President Alassane Ouattara of Ivory Coast, has given his voice on the coup in Niger Republic, saying the declaration of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS to deploy a standby force is not Nigeria against Niger, but ECOWAS against Niger.

President Ouattara made this submission while addressing newsmen after the ECOWAS Extraordinary Meeting in Abuja on Thursday.

He said, “As you are aware that ECOWAS has taken many decisions in the past legal and factual about coup d’etat and the community has always condemned coup d’etat.

“The coup d’etat has affected many countries in the sub-region ECOWAS in the past in Liberia, Sierra Leone, recently in Gambia, in Guinea Bissau and today we have a similar situation in Niger. I would like to say that ECOWAS cannot accept this. This is not a matter of Nigeria against Niger, not at all.

“The decision that we have made today and I hope it won’t be implemented immediately is a decision of ECOWAS. All the Head of States think that we’ve tried to dialogue [with the military junta] We’ve sent delegation, high personalities like former president Abdusalami Abubakar, the sultan of Sokoto, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and many other persona;ities in this important country to talk to the people of Niger,” he said.

President Ouattara further said, “However, they are keeping president Bazoum as a hostage. I personally consider this a terrorist act and we cannot let this continue, we have to act.

“The position of Cote D’ivoire which has been endorsed by all heads of states is that we have been able to tell this coupist that their place is in the barracks, they should go to fight a terrorist, and not try to kidnap a democratically elected president.

“So we believe that this is for the credibility of ECOWAS, all of us are concerned and involved in this decision,” he said.

Recall that ECOWAS, on Thursday, ordered its standby force to restore constitutional order in NIger Republic.

The President of ECOWAS, Omar Alieu Touray made the declaration while reading the resolution of ECOWAS on the Niger coup at the ECOWAS Extraordinary meeting in Abuja on Thursday.

It also called on the African Union, AU, partner countries and institutions to support the resolution taken by the sub-regional body.

ECOWAS said all efforts made to dialogue with Niger Republic military junta have been defiantly rejected by coup leaders as they condemn continuous detention of President Mohamed Bazoum and his family members.

The resolution partly reads, “Direct the committee of the Chief of Defence Staff to activate the ECOWAS stand-by force with all its elements immediately.

“Order the deployment of the ECOWAS stand-by force to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger.

“Underscore its continued commitment to the restoration of constitutional order through peaceful means.”

The details of any eventual military deployment by ECOWAS states and its impact on Niger were not immediately clear.

“All is not lost yet” for a “peaceful solution, as a roadmap to restore democracy and stability”, said Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, who chaired the crisis meeting.

But he added, “No option is taken off the table, including the use of force as a last resort.

“If we don’t do it, no one else will do it for us.”

Before the closed-door talks, Tinubu had insisted that “we prioritise diplomatic negotiations and dialogue as the bedrock of our approach.”

The Central Bank of Nigeria has increased the number of accredited cheque printers and personalisers in Nigeria, a move to promote efficient payment and settlement system.

The apex bank made the disclosure in a circular with reference number: BKS/SCO/CON/001/002, seen by THE WHISTLER. The circular was signed by the Director of Banking Services Department, Sam Okejere.

The circular said, “In furtherance of its mandate to ensure an efficient Payment and Settlement System, the Central Bank of Nigeria, in collaboration with the MICR Technical Implementation Committee, conducted the re-accreditation of Cheques Printers and Cheque Personalisers in line with the NICPAS qualification criteria.

Seven banks received approval as cheque personalisers and they include Zenith Bank Plc, Ecobank Plc, Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, First Bank Ltd, Keystone Bank Ltd, Wema Bank Plc and Providus Bank Ltd.

The number of printers and personalizer rose from four to six.

They include, Superflux International Limited, Tripple Gee and Company, Yaliam Press Limited, Marvelous Mike Press, KAS Arts Services Limited and Papi Printing Company Ltd.

As of May, THE WHISTLER reports that KAS Arts Services Limited and Papi Printing Company Ltd were not part of the list.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has threatened to prosecute skit and film-makers caught using the agency’s uniform and kits without approval.

