A former Kaduna federal lawmaker, Shehu Sani, has said the disclosure of his allowances and salary as a member of the National Assembly, years ago made him an enemy to his colleagues.

The chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said he was the first lawmaker in the history of Nigeria to disclose that N13.5m was paid as allowances and payments to federal legislators.

In a chat with The Punch, Sani said the revelation earned the anger and distrust of many of his colleagues then, who felt that he should not have disclosed such payment that ought to be kept a secret.

Sani said there were plans to punish and suspend him from the Senate, but it took the intervention of the then Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and his then deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, to stop the actions.

He stated that Saraki and Ekeremadu also stepped in to save the Senate because Nigerians would have stormed the National Assembly if he had been penalized and suspended.

He said: “Lawmakers at the National Assembly know that each time they go on a public holiday or recess, there is a certain amount of money that is credited to their accounts. This time, it would not have been controversial if it was done silently.

“I happened to be the first legislator in the history of Nigeria to disclose allowances and payments made to legislators, and I know it came with a price to me because I earned the anger and distrust of many of my colleagues, who felt that I was coming to the National Assembly and should not have unveiled such payment that ought to be done in secret. Well, I did so to clear my own conscience and to send a message to the whole country.

“My defence was that I didn’t say that all of you were getting N13.5m, and I just said that I had been receiving an alert of N13.5m and a salary of N720,000. So, if you are not receiving that, you can tell the world that you are not receiving that.

“But I became an enemy to many of them until later when time took over. I think Bukola Saraki, the then Senate President, saved me because I could have been penalised and suspended from the Senate at that time.

“That time, Saraki and (Ike) Ekweremadu stepped in to ensure that I wasn’t suspended. They also stepped in to save the Senate because if I had been penalised and suspended, Nigerians would have stormed the National Assembly. So, they allowed the matter.”

Sani said he did not regret his action, stressing that he went to the Senate as an activist who was one of those hammering on the humongous amount of money that is paid to legislators.

He added: “I am so happy to have done it. If I had not done it, my conscience would have pricked me forever. I didn’t go to the Senate as a politician; I went there as an activist who went into politics and couldn’t have imagined myself collecting such a humongous amount without saying anything.

“Before I went to the Senate, I was one of those hammering on the humongous amount of money that is paid to legislators, and I found myself receiving that humongous amount. I thought of it as an activist; what would I have become if I had left the Senate without disclosing what I was earning while at the National Assembly? I would have been simply termed a hypocrite.”

There are indications that commercial banks and merchant banks are increasingly depending on the Central Bank of Nigeria for liquidity as their borrowing from the apex bank has intensified in the last eight months of 2023.

Aside from August 2023 ending this week, commercial banks and merchant banks borrowed a total of N12.46tn from the CBN during the first eight months of this year, according to the CBN data accessed by our correspondent.

The financial institutions had in the first eight months of 2022 borrowed N6.96tn from the central bank, representing an increase of 79 per cent.

Commercial banks and merchant banks access lending from the apex bank using the Standing Lending Facility (SLF) window and deposit cash with the apex bank using the Standing Deposit Facility window(SDF).

According to findings, banks during the first eight months of 2023 accessed the SLF window against the backdrop of CBN’s tightening monetary policy stance.

The apex banking regulating body has the SLF, a short-term lending window for commercial banks and merchant banks, to access liquidity to run their day-to-day business operations.

The CBN data obtained by The PUNCH revealed that between January and June this year, commercial banks and merchant banks borrowed N10.25tn from the CBN via the SLF window, an increase of 138 per cent Year-on-Year (YoY) from N4.3tn borrowed during the corresponding period of H1 2022.

The CBN data showed that the first quarter figure, which stood at N4.95tn, was higher than the half-year data for 2022.

The monthly breakdown revealed that commercial banks and merchant banks in January borrowed N528.16bn from the CBN but the figure dropped to N453.7bn in February 2023.

In March, it rose significantly by 776.22per cent to N3.98tn, the second highest after the N4.47tn recorded in April 2023.

However, the CBN data showed a N590.29bn and N235.06bn borrowing for May and June 2023.

In addition, SLF’s figure stood at N908.43bn in July and N1.3tn in August.

Commenting on the development, a former Director-General of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dr, Muda Yusuf, said, “This is a reflection of liquidity pressure some of the banks are going through. The facility is typically short term. This may not necessarily indicate that the banks are stressed or unstable. Meanwhile, the recapitalisation of banks is long overdue. The minimum capital requirements of N25 billion is no longer adequate, if discounted for inflation.”

