President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s interventions may have failed to ease the country’s worsening economic hardship in the first half of 2024 despite the government’s Renewed Hope Mantra.

Economists and financial experts disclosed this in separate interviews with DAILY POST.

President Tinubu, a former Lagos State Governor, who celebrated his first anniversary in office on May 29th, 2024, has not found it easy to give Nigerians a vista of hope.

The development comes on the back of the recent approval by the Federal Executive Council for the disbursement of N555 billion to 100,000 families, with N50,000 payment for three months.

Recall that in October 2023, the President also approved the ‘Conditional Cash Transfer’, under the now-suspended minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu.

The scheme, which comes under the $800 million in loan support from the World Bank, was launched on October 17, 2023, by President Bola Tinubu.

Also, as part of the fiscal measure, the federal government recently approved zero tariffs, excise duties, and Value Added Tax on specialized machinery, equipment and pharmaceutical raw materials to bolster local production of essential healthcare products.

Other fiscal measures include a $3.3 billion crude oil-backed prepayment facility from Afreximbank, $2.5 billion World Bank loans to bolster Nigeria’s foreign exchange supply, and efforts by the Presidential Tax and Fiscal Policy Committee to increase taxes.

Despite the interventions, Nigerians have continued to groan over the impact of headline and food inflation which rose to 33.95 percent and 40.66 percent in May, 2024.

The implication is that the purchasing power of Nigerians has dropped in the face of the increasing misery index.

Worse, Nigeria’s debt burden rose to N121.67 trillion at the end of March 2024.

In the 1Quarter of 2024, the country spent $1.12 billion for servicing foreign debt on N3.94 trillion generated revenue in the same period.

This is as Naira weakened to N1508.99 per dollar at the official market on Monday amid several policies announced by the Central Bank of Nigeria; the latest was the discontinuation of the Price Verification System Portal for importers.

Speaking to DAILY POST on Monday, financial expert and the Chief Executive Officer of SD & D Capital Management, Gbolade Idakolo said Tinubu’s policies in the referenced period have not helped to alleviate the hardship on Nigerians.

According to him, welfare policies by the federal and the state governments were yet to be felt by Nigerians.

“My major concern about these measures is the parameters being used to determine those eligible for those grants for three months.

“These welfare policies of the Federal and the state governments have been seen not to get to the intended beneficiaries and the aim is always defeated in the long run.

“I also believe that this measure would not address the hardships being faced by the very poor citizens that these policies are targeted to assist because of continuous high food inflation and skyrocketing cost of living.

“The fiscal policies of Tinubu’s government in the first half of the year has not helped to alleviate the hardship introduced by its monetary policies. This has led to the unbearable situation the country found itself,” he told DAILY POST.

However, Muda Yusuf, the director, Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, CPPE, said the government has carried out a lot of policies but more needs to be done that will impact the generality of Nigerians.

He urged that the government should roll out more fiscal interventions in the agro-allied industry, construction, Iron and steel, and mining sectors.

“There is a lot the government can do via the fiscal policy level. In terms of direct support to the farmers, it is better to do it directly than through the state governments. I think through that, there should be an impact in terms of food production. I hope the state government will commit to this with all sense of sincerity.

“The measure can help the supply side. I am aware that there are also plans to have similar interventions to the real sector.

“The real sector is responsible for Fiscal Policy measures rather than monetary policy. Fiscal policies are more potent in driving production”, he said.

Prof Godwin Oyedokun, a don at Lead City University in Ibadan, said the recent N555 billion cash disbursement approval is a significant fiscal measure aimed at addressing the inflation-induced hardship faced by many Nigerians.

Oyedokun, however, explained that injecting a large sum of money into the economy could exacerbate inflationary pressures if not accompanied by measures to increase supply and stabilize prices.

“The fiscal measures introduced by President Tinubu, including the N555 billion cash transfer program, demonstrate a proactive approach to addressing the immediate economic challenges faced by Nigerians.

“However, the success of these measures depends significantly on the coordination with monetary policies to manage inflation and ensure overall economic stability.