This was disclosed by the General Manager of LASTMA, Bolaji Oreagba, on Friday, according to a statement by the Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of the agency, Adebayo Taofiq.

Oreagba frowned at the demeaning manner in which movie and skit makers portray LASTMA in their movies and skits, as well as the way they use the agency’s uniform without recourse to Section 79 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015 which criminalize such unauthorized use.

According to Oreagba “film or skit makers who portray as LASTMA Officer without applying for, and being duly issued a permit letter for such portrayals, to desist with immediate effect or face the full wrath of the Law.”

He believes that such sanity in movies production, regulation of possession and usage of LASTMA uniform will curb the proliferation of the agency’s kits, uniforms and accoutrements in the state.

Oreagba also pleaded with the National Association of Nigeria Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTA) and other affiliated bodies to warn their members against unauthorized use of the agency’s uniform.

“We implore National Association of Nigeria Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTA) and other affliated bodies to warn their members as anyone caught using LASTMA Uniform without an approved permit would be prosecuted,” he added.

The acting Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Folashodun Shonubi has blamed the continuous of fall of Naira against Dollars on unofficial diaspora remittances.

Folashodun Shonubi disclosed this on Thursday, August 10, while presenting a Distinguished Personality lecture titled: “Diaspora Remittances and Nigeria Economic Development” at the National Institute for Security Studies, Abuja, for members of Executive Intelligence Management Course (EIMC) 16.

The acting Governor of the apex bank claimed that many diaspora remittances which come in Dollars are not recorded officially before moving to black or parallel markets.

Shonubi said;

“With those remittances, the dollars have come in, we know the dollars have come in but we don’t see them in the official system. So, they must be going somewhere and somewhere.

“And the challenge with the black market, unofficial market or parallel market or whatever name you want to call it, it is as a result that it is not regulated, and it becomes an easy place to have criminal activities.

“We investigate bankers, not just bankers, anybody who has committed an offence, the first thing they want to do is to run to the black markets, change it to the dollars because it is less money to carry around.

“Some of the funding in the black markets are actually from diaspora remittances. That’s why it important we need to know a lot of what’s going on there. We can’t play the sentiment game. If we don’t understand the dynamics, we usually go with the literature which does not necessarily work for us.”

Shonubi who also stated that many countries have remittances as the major source of dollars or income, added that it would be helpful if measures can be put in place to control illegal remittances and identify these channels so as to ensure remittance flows into the proper channels, and harness maximum benefits to grow the economy.

He said;

“We have countries that earn about 1.5 million dollars in remittances. Everywhere, any place you go even in developed countries such as India, China among others.

“We intend to use more of the banking system to, sending money to Sub-Saharan Africa cost highest because we don’t have masses. It would be helpful if we can work together to identify these channels because we just want the flows into the proper channels, there we can get maximum benefits to grow the economy.

“We talk about black markets, that also creates its own problems. Management of foreign exchange market and the efficacy of our policies to manage the exchange rate becomes difficult due to the insignificance of our diaspora remittances which are going to other markets.

“Today, someone called me privately that and said this thing (Naira) has gone up to some levels in the black markets, my question was, what do you want me to do? Do I operate in the black markets? I don’t know the basis of pricing in the black markets.

“The other thing people don’t realise is that, because you don’t have full information, and I will give you an example since we started I&E window. We found out that some people would deliberately wait to the last minute and do one transaction of $5,000 and that becomes the closing rate.

“We can’t do without diaspora remittances. For many countries, that’s their main source of income.”

This is coming after the Naira plunged to a record low of N910/$1 on the parallel market on Wednesday as demand for foreign currency outstripped supply.

A middle-aged man, Theophilus Ayodeji Obayan, has dragged his estranged wife before a Grade ‘A’ Customary Court sitting in Oke-Eda Akure, Ondo State, for changing their children’s surname to that of her new lover.

