The management of Air Peace in a statement expressed shock about the disruption of the airline’s services.
The airline in a statement titled, “Deliberate Massive Disruption of Air Peace Operations by NLC and TUC: Air Peace Feels Unprotected, disclosed that the NLC and TUC officials stormed the Lagos Airport and took over its counter, disrupting all its operations because of an alleged misunderstanding they had with Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State.
The airline said it had written on Tuesday saying that no flight should be operated into Owerri on Wednesday (today) because, as alleged, Governor Uzodimma disrupted their May Day activities a few days ago.
“Air Peace has no affiliation whatsoever with the Imo State Government or Governor Uzodimma. Our duty and commitment are to the Nigerian flying public that have paid us. We have a contract with them to deliver. This morning, they carried out a selective attack on Air Peace, took over our counters and disrupted our operations,” Air Peace management said.
“While they were doing this, another Nigerian airline was allowed to operate into and out of Owerri. They took over our counters in Owerri, Abuja and Lagos, disrupting over 110 flights of Air Peace. This particular illegal action of NLC and TUC will lead to over N400 million loss to the airline. It will equally lead to massive disruptions and cancellations of our flights across the country today, and that will snowball into the coming days, too.”
Air Peace recalled that it was not the first time the NLC or unions would be attacking Air Peace for issues that have no bearing with the airline.
“There was a time they attacked Air Peace because they were protesting minimum wage with the Federal Government. While the minimum wage was 18,000 naira then, the minimum wage at Air Peace was even N50,000.
“It is more worrisome that the security agencies are watching while an airline that is discharging its duties to the country is being harassed and hounded by miscreants at these airports, and this is not the first time.
” We do not understand why Air Peace and aviation should be selected for this kind of treatment. If they have a grudge against Governor Uzodimma, that should be taken to Imo State. Why are they not stopping road transport workers who are going to Imo State?
“Aviation borders on national security and we have been made a laughing stock in the world. Who is going to pay Air Peace over 400 million naira lost today and in the coming days?
“We use this opportunity to alert the Nigerian flying public that all our flights will be disrupted today and in the coming days because cancellations will follow.
“Any flight we fail to operate today due to this illegal occupation of our operations will lead to cancellations in most sunset airports. Who is going to take responsibility for this? We feel highly unprotected,” the management of the airline also said.
The Africa Media Development Foundation, AMDF, on Wednesday said Nigeria has the highest number of violations of Press Freedom in Africa.
The foundation’s Senior Program Officer on Press Freedom, Joy Gadani made this known in a statement issued to newsmen to commemorate the 2023 World Press Freedom Day.
Gadani said reports have shown Nigeria having the highest incidences of violations in 2023, with cases associated to the February/March elections held in the country.
According to her, “2023 marks three decades since May 3rd was proclaimed “World Press Freedom Day” by the UN General Assembly in December 1993.
“The last 30 years has witnessed drastic advancement in media development; the widespread acceptance of independent media, digitization of media platforms and media mainstreaming, these have increased both access to information and information dissemination the world at large.
“However, these past 30 years have not been without their challenges, as the media industry continues to face attacks in various forms both by state and non-state actors. Issues bothering on safety of journalists, freedom of expression, and media freedom remain at the core of human rights violations.
“In Africa, the problem of poor remuneration of journalists, government interference and outright suppression continues to limit practice of journalism; global trend revealing that journalists are the most targeted profession by repressive government.
“2023 like other years has been a year of continued struggle for journalists who are constantly in the frontline of news coverage and reportage.
“It is worthy to note that so far, there have been at least 87 reported cases of press freedom violations in Africa. Reports have shown Nigeria having the highest incidences of violations this year, with cases associated to the February/March elections held in the country.
“Africa media Development Foundation (AMDF) expresses concern for these trends which continue to limit professionalism and practice of journalism,” the Senior Program Officer said.
She added, “Today we lend our voice in calling on government to ensure that media safety is top priority no matter the circumstances. We call on philanthropists, corporate organizations, and media enthusiast to join hands in supporting media development at all levels; local or foreign which will go a long way in advancing quality journalism.
“Citizens must desist from every form of misinformation, disinformation and fake news, and practice responsible citizen journalism that promotes peace and development of the nation.
“Authorities; political office holders, security agencies should embrace the media as a partner in development, and ensure that no individual and/or agency of government abuse their power by violating the rights of journalists within its region.
