Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has approved N10,000 monthly palliative for workers.
The N10,000 monthly palliative is to help workers cope with the recent fuel subsidy removal and its attendant economic impacts.
The government’s decision was announced at a press conference addressed by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, at the Government House, Ilorin on Monday.
Ajakaye said, “On top of the palliatives is a cash support of N10,000 for every public sector worker in the state, which will begin this month (July) and last until a new minimum wage is introduced to enable workers to cope with the economic shocks created by the subsidy removal.
“In deference to the new advisory of the National Economic Council for states to design their own independent responses to the development, the governor has directed the leadership of the civil service to continue a staggered work schedule — not exceeding three days a week — to reduce transportation expenses for workers,” he said.
Kwara had earlier introduced a 3-day work schedule for its civil servants but suspended it in deference to an earlier advisory of the NEC for states to await a more holistic response to the development.
The staggered work plan will not cover ‘essential workers, the governor’s spokesman clarified.
“The governor has similarly approved the payment, from this month, July, of new hazard and skipping allowances, and 100% CONMESS for consultants and medical doctors under the government’s payroll.
“He also approved a new regime of allowances for nurses working for the state government. The whole essence is to check attrition rate in the health sector, and attract and retain medics and specialists to provide improved, qualitative healthcare services for the people of the state,” he added.
“The governor has also endorsed immediate cash-backing of 2019 and 2020 promotion for Teaching Service Commission workers. The administration had earlier cash-backed arrears of promotion for TESCOM for the years 2015-2018.
“In the same vein, he has approved cash-backing for the 2021 promotion exercise of teaching and non-teaching staff of SUBEB and restoration of steps to all of them. This is a policy response to the yearnings of SUBEB workers since 2016 when SUBEB workers no longer had steps.
“The Governor also approved the extension of free bus rides for students of tertiary institutions in the state, while modalities for occasional distribution of food to poor and most vulnerable households are to be activated in the next few days.
“This shall be nonpartisan and would be coordinated by a government team to be supported by respected stakeholders who would get inputs from traditional rulers, religious bodies, market leaders, trade unionists, and community-based organisations to generate the lists of beneficiaries and disburse accordingly.
“The whole idea of these interventions, which gulp billions of naira of public funds, is to show empathy and deploy as much resources as the state can afford to support the people at this special time.
“The Governor has also approved the Kwara State Social Investment Programme (KWASSIP) to activate N500m worth of conditional support for petty traders and MSMEs in the state.
“The state government will receive fertilisers and grains from the Federal Government and pay for same. It is not free. Modalities for the handling of these will be made available later. This is to boost farming outputs and food security in the state.
“The government, meanwhile, will be setting up a committee to interface with marketers on the need to curb extortionist tendencies as seen in the arbitrary fixing of prices of foodstuffs.
A total of 529 foreign-trained medical and dental graduates failed the assessment examination conducted by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.
This is according to the examination report obtained from the MDCN on Sunday.
The two-day assessment examination was conducted on Wednesday, July 12, and Thursday, July 13, 2023, at the University College Hospital, Ibadan in Oyo State.
The MDCN said 704 medical and 30 dental foreign-trained graduates participated in the assessment examination.
The council, however, said only 189 medical graduates and 16 dental graduates passed the examination.
It also revealed that 515 medical graduates and 14 dental graduates failed the examination.
The MDCN regulates the practice of Medicine, Dentistry, and Alternative Medicine in the country to safeguard the nation’s health care system.
The PUNCH reports that the MDCN assessment examination is compulsory for all foreign-trained doctors who plan to practise in Nigeria.
The assessment examination tests the candidates’ ability to apply their basic medical sciences and clinical skills in a health care setting.
Commenting on the result, the MDCN Registrar, Dr Tajudeen Sanusi, said, “The pass is at 27.4 per cent, which is poor. However, the assessment exam is necessary because we cannot put the health of Nigerians in jeopardy; it is better we have a few doctors than have doctors that will put the health of Nigerians in danger. All hands must be on deck to put this country in the right place.”
According to him, the assessment examination is a required global practice.
“It’s a global practice that if you train in a particular jurisdiction and, you want to go to another jurisdiction, you subject yourself to an assessment exam. Even if you are a professor of medicine here and you’ve never practised in the United Kingdom or the United States, when you go there, you subject yourself to their assessment exam. So, it’s a global practice,” he said.
Ohanaeze urges South East to ignore Ekpa’s sit-at-home order, places $500,000 bounty for arrest
Admin• Igbo make greatest contribution to Nigeria’s GDP, says Iwuanyanwu
The Chidi Ibeh faction of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, yesterday, urged the South East residents to ignore the two-week sit-at-home order by Finland-based acclaimed Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa. The group has also asked the people of the zone to rise and put an end to Ekpa’s nefarious and infamous activities.
In a statement in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, the Secretary-General of the Ohanaeze faction, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, said that the Igbo organisation has placed a substantial bounty of $500,000 on Ekpa, as a reward to anyone who can provide useful information that would lead to his arrest.
The Ohanaeze added that it is resolute, in collaboration with South East political leaders, to bring Ekpa to justice for his atrocities and alleged sponsorship of armed groups in the region.
The group further called on every Igbo to play an active role in preventing violence and disruptions of economic activities in the region.
The statement reads: “Ekpa is responsible for the recent surge in violence and insecurity in the region. He has declared another two-week sit-at-home from July 31 to August 14, 2023, undermining the authority of South East governors, who are constitutionally mandated to protect life and property of citizens.
“Ohanaeze has placed a substantial bounty of $500,000 on Ekpa’s head. The reward is offered to anyone who can provide useful information that would lead to his capture and subsequent arrest.
IN a different development, the President General of Ohanaeze, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, has said that the role of the Igbo community in Nigeria’s social, political and economic history and development came to the fore at the weekend, in North London.
The Ohanaeze leader pointed out that aside from recognising Igbo for living and working in every part of the country, they are said to make the topmost economic contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Iwuanyanwu enumerated some of the contributions at a reception the United Kingdom (UK) branch of Ohanaeze held in his honour at St. Edmund’s Church Hall, in Edmonton Green.
The Igbo leader, who came in the company of former Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Allison Madueke (Rtd), told the gathering that not only are the Igbo everywhere and doing business , they make the greatest contribution to the GDP of Nigeria.”
Addressing the audience, Iwuanyanwu disclosed plans to have a Hall of Fame and Museum of Igbo history erected in honour of notable Igbo people who have helped in shaping and preserving them.
[Guardian]
*Analysts predict tough call
*CPPE: N9tn increase in money supply pressuring FX market
*Calls on apex bank to develop intervention measures
As the Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) holds its first meeting since President Bola Tinubu assumed office, issues in the foreign exchange market, particularly the recent floating of the naira, high benchmark interest rate, removal of petrol subsidy, and rising inflation are expected to shape discussions.