“A holistic approach, combining short-term relief with long-term economic reforms, is essential for addressing the underlying issues causing inflation-induced hardship and achieving sustainable growth,” he told DAILY POST.

[DailyPost]

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has launched a global learning management system integrated with Microsoft Teams.

According to the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the agency, Professor Charles Anosike, the platform will enhance its global opportunities as well as create a window of  collaboration with other reputable organisations.

He said the platform is aimed at significantly boosting capacity development among its personnel as well as driving the online interactive training arms of the agency.

Besides, Anosike said the integration of Microsoft Teams with the Learning management system will provide its personnel and learning institutes with a seamless and robust platform for collaborative training and development.

Continuing, Professor Anosike said the strategic move aligns with management’s commitment in  fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.

He said :” We are confident that the LMS will revolutionize our training programmes  and set a new standard for online learning within the agency and in extension to the public that are interested in gaining knowledge in respect to the products and services of NIMET.

“This move is also in line with the performance bond the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, signed with Aviation Agencies’ Heads and their Directors in February 2024. The development of human capacity is a key deliverable in the performance bond.”

[TheNation]

The United States crashed out of the Copa America on Monday after a 1-0 defeat to Uruguay, as Panama sealed their place in the quarter-finals with a 3-1 win over Bolivia.

The tournament hosts suffered an upset 2-1 defeat to Panama last week and went into Monday’s final Group C game at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City needing to match or better Panama’s result against Bolivia to advance.

But US coach Gregg Berhalter’s side never looked like doing enough to seriously threaten a well-drilled Uruguay who advance to the last eight as group winners.

“Just looking at the faces of the staff and the players, we’re bitterly disappointed with the results,” Berhalter said.

“We know that we’re capable of more and in this tournament we didn’t show it. It’s really as simple as that. We should have done better.

“We’ll do a review and figure out what went wrong, why it went wrong, but it’s an empty feeling right now for sure.”

USA captain Christian Pulisic blamed a lack of attacking quality.

“We had a good start and brought a lot of energy, but just didn’t have enough quality,” he said. “We just couldn’t find a solution.”

Hopes of a great escape for Berhalter’s men faded inside the first 30 minutes as news filtered through that Panama had taken a 1-0 lead against Bolivia in Orlando.

US hopes were revived early in the second half after Bolivia equalised, leaving the hosts on course for qualification, provided they continued to hold Uruguay.

Yet the US optimism was punctured just moments later when Uruguay took the lead in controversial circumstances through Mathias Olivera on 66 minutes.

– ‘Pretty crazy’ –

Ronald Araujo’s powerful header from Nicolas de la Cruz’s free-kick was parried away by US goalkeeper Matt Turner, but only into the path of Olivera, who tucked away the rebound.

Replays appeared to show that Olivera was offside when Araujo first made contact with the ball, but despite a lengthy VAR review, Peruvian referee Kevin Ortega ruled that the goal should stand.

“It’s pretty crazy,” Berhalter said. “I don’t understand it, I feel like I know the offside rule pretty well.

“It’s disappointing. It really is. But you know that that happens in football, and we have to live with it.”

The mathematics of qualification looked even more bleak for the US after news that Panama had scored again through Eduardo Guerrero to regain the lead at 2-1, and the final nail in the coffin came when Cesar Yanis added a third for Panama in stoppage time.

The USA’s first-round exit raises fresh questions about the future of Berhalter, who remains deeply unpopular amongst swathes of American fans.

Berhalter was only reappointed to the US job in June last year following a hiatus after leading the team to the 2022 World Cup.

The nature of Monday’s early exit is certain to reignite debate about whether he is the best man to lead the United States into the 2026 World Cup on home soil.

Failure to defeat Uruguay, 14th in the latest FIFA rankings, extends Berhalter’s poor record against top 20 teams.

Berhalter has just five wins in 20 matches against top-20 teams during his reign, and four of those victories came against regional rivals Mexico — who were also eliminated from the Copa in the first round.