“Our special tribute to all journalists who have lost their lives in the discharge of their duties, and to journalists who are currently facing jail terms, detention, or some form of incarceration, we hope that justice will find its way to you.
For every journalist and media supporter, we hope that the struggle for a free press will not remain evasive, but become a reality soon.
“AMDF remains resolute to support media safety and development, and we shall not relent in speaking against any act that violates press freedom in Africa,” the AMDF Senior Program Officer, Gadani however stated.
2023 Election: Nigerians Who Exchange Their Votes For 'Indomie and N1,000' Will Soon Reap Harvest – Buba Galadima
AdminBuba Galadima, a former political ally of the outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari and chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), said Nigerians who voted for the President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, must prepare for the consequences of exchanging their votes with Indomie noodles and N1,000 at the last general election.
Galadima said the electorate will constitute a “greater disappointment” if the last presidential election was to be reviewed because they allowed themselves to be deceived by politicians.
He said another category of people was the Muslim and Christian clerics who felt they could use their influence to determine who emerges as the country’s next president.
“To the masses themselves, they were a greater disappointment because instead of voting for those that will salvage them from their abject poverty, from their pitiable condition.
“They voted for those who gave them one Indomie and N1,000. Now they should wait to reap the harvest of their investment. This is where Nigeria finds itself today,” Galadima said during an Arise TV interview.
The NNPP chieftain also responded to a recent claim by President Buhari’s media adviser, Femi Adesina, that his principal would leave Nigeria better than he met it in 2015 in terms of security and the economy.
Galadima said, “We wish that he (Buhari) could have kept the country (as he met it) on May 29, 2015. We could have clapped for him and escorted him to Daura or wherever he intends to live after leaving office.
“The man has set Nigeria 100 years back, divided Nigeria across religious lines, along ethnic lines and crashed economic policies that have left the dollar which he met at N157/$1 and he’s now leaving it at N800/$1, that is if you see the dollar to buy.
“And insecurity was confined to the North East generally, except some dark spots that had happened in Abuja, Kano, and some few other places. Today, you cannot travel to any part of Nigeria with your eyes closed. You have to spend the night praying that God delivers you.
“If that is the kind of Nigeria that Femi Adesina wants, then I pray to God to visit him with what the common people suffer daily in Nigeria.”
Galadima further slammed Garba Shehu for reiterating President Buhari’s claim that the opposition lost the 2023 presidential election to the ruling All Progressives Congress because they were complacent and overconfident.
The NNPP chieftain said Bola Tinubu’s victory was not due to the support he receive from President Buhari and his close associates, saying the president and the likes of Shehu worked against Tinubu’s emergence as president-elect.
“I wish somebody will tell Garba Shehu that, yes, he is right but he was part of the opposition to this incoming government (of Bola Tinubu). Buhari and himself (Shehu) and others around them never wished these people (Tinubu) to emerge as they emerged. They emerged on their own strength,” he said.
“The incoming government knows that Buhari never supported them but it is God that anoints leaders and dethrones leaders. The man (Buhari) in his wildness believed that people should worship him.
“So those serial betrayers that were kneeling down and lying down and worshiping him, and he granted them access to power are now those that are abusing him and taking him to court.
“Those that are saying all kinds of things about him have now started with Tinubu because they want to ingratiate themselves because they cannot be out of power. Any government in power, they must find their way of getting there. I am advising Tinubu to be aware of the pitfalls (by getting) rid of those that think they must be in the corridors of power.”
Galadima added, “My only regret in this country is that Buhari has left Nigerian polity bedeviled by religious and monetization issues, which was worse than rigging because you can no more win an election on the basis of the quality of service, on the basis of your credibility, public service or what you had done, but it is only on the basis of money.”
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi of crossing lines with his assertion on reclaiming a stolen mandate from the 2023 elections.
The APC through its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka wondered how someone who came a distant third during the election can be laying claim to victory and going about saying he’s going to reclaim a stolen mandate.
Speaking during an interview with Arise TV, Morka stated that Obi thinks everyone is obsessed with him, but in reality, people have moved on, and it’s time for the LP candidate to do the same.
The APC spokesperson added that Obi needs to relax and allow his lawyers to handle his case at the tribunal, rather than accusing the APC of attacking or digging up facts about his personal life.
Morka also accused Obi of being too sanctimonious for someone who volunteered to venture into politics and run for the presidency of Nigeria, saying running fior the presidency of any country is never a walk in the park.