The two-day meeting would commence today, the first since the suspension of Godwin Emefiele as the CBN Governor.
Analysts told THISDAY yesterday that the meeting – the first to be presided over by the acting CBN Governor, Mr. Folashodun Shonubi, would be a difficult call amid rising prices of goods and commodities, high cost of funds in the economy, floating of the foreign exchange which has continued to encounter supply challenges and weakening against the US dollar as well as the hardship brought about by the stoppage of the fuel subsidy regime.
With FX parallel market rate at N865 to the US Dollar as of yesterday and inflation currently at 22.79 per cent as well as the Monetary Policy Rate which stood at 18.5 per cent, some analysts are already divided on what the outcome of the meeting would be -whether to further tighten, ease or retain policy rate.
They argued the MPC would be in a dilemma given that Tinubu, who had appointed Shonubi to replace Emefiele, favours monetary easing which might not be palatable amid current economic headwinds.
The analysts, in separate interviews with THISDAY on the possible outcomes of the MPC expressed different expectations.
President Association of Capital Market Academics of Nigeria, Prof. Uche Uwaleke, said the decision of the MPC would be influenced by the rising inflation expectations due largely to the sudden removal of fuel subsidy, the pressure on the naira and exchange rate volatility occasioned by the recent naira float.
He said the considerations tend to recommend a further rates hike aimed at taming the stubborn inflation, adding that Shonubi, who would be chairing the meeting has been part and parcel of the hawkish MPC stance for months now and so another rates hike will not come as a surprise.
Uwaleke said, “Be that as it may, the MPC should equally recognise that the removal of fuel subsidy has slowed down economic activities considerably with attendant drop in productivity.
“So, economic growth and jobs are already negatively impacted such that a further monetary policy tightening would only worsen the situation through the credit channel as cost of capital is increased and access to credit by small businesses is made more difficult.”
He said a further increase in the MPR was likely to endanger the asset quality of banks through an increase in non-performing loans as deposit money banks reprice their loans.
Uwaleke added, “In this regard, the balance of risks dictates that the MPC should pause the policy rate hikes, which has been on since May last year by maintaining a hold position on all policy parameters during the meeting.
“The MPC should recognise that much as its primary mandate is to maintain price stability, it equally has a responsibility to support output growth. This is against the backdrop of the fact that many of the factors driving inflation in Nigeria, such as insecurity affecting food output and high energy costs are outside the control of the CBN.
“All said, the MPC should seize the opportunity of the meeting to signal readiness to support output growth through policies geared towards fostering a low-interest rates environment while keeping an eye on inflation using a mix of heterodox measures.”
In his contribution, Wealth Management and Business Development Consultant, Mr. Ibrahim Shelleng, said, “Honestly, it’s tough to call. Whilst the president’s policy is to crash interest rates, I am not sure whether this will translate at the MPC just yet. Especially given that the current CBN governor is still in an acting capacity
“Also, with inflationary pressures from rising energy costs, crashing rates may lead to greater demand-pull inflation pressures.”
On his part, Managing Director/Chief Executive, Dignity Finance and Investment Limited, Dr. Chijioke Ekechukwu, said he expected the MPC to retain the interest rate at current levels.
He said, “We expect that CBN should not continue to increase MPR just to check inflation. This is because there are many other factors that are responsible for an increase in inflation.
“If the MPR is increased indiscriminately, it will have a positive correlation with an increase in interest rates. When interest rate is increased, money in circulation will be distorted, and the economy falls short of stimulation. I, therefore, expect that MPR will remain unchanged.”
Also, Managing Director/Chief Executive, SD&D Capital Management Limited, Mr. Idakolo Gbolade, predicted that the CBN would either hold or reduce MPR.
He said, “The MPC meeting may likely hold interest rates or reduce rates due to the policy direction of the new government to boost economic activities in the country.
“The previous meetings have always increased the rate to the detriment of the economy and it has caused a continuous rise in inflation.”
Meanwhile, an economist and Founder of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), Dr. Muda Yusuf has stated that the curious growth in broad money supply in June, led to pressure on the naira in the foreign exchange market.
Yusuf also called on the CBN to come up with intervention measures that would moderate the volatility in the country’s FX market.
He made the call yesterday in a statement titled “The Naira Exchange Rate Conundrum,” in which he stated that the curious surge in monetary expansion in June by 15 per cent might have contributed to the source of pressure on the Naira in the FX market.
He said: “The volatility in the FX market is naturally unsettling. But it is not unexpected given the long period of distortions in the foreign exchange market. Correcting the entrenched distortions would take some time.
“But in the meantime, the monetary authorities should come up with a sustainable intervention framework to ensure the moderation of current volatility in the FX market.
“We recognise the FX supply limitations, but the system needs to be managed in way that would not undermine investors’ confidence. Erosion of confidence triggers speculation and influences expectations, which in turn trigger diverse responses among economic players.”
He also attributed the pressure in the country’s FX market to “a curious surge in monetary expansion in the last one month. Money supply grew by an unprecedented 15 per cent in one month between May and June 2023.”
The economist said broad money grew by over N9 trillion, from N55.7 trillion to N64.9 trillion. “This surge in monetary growth is unprecedented. Obviously, this must have had an effect on the exchange rate.
“The monetary authorities should investigate this drastic growth in money supply and take steps to curb subsequent expansion. Such dramatic growth in money supply poses a significant risk to macroeconomic stability, especially price stability,” he said.
Yusuf recalled that over the last few years there had been a cumulative backlog of unmet foreign exchange demand, running into billions of dollars as a result of acute illiquidity in the foreign exchange market.
He argued that with a more liberalised FX market, the pressure of the backlog of unmet demands and other maturing FX related obligations have been unleashed on the investors and exporters window.
According to him, “transiting from a repressive market environment to a more liberalised market could be a source of market instability. However, there is need for vigilance to prevent questionable capital outflows or speculative assault on the currency.
“A free market is not synonymous with complete absence of regulation. Free enterprise has to be complemented with an appropriate regulatory framework to curb illicit financial flows.”
Yusuf also pointed out that the frequency and scope of CBN’s intervention in the FX market had decelerated compared to first five months of the year as shown by recent reports from the CBN.
The reports indicated “a total of $17 billion intervention by the CBN in the FX market in 2022. This is an average of N1.4 billion per month. Since the inception of the present administration, it is doubtful whether we had seen an intervention of up to $1 billion in total.
“It expected that as the scale of intervention improves, the volatile will be subdued,” he said.
The CPPE also believed “that the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is on the right path and that the current volatility in the foreign exchange market are challenges typically inherent in a major policy transition. In a couple of months, we expect the instability to subside.”