That dismal sequence continued after a toothless attacking performance against Uruguay, where the US registered only three shots on goal in a misfiring offensive display.

Defender Antonee Robinson described the officiating as “amateur hour” but stressed responsibility for the defeat lay with the players.

“Just not enough quality in the final third,” Robinson said.

“At the end of the day we weren’t good enough to get the result today. This is on us.”

AFP

Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun has debunked reports alleging that he has been lobbying the National Assembly to tamper with the Nigeria Police Act 2020 to elongate his tenure, and year of service of personnel in the force.

Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi disclosed the IGP’s denial in a statement saying, “It is vital to clarify unequivocally that the bill was originally introduced during the 8th Assembly but did not progress beyond the initial stages before the Assembly’s dissolution.

“It is standard legislative practice to review and update laws to align with current national realities.”

The proposed amendment seeks to extend the years of service for police officers from 35 to 40 years, and the age limit from 60 to 65 years.

Adejobi said, “The Nigeria Police Force is deeply perturbed by the dissemination of false information across various media platforms, notably the distorted publication by online media, regarding the proposed amendment to the Nigeria Police Act 2020.

“The misleading publications alleged that IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun personally initiated this bill to prolong his tenure as the 22nd indigenous Inspector General of Police, and has allegedly invested significantly in lobbying lawmakers to facilitate its passage.

IGP Egbetokun decried a situation where certain media outlets and their sponsors have chosen to propagate baseless accusations, ignorantly disregarding the fact that any modification to existing legislation is designed to enhance its effectiveness and relevance.

The statement said “To understand the true motivations behind this initiative, one needs only look at the Inspector General of Police’s steadfast commitment to reforming the Nigeria Police Force.

“His advocacy for this bill stems from a genuine belief in its potential to improve the conditions of service for police officers and thereby bolster security nationwide, rather than seeking personal gain. It comes from the place of duty rather than benefit.

“Furthermore, it is important to note that the tenure of an Inspector General of Police is already prescribed as four years, with the President being the sole authority empowered to remove an IGP before the completion of his tenure”

Furthermore, the Nigeria Police Force called on the public to exercise caution and discernment when consuming information, particularly from sources known for sensationalism and unverified claims.

“Such misinformation not only misleads but also detracts from constructive dialogue and efforts towards meaningful police reform”, the Police said.

[Vanguard]

Gentlemen of the Press,

1. Good day and welcome to this important press conference at the Nigeria Customs Service Port Harcourt Area II Command, Onne. Today, we gather to inform you about the recent significant developments in our operations to secure our nation's borders and ensure public safety.
2. Gentlemen of the Press, you may recall that at a press briefing of this nature held recently at the Tin Can Island Port Lagos, I had disclosed attempts by criminal elements seeking to exploit our trade facilitation friendly posture to compromise our processes and procedures. With our robust Risk Management System, we have always remained a step ahead of their moves. When these attempts revolve around revenue generation, our automated audit systems at different level enable us to trace, track and recover the revenue. However, when efforts are geared towards creating actions that will produce irreversible consequences on national security, our alert level is elevated to match the threats posed to us.
3. And so it was the case with this 1X40 foot container MAEU165396, which originated from Turkey, and based on a number of risk factors, became a subject of interest. We had followed its sail across the Continents, as we benefitted immensely from credible information produced through our collaboration with the intelligence communities, both at the local, national and international levels.
4. Working within our local structures, we followed diligently as the Importer attempted to circumvent our procedure through the outlet of a Private Bonded Terminal.  Consequently, on Friday, 21 June 2024, the suspicious container was subjected to thorough physical examination. The examination result revealed the following alarming contents:
   1. Eight Hundred and Forty-Four (844) units of rifles
   2. One Hundred and Twelve Thousand, Five Hundred (112,500) pieces of live ammunition

The breakdown is as follows:

1. 764 units of Tomahawk Jojef Magnum Black Pump Action Rifles
2. 10 units of VC Verney Caron Gunmakers Jojef Magnum Silver Pump Action Rifles