The APC spokesperson went further to accuse Obi of making a political capital of exploiting people’s vulnerabilities.
The position of APC comes as a direct reaction to the submissions made by Peter Obi during an interview with Arise TV on Monday.
Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Drainages, Joe Igbokwe, has described the former Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, as enemy of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over his claim that Nigeria is worse off for not having someone like Yemi Osinbajo as president.
Recall that Osinbajo had in May 2022, contested against the President-elect, Bola Tinubu; former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and others for the APC presidential ticket.
Naija News reported that Sanusi, while speaking on Monday at the virtual launch of the book: “Osinbajo Strides: Defining Moments of an Innovative Leader,” said Osinbajo would have been a fantastic President if he was President-elect.
The former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor said Nigeria lost by not electing Osinbajo as its president and that the country will be worse off for not having someone like him as the leader.
According to Sanusi, Osinbajo was one of the government officials in the current administration willing to debate any matter and yield a superior argument.
Sanusi, however, expressed hope that the vice president will be available to serve, advise and put in his best for the country in the incoming government.
Reacting to this, Joe Igbokwe, in a post via his Facebook page on Wednesday, countered the former CBN Governor.
According to Igbokwe, the ruling party would have lost the February 25 presidential election to the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, if Osinbajo had clinched the ticket.
He wrote, “Enemies of APC are talking. If Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu had not been on the ballot, APC would have lost to Atiku’s PDP by 12 noon on that day.”
Former Kaduna Central lawmaker, Shehu Sani, has criticized President Muhammadu Buhari for claiming he has delivered on the change he promised Nigerians while campaigning for office in 2015.
Taking to his verified Twitter page on Wednesday morning, Senator Sani said the outgoing president was boasting of fulfilling his promises to Nigerians while he is leaving behind a huge debt and masses of citizens in poverty.
Quoting a report by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), Sani said over one hundred and thirty-three million Nigerians are living in poverty in Nigeria.
He further asserted that Buhari would be leaving behind banditry, killings and kidnapping for the incoming administration.
“The President is living behind 77 trillion naira debt,133 million poverty-stricken people, 25m people at the risk of hunger according to Unicef, 10m out of school children, mass Killings and kidnapping on a daily basis; yet he said he has delivered on the change he promised,” Senator Sani wrote on Twitter.
Nigeria’s bid to knock off the $2.3 billion arbitration filed by Sunrise Power and Transmission Company over the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project has received a major boost, TheCable can report.
The ICC International Court of Arbitration, Paris, France, has granted Nigeria’s application to disapply the “expedited procedure” that would have fast-tracked the proceedings.
This means the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the country’s anti-graft agency, can conclude its investigation into suspicious financial transactions between Sunrise Power and some government officials who played a key role in the project.
In its investigations, the EFCC has discovered a number of transactions between Sunrise Power and government officials which it considers as inappropriate and could have material impact on the arbitration, TheCable learnt.
Some of the payments were in millions of dollars and involved children of a former senior government official who played a key role in an agreement that Sunrise is relying on for its arbitration.
Bank transfers were also traced to a central character in the transaction, TheCable learnt.
But for the ruling, which deemed expedited procedure as inappropriate for the case, the arbitration would have been concluded within six months.
Nigeria would have been unable to rely on the evidence of the alleged massive corruption and fraud being unearthed by ongoing EFCC’s investigations.
The proposed 3,050MW plant in Mambilla, Taraba state, which has been on the cards for over 40 years, is the biggest single hydroelectric project in Nigeria.
Nigeria’s lawyers are contending that the contract was mired in corruption in dimensions not dissimilar to the P&ID affair in which some key actors have been convicted or are undergoing trial over allegations of fraud and subversion of due process.
The ruling by the ICC panel also means the arbitration will allow evidence dating back to 2003 when the contract was awarded illegally as argued by the country’s lawyers — and this will allow the EFCC dig deeper into the leads its probe has dug up so far.
Sunrise Power filed two arbitrations against Nigeria over an alleged breach of contract in the Mambilla project.
The company preferred the “expedited procedure”.
THE HISTORY OF SUNRISE POWER
Sunrise Power was incorporated in Nigeria in October 2001, after which it submitted a proposal for the construction of the Mambilla plant to the technical committee of the ministry of power and steel in partnership with the North China Power Group and China National Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering Corporation of China.