[ThisDay]
Electricity distribution companies(DisCos) in Lagos say the proposed Standard Transfer Specification (STS), a metering code, to be introduced soon, is not targeted toward increasing electricity tarrif.
A top official in one of the Discos in Lagos, who preferred anonymity, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday that the code, a software which is of an international standard, is to upgrade old meters to STS rollover.
NAN reports that DisCos in Nigeria have already advised its customers to upgrade their meters before Aug. 1 in order not to lose them.
The STS rollover is a secure message system for carrying information between a point of sale (PoS) and a meter.
The official said that the timeline for the upgrade would end in November 2024 and that customers’ meters had to be upgraded to allowed for accessibility.
According to him, every DisCo has scheduled it metering coding, differently.
“Some have scheduled for Aug. 1, but ours is not same date, However, it will be done before the expiring date of November 2024.
“We will ensure the migration is seamless for our customers on STS TID rollover system.
“The software will be upgraded without affecting reading or payment model.
“In electricity process, there are intelligent units that transfer the load to an alternative source.
“The technology of the remote communication makes possible the function and recharge of prepaid meter,” the staff added.
The source said that the TID – Token Identifier is a 24 bit field contained in STS compliant token that identifies the date and time of the token generation.
He said that it is used to determine if a token had already been used in a payment meter.
The source said that the upper limit for the software would be reached by November 2024, noting that would lead the rollover to zero.
He also said this would be needed for the TID rollover for meter upgrade to enable meter recharge.
The source said that customers need to upgrade their meters by using a Key Change Token (KCT), a special rest token, to be loaded on their meters.
“Customers will get a KCT of the DisCos offices or their agents at the point of purchase of a token alongside the purchased energy tokens.
“Customers will only need to use KCT once and subsequent energy purchases will be as usual,” the official added.
He said no customers’ meters needed to be changed to enable the upgrade, except it is an obsolete or faulty meter.
[championnews]
Two people were confirmed dead after a building collapsed partially in a suburb of Lagos, Nigeria's economic hub, on Saturday morning, local authorities said.
The incident occurred at about 11:30 a.m. local time (1030 GMT) on Saturday in the Ishawo area of Lagos, said Ibrahim Farinloye, a coordinator of National Emergency Management Agency in Lagos, in a statement.
Farinloye said the two victims were trapped when their house was partially damaged as a fence from the neighboring house fell on their building during Saturday's heavy downpour.
"It was very unfortunate that no distress call was properly channelled to those whose responsibility is to save lives at the right time," he said, adding the two bodies were recovered from the rubble of the collapsed section.
Building collapses are not uncommon in Nigeria. Local experts blame them on aging structures, non-compliance with building planning and regulations, and the use of substandard materials during construction.
Source(s): Xinhua News Agency
FOLLOWING the increase in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, known as petrol, from N488 to between N568 and N617 per litre, civil servants in Lagos State have resorted to shift operations to cushion the effect of the increment.
Consequently, most private vehicle owners in Lagos have decided to board public transportation to their offices and various destinations.
The development has reduced the chaotic gridlock in Lagos State, as most of the highways are witnessing free flow of traffic across the state.
Most of the areas visited include Egbeda, Iyana-Ipaja, Dopemu, Ikeja, Oshodi axes, Ikotun, Isolo axis, Agege, Yaba, Ikorodu Road, CMS, Ikoyi, among others.
Residents resort to trekking
Also, many residents have been left with no choice but to resort to trekking as means of transportation due to hike in fares, with many unable to afford the exorbitant fares.
The metropolis, which is gradually becoming a ghost town, has continued to witness commuters trekking to their various destinations daily.
The inability to cope with the rising transport fares has forced people from different walks of life to embark on the long walks despite scorching sun.
Commercial buses and taxis have recorded considerable drop in patronage by passengers as more commuters have taken to alternative commercial transportation like Bus Rapid Transit, BRT, and trekking, particularly, short distance journey.
Civil servants in the state are not left out in the hardship as most of them have embarked on shift operation to reduce the financial impact.
As residents of Lagos continue to adapt to the new reality of trekking long distances, many are yearning for a relief package in the much expected “palliative” as promised by the Federal Government to address, cushion the fuel price crisis and restore affordable transportation options for all citizens.
Workers, residents lament
Some of the workers and residents, who spoke to Vanguard in confidence, narrated how they have been coping with economic situation in the country.
Commercial bus drivers have hiked the transport fares as high as 300 per cent. A journey that earlier cost N200, is now N600, while a journey of N100 is between N250 and N300 across Lagos metropolis.
A journey from Ikotun to CMS, which used to be N1000, has gone up as high as N3,000.
A worker, simply identified as Idowu, who resides in Alimosho area of the state, lamented how he has dropped his car at home and dumped commercial buses to join the Lagos State staff bus to avoid the high cost of fuel on his meagre salary.
Idowu said: “The hike in petrol has forced me to drop my car at home, I now join the staff bus home and to the office because I cannot afford the daily cost of fuel.”
Also Mrs Adeola, who lives in Ifako-Ijaiye area, told Vanguard that most of the ministries have adopted a one day on and one day off for workers to limit the number of days at work due to the situation in the country.
Adeola said: “Since the fuel subsidy and the latest fuel hike, we have resorted to a kind of shift service of one day on, one day off among staff. That is what most of the staff are doing now. This is to relieve staff of financial stress occasion by the fuel hike.”
Shift basis
Meanwhile, a check by our correspondent revealed that most workers operate on shift basis presently as few workers were seen in most of the offices visited.
A senior official, who spoke under anonymity, said: “Anyway, everyone is still regular at their respective offices. It is just that many were thankful for the provision of staff buses that convey them to and fro. That’s the only support at this tough time for now.”
A resident, Ayo Elemide insisted that the new subsidy regime, which enjoyed the endorsement of the APC-led administration, was worsening an already dire economic situation.
According to Elemide, “The increase is worsening the already suffocating economic situation on Nigerians and could crumble the country if not quickly addressed.”
[Vanguard]
Vice President, Sen. Kashim Shettima will on Sunday depart Abuja to represent President Bola Tinubu at two major international Summits in Rome, Italy and St Petersburg, Russia.
Mr Olusola Abiola, Director, Information,
Office of the Vice President, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Sunday.
Abiola stated that at the Rome event, Shettima would join other global leaders for the first Stocktaking Moment (STM) Summit themed “Transforming Food Systems for People, Planet and Prosperity,” holding from Monday, July 24 to Wednesday, July 26.