• 50 units of VC Verney Caron Gunmaker Double Barrel Rifles

1. 20 units of VC Verney Caron Gunmaker Single Barrel Rifles
2. Exclusive Series, Sterling High-Quality Live Ammunition 34g - 25 Plastic Shotgun Shells (70MM)
3. The rifles and ammunition were concealed using various items such as doors, furniture, plumbing fittings, and leather bags. The duty-paid value of the container is Four Billion, One Hundred and Seventy-One Million, Seven Hundred and Ten Thousand Naira (₦4,171,710,000.00).
4. In connection with this, we have three suspects in our custody after securing a detention warrant from a competent court of justice. Furthermore, a thorough investigation is ongoing to ensure all those involved face the full wrath of the law.
5. In another development, our officers, through synergy, collaboration, and intelligence sharing, on Saturday, 29 June 2024, intercepted yet another 8x40-foot container transit to a bonded warehouse from Onne Port. The container numbers are TCKU6879285, CMAU5985012, CMAU7515384, CMAU4297020, SEKU5488437, BMOU4363156, MRKU4616024, and MRSU3068928. Upon examination, they were found to contain the following:
   Six containers laden with:
   1. 1,050,000 bottles of CSC Cough Syrup with Codeine (100ml)
   2. 3,500,000 tablets of Trodol Benzhexol Tablets (5mg)

• Duty-paid value: Nine Billion, Six Hundred Million Naira

          (₦9,600,000,000.00)

Two containers laden with:

1. 720 bales of used clothes
2. With Duty-paid value: ₦144,000,000.00

The total duty-paid value of the nine displayed containers is Thirteen Billion, Nine Hundred and Fifteen Million, Seven Hundred and Ten Thousand Naira (₦13,915,710,000.00).

8. In line with the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, the following decisions have been taken with respect to these containers:
9. The 40-footer container of evil, bearing 844 units of assorted Rifles and 112,500 pieces of live ammunition is hereby seized, alongside the other contents previously highlighted.
10. The items would be handed over to the Coordinator of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, under the office of the National Security Adviser for diligent investigation, and ultimately rigorous prosecution.

• The suspects arrested would be handed over to the Centre for further processing. We will work diligently with other Agencies of Government to apprehend all other cohorts and Death Merchants involved in this monkey business.

1. The Eight Containers whose contents were wrongly declared to evade duty payment and Prohibition Order are hereby declared seized.
2. The Licences and Permits issued for the operation of all the Warehouses and Terminals as well as those of their Customs Agents involved in these cases are hereby suspended pending the determination of their involvement.
3. Customs Officers who are found complicit in the perpetration of  these nefarious act would be heavily sanctioned in a manner that would be approved by the Board of the Nigeria Customs Service.

• Officers who kept faith with the Oath of allegiance to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and refused to be bribed into releasing these containers will be adequately rewarded in a manner provided by the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.

9. As I conclude, let me warmly commend the professional commitment of the Customs Area Comptroller Onne Port, Mohammed Babandede and through him his Officers and Men, for the meticulous approach deployed to this operation. I also acknowledge our various partners, local and international who provided us the much needed information to successfully prosecute this operation.
10. Finally, this seizure serves as a strong warning to others who may be contemplating similar misadventures, my message to them is simple; we will run you out of business.   The Nigeria Customs Service, under my leadership, will not tolerate any action that compromises the economy and security of our beloved nation.

Thank you for your attention and cooperation.

A far-right, anti-immigration party is in reach of becoming the biggest political force in France after the first of two rounds of voting in parliamentary elections drew a historically high turnout. The first-round results in the French election are the latest evidence of surging support for the far-right in Europe, but the real test of that trend nationally will come when France opens the polls for the second, decisive round of voting in one week.

French President Emmanuel Macron took a huge gamble by calling the snap election this year, and he's now issued a battle cry urging the nation's voters to come out in force on July 7 to stop the far-right, which made its best showing ever in round one, from rising to the very top of government in round two.