Agunloye awarded the $6 billion contract to Sunrise — with no previous record or experience in power projects — in his final days in office as minister of power and steel and in apparent contravention of the FEC decision.
To pursue the arbitration, Sunrise has engaged Burford Capital, a company accused of funding legal claims against poor countries with corrupt governance structures.
Burford Capital, with offices in Guernsey, New York City, Chicago and London, has financed cases against Argentina, Bolivia, and Ecuador in the past.
Nigeria is drawing a parallel with P&ID, a company that also engaged a hedge fund in its arbitration against over a filed gas project.
P&ID won its arbitration against Nigeria running into over £10 billion but the country is challenging the award in the UK on the basis of international corrupt practices. A judgment is expected soon.
The two cases may not be related, but transparency campaigners are hoping a precedent is set so that contracts awarded under corrupt processes will not benefit from arbitration awards.
[TheCable]
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), leave to serve writ of summons on Meta Platform, social media giant and owners of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg.
The court gave the nod pursuant to an application by ARCON in a pending N30 billion suit against the social media giant for violation of the extant advertising laws of Nigeria.
The writ is to be served at the United States corporate headquarters of Meta which also owns Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp social media platforms.
While Meta is the first defendant in the suit, AT3 Resources Limited is the second defendant.
ARCON is seeking a declaration that the publication of various advertisements and marketing communications materials targeted at Nigeria through Meta’s platforms without prior vetting and approval by Advertising Standards Panel is illegal.
The regulatory body also claimed that the act disregarded Nigerian culture, constitutional tenets, moral values and religious sensitivity of citizens.
ARCON is, therefore, seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, their privies, agents, servants and associates from publishing any advertising or marketing communications materials without recourse to ARCON in line with the country’s advertising law.
It is also seeking N30 billion in fines and sanctions for the continued violations and infractions of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria Act No. 23 of 2022.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says over 57 million citizens have enrolled for their bank verification numbers (BVN) as at March 31, 2023.
This represents a 5 percent increase compared to the 54.65 million BVNs enrolled in the first half of 2022.
Godwin Emefiele, CBN governor, spoke on the challenges of the apex bank and key policies introduced to make payments faster, at the 34th seminar for finance correspondents and business editors in Calabar on Tuesday.
He said the CBN has also continued to collaborate with relevant stakeholders in the adoption of payment system instruments and channels.
The economist said some of the channels introduced are the bank verification number (BVN), real-time gross settlement system (RTGS), regulatory sandbox, open banking, and the CBN digital currency (CBDC), the eNaira.
According to Emefiele, Nigeria is currently the first country on the continent, and second in the world to have fully launched a live CBDC.
“The payment system regulation and management role of the CBN is very critical in the achievement of its primary mandate of price and monetary stability conducive for inclusive and sustainable economic growth,” he said.
“It is also important for ensuring a stable, safe, and efficient financial system in Nigeria.
“Cognisance of the implications of the risks that accompany digital innovations and technological advancement globally, the CBN has continued to ensure a healthy balance between the adoption of latest innovations and development of reliable mitigants to the associated inherent and operational risks to both the payments system and the rest of the economic sectors in Nigeria.”
POOR TELECOMS INFRASTRUCTURE, FRAUDSTERS MAJOR CHALLENGES
Emefiele said the implementation of CBN’s initiatives in the banking sector has been slow due to several issues in the industry.
He said the CBN is dealing with weak social infrastructure, cyber fraud, and unlicensed companies that affect the effective operation of payment platforms.
The apex bank governor noted that payment is highly reliant on stable telecommunication networks and power infrastructure.
“These are currently not optimal in Nigeria, thus, impacting the stability and resilience of the payments system,” he said.
“Some entities have continued to exploit access to information technology to engage in regulated activities without the appropriate licenses and authorisation.
“The activities of fraudsters continue to threaten the resilience of the payment platforms. The confidence of the public is impacted by these activities.
“However, the collaborative effort between the CBN and other players in the industry is helping to curtail the nefarious activities of these fraudsters.”
USING BVN TO MITIGATE CYBER FRUAD
On mitigating cyber fraud and other related crimes, the CBN governor said integrating the BVN has helped the financial industry in investigating crimes.
He said incorporating the BVN in know-your-customer (KYC) requirements, has also helped to ease the constraints associated with poor identification of banking customers.
“We have continued to support the aggressive enrollment of prospective banking customers in the informal sector onto the BVN system,” Emefiele said.