According to him, during the summit, Shettima would chair a high-level session themed “Innovative Financing for Food System Transformation: the Case of Nigeria”
He added that the side event titled ”Scaling up Multi Stakeholders Collaboration and Investment in the Implementation of Food Systems Transformation Pathways in Nigeria,”
Abiola also said that the event is being organised in collaboration with the Rome-based UN Agencies, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and World Food Programme (WFP), as well as the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub and wider UN system.
“Shettima will then proceed from Rome to St. Petersburg in Russia to represent the President at the Russia-Africa Summit scheduled from Wednesday, July 26 to Saturday, July 29.
” While in Russia, the Vice President will join other political and business leaders at the 2nd Russia–Africa Summit and Russia–Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum focused on strategising to enhance relations between Russia and the African continent, among other benefits.
[Guardian]
The Concerned Northern Forum has decried the continued detention of Sarkin Hausawan, Lagos, Alhaji Aminu Yaro, over his alleged connection to former Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Governor, Godwin Emefiele, by the Department of State Services, DSS.
The forum described the detention as a violation of human rights and disrespect for the rule of law.
In a statement signed by the Chairman of the forum, Mohammed Danlami, on Sunday, the group said, “We don’t see any legal reason for the DSS to continue to hold such a respected figure in detention, a community leader and renowned businessman along with his wife. This is barbaric; we detest and stand against it; it is not done anywhere in the world, it is not democratic, only under military dictatorship will such a thing happen.”
He said an accused person is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court of law, lamenting that the DSS was yet to arraign him.
Danlami said the group could not ignore the perceived injustice being meted out to Yaro and his wife, urging President Bola Tinubu to call the DSS to order.
It also called on Nigerians to come out en masse for a peaceful protest against the leadership of the DSS over disrespect for the rule of law and acting without professionalism.
[DailyPost]
George Akume, secretary-general to the government of the federation (SGF), says President Bola Tinubu is committed to fulfilling his promise of improving the lives of Nigerians.
In a series of tweets on Saturday, Akume reeled out actions the Tinubu administration is taking to fulfil the All Progressives Congress (APC) manifesto.
Another Weekend is here- 20 Nuggets To Chew On
As our team takes shape, I want to remind you all that @officialABAT came prepared- he came with a plan. He knows what to do & he is doing it. He has nurtured this vision for decades and he is now bringing it to life #TheAsiwajuPlan pic.twitter.com/YPvqhOZ2Pm
— Senator Dr. George Akume (@SGFAkume) July 22, 2023
Some of the plans, the SGF said, is to stabilise the surging price of petrol in the country.
In his inaugural speech as president on May 29, Tinubu announced the removal of petrol subsidy which immediately led to a hike in the pump price of the product across the country.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, which also increased the price of petrol at its retail outlets, said the change was due to market forces.
TheCable had reported that transport costs soared by over 100 percent in the wake of the president’s speech.
Speaking on the situation, Akume said Tinubu’s vision to restore the country has been in the works for decades and that the president is addressing the solution.
He asked citizens to be patient while the government unveils a plan to improve the country’s economy.
“As our team takes shape, I want to remind you all that @officialABAT came prepared- he came with a plan. He knows what to do & he is doing it. He has nurtured this vision for decades and he is now bringing it to life #TheAsiwajuPlan,” the SGF tweeted.
“As a government, we have heard your cries about fuel price increases, and be rest assured, we are working round the clock to normalize & bring solutions that ease the pain. Our job is to give you the quality of life you deserve when you wake up. So far, we are on course.”
The former Benue state governor described the petrol subsidy regime as regressive, adding that the annual payments were not sustainable and that Tinubu “had to act”.
Although he noted that the immediate effect is not favourable, the former senator asked Nigerians to be patient.
“To this end, we are already working out modalities to ensure market forces normalize pricing while we drive policies that better your lives & boost your earning power. We have a clear economic restoration plan, so I urge you to trust the process,” he said.
Akume said Tinubu’s actions of unifying the exchange rate and rejigging the country’s security architecture were proof of his commitment to using strong measures in securing the country’s future.
“Deregulation is only the first part of this process/plan. Other health, education, agriculture, infrastructure, and more measures will come on stream soon. #HolisticSolution #NigeriaISBack,” the SGF added.
[TheCable]
More...
Following the worsening effects of the removal of petrol subsidy, Nigerians have embraced several ingenious and sometimes crazy measures to survive.
For a people already impoverished during the immediate past administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, the development has further deepened their situation, thereby making everyone adopt survival strategies.
The policy, which saw the petrol price rise from N160 to N510 on May 29, 2023, resulted in an increment in prices of goods and services in a nation already battling 22.77 percent inflation.
Apart from depleting the purchasing power of the people, the country’s currency, which lost more than 200 percent of its value in the eight years of Buhari, has lost whatever is left of it.
Consequently, people now struggle to finance their basic needs given that prices have escalated more.
Food items, transportation, drugs and essential products among others have become unaffordable owing to the impact of petrol prices.
This is happening as income remains static, with N30,000 Minimum Wage and 37.7 percent unemployment rate, according to KPMG.
Across the states, some governors struggle to pay the Minimum Wage while others owe several months of salaries and pension arrears.
With the turn of events, the wage payable to the least paid federal civil servant could barely buy 50 liters of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, otherwise called petrol.
Difficult
Escalating energy costs also added more pain in a society that battles acute electricity challenges as more people and businesses now find it difficult to power their generator sets.
As of May this year, the nation had a grid electricity capacity of 13,014MW and transmission capacity of 8,100MW. But the capacity now hovers between 5,000 and 4,000 MW.
The World Bank had, in its Energy Progress Report, said about 92 million people live without electricity in Nigeria, making it the nation with the lowest access to power globally.
Now, the latest rise in the price of fuel from N510-N617 per liter on July 18, has increased hunger and anger in the land as more people face bankruptcy in a nation where the least-paid worker earns N30, 000.
To say that a bad situation has been worsened is, to say the least.
The latest price increment in fuel meant increased poverty, brought more pain, added to hyperinflation, diminished purchasing power, and expanded social inequality and misery.
Poverty trap
While 100 million Nigerians were already living in poverty before the beginning of the year, the World Bank, in June this year, said more than four million were pushed into the poverty trap in the first six months of 2023.
It warned that 7.1 million more were expected to become poor if the fallouts of fuel subsidy removal are not properly managed.
The Washington-based institution, in another report, Macro Poverty Outlook for Nigeria, released in April, projected that 13 million would fall below the national poverty line by 2025.
Though government has proposed sharing N8,000 to 12 million people for six months in a population of 200,000,000 to cushion the effects of petrol subsidy removal, the measure falls short of what is required to address the growing poverty level.
Apart from the consensus that government’s planned palliative measures would make no sense, Nigerians are already bearing the brunt of the subsidy removal.
Findings by Sunday Vanguard across the country reveal that many are worried and unsettled with the development, which has put pressure on households and Small and Medium Enterprises, SMEs.