Turnout was unusually high as many voters said they either wanted to block the far-right, or just get rid of Macron's government.

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen said her National Rally party had "virtually wiped out" Macron's centrist power base in the first-round Sunday vote. National Rally took a third of the votes in that round.

Macron called these elections hoping to rally voters against the far-right, after parties like Le Pen's fared well in Europe-wide elections for the European parliament, which governs the European Union, in the spring.

"President Macron made a colossal error in judgment," political analyst Douglas Webber told CBS News. Webber said the first round results show Macron could be forced to share power with National Rally — a party that is anti-immigration, wants to roll back the power of the European Union, and has even threatened to pull France out of the U.S.-led NATO military alliance.

If the National Rally wins enough votes in the second round, party president Jordan Bardella could find himself in the country's second-top job, as prime minister. He wants to pull back on France's support for Ukraine in the face of Russia's ongoing invasion.

"That would be a very good result for Vladimir Putin, a very bad result for Ukraine and President Zelenskyy," said Webber.

That outcome is not a foregone conclusion. The French have a history of voting more ideologically in the first round — "with their hearts," as the saying goes — but then more tactically, "with their heads," in the second round.

Macron and the thousands of left-wing supporters who gathered in central Paris on Sunday to voice their concern at the far-right's performance will be hoping that's the case, and that the actual gains in parliamentary seats won't mirror the windfall seen for Le Pen and Bardella's party in round-one.

"Right now, we have big problems with the right wing," said one young woman before the results came in. "We want more democracy, you know, we don't want people to feel afraid or scared about living in France."

But the political winds across much of the continent have been blowing decidedly to the right for more than a year. Should the far-right parties win big in France on July 7, Webber warned it could leave a power "vacuum at the heart of Europe," which has been dominated for years by the influence of its two biggest economies, France and Germany.

"No one, or no other group of countries, could conceivably fill the role that's historically been played by France and Germany," he said. "That's, of course, the main reason why so many people, observers, are extremely worried."

Among the worried Europeans voicing their angst on Monday was Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who said the first-round results in France indicated a "very dangerous" political turn.

"This is all really starting to smell very dangerous," said Tusk, who suggested without offering specific evidence that "Russian influence" was behind the rise of "many parties of the radical right in Europe."

"Even the complete victory of the radical right of Ms. Le Pen's camp does not signal the loss of power by the center represented by President Macron," Tusk told reporters. "But it is a very clear sign of what is happening not only in France, but also in some other countries, also in Western Europe."

Tusk said France "will be forced to confront these radical forces," and he warned that, "foreign forces and enemies of Europe are engaged in this process, hiding behind these movements."

Macron has called on voters from across the political spectrum to block the far-right's precipitous rise with their votes in the final round on Sunday.

[CBS]

The United Kingdom will hold its first national election in almost five years on Thursday, with opinion polls suggesting that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservative Party will be punished for failing to deliver on promises made during 14 years in power.

The center-right Conservatives took power during the depths of the global financial crisis and have won three more elections since then. But those years have been marked by a sluggish economy, declining public services and a series of scandals, making the Tories, as they are commonly known, easy targets for critics on the left and right.

The Labour Party, which leans to the left, is far ahead in most opinion polls after focusing its campaign on a single word: Change.

But the Tories face other challenges as well. The new Reform Party is siphoning off votes from the rightwing of the Conservatives after criticizing the Tory leadership for failing to control immigration.

How will the election work?

People throughout the United Kingdom will elect all 650 members of the House of Commons, one for each local constituency. There are no primaries or run-offs, just a single round of voting on July 4.

Britain uses a “first past the post” system of voting, which means that the candidate that finishes top in each constituency will be elected, even if they don’t get 50% of the vote. This has generally cemented the dominance of the two largest parties, Conservatives and Labour, because it is difficult for smaller parties to win seats unless they have concentrated support in particular areas.

How is the prime minister chosen?

The party that commands a majority in the Commons, either alone or with the support of another party, will form the next government and its leader will be prime minister.

