condition and is now being nursed to life at the hospital,” the family member said.
“We are devastated beyond words. Emmanuel was a good, easy-going boy who should not have died.”
The newspaper quoted Cyril Mathew, the Edo sector commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).
A source said the lone survivor of the accident is in critical condition at the Irrua Specialist Hospital., adding that a delegation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state will pay the families of the victims a condolence visit today.
[TheCable]
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The Lagos State Government has increased boarding fees in all secondary schools across the state from N35,000 to N100,000 per term.
A letter addressed to all boarding school principals, signed by Olufemi Asaolu, Director of Basic Education Services at the Lagos State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, read: “I have the directive of the Honourable Commissioner to inform all Public Boarding House schools in Lagos State that the State Government has approved the review of the Boarding fee payable in all Public Boarding House schools in Lagos State. The newly approved fee is N100,000 Only.”
The letter, titled “Review of Boarding Fees in All Public Secondary Schools in Lagos State for 2024/2025 Session,” also stated that no additional fees should be collected by the schools and announced that the resumption date has been set for September 15, 2024.
“I am further directed to inform you that no additional fee of any form should be collected by the schools.
“Kindly note that the resumption date remains 15th September 2024.”
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has said he would not mind collaborating with other politicians ahead of the 2027 election.
Speaking in an interview with News Central, Peter Obi said he was ready to collaborate with any politician, including the former presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
He, however, noted that the focus of such collaboration must be on helping the citizens and not just to win elections.
When asked if he could collaborate with Kwankwaso, he said, “I’m ready to collaborate with anyone who is interested in lifting people out of poverty. If the collaboration is for state capture or just to win election, I will not be part of it.
“I will not join anybody for state capture or for winning the election. I want anybody to tell me how are we going to ensure that no child is left behind, how are we going to put those millions of out-of-school children back in school.”
When asked if he could be the vice president of any other politician, Obi said if he sees anyone who can do it better than him, he can be the Vice President, adding that he is not desperate to become the President of Nigeria.
He stated, “Quite frankly, for me, I’m not desperate to be Nigerian president. I am desperate to see Nigeria work. If I see people who can do the work better, I will.
“I even have people who say I should not come out in 2027 and I said to them, offer yourself. And we will not put everybody on a scale.
The former governor of Anambra State also disclosed that he has no plan of leaving the Labour Party.
“Yes, I would be here, and if anybody is coming for us to negotiate or to come together, he must tell me what his purposes,” Obi added.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has vowed not to support Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, in his political life again.
Wike stated this during an appearance on Channels Television on Friday.
He said, “I will never support Fubara in my political life again. Anybody knows me, it’s not about me. People laboured to put up a structure.
“People laboured; you wouldn’t have even taken the 50th position. I sacrificed to talk to the Ogonis; I sacrificed to talk to several other people who let us go this way.
“You turned it that I am asking for N50 billion, N100 billion. You turned up lies against me; I brought you up and put you here. Today, I turned out to be overdemanding.
“What is Wike demanding? In every politics or political family, you run elections under people, and people work together. We must have to keep our political structure.”
Wike also denied his rift with the governor is causing a setback for the development of Rivers State.
“What is causing the setback? Wike asked. I’m not interfering with governance. I don’t want to be there. I had no crisis with anybody in the country as a governor. I survived it. If you don’t want to take leadership position, you don’t want to. That’s the truth about it.”
The Federal Government has announced that Monday, September 16th, 2024, will be observed as a public holiday in honor of the Eid-ul-Mawlid celebration.
Naija News reports that this was made known in a statement on Friday by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.
The Islamic festival of Eid-ul-Mawlid marks the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad.
In the statement to journalists, the Minister congratulated Muslim Ummah both at home and in the Diaspora on this occasion.
Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, said Dr Tunji-Ojo urged the Muslim Ummah and, by extension, Nigerians, to imbibe the spirit of patience, sacrifice, and resilience.
“While congratulating the Muslim Ummah on the occasion, the Minister implored them to use the opportunity of the period to pray for enduring peace and a more prosperous egalitarian nation”, the statement added.