A financial expert at Chapel Hill Denham, Tajudeen Ibrahim, said, “The development points to lack of liquidity on the part of banks. Monetary policy has been tightening and this has led to low liquidity. It is cheaper for banks to borrow from the CBN. This development is not positive but negative. We cannot continue to tighten because it will reflect of economic growth.

The 2023 governorship candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Benue State, Professor Bem Angwe, has said he does not want to be a member of the opposition party again.

Angwe, who was the NNPP’s former National Legal Adviser, made this known in a statement on Sunday in Markurdi, the Benue State capital.

The NNPP chieftain said he resigned as a member due to the recent unfortunate crisis and the confusion that has engulfed the party at all levels, among other reasons.

The former Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said he plans to resume his academic activities and involvement in the protection of human rights in the country.

Angwe, therefore, appreciated all the party executives and members who believed and stood by him during the 2023 gubernatorial election in Benue.

He said: “Considering the recent unfortunate crisis and the confusion that has engulfed the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) at all levels and in accordance with the NNPP Constitution 2022 (as amended), I, on this day of 26th August 2023, withdrew my membership of the NNPP.

“For the avoidance of doubt, I have communicated the notice of my NNPP membership withdrawal to the party Chairman of the Mbatyu NNPP Ward Executive Committee in Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State.

“I wish to express my special appreciation to my Ward, LGA and State party Executive members, other party members, supporters and all my well-wishers throughout Benue State and Nigeria as a whole for the great support they accorded me while I was in the party and during my Governorship campaigns as a Gubernatorial Candidate on the platform of the party.”

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to overturn the ban of 25 media outfits from Aso Rock.

SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, August 27, 2023.

The socio-economic group was reacting to the withdrawal of 25 journalists’ accreditation from covering the activities of the President.

According to the group, the ban include those from the Vanguard, Galaxy TV, Ben TV, MITV, ITV Abuja, PromptNews, ONTV, and Liberty.

SERAP urged Tinubu to publicly instruct officials at the Presidential Villa to reverse the ban.

In the letter dated 26 August 2023, the organisation said, “Barring these journalists and media houses from covering the presidential villa is to prevent them from carrying out their legitimate constitutional responsibility.”

“Your administration cannot with one broad stroke ban journalists from covering public functions. Citizens’ access to information and participation would mean little if journalists and media houses are denied access to the seat of government.

“Media freedom is a cornerstone of Nigeria’s democracy and journalists must be able to hold the government to account. This is a matter of public interest. The government cannot cherry-pick journalists to cover its activities.”

The letter further read, “We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 48 hours of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel your government to comply with our request in the public interest.”

“Nigerians may consider the expulsion of the journalists from the presidential villa as your government’s ambivalence towards media freedom, and citizens’ rights of access to information and participation in their own government.”

“The legal obligations imposed on your government to ensure and uphold media freedom and human rights, and facilitate public access to the presidential villa as a public trust outweigh any purported ‘security concerns and overcrowding of the press gallery area.”

“Media freedom, access to information and citizens’ participation in the affairs of their own government are the sine qua non of a democratic and rule of law-based society.”

“According to our information, your administration on 18 August 2023 withdrew the accreditation tags of some 25 journalists and media houses from covering activities at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.”

“The banned journalists reportedly include those from Vanguard newspaper; Galaxy TV; Ben TV; MITV; ITV Abuja; PromptNews, ONTV, and Liberty. Other media personnel affected by the withdrawal are mostly reporters and cameramen from broadcast, print, and online media outlets.”

“The affected journalists were simply told at the main gate of the presidential villa to submit their accreditation tags.”

“SERAP is concerned that the withdrawal of the accreditations of 25 journalists covering the presidential villa is a grave violation of the Nigerian Constitution and the country’s international human rights obligations.”

“SERAP also urges you to take meaningful and effective steps to ensure respect for the rights to media freedom, access to information and citizens’ right to participate in their own government.”

Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu has pledged his loyalty to his principal, Godwin Obaseki despite the rift between them.

He, however, noted that loyalty has nothing to do with his ambition to become the governor of Edo state.

Shaibu who spoke on Sunday at the 32nd anniversary of Edo State, held at the New Festival Hall, Government House, Benin City, Edo State, described the governor as his elder brother.

This is coming following weeks of dispute between the governor and his deputy. The deputy had gone to a Federal High Court in Abuja and obtained an injunction to stop the governor and state assembly from plots to impeach him.

Obaseki on his part had expressed shock at his deputy’s action and accused him of plotting a coup against him.

Shaibu, however, said, “My loyalty to the governor remains absolute. I see that everybody is in solidarity. I am also in solidarity with the governor. I am also declaring my unalloyed loyalty to the governor and nothing more.”