Another source of uneasiness is the proposed 40 percent increase in electricity tariff, which may likely take effect any moment from now.
It was learnt the decision followed the drop in government subsidy to the electricity sector, which was estimated to have fallen by about 80 percent.
Given the hardship accompanying these policies Sunday Vanguard observed that citizens have embraced different survival measures, especially in the last two months.
Pressure
In most households and SMEs, things are no longer the same as the focus is now mainly on survival and nothing else.
Across geopolitical zones, many said they have no confidence in whatever palliative government is rolling out since none such worked in the past.
In Lagos, in most areas, especially on the mainland, this paper observed that many people no longer use their power-generating sets quite often and whenever they are using them, it’s no longer like in the past.
Cancer
A resident of FESTAC Town, Munachiso Nwike, said in his estate, people no longer use their generator sets until after 9: 30pm.
“It is not only in my estate, in many closes in FESTAC, people now wait until 9 or 10 pm before using their power generating sets. And the usage is for about three hours. It is understandable. How much are people earning for them to spend three thousand on four litres of fuel per night?’’ he said.
Another Lagosian resident on the Island, Mr. Emmanuel Nwainya, identified electricity tariff as his major headache.
He sounded crazy when he explained that to regulate the usage of power in his household to save cost, he told his children that usage of the microwave could lead to cancer while the air-conditioner triggers pneumonia.
According to Nwainya, “the situation if not properly managed could lead to bankruptcy. I am particularly worried about the frequency with which I recharge my prepaid meter. N20, 000 hardly lasts three weeks. I had to tell my children that excessive use of the microwave leads to cancer while one gets pneumonia if he excessively uses the air-conditioner. I had to tell them to see if we could minimise the usage of power.”
Air-condition
Another Lagos resident, Mr. Eziashi Ifeanyi, said since he had no control over the usage of power in his household, he often turned off the entire electricity from the central switch any time he felt his children were wasting power.
“For me, it’s survival first. Since I don’t want to have issues with my wife over how she uses electrical appliances at home, especially the air-conditioner, I usually turn off the power switch from the central control system. When I do that, they would assume it is the usual power failure.”
A Lagos-based hairdresser, Mrs. Tobore Odi, said: “Since the price increase affected everything, we have decided to buy only what we need to survive. For tomatoes which are now N7, 000 for a bucket of paint, we buy the quantity they sell for N2, 000 and augment with onions. I buy many onions now to add to the tomatoes we use for making stew. Without that, we can’t afford to spend N7, 000 on tomatoes. The paint bucket sold for N1, 500 before now.”
Mile 2, Alakija, CMS, Oshodi, Agege
Further checks in Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre reveal that many car owners have dropped their cars and embraced public transportation.
Areas like Mile 2, Alakija, CMS, Oshodi, Agege, Ojota, Berger and Opebi/Allen among others, hitherto known for heavy vehicular traffic, no longer experience traffic jam.
In the last two months, it’s rare to find a heavy presence of vehicles on such roads as many people have resorted to public transportation owing to the price of PMS.
Speaking in that regard, a civil servant, Mr. Jonah Bulus, whose office is located on Lagos Island, said: “Spending about N35, 000 to fuel your car weekly is not sustainable. I reside in Ikorodu.
“When this whole madness started, I thought I could be managing half a tank, which is about N16, 000, but it wasn’t possible. How much am I earning? I don’t own the house I reside in. I have other bills, which have also skyrocketed. What I use now is public transportation. I use BRT buses. Some of my friends even use ferry but I have a phobia of water transportation.’’
Sell cars
A politician and farmer in Ondo State, Zadok Akintoye, said:” To adjust, I am aware that some of my friends and associates have had to sell off one or more cars for low fuel-consuming vehicles. Some pre-plan their movement. “Citizens would look for cheaper options to meet their basic nutrient needs. The full impact of the policies you see now would become fully felt in about one year.
“My advice is for citizens to tame their expectations and prepare for the worst.”
Similarly, the Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, in Ondo State, Stephen Adewale, said: “Nigerians are adopting cost-cutting strategies to stay afloat because times are extremely tough.
“First, I noticed that more people now walk a considerable distance to get to work or their places of business to save money.
“You would note that streets and highways are no longer busy in the morning and evening. I have noticed that many of my acquaintances now opt to leave their cars at home and take commercial transit instead.
N80,000
“For instance, recently, I spent N80,000 refuelling my car as I travelled from Ondo to Ilorin. In contrast, my friend who travelled from Akure to Ilorin for the same occasion left his car at home and chose public transport, which cost him only N20,000. I have noticed that many employees now choose to spend the weekdays at work and return home on weekends.
“Businesses are also adjusting to the new reality. For example, my office had to lower the number of days workers would come to work to three days per week to cushion the effect of the fuel price increase on the staff.”
On his part, a public affairs analyst, Ayo Fadaka, said: “Life for Nigerians under the administration of President Bola Tinubu is hell.
“We simply jumped from the frying pan that Buhari’s era represented directly into fire.
“I consider it stupid to make our pump price at par with what is obtainable in the US or UK.
“The joke that government wants to distribute N8, 000 per household for 12 million Nigerians is another ploy to bleed our nation dry.
“Buhari may have done the same and got away with it, entrenching the same by this administration will not only be criminal but also provocative.”
In Ekiti State, a member of National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Bernice Larryoboh, said:” I have adapted to the realities. I spend my income on essentials. I am sourcing more streams of income. We can only hope for a better Nigeria.”
A barber, Jawolusi Ayodeji, added: “This is not what President Tinubu promised us but I have found a way to survive. I have multiple sources of income and that has been helping me apart from my barbing shop.”
Sharing her survival strategy, a nurse, Oladipo Blessing, said: “At this crucial time when things are difficult in our nation, I survive by adjusting my lifestyle according to my income.
“I go out when necessary because of the hike in fuel price. I also put on my generator when it’s unavoidably needed.”
Also speaking to Sunday Vanguard in Abeokuta, Ogun State, a social worker, Mr. Niyi Rotimi , said:” I now trek from home to my office every morning. It is a distance of one kilometer. Whenever I have anywhere to go from the office, I use public transport.
The current situation has made me adjust my spending in many ways. At home, I have stopped using generator.’’
Aso Ebi
Chairman, Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, in Ogun State, Wale Olanrewaju, said: “With the current economic hardship in the country, Nigerians should not go beyond their limit. This is not the time to be spending on luxury. “We should do away with anything that is not that important to us at this crucial period. Things like Aso Ebi and other unnecessary things should be avoided.
“While buying food items, people should embrace bulk buying. The more you buy in bulk, the more you can bargain properly and the cheaper the things you buy.