Obayan approached the court on Thursday, August 10, 2023, seeking dissolution of his 23-year-old marriage with his wife, Chibuzor Lillian Obayan and custody of their four children.

“My lord, my marriage from onset was characterized with crises, abuse, disobedience, misunderstanding, lies, manipulation, hate and rage,” he narrated.

"I married Lilian in the year 2000 and we have four children. I am a Yoruba, while my wife is of Igbo tribe. I have suffered a lot in the hands of her family because they don’t love me, but I’ve been enduring

“Lilian packed her belongings out of my house to another man’s house in 2019 and went to change her name, including my children’s surname to the name of the Igbo man she’s engaged to,”

The petitioner told the court that his estranged wife did not allow him gain access to his children since she packed out of his house.

He, therefore, prayed the court to dissolve the marriage and grant him custody of the four children, asking the court to order her to change their names back to his.

In her defence, Lilian who countered the petitioner’s claims, said her husband was grossly irresponsible.

“My lord, life was not easy for me over the years we have been together. In fact, Obayan derived pleasure in always molesting and beating me to the extent that I sustained body fractures," the respondent told the court.

"Obayan is not a good husband to me and good father to his children, as he doesn’t pay their school fees nor care about how they are living.

"He didn’t pay my dowry. So, I finally found a man to marry. And my new love wants my children to bear his name instead of that of their irresponsible father

"Our children are old enough to choose for themselves as they are no longer kids. My first two girls, Mayomi and Damilola are 22 and 20 years old, while the boys, Ariyo and Aduragbemi are 18 and 16 years old respectively.”

Lilian added that she was in court with witnesses to establish whether or not there was a traditional marriage between her and the petitioner.

She, therefore, urged the court to dissolve the union, saying she was done with Obayan since he did not pay her dowry.

In his ruling, President of the court, Magistrate Olusegun Rotiba, urged the parties to allow peace to reign between them.

He adjourned the matter till September 28, 2023, for continuation and adoption of oral addresses or probably judgment.

Former President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, has been released again from prison.

Naija News understands that Zuma appeared at the Estcourt correctional facility on Friday morning and was released under a remission process.

This is coming after the constitutional court last month rejected an attempt to overturn a decision by a lower court that found Zuma’s earlier release on medical parole unlawful.

The Supreme Court of Appeal in South Africa had months ago ordered the former president back to prison.

The apex court directed Zuma to finish his sentence for contempt of court.

Recall that Zuma’s initial arrest two years ago led to violent protests across South Africa that saw over 300 people killed.

Zuma, 81, was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment for defying a court order to participate in a corruption inquiry into high-level corruption during his nine-year tenure as president.

He, however, handed himself over to authorities in July 2021 but was released on medical parole due to ill health two months later.

The former president has since denied all corruption allegations against him

000 PREAMBLE.

The Afenifere held its regular monthly Meeting today, 8^thday of August 2023, at the Isanya Ogbo Ogun State, country home of our Leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo who presided over the Meeting which was attended by delegates from the member states of the Organisation.

After intensive deliberations on the state of the Nigerian Federation, the Meeting observed and Resolved as follows:

2.00 AFENIFERE AND THE NIGERIAN FEDERATION.

2.01 MEETING affirmed and reiterated the historic position of Afenifere as a political group and the rallying platform for social welfarist progressive ideals inexorably  committed to the greatest good of the greatest number of Nigerians and invariably the conscience of the Nigerian state.

2.02 Recalled that when Nigeria at infancy was in the wilderness and even colonialist Britain in search of the requisite political structure that best suited its vast, diverse and polyglot territory, Afenifere founding fathers provided federalism as the veritable  compass and path to freedom, peace and progress of the emerging giant of Africa.

2.03 Through thick and thin even in the days of military dictatorship, the voice of Afenifere not only resonated in the wilderness but courageously led from the front that the way of the federation be kept straight and back to democracy and true federalism.

2.04 Our founding fathers did not see being in the opposition as a hindrance but a veritable tool to doing good in the interests of the people.  