That means the results will determine the political direction of the government, which has been led by the center-right Conservatives for the past 14 years. The center-left Labour Party is widely seen to be in the strongest position.

Who is running?

Sunak, a former Treasury chief who has been prime minister since October 2022, is leading his party into the election. His primary opponent is Keir Starmer, a former director of public prosecutions in England and leader of the Labour Party since April 2020.

But other parties, some of which have strong regional support, could be crucial to forming a coalition government if no one wins an overall majority.

The Scottish National Party, which campaigns for Scottish independence, the Liberal Democrats, and the Democratic Unionist Party, which seeks to maintain ties between Britain and Northern Ireland, are currently the three largest parties in Parliament after the Conservatives and Labour. Many observers suggest the new Reform Party, fronted by Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage, may siphon votes from the Conservatives.

Why are the Conservatives under pressure?

The Conservatives have faced one challenge after another since they took power in 2010. First there was the fallout from the global financial crisis, which swelled Britain’s debt and caused the Tories to impose years of austerity to balance the budget. They then led Britain out of the European Union, battled one of the deadliest COVID-19 outbreaks in western Europe, and saw inflation soar after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Regardless of the circumstances, many voters blame the Conservatives for the litany of problems facing Britain, from sewage spills and unreliable train service to the cost-of-living crisis, crime and the influx of migrants crossing the English Channel on inflatable boats.

On top of that, the party has been tarred by the repeated ethical lapses of government ministers, including lockdown-busting parties in government offices. The scandals chased former Prime Minister Boris Johnson from office and ultimately from Parliament after he was found to have lied to lawmakers. His successor, Liz Truss, lasted just 45 days after her economic policies cratered the economy.

What are the big issues?

The economy: Britain has struggled with high inflation and slow economic growth, which have combined to make most people feel poorer. The Conservatives succeeded in controlling inflation, which slowed to 2% in the year through May after peaking at 11.1% in October 2022, but growth remains sluggish, raising questions about the government’s economic policies.

Immigration: Thousands of asylum seekers and economic migrants have crossed the English Channel in flimsy inflatable boats in recent years, triggering criticism that the government has lost control of Britain’s borders. The Conservatives’ signature policy for stopping the boats is a plan to deport some of these migrants to Rwanda. Critics say the plan violates international law, is inhumane, and will do nothing to stop people fleeing war, unrest and famine.

Health care: Britain’s National Health Service, which provides free health care to everyone, is plagued with long waiting lists for everything from dental care to cancer treatment. Newspapers are filled with stories about seriously ill patients forced to wait hours for an ambulance, then longer still for a hospital bed.

The environment: Sunak has backtracked on a series of environmental commitments, pushing back the deadline for ending the sale of gasoline- and diesel-powered passenger vehicles and authorizing new oil drilling in the North Sea. Critics say these are the wrong policies at a time the world is trying to combat climate change.

Why is the election being held now?

Sunak surprised pundits and most of his own lawmakers six weeks ago when he set the election for July 4, at least three months earlier than expected.

While most observers thought the vote would take place in the fall, Sunak gambled on a summer election, hoping that positive economic news would help him persuade voters that Conservative policies were beginning to work.

The decision was so startling that it landed the Tories in hot water. Allegations have emerged that party members and police officers assigned to protect government officials had placed wagers on a summer election, suggesting they had inside information and damaging Sunak’s ability to claim that his party is more trustworthy than Labour.

Commentators had been speculating about the timing of the election for months because the parliamentary term was scheduled to end in mid-December. While each parliament is elected for up to five years, the prime minister can call an election whenever it is most advantageous politically.

[AP]

Religious leaders in Siaya want the government to engage an international mediator in solving the current impasse that saw young Kenyans take to the streets to protest the passage of the finance bill.

Through the Siaya Church Leaders’ Forum (SCLF), the clerics say that the situation may get out of hand if urgent steps will not be taken to address it, adding that government will only succeed if an independent international mediator is brought on board to engage the youths.