“As much as possible, one should avoid going into debt, unless there is a clear capacity to repay it. If you must take loan, you have to use it on profitable ventures that will yield returns.’’
In Ibadan, Oyo State, an undergraduate at the University of Ibadan, Christiana Akande, said: “I have reduced the way I purchase food from food vendors. I now deliberately skip meals. I am spending more money to get less quantity and quality of food items. I buy more Garri and rice because Indomie Noodles is a luxury. Since my rent expired two months ago, I was forced to get a roommate to split the cost of the new apartment I just rented.’’
A civil servant, Mrs. Kemi Fasasi, added: “I always took Uber or Bolt to wherever I was going, but now I go around in public buses. In some cases, if the distance is not far, I walk instead of spending N500 or N800.
“The rate of suffering will increase. This will cause a surge in robbery cases and other criminal activities.’’
A business owner, Dupe Olagoke, said: “I went to the market to talk to customers to understand their pains, attitudes and behaviours in response to inflation. I realised that more customers were looking out for promotions and discounted sales.’’
In Abia State, residents expressed sadness over the latest hike in petrol pump price, lamenting that life has become uninspiring.
A commercial tricycle operator, Mr. Chuks Afamefula, said: “Since the increase in fuel price, passengers have decided to trek instead of taking commercial vehicles following the increase in transport fare.
“Passengers are no longer willing to take tricycles since we increased the transport fare because of the high cost of fuel.
“It may sound crazy but they now trek to their destinations no matter the distance. We are just surviving by God’s grace. If this continues, I don’t think many people will still be in the city by the end of the year”.
Similarly, a business centre owner at Niger by Awolowo Street, Mr Chimdi Ojirika, said:”On the first day of the fuel price hike, I couldn’t make any profit because I pitied my customers.
“Now, we type and print a page at N500. Patronage has decreased. Life has become unbearable. This situation is so bad. Government should immediately reverse the price if we must survive.”
In Taraba State, Sunday Vanguard observed that residents jettisoned personal cars while others have taken farming more seriously to survive hard times.
Those who spoke said they have abandoned their cars and opted for public transport, while others returned to full-time farming.
Grains
A resident, who identified himself as Peter Simon, said: “I now spend most of my time on the farm. With the current increase in prices of commodities, I need to ensure I grow enough grains for my family.’’
A businessman, Mr. Chukwudi Uzomah, said: “I have parked my car. I can’t continue buying fuel when the money could be channeled into providing basic needs for the family. I use my car on Sundays whenever we are going to worship God.’’
Similarly, a civil servant, Mr. Jonathan Yakubu, said:” I no longer use my cars often because I can’t cope with the price of fuel. I use the car occasionally. We are lucky that we don’t experience traffic gridlock here. My wife and I have agreed that we would only buy what we need. No more unnecessary expenses.’’
Three daughters
A Port Harcourt-based civil servant, Emmanuel Kingdom, said: “We weren’t surprised at the turn of events.
The situation is unbearable. I no longer talk about fuel because I am not a fool to be spending all I earn on fuel. I have three daughters in tertiary institutions. If I don’t adjust, I will become bankrupt. I no longer have savings.’’
On his part, Junior Ibitimi, a teacher, said: “Immediately government announced the first increment, I told my wife we have to sit up to survive. Anything about burial or wedding Aso Ebi, we have canceled it. “Unnecessary trips, especially for burials, have been banned in this house. For now, we have to survive before anything else. I no longer pick the calls of certain people, especially from the village because I know what they would be looking for.’’
A Benin-based car dealer, Mr. Osahon Omoruyi, said: “I think our business is the worst affected. In the past, I sold cars monthly. In two weeks, I could count the number of Tokunbo cars I sold. “But now, we are in a deep mess. People no longer buy fairly used imported cars. They prefer Nigerian used cars, which are not even cheap. How fast things deteriorated is surprising.
“I have told my brother in Holland to stop sending cars because I am leaving this business. I want to relocate abroad because there are no options anymore in Nigeria.’’
Workers
To also survive the hard times, the College of Education Academic Staff Union, COEASU, directed its members to henceforth report to work for only two days a week.
The union, which explained that life has been unbearable with members, insisted that members can only work two days a week until the government meets its demand for salary adjustment.
The decision, according to a statement by COEASU National President, Smart Olugbeko, was taken at the extraordinary meeting of the national leadership of the union held on July 18, 2023.
According to the union, “The implementation of the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government two months ago raised the price of a litre of petrol by 250%.
“This worsened the inflationary rate on the cost of transportation, food and other essential commodities.
“It impoverished the Nigerian people.
‘The national leadership of our great union at its extraordinary meeting had agreed to direct its members to go to work two days weekly until government yields to its demand of 200 percent increase in salary.’’
The National Association of Nigerian Students(NANS) has called on President Bola Tinubu to, as a matter of urgency, prevail on the management of various federal universities in the country to jettison their plans to increase school fees and levies being paid by the students.
The students’ body warned that should this call be ignored and schools hike their fees and want to enforce implementation, the students would embark on nationwide protest and remain on the streets till their demand is met.
NANS made this call in a statement made available by its Public Relations Officer, Mr Giwa Temitope on Saturday.
According to NANS, the increment of school fees by the University of Lagos(UNILAG), Akoka, as announced on Friday, and the planned increment by other federal universities across the country and even for the federal government colleges, have shown that the current administration is insensitive to the plights of most Nigerians, who are going through difficult times.
The association said, “It is most ridiculous that government will be introducing fees increment without thinking of rescuing the over 133 million Nigerians out of multi-dimensional poverty they are in.
“To us, increment in school fees will complicate the poverty conditions of most parents and students and also increase the number of out-of-school children in the country.
“Before now, some students couldn’t afford the fees and various other levies and because of that, dropped out of school and what would now happen to students, who are sponsoring themselves and their parents, who have more than one child in school?
“As an association, we believe that the Nigerian government has what it takes to massively fund education and make it accessible if there is a political will.
“In fact, the student loan that was introduced by the Federal Government is nothing but a sham and a bait to lure Nigerian people into accepting increment in fees payment.
“Beyond the fact that the terms of the loan are ridiculous, history has taught us that not every applicant will be considered.
“And even if all were to be considered, that does not justify fees increment in an economy like ours with a high unemployment index.
“Now, rather than give us loans, government should give us grants and scholarships.
“Our demand therefore is clear and simple and that is to tell all schools with the decision to increase their fees to suspend such plan and those that have already announced theirs to reverse it with immediate effect.
“Otherwise, we will embark on an all-round protest that will last till the Federal Government reverses the policy.”
Today, it will be 40 days since the immediate past chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, has been in the custody of the State Security Service (SSS).