“As for the issues that are around town when I was away, I really would not want to talk about them, especially about the governor. He is my elder brother and boss and I don’t think I should talk about anything.

“And if I have issues with him, I think it is better settled at home and not in the media. I am well brought up.

“I can tell you that from my Christian background if you make a vow with God that you want to do something, you must fulfill it. And the vow I have taken with God is that I will continue to support Godwin Obaseki as the governor of Edo State from the beginning to the end.

“But that does not stop anything that has to do with ambition. Ambition is personal and it does not affect loyalty. My loyalty to the governor remains absolute. I see that everybody is doing solidarity. I am also in solidarity with the governor. I am also declaring my unalloyed solidarity and loyalty to the governor and nothing more.”

Few hours after a statement personally signed by her stating that she has acted within the law for being a minister while still observing her mandatory one year national youth service, Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, has disowned the statement.

A terse statement released by Suleiman Haruna, who’s the Deputy Director, Press at the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation said the Minister has not authorised any statement.

A statement earlier issued and signed by her noted that, “In a decided case before a Federal High Court Abuja in 2021, Justice Taiwo Taiwo ruled that the Constitution of Nigeria, which is the grundnorm, does not require anyone to even present a first-degree certificate or any other certificate, including the NYSC certificate to be appointed a Minister in Nigeria.”

She had frowned at what she called a barrage of attacks on her person stressing that, “I decided to participate in the current NYSC programme in fulfilment of my own personal commitment and out of sense of duty which I am proud of.

But in a fresh statement authored by Haruna titled STATEMENT FROM BARR. HANNATU MUSA MUSAWA, HON. MINISTER OF ART, CULTURE AND CREATIVE ECONOMY, it clarified that “The piece is inaccurately associated with her in relation to the current NYSC discussion.”

The statement read in part, “The Minister clarifies that she has not released any official statement regarding the aforementioned matter and kindly asks the public to be cautious of unverified information.”

The statement added that she deeply values and appreciates “the support, solidarity, and understanding of Nigerians in these times.

“For clarity, I wish to state that I have not issued any statement on the current issue,” the statement quoting the Minister said.

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, has sarcastically extolled the educational ingenuity of President Bola Tinubu.

This is coming amid the latest waves of controversies that dog Tinubu’s academic records at Chicago State University (CSU), United States.

The issue is currently a subject of litigation after the former Vice President approached a U.S. court for an injunction to compelling CSU to release the academic records of Tinubu.

Tinubu’s credentials show that he graduated from CSU in 1979 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, accounting and management.

However, there are obvious discrepancies in the certificate that Tinubu submitted to INEC and another one from CSU which showed that the gender of the person that attended the university was female. The year of graduation and date of birth were also different from the one being paraded by Tinubu.

Tinubu on Thursday, however, said the disparities in the two certificates were due to mistakes made by an unnamed clerk who issued them.

Taking to his Twitter account on Sunday, Atiku wondered how President Tinubu attended Chicago State University without primary and secondary education.

He said Tinubu must have been a genius to achieve such an academic feat. He called on Nigerians to help him unravel the Tinubu’s conundrum.

Atiku wrote, “I woke up this morning wondering how we got to this cul de sac. In 1999, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu claimed he attended St. John’s Primary School, Aroloya, Lagos, before proceeding to Children Home School in Ibadan.

“According to him, his next port of call in his educational journey was Government College Ibadan and, Richard Daley College and Chicago State University in the United States.

“Curiously, in 2023, Tinubu settled with attending only Chicago State University. I am scratching my head. How is that possible? Methinks that all well-meaning Nigerians should be as confused as I am with Tinubu’s declaration that he had no primary and secondary education, yet he has a university degree. You may wish to #AskTinubu how he attained this feat so that we can learn from his ingenuity.”

The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has lifted the suspension order slammed on the Lagos state chairman of the union, Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya (MC Oluomo) and other members by former president of the union, Alhaji Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa.

The newly inaugurated National President of the union, Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede, lifted the suspension order in an inaugural address in Abuja.

He explained that one of the problems created by the former administration of Alhaji Baruwa was the arbitrary suspension and expulsion of members he considered his enemies.

“One of the main problems created by Baruwa was the arbitrary suspension and expulsion of members perceived as his enemies. Through this, he destroyed the union, especially in the southwest. So, I, Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede, on behalf of other members of my executive, leaders and members of our union throughout the country, hereby lift the illegal suspension of our esteemed members throughout the country.

“Of particular concern is the suspension of Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya, the Lagos state chairman of f our union. He was unfairly treated by Alhaji Baruwa. It was a pure case of misuse of power . We hereby appeal to Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya to come back home. NURTW is one big family and that is where you belong”

Alhaji Agbede stated that he would try and ensure that all the State councils of the union currently under the state owned Park and Garages Committee return back to NURTW.