Led by the chairman of the church leaders’ forum, Archbishop James Opiyo Anyango, the clerics lauded the efforts that the government was putting in place to ensure that the youths are engaged and their demands taken into account.

The forum organizing secretary, Bishop Wilfred Amollo said Kenyan youths seem to have lost hope and trust in the current government and may not feel comfortable engaging President William Ruto.

The church leaders lauded the Kenyan youths for standing firm in exercising their rights, but called on them to embrace peace and avoid destruction of properties during their anti-government protests.

Other leaders who addressed the media during the occasion were Bishop Elias Sewe and Bishop Martin Arara who called on the government to minimize wastage of public resources to quell the Gen Z protests.

[https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/]

The U.S. Supreme Court found on Monday that Donald Trump cannot be prosecuted for official actions taken as president, but can for private acts, in a landmark ruling recognizing for the first time any form of presidential immunity from prosecution.

The justices, in a 6-3 ruling written by Chief Justice John Roberts, threw out a lower court’s decision rejecting Trump’s claim of immunity from criminal charges involving his efforts to undo his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden. The six conservative justices were in the majority. Its three liberals dissented.

“We conclude that under our constitutional structure of separated powers, the nature of presidential power requires that former presidents have some immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts during his tenure in office,” Roberts wrote.

“At least with respect to the president’s exercise of his core constitutional powers, this immunity must be absolute. As for his remaining official actions, he is also entitled to immunity,” Roberts added.

Roberts said Trump’s case will be sent back to the lower courts for further review. The Supreme Court’s slow handling of the blockbuster case already had helped Trump by making it unlikely that any trial on these charges brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith could be completed before the election.

The court analyzed four categories of conduct contained in Trump’s indictment: his discussions with Justice Department officials following the 2020 election, his alleged pressure on then-Vice President Mike Pence to block certification of Biden’s election win, his alleged role in assembling fake pro-Trump electors and his conduct related to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

The court found Trump was absolutely immune for conversations with Justice Department officials but returned the case to lower courts to determine whether Trump has immunity for the other three categories. The ruling marked the first time since the nation’s 18th century founding that the Supreme Court has declared that former presidents may be shielded from criminal charges in any instance.

Trump is the Republican candidate challenging Biden, a Democrat, in the Nov. 5 U.S. election in a 2020 rematch.

The decision came in Trump’s appeal of a lower court ruling rejecting his immunity claim. The court decided the case on the last day of its term.

Trump, 78, is the first former U.S. president to be criminally prosecuted as well as the first former president convicted of a crime. Smith’s election subversion charges embody one of the four criminal cases Trump has faced.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor, joined by fellow liberal Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, delivered a sharply worded dissent, saying the ruling “makes a mockery of the principle, foundational to our Constitution and system of government, that no man is above the law.”

Sotomayor added: “Relying on little more than its own misguided wisdom about the need for bold and unhesitating action by the president, the court gives former President Trump all the immunity he asked for and more.”

Sotomayor said the ruling “reshapes the institution of the presidency.”

Trump had argued that he is immune from prosecution because he was serving as president when he took the actions that led to the charges. Smith had opposed presidential immunity from prosecution based on the principle that no one is above the law.

Rick Hasen, a professor of law at the UCLA School of Law and a critic of Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 election defeat, said: “The Supreme Court has put out a fact-intensive test on the boundaries of the president’s immunity – with a huge thumb on the scale favoring the president’s immunity – in a way that will surely push this case past the election.”

During April 25 arguments in the case, Trump’s legal team urged the justices to fully shield former presidents from criminal charges – “absolute immunity” – for official acts taken in office. Without immunity, Trump’s lawyer said, sitting presidents would face “blackmail and extortion” by political rivals due to the threat of future prosecution.

The court’s conservative majority includes three justices Trump appointed.

In the special counsel’s August 2023 indictment, Trump was charged with conspiring to defraud the United States, corruptly obstructing an official proceeding and conspiring to do so, and conspiring against the right of Americans to vote. He has pleaded not guilty.