The embattled anti-graft czar, who has been languishing in the detention facility of the secret police in Abuja, popularly called “Yellow House” since June 14, was arrested by the operatives few hours after his suspension by President Bola Tinubu.
His house and office in the country’s capital were subsequently raided by the operatives of the SSS. Bawa celebrated Eid-el-kabir in the secret police net.
It would be recalled that the Director of Information, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Willie Bassey, via a statement, announced Bawa’s suspension, citing “weighty allegations of abuse of office levelled against him” as the main reason the president took the decision.
Since June 14, Bawa’s specific alleged offences have not been made public by his detainers and he is yet to be charged to court or arraigned for any trial, a development that has been faulted by many prominent Nigerians.
Earlier findings by Daily Trust on Sunday revealed that the suspended EFCC boss was picked up over his role in the cash crunch that shook the country early this year, as well as the agency’s faceoff with a former Zamfara State governor, Bello Matawalle.
Top sources who were familiar with the matter had confided in one of our correspondents that the investigation of the suspended apex bank governor, Godwin Emefiele, could not be unconnected with Bawa’s prolonged detention.
Speaking to Daily Trust on Sunday, lawyers, security experts, academics, among others, berated the SSS over the continued detention of the suspended anti-graft agency boss.
In an interview with one of our correspondents, a former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Ekiti State, Dayo Akinlaja, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), wondered why Bawa would be detained for so long without trial.
Continued incarceration against spirit of constitution – Lawyers
Akinlaja said the delay in the arraignment of the former EFCC boss in court was against the spirit of constitution, adding that the theory of fundamental human rights is not hidden or alien in our clime as it is part of our laws.
“However, there is a possibility that he might be detained in pursuant to a court order. As a matter of practice, security agencies have a way of obtaining ex parte court orders to enable such a prolonged detention in the guise of conducting investigations.
“Be that as it may, there is no disputing the fact that any long detention without arraignment in court is against the spirit of the constitution. To that extent, it is expected that he should be charged to court or otherwise released,” the senior advocate said.
Another lawyer, Tijani Ahmed, called on the general public and the media to put their searchlights on the custody of the secret police, saying there are many innocent Nigerians languishing in detention without arraignment in court just like Bawa, Emefiele and others.
According to him, the development defies the tenets of constitutional state.
“There are so many Nigerians languishing in the SSS custody, including Bawa. He may have abused the laws himself, but he cannot be there in perpetuity,” Ahmed argued.
In the same vein, an Abuja-based human rights lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, said it was “illegal” for the SSS to keep Bawa in detention without trial.
Olajengbesi said, “Without any contradiction, the continued detention of Bawa by the secret police for over three weeks now is unconstitutional and a breach of the fundamental rights of the detainee.
“Illegality cannot beget another illegality. The SSS should immediately release Bawa to rejoin his family members without further delay or charge him to court to face charges preferred against him by the federal government. Anything outside these two options is alien to law and won’t stand.”
Nigeria’s law enforcement remains analogue – Security expert
On his part, a security sector reform expert, Chukwuma Ume, bemoaned how law enforcement in the country had remained analogue, saying it is not proper to first arrest someone or a suspect before the commencement of any investigation.
According to him, it is only someone who wants to tamper with evidence that should be incarcerated, not someone like Bawa that has no access again to documents in the EFCC since the day he was suspended by the president.
“The SSS must have some documents from the court to keep him for that long. They won’t be that careless. There is no power that will allow you to keep somebody in detention for that long. Usually, they go to court, and they will get a magistrate to sign for them to be able to keep him for that long.
“Although this style is not only peculiar to Nigeria, it happens everywhere in the world. But it is something they do in connivance with the court. When they (SSS) go before a judge or magistrate, they will argue that they would need to keep more than what is stipulated in law. What is stipulated in law is 48 hours.
“The Act itself is also to the position of the fact that our law enforcement is still very analogue and crude. Usually, in the western world, before you are arrested they would have almost concluded their investigation.
“Here, it is after the arrest that they will start investigation, and in the process, they will infringe on the fundamental human rights of the person by keeping him longer than expected. If they take him to court, the court will also give him bail.
“If they go to court, they might have not prepared to start the case, so the judge would have no choice than to grant the person bail. Of course, his lawyers would argue for the bail,” Ume said in an interview with Daily Trust on Sunday.
‘It is a demonstration of naked power’
Speaking further, he said, “Having said that it is a failure of our law enforcement agencies, it is also important to say that it is a demonstration of naked power. It is also something you find where there is a rule of man, not a rule of law, because in other climes, it is supposed that his lawyer would go to court.
“They (secret police) would have gone through the backdoor to get power to keep him longer than expected. His (Bawa’s) detention is not necessary because if you have removed him from office as EFCC chairman, he is not going to tamper with the evidence.
“Definitely, they have removed him and he does not have access to the EFCC anymore for some pertinent files that he would destroy the case. So, why keeping him there for so long? If you grant him bail as expected rather than going to the magistrate or the judge to get the injunction to keep him, it doesn’t mean he would fly away. He has no hidden place. He is not going to run anywhere in the world that you cannot get to.
“If he runs to the United States or Dubai you can bring him back because you have security and defence pact or agreements with these countries. That’s where Interpol comes in. What is happening is just a show of power.”
SSS reacts
The spokesman of the SSS, Peter Afunanya, in an interview with one of our reporters, did not state the exact day Bawa would be arraigned in court.
Afunanya said, “All legal procedures are being diligently followed. We had assured of professionalism, justice and fairness in the matter in line with the tenets of the law.”
When Daily Trust on Sunday asked how long the former anti-graft czar would be kept in detention, the SSS spokesman declined further comment.
President’s lawyers say party, candidate labouring in vain
Alake, APC knock Atiku over anti-judiciary plot allegation
President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima have branded the final written address of Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi at the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) as a fiction, an expedition and a frolic of a sort.
They said, in their response to Obi’s final written address, that rather than prove the claims in his petition that he won the February 25 election, “the petitioners have been so busy and occupied milling around the worn out and obsolete subject of the contrived disqualification of the respondents.”
They also dismissed as untenable Obi’s call for a rerun between him and the PDP Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
Obi and his party, the respondents argued, even “have no locus standi to present a petition challenging the 2nd respondent (Tinubu) on the purported ground that he did not score 25 per cent of votes cast in the FCT, having been constitutionally barred and/or excluded from participating in any rerun election, in the unlikely event of the court making such an order, as Section 134(3(a) and (b) of the Constitution prohibits and excludes him from so-doing.”
Tinubu and Shettima’s response was filed on Friday by their lead counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN.
Olanipekun said that in the unlikely event of a rerun, Obi and the LP would be excluded on the strength of provision of Section 134(3)(a) and (b) of the Constitution.