“With a total enrollment of 57,431,355 as at 31st March 2023, the BVN is supporting the development of credit profiles for banking customers, which will assist in improving access to credit for credit-worthy borrowers by banks.”
In addition to dealing with challenges posed by cyber threats, Emefiele said the CBN has put in place the Nigeria Electronic Fraud forum (NeFF), payment card industry data security standard; financial industry cybersecurity fusion centre, amongst other initiatives.
“With these initiatives in place, the CBN has demonstrated irrevocable commitment to ensuring the stability and safety of the Nigerian payment system,” he added.
“Accordingly, we shall continue to deepen our oversight of the activities of operators in the payments system as well as ensure full compliance with regulations. In this regard, examiners and supervisors would continue to ensure that services delivered by participants meet required security standards.”
President Muhammadu Buhari will join other world leaders invited to attend the coronation of Charles III and his wife, Camilla, as His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen Consort of the United Kingdom respectively.
The coronation will take place on Saturday, May 6 while the President was expected to depart Abuja on Wednesday.
According to a statement issued by Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President
(Media and Publicity), ahead of the coronation, the Commonwealth Secretariat will take advantage of the gathering of leaders in London to host a Commonwealth Summit for Presidents and Heads of Government of Commonwealth countries on Friday, May 5.
The President is billed to participate in the Summit which will deliberate on the ‘Future of the Commonwealth and the Role of the Youth’.
He will be accompanied by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj.-Gen Babagana Monguno (Rtd), the Director General, National Intelligence Agency, (NIA), Ambassador Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, the Chairperson/Chief Executive Officer of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa and other senior government officials.
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The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has said that the party, himself, and his running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, remains unwavering and committed to pursuing their petition at the election tribunal to its logical conclusion.
He also said that the activities of some persons who he described as hirelings, to derail them from pursuing justice, was the height of rascality.
Obi, who said these in an Arise News television programme on Monday night insisted on building a new Nigeria not on faulty grounds.
On alleged moves to de-market and distract him from the election petition tribunal, the former Anambra State governor said about the poll, “If you want to become His Excellency, you must come through an excellent process”.
He also commented on the allegation of treason by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammad, as he described it as the height of rascality and a waste of scarce resources.
“That is the height of rascality. It was even announced in Washington. I committed a treasonable offence and I’m in Onitsha, and my minister went to announce it in Washington. This is the waste in governance we are talking about and people don’t want to understand.
“The amount it cost Nigeria for him to go and announce that in Washington can build a block of six classrooms in a primary school. I’m sure if you go to his village there are so many places where children don’t even have desks or classrooms to go to school.
“Instead of using that money for this purpose, he went to Washington to announce treason against someone in Onitsha. He doesn’t need to do that. From there he went to London, announcing the same thing when I’m in Nigeria. He should have come to see me or invited me and tell me my offence.”
Responding to the crisis in the Labour Party, the presidential standard bearer said that there were no issues in the party and that the reported crisis is just the “rascality” by paid agents bent on derailing the party to pursue justice.
“In the Labour Party, we have no issue. Bar Julius Abure is our chairman and those things you’re seeing are just the handiwork of paid agents who are trying to create confusion”.
On the report showing a picture of him visiting the President-elect, the former Anambra State governor said he never visited the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, as speculated on social media.
He explained that the rumours and accompanying photo shopped pictures being shared on social media platforms are part of moves by the opposition to derail his objective.
“I never visited him (Tinubu). I didn’t. These are some of the things I have been telling you. They have turned the whole thing upside down and into a joke. So, what they (the opposition) do now is think about what they are going to do to cause issues and what they are going to do to label him (Obi) this or that.
“If it is not labeling him (Obi) tribal bigot, or religious bigot when he is not speaking, they will find his family and check whether he has a lovechild and all sorts of things, including misrepresented identity among others, I didn’t visit anybody,” the former governor stressed.
He maintained that despite all these he was committed to the course of justice and was ready to pursue the case before the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal to a logical conclusion.
The LP flag bearer also clarified that he doesn’t hold United Kingdom citizenship, explaining that even though he stayed in the country for some period, he returned his “unlimited residency permit” to the authorities when he was about to leave the country.
On his recent so-called “arrest” in London, Obi explained that he was only stopped for a routine immigration check.
“I was stopped for a routine immigration check and all these lasted for a maximum of 20 minutes. I was treated with all due respect. I was never arrested nor detained,” the former governor insisted.