2.05  Thus as Nigerians eagerly await the courts for the fearless and just determination of the true holder of their sacred mandate, Afenifere is further resolved that no person or group of persons shall hold the reins of power, even for one day, except in the proven interest of Nigeria in their peaceful, prosperous and harmonious diversity.

2.06 That the current comedy of errors in the governance of Nigeria is unprecedented and calls for so much concerns of all compatriots that silence may be inadvertently interpreted as complicity, which is not in the character of Afenifere.

3.00 ECOWAS INTERVENTION IN THE AFFAIRS OF NIGER REPUBLIC AND NIGERIA’S INTEREST.

3.01 Meeting reiterated the abhorrence of the Afenifere to any undemocratic access to power either through the barrels of the gun or electoral brigandage. We hold it as evidently true that military coup and any form of subversion of the constitution and the electoral process as a means of access to power are equal and mutually antithetical to democracy.

3.02 Afenifere condemned unreservedly, the currently  military takeover of the Government of the Republic of Niger and declared that there is no justifiable reason for such an undemocratic act.

3.03 That in the same manner in which the removal of oil subsidy was announced and currently plunged the nation into a myriad of socioeconomic problems, the cavalier and hasty decision by the ECOWAS to intervene in the internal affairs of Niger not excluding the possibility of the military option,  has further submerged Nigeria in needless crises affecting the socio-economic fabric of the nation.

3.04 That while Afenifere believes that Nigeria cannot afford stand aloof on matters affecting the  stability and peace of the West African sub-region, nay Africa, it owes   overriding duty to the national interests of Nigeria and her citizens.  

3.05  That Nigeria and Niger are not only culturally interrelated but also socioeconomically interdependent. Thus any armed conflict in  Niger will have harmful effects on Nigeria.

3.06 That Nigeria can ill-afford the price of war in Niger with costs in money, materials and men and collateral damage to the ancient and sustained relationships between our countries.

3.07 That without much ado, Afenifere calls on the ECOWAS to adopt the option of diplomacy in dealing with the issue in the Republic of Niger.

3.08 Afenifere strongly urged the Nigerien military to see the illegality and futility of usurping the sovereignty of the people of Niger to democratically decide who rules them and immediately return to the path of constitutionality which restricts their duty to the defence of the territorial integrity of the Nigerien state.

4.00 APPOINTMENT OF 48 MINISTERS AND AUSTERITY MEASURES.

4.01 Afenifere condemns as most unconscionable that a government pleading for  understanding and sacrifices from the people, aftermath of a sudden and harsh removal of petrol subsidy and other cowboy economic policies, would present such unprecedented humongous list of 48 ministers and other such appointments for political appeasement in search of legitimacy.

4.02 Afenifere noted that it is most bizarre that the overwhelming majority of Nigerians whose daily preoccupation is how to eke a living and sometimes lay their heads wherever their tired limbs are bended are subjected to the spectacle of opulence and irresponsibility by their political leaders.

4.03 That it is painful that Nigerians are saddled with a parliament that is powerless in the face of this executive rascality the likes that makes the hapless people see  no difference and jump on the streets singing praises of unconstitutional power adventurers.

4.04 That this interim period in the political life of the country has further abysmally exposed the pretences and hypocrisy of those who have often paid lip service to progressive inclinations as rapacious power mongers without a thought for the people.

Dated and issued at Isanya Ogbo, this 8^th day of August 2023.

Chief Ayo Adebanjo

Leader

Chief Sola Ebiseni

Secretary General.

The former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has reportedly withdrawn his interest in President Bola Tinubu’s ministerial appointment.

Naija News learnt that El-Rufai lost interest in serving in President Tinubu’s cabinet after a meeting at the Presidential Villa on Tuesday.

Recall that El-Rufai visited the President a day after the Senate confirmed 45 ministerial nominees after a week-long screening and confirmation.

The upper legislative chamber, however, withheld his confirmation and those of two others, citing security reports from the State Security Service for the action.