That part of the Constitution reads: “In a default of a candidate duly elected in accordance with subsection (2) of this Section their shall be a second election in accordance with subsection (4) of this section at which the only candidate shall be *(a) the candidate who scored the highest number of votes at any election held in accordance with the said subsection (2) of this Section; and,
*(b) one among the remaining candidates who has a majority of votes in the highest number of states, so however that where there are more than one candidate with majority of votes in the highest number of states, the candidate among them with the highest total of votes cast at the election shall be the second candidate for the election.”
Obi and the LP had, in their petition, asked the court to order a rerun on the grounds that Tinubu did not score 25 per cent of votes in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Tinubu and Shettima, however, said in their reply to the final written address by Obi and the LP that the petitioners lack locus standi to present a petition challenging the 2nd respondent (Tinubu) on the purported ground that he did not score 25 per cent of votes cast in the FCT.
They said that even if a rerun was ordered, Obi can only vote and cannot be voted for, as the duel or contest will now be between the 2nd respondent and the person who scored “the next majority of votes in the highest number of states (19 states)” and who “also came second by plurality of votes,” that is Alhaji Abubakar Atiku.
Olanipekun said: “Borrowing the language of the Supreme Court in the celebrated case of Thomas v. Olufosoye (1986) 1 NWLR (Pt. 18) 669, the 2nd petitioner (Obi) is a meddlesome interloper, as he is presenting a case where he will derive no utilitarian value.”
The respondents urged the court to dismiss the petition on the grounds that not only did the petitioners fail to show that Obi won the election, they failed to prove their case with relevant evidence.
Their words:”The evidence presented by the petitioners themselves point to the fact that all the electioneering processes of accreditation, voting, sorting, counting, entry into the respective Form EC8As and manual transfer to the collation centres went smoothly.
“None of the witnesses called by the petitioners offered any scintilla of evidence to avail the court of the total number of votes that should be due to the petitioners, as a result of the non-electronic transmission of votes to the IREV, and the number of votes that have been unduly credited to the 2nd respondent, for the same reason.
“By the imperative of Section 135 (1) of the Electoral Act, the mere fact that results were not transmitted through the IREV cannot operate to ground an invalidation of an election. The hardcopy of the Form EC8A is the building block for any collation of results.
“By paragraph 93 of the Regulations, electronic copy is only relevant where the hardcopy of the form EC8A is not available at the collation centre, and that even in the absence of the electronic copy, recourse should be made to either the copy given to the party agent or police officers.”
They said that contrary to the petitioners’ claim that no glitches occurred during the transmission of results of the election to IREV, one of their expert witnesses (PW7) “admitted under cross examination by the respondents’ counsel that the Amazon Web Services (AWS) server has, in recent past, suffered numerous outages, including the ones of 28 February, 2017 and the over 27 others, as at 2021; admitting the possibility of other outages as, according to her, ‘anything is possible.’”
They further noted that “on the close of evidence, it has become glaring that none of the reliefs prayed for by the petitioners is grantable.”
Besides, the respondents said the petition should be dismissed on account of “clear manifestation and display of abandonment of the entire petition” by Obi and the LP in their final written address.
“Order 22 Rule 5 of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2019, which is applicable to the proceedings mandates that “a written address shall…contain…© the issues arising from the evidence for determination,” they said.
“From this simple grammatical provision of the rules, it is clear that the petitioners have not formulated any issue for determination capable of being considered or countenanced by this honourable court; and the court can also not consider their address without issues for determination being presented by them.
“Arising from the foregoing, this honourable court is urged, as respondents have done in their final address, to dismiss the petition, not only for the reasons and submissions contained in that address, but also for the clear manifestation and display of abandonment of the entire petition.”
The 2nd and 3rd respondents faulted the authorities cited and relied on by the petitioners, noting that they “are in the habit of citing cases and decisions which are against their contention, and more importantly, election cases, where the petitioners in the respective decisions lost out, from the trial courts, up to the Supreme Court.
“These cases include Faleke v. INEC, Buhari v. Obasanjo, Wada v. Bello, Oyetola v. INEC, Abubakar v. INEC, Oke v. Mimiko (supra), and a host of others.
“Deducible from this is that the petitioners, like the petitioners in these cases, expect that their petition be dismissed by this honourable court.”
For example, the 2nd and 3rd respondents referred to the case of Awolowo v. Shagari cited by the petitioners, “a case which supports the contention of the respondents, but is against every grain of the petitioners’ postulations.
“If one is inclined to even reason with their (the petitioners’) application of that case at all, then, it behoves us to draw the court’s attention to, and indeed, submit that should the petitioners insist on their strange legal construct, it smacks of mischief and inconsistency for them to place emphasis on one-quarter of the votes in the FCT, without reckoning 2/3 of the total valid votes in the FCT.
“Invariably, therefore, going by the petitioners’ advocated disjunctive interpretation, the court, with all respect, will need to first determine what 2/3 of the votes cast in the FCT is, before then determining what one-quarter of the said two-thirds is.
“Empirically put, therefore, by the Form EC8D for Abuja, before this honourable court, the total valid votes recorded in the FCT is 460071 votes; two-thirds of 460071 is 306714; one-quarter of two-thirds will, therefore be 76678.5 votes.
“The petitioners have deliberately refused to suggest this legal proposition which, in any event, is the natural import of their submission, because the 2nd respondent, by Exhibit RA20, scored 90,902 votes in the FCT, thereby exceeding the 76678.5 votes, which is the 1/4 of 2/3 of the total valid votes cast in the FCT.
“This was the approach taken by the Supreme Court in Awolowo v. Shagari (1979) NSCC 87 at 125, where Atanda Fatai-Williams, JSC. (as he then was), in the process of determining two-thirds of the entire states of the federation, after identifying the settled 12 states, established two-thirds of the total votes cast in Kano State, before proceeding to determine 1/4 of the said two-thirds.
“Curiously enough, in their entire presentation, at no point did the petitioners assert that they are the winners of the election; rather, they are asking the court to ‘discountenance the 2nd and 3rd respondents’ defence.’
“The petitioners have been so busy and occupied, milling around the worn out and obsolete subject of the contrived disqualification of the respondents.
“This is a further demonstration of the fact that their petition, at the very best, is an expedition, a frolic of a sort.
“The court is not a Father Christmas. Even a Father Christmas, with all his assumed generosity, only gives to those who stretch their hands, and despite the fact that he (Father Christmas) is masked, he feels their presence.
Law is not, has never been and will never be an appeal to sentiments and emotions, as the petitioners think or assume that sentiment is a route to persuading the court to give judgement in their favour,” Tinubu and Shettima said in further praying the court to dismiss the petition.
“With respect, the entire address, like the petition itself, is a fiction,” they said.