He further underscored his clean crime record, saying, “I lived in the UK in the 90s from 1993 to 2005. From that time till now is 30 years and I have never been questioned, arrested, or detained in any country in the world.
“I have never been arrested or questioned in any manner. I have never committed any offence. So, what happened was a routine immigration check and that happened not more than 20 minutes and I was given all due respect by the authorities.”
Speaking on the leaked video where it was reported that he told a presiding Bishop of the Living Faith Worldwide (Winners Chapel), David Oyedepo, during a telephone discussion that the election has become a religious war, Obi said, “Whatever anybody wants to make of it is fine with me, but all I can tell you is that I am not a religious or a tribal bigot”.
He said that he couldn’t have been a religious or tribal bigot and kept the closest person he had when he was governor, ADC, a Muslim from Kano, ditto his Police Commissioner.
He also repeated the confession of the Muslim community in Anambra State, who confirmed during last week’s Sallah festivities that he helped them to rebuild their damaged Mosque and remained the only non-Muslim governor who sent Muslims to hajj.
Obi said that while he is not desperate to be president of Nigeria he is indeed desperate to see a better Nigeria that citizens will be proud of.
On his mood ahead of the May 29 inauguration, the former Anambra State governor said nothing changes in his mood as he and his supporters remain steadfast and focused on expectations of justice.
The police, on Tuesday, began grilling the suspended Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Hudu Yunusa-Ari, at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, over alleged impropriety during the April 15 supplementary governorship poll in Adamawa State.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, confirmed to our correspondent that Yunusa-Ari and other suspects were in police custody and were being grilled.
This was as the suspended Adamawa REC said, in an interview with BBC Hausa, that he had no regrets about announcing the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Aisha Dahiru, popularly known as Binani, as the winner of the 2023 governorship election Adamawa State.
The PUNCH reports that Yunusa-Ari had stirred controversy after declaring Binani when the collation of results was yet to be completed.
This was followed by an announcement by the Independent National Electoral Commission, proclaiming the declaration by the REC as null and void, while Yunusa-Ari was summoned to INEC headquarters in Abuja, but failed to honour the summons.
The electoral umpire further wrote to the Inspector-General of Police, asking the police to investigate, and if found culpable, prosecute Yunusa-Ari for alleged electoral infractions.
Following the receipt of the letter the IG subsequently asked an investigative team to work in collaboration with INEC on the matter, as the electoral umpire revealed that it didn’t know the whereabouts of the suspended Adamawa REC.
Confirming the arrest of Yunusa-Ari and other suspects on Tuesday, the Force spokesman, Adejobi, said, “The Nigeria Police Force hereby confirms the arrest of Barrister Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the Adamawa State REC, who was alleged to have announced the candidate of the All Progressives Congress winner of the gubernatorial election during the recently concluded supplementary elections following calls for his arrest and investigation by the INEC on the basis of alleged impropriety in the course of supplementary gubernatorial polls in the state.
“Barrister Yunusa-Ari, who was arrested by the Police Election Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation Team in Abuja on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, is currently in police custody and he’s being grilled to ascertain the motives and motivations behind his alleged improper actions during the supplementary elections in Adamawa State.
“In addition, other officials and individuals culpable in the saga are being interrogated by the team.
“The Inspector-General of Police has given clear assurance that every individual involved/indicted in the matter will be apprehended and investigated in line with the provisions of the law for possible prosecution.
“The IG has assured of the commitment of the Force to ensuring that justice is served in this case and that all guilty parties are brought to justice.”
Meanwhile, speaking in an interview with BBC Hausa on Tuesday prior to his arrest, Yunusa-Ari maintained that he acted in accordance with relevant laws in declaring the APC candidate, Binani, as the governor-elect of Adamawa state before the declaration was overturned by the national headquarters of the electoral empire in Abuja.
He said, “I don’t have the papers with me here but both in the main and supplementary elections, Binani scored 428,173 while Fintiri got 422,303 votes.
“I have no regrets at all as I acted under the law; it is the law that warranted what I did and it shall absolve me.”
On accusations of receiving N2bn to pull off the electoral stunt, Ari told BBC Hausa that, “I never demanded any gratification from either of Binani or Fintiri. None of the duo sent anything to me; if they had done so, by now they will be demanding their money back.”
President Muhammadu Buhari said his administration has fulfilled the promise of change to Nigerians.