” By the special grace of God, we shall be meeting all the governors in southwest for discussion on how to work together. We will cooperate with them in Oyo, Ogun,Osun, Lagos,Ondo and Ekiti to get our union back on track. It is a new dawn in NURTW”.

On other plans, he said the union under his leadership will work closely with the federal government to ensure that people get benefit from government programs.

” I have worked with Asiwaju Bola Tinubu before and it was beneficial so now that we are both at the national level we shall replicate some things we did in Lagos. For instance, we took part in the success story of BRT program and some of LAMATA projects. We shall replicate the same thing at the federal level.”

President Bola Tinubu says servicing Nigeria’s external debt with 90 percent of the country’s revenue is not sustainable.

Tinubu made the comment on Sunday in Abuja while declaring open the annual conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

On May 19, 2023, KPMG projected that Nigeria’s debt service-to-revenue ratio may exceed 100 percent this year. The Debt Management Office (DMO) later pegged the figure at 73.5 percent, describing it as unsustainable and a threat.

Prior to these projections, Nigeria had spent 80.6 percent of its revenue on debts serving with the hope that it would plunge to 60 percent this year.

Speaking at the conference, the president described the high debt service-to-revenue ratio as “a path to destruction”.

He stated that the prosperity Nigerians require will only occur once the society is rid of poverty — with the cooperation of the country’s private sector leaders.

“Can we continue to service external debts with 90% of our revenue? It is a path to destruction. It is not sustainable,” Ajuri Ngelale, the president’s media adviser, quoted Tinubu as saying in a statement.

“We must make the very difficult changes that are necessary for our country to get up from slumber and be respected among the great nations of the world.

“We cannot have the country we desire without the reforms we have initiated. It is painful at the beginning, in the short and medium term, but we must do what we have to do to take this nation to its great destiny. It is not about you and it is not about me. It is about our generations yet unborn, for whom we must bequeath a great and prosperous country.”

Tinubu also gave assurances of his commitment to dealing with the issue of remuneration for judicial officers and legal practitioners, stating that “true justice reform must begin with world-class salaries and benefits for legal professionals in Nigeria”.

He said Nigerians complain a lot about the past instead of changing their attitude and working with determination.

“You are learned. I want to learn. Why are we so blessed and we are still lacking? We must have a change of attitude and a change of our mindset. We accuse our nation and its previous leaders. We complain a lot of the past. Is that the solution? No! Let us look forward and be determined!” the president said.

The conference, themed, ‘Getting it Right: Charting the Course for Nigeria’s Nation-Building’, had over 16,000 lawyers in attendance.

Those present at the event include Lateef Fagbemi, attorney-general of the federation; Femi Gbajabiamila, chief of staff to the president; Nyesom Wike, minister for the federal capital territory.

Others are John Enoh, minister of sports; Boss Mustapha, former secretary to the government of the federation, and other senior government officials.

Godwin Obaseki, governor of the state, says he won’t stop speaking truth to power no matter whose ox is gored.

This is as he said that federal government wants to drown out his voice with its cacophony of deceit over his position on the fuel subsidy removal.

Recall that Obaseki had expressed shock at the seeming lack of plan by the administration of President Bola Tinubu for post-subsidy removal.

Responding to this, Mohammed Idris, minister of information and national orientation, said the federal government understands the difficulty Nigerians are facing following the petrol subsidy removal.

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The minister added that Obaseki was trying to shift focus away from his “poor performance” at state level and also claimed that the governor was absent in NEC meetings under the current administration.

In a statement on Sunday, Chris Nehikhare, the Edo commissioner for communication and orientation, the Edo government said it was unfortunate that the federal government wants to gag Obaseki over his opinion on subsidy.

Nehikhare described the minister’s claim as “blatantly false”, and that records are available to show that the governor was not absent at these meetings.

“It is unfortunate and sad that the federal government now wants to gag citizens and even a popularly elected governor from speaking truth to power and expressing himself in the light of the perilous times we have fallen into,” the commissioner said.

“The claim that governor Godwin Obaseki failed to attend the National Economic Council (NEC) meetings is blatantly false. The governor has attended all NEC meetings since the onset of this administration and records are there to prove this fact.

“The area where the minister may be referring to as non-performance should be the condition of the extensive federal roads running through the state, which the federal government has abandoned and even prevented us from intervening to repair claiming that contracts for their repairs have been awarded.”

The commissioner cited the recent achievements of the state in areas of education, agriculture and technology, adding that records of Edo state government’s performance are available for Nigerians to verify.