The two others were a former senator from Taraba, Sani Danladi, and a nominee from Delta State, Stella Okotete.

A presidency source who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES revealed that El-Rufai was no longer interested in becoming a minister due to his current doctorate programme but would continue to contribute his quota to the development of Nigeria as a private citizen.

The sources said, “He also told the president that he needed time to focus on his doctorate programme at a university in The Netherlands.”

The former governor is studying for a doctorate in public policy at the United Nations University, Maastricht.

Another insider also told the publication that El-Rufai suggested a new ministerial nominee, Jafaru Ibrahim Sani, for Kaduna State, saying the President would find him helpful and resourceful.

Also, during the meeting, President Tinubu also told the former governor he received petitions critical to his ministerial nomination.

The President, however, demanded 24 hours of grace to review the petitions and the SSS report to the Senate to enable him to reach a decision.

At that point, El-Rufai responded that he was no longer interested in being a minister since it appeared some forces around the President were scheming intensely to block his emergence as federal minister.

Recall that El-Rufai disclosed during his confirmation hearing on 1 August that Tinubu asked him to work with him on the country’s power problem.

According to him, the President had given a target of seven years for Nigeria to stop experiencing power outages in the country.

Speaking on the development at the Tuesday meeting, El-Rufai reportedly told the President that since he would no longer be in the federal executive council, he would return with his team to present the preliminary work done so far on the energy sector.

The International Rights Group has sent a position letter to the ECOWAS leaders as they meet today 10 August 2023 on the Niger Republic Coup crisis in Abuja.

In a letter signed  by the lead counsel of the group Dr. Olukayode Ajulo expressed their concern over recent actions taken by ECOWAS.  Here is the full statement:

Statement of Position

We express our deep concern regarding the recent actions taken by ECOWAS, whose primary mandate is to ensure peace, economic benefits, and harmonious relationships among member states.

Specifically, we question the issuance of a 7-day ultimatum and the mention of military operations as an option in the current Niger coup crisis. Not only is the military option unpopular, but it is also an expensive endeavor with a historically low success rate of 15% and, in this instance, an expected success rate of 0% since the individual to be restored is already in the custody of the junta.

It is important to acknowledge that our armed forces are highly professional and have always been dedicated only to maintaining peace. We remember the days of ECOMOG with great pride.

While we condemn any form of insurrection or coup, however, we strongly urge the abandonment of the military intervention. Not only is it ineffective, expensive, and unpopular, but it will also result in unnecessary loss of lives and may be considered an act of aggression, violating numerous international charters, protocols, and declarations.

Specifically, such military intervention would contravene Articles 1, 5, 15, 16, 17, 21, 22, and 24 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights; Articles 1(2), 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, and 14 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; Articles 1, 3, 22, 23(3), 25(1), and 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948; Articles 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 of the Declaration on the Right to Development 1986; Articles 6, 15, 31, 63, and 64 of the Revised Treaty of the Economic Community of West African States; Article 10 of the Supplementary Protocol (A/SP.1/01/05) amending the Protocol (A/P.I/7/91) relating to the Community Court of Justice; and Articles 10(c), 22, 26, 27, 28, and 56 of the ECOWAS Protocol Relating to the Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution, Peacekeeping, and Security 1999.

Our decision to approach the Community Court of Justice of ECOWAS stems from our commitment to averting a potential World War III scenario, considering the interests of France, America, Russia, China, in Africa in the face of the present debacle.

We strongly implore the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS, as they convene today, to fulfill their obligations as outlined in Article 22(2) of the Protocol of the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, which we have invoked and brought to their attention.

Article 22(2) mandates that *’When a dispute is brought before the Court, member states or institutions of the Community shall refrain from any action likely to aggravate or militate against its settlement.”

We believe that the focus on military intervention should not overshadow the potential effectiveness of alternative measures, such as imposing economic sanctions and exerting political pressure on the current junta. These non-military actions can be powerful tools in addressing the Niger coup crisis.

This tale is not an unrivaled woe!

Viva Africa!