Buhari stated this on Tuesday in when he presented keys to some new homeowners at the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) Zuba, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The President in his speech at the inauguration of the estate, which covers a total of 18.5 hectares of land, consisting of 748 units of various house types in 75 blocks, urged the beneficiaries to live together in peace and harmony.
According to him, ‘‘I convey my hearty congratulations to the new homeowners in this estate. Our promise of change has been fulfilled for you.’’
He charged residents of the estate to consciously work together with the FHA to ensure the maintenance of the property and safety of the environment.
Commending the Chairman, Managing Director, Members of the Board and Staff of FHA on the successful completion of the Estate, the President noted that the project was another testament of his administration’s commitment to lift people out of poverty.
‘‘Housing supply is one of the indices of multi-dimensional poverty that challenges our people and the completion of this estate provides a solution for the beneficiaries.
‘‘The new home owners who benefit from this estate have taken a step up on the ladder of prosperity and away from poverty,’’ he said.
President Buhari, who acknowledged that more Nigerians are waiting to benefit from the mass housing project, urged the management of FHA not to relent in delivering other projects at various stages of construction and development across the states.
‘‘One of the measures that we have consciously deployed to attack poverty, create prosperity and develop our economy is the aggressive provision of infrastructure nationwide,’’ he said, noting that such investments also lead to creating employment opportunities for artisans and other skilled members of the society.
The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, said the completion of the project was a product of team work and leadership by the President, who gave approval for appointments into the leadership of FHA Board and Management.
‘‘Instead of abandoned projects, we now have 748 completed housing units for Nigerians and their families to shelter,’’ he said, adding that 75 contractors were engaged in the course of the project, while over 13,000 Nigerians were employed both directly and indirectly.
Fashola told the President that the 5 beneficiaries who received keys to their flats, including Tina Orkpe, Salisu Iliyasu, Ado Maude, Rabina Abdulkadir and Flight Sgt. Musa Mohammed, subscribed through FHA Rent-to-Own delivery model.
‘‘Although many of the beneficiaries of this project will never meet the President personally, your policies and programmes have met them personally at the point of their needs,’’ he said.
In his remarks, Chairman, Board of Directors, FHA, Senator Shuaibu Lawal thanked the President for providing the grant of N7.5billion for the project to commence in May 2018.
‘‘Without that grant, which served as the seed money, this project would not have been possible. Mr President, you take all the credit for what we are seeing here today,’’ he said.
Lawal, who noted that the Estate is ideal for Nigerians who cannot afford houses in areas such as Maitama and Asokoro in the FCT, lauded the Minister of Works and Housing, FCT Minister, Mohammed Bello, for their passionate commitment to the project.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Office of FHA, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, described the commissioning of the project as a manifestation of the visionary and deliberate housing policy of the President, who in keeping with the promise of providing shelter to Nigerians approved the grant to FHA.
He said the Authority delivered the project at a total cost of N9.5billion with the subvention of N7.5billion from the Federal Government.
He explained that the balance of 2billion of construction cost came from the Authority’s other projects which was ploughed into to complete the estate.
Ashafa disclosed that the Authority has also commenced the development of Bwari Estate, Abuja near the Nigeria Law School, which will deliver 336 units of various houses under the first phase of the project.
He added the proposed Diaspora City initiative, which targets Nigerians in the Diaspora, is in progress, with intention of extending the programme to all the regions of the country, with Abuja as the pilot scheme.
Ebonyi State governor, David Umahi, has argued that given the support the President-elect, Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) received from the South-East, leading to his success at the polls, the region should be compensated with the position of the Senate President.
He went on to insist that he was the most experienced to become the President of the Senate in the tenth Assembly, despite being elected into the Senate for the first time.
This was even as the governor said he came to invite Mr. President to commission the newly constructed airport named after Muhammadu Buhari in the state.
He made these remarks in an interview with State House correspondents, on Tuesday, after he paid a visit to President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Governor Umahi, who is a senator-elect for Ebonyi South Senatorial District, also argued that the South-Eastern region deserves the position of the President of the Nigerian Senate, which is the third highest political office in the country.
The governor further noted that zoning the position to the South-East is the right thing to do, depicting equity and justice.
“I think that every region clamouring for the presidency of the Senate to be zoned to it is the right of such people. If you look at the true reflection of our society, you will agree with me that the right thing to be done by our leaders without prejudice to their rights and thinking is that the South-East deserves the number three position.”