Trump’s trial had been scheduled to start on March 4 before the delays over the immunity issue. Now, no trial date is set. Trump made his immunity claim to the trial judge in October, meaning the issue has been litigated for about nine months.

In a separate case brought in New York state court, Trump was found guilty by a jury in Manhattan on May 30 on 34 counts of falsifying documents to cover up hush money paid to a porn star to avoid a sex scandal before the 2016 election. Trump also faces criminal charges in two other cases. He has pleaded not guilty in those and called all the cases against him politically motivated.

A spokesperson for Smith declined to comment on Monday’s ruling. A lawyer for his office told the Supreme Court during arguments that the “absolute immunity” sought by Trump would shield presidents from criminal liability for bribery, treason, sedition, murder and, as in this case, trying to overturn the proper results of an election and stay in power.

During the arguments, justices asked hypothetical questions involving a president selling nuclear secrets, taking a bribe or ordering a coup or political assassination. If such actions were official conduct, Trump’s lawyer argued, a former president could be charged only if first impeached by the House of Representatives and convicted in the Senate – something that has never happened in U.S. history.

In a May Reuters/Ipsos poll, a new tab, just 27% of respondents – 9% of Democrats, 50% of Republicans and 29% of independents – agreed that presidents should be immune from prosecution unless they have first been impeached and convicted by Congress.

Smith, seeking to avoid trial delays, had asked the justices in December to perform a fast-track review after Trump’s immunity claim was rejected by U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan that month. Trump opposed the bid. Rather than resolve the matter promptly, the justices denied Smith’s request and let the case proceed in a lower court, which upheld Chutkan’s ruling against Trump on Feb. 6.

The immunity ruling comes 20 weeks after Trump on Feb. 12 sought relief from the Supreme Court. By contrast, it took the court less than nine weeks in another major case to reinstate Trump to the presidential primary ballot in Colorado after he appealed a lower court’s ruling that had disqualified him for engaging in an insurrection by inciting and supporting the attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters.

The timeline of the court’s immunity ruling likely does not leave enough time for Smith to try Trump on federal election subversion charges and for a jury to reach a verdict before voters head to the polls.

Federal prosecutors have accused Trump of pressuring government officials to overturn the election results and encouraging his supporters to march to the Capitol on Jan. 6 to push Congress not to certify Biden’s victory, based on false claims of widespread voting fraud. Trump supporters attacked police and stormed the Capitol, sending lawmakers and others fleeing. Trump and his allies also are accused of devising a plan to use false electors from key states to thwart certification.

Not since its landmark Bush v. Gore decision, which handed the disputed 2000 U.S. election to Republican George W. Bush over Democrat Al Gore, has the Supreme Court played such an integral role in a presidential race.

Trump also faces election subversion charges in state court in Georgia and federal charges in Florida brought by Smith relating to keeping classified documents after leaving office.

If Trump regains the presidency, he could try to force an end to the prosecution or potentially pardon himself for any federal crimes.

[NationalDaily]

According to Shettima, 42 persons were brought to the specialist hospital, but 14 have been discharged after receiving treatment.

The Vice President noted that 26 are still receiving treatment.

Shettima, who made a personal donation to all the victims, condoled with the families of those killed by the multiple explosions.

He also conveyed the condolences of President Bola Tinubu to Gwoza people and Borno State.

The Vice President was in the company of the Deputy Governor of Borno State, Babagana Kingibe, Senator Ali Ndume, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, former Nigerian Ambassador to China, Baba Ahmed Jidda, the Director General of NEMA and other government functionaries.

Meanwhile, President Tinubu has described criminals responsible for the suicide bombing in Borno State as cowards who would soon face the wrath of justice.

The President said the action of the terrorists is due to the pressure mounted against them by security forces which have degraded their abilities to mount attacks.

While consoling all those affected by the attack, President Tinubu assured Nigerians that the government would not allow the nation to slither into an era of fear, tears, sorrow, and blood.

He added that his administration would take every necessary step to ensure citizens are protected, and criminals are brought to justice.

[NaijaNews]