A coalition of opposition lawmakers has raised concerns about an alleged attempt by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a group backing the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, to obtain a court injunction or ruling aimed at halting the constitutional monthly allocation for local governments in Rivers State.

The spokesman of the coalition, Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, stated this on Tuesday in a statement he made available to DAILY POST.

Ugochinyere represents the Ideato South/North Federal Constituency of Imo State.

According to him, the opposition obtained credible evidence from a source that the above-mentioned group, working with some anti-democratic forces, has filed a legal process at the Federal High Court seeking an injunction or judgment to withhold monthly funds allocated to the local governments in Rivers State.

The statement read: “The APC and Pro-Wike group, as I am speaking, is filing a suit at the Federal High Court to help them seize the statutory sovereign allocation of the entire Rivers State LGAs, knowing fully well that no court in Nigeria has declared the election of the LGA chairmen invalid. But still, they want to stop the constitutional allocation of revenue to an arm of government that is constitutionally mandated.

“This is the second of such cases by the Wike group to bring about constitutional disorder. They have a pending case seeking to seize the entire Rivers allocation/LGA funds they filed, and now they are using the Wike-APC faction to file another suit seeking an order to stop the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee, the Accountant General of the Federation, the Minister of Finance, the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Attorney-General of Rivers State, and the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission.

The lawmaker stated that the Wike group is still reeling from the outcome of the just-concluded Rivers State LGA election, which was held in compliance with the Supreme Court judgment that mandated the election. The pro-Wike group, who claimed to be working for President Tinubu, wanted to stop it at all costs.

Ugochinyere added that their intelligence includes reports of boasting by some pro-Wike supporters that the case, before the close of business today or tomorrow, will be assigned to the usual judges who always deliver swift ex-parte orders or judgments in favor of the Wike camp.

He warned that the opposition is closely monitoring the development and will not hesitate to alert the Nigerian people.

He stated that the LGA allocation is a statutory, constitutional, and sovereign fund for an arm of government that cannot be hijacked, especially with the existence of valid LGA leadership.

He urged the FCT Minister’s camp to accept defeat and abandon their alleged plan to undermine the people of Rivers State. He also urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene and not allow unscrupulous elements to lead the nation into anarchy and tarnish democracy under his watch.

“The APC and Pro-Wike group, as I am speaking, is filing a suit at the Federal High Court to help them seize the allocation of the entire Rivers State, knowing fully well that no court in Nigeria has declared the election of the LGA chairmen invalid, but still they want to stop the constitutional allocation of revenue to an arm of government that is constitutionally mandated.

“The people of Rivers State have elected their council chairmen and councillors in line with the recent ruling of the Supreme Court to democratize all LGAs in Nigeria, and any attempt to truncate democracy in Rivers would be resisted by the people.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu cannot afford to fold his arms and watch as the Wike group plots to reverse democracy in Rivers State and undermine the peace and stability of the country. I hope the case doesn’t go to those who like to issue orders for the Pro-Wike group in seconds.

“We are watching closely. The judiciary should quit granting any frivolous requests from the Wike group related to the LG polls in Rivers to help save the image of the judiciary, which their desperation is undermining.”

Nasiru Buba, the husband of Tasleem, a married woman, who was accused of having alleged illicit affairs with a Jigawa State Commissioner for Special Duties, Auwalu Sankara, has cried out to the Jigawa and Kano governors to save his marriage before it collapses.

To this end, Nasiru Buba appealed to the two governors of Kano and Jigawa States not to yield to pressure mounted on them to interfere in the case in the name of killing it.

Speaking to newsmen Tuesday in Kano, Nasiru Buba expressed concern that the actions of Hisbah and the subsequent redirection of the case to the AIG Zone One office for investigation—where the police have had it in custody for almost two weeks—speak volumes of alleged moves to kill the case.

“Let me say categorically that this case has been with the police in Kano for the last two weeks, and they have effectively investigated it. Hisbah is also aware of the case; therefore, all I need is for the governors of Jigawa and Kano to help me ensure that justice is done in this matter.”

Nasiru Buba, in the same vein, accused the legal counsel of his wife of lying against him, claiming that he had divorced his wife a long time ago and that he has been maltreating her, including firing gunshots in the course of their disagreements.

He said, “This lawyer has seriously lied against me because, in the first place, Tasleem is still my wife, and she lives in my house. In the second place, I don’t have a gun, let alone firing it during our disagreements.”

The husband urged his wife’s counsel to immediately withdraw his allegations against him and put the record straight; otherwise, he will seek redress to clear his name.

He noted in dismay that, “The lawyer lied that I divorced my wife two years ago, but our recent pictures showing myself and her in my house celebrating Eid Kabeer debunk that insinuation. The car she was caught with is also my personal car, which I bought not less than two weeks ago. So what is he talking about?”

Ex-Nigerian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has frowned at the principle of regionalism, describing it as the underlying cause of Nigeria’s ongoing challenges.

According to him, where a leader comes from is irrelevant as long as they can bring in their skills and do well in governance.

Speaking on Tuesday, October 22, in Abeokuta during a visit by the League of Northern Democrats, Obasanjo lamented that the regionalism adopted at independence in 1960 continues to hinder the nation’s progress.

Addressing the group led by former Kano State governor Ibrahim Shekarau, Obasanjo emphasized that a leader’s origin should not matter, but rather their contributions to national development and governance.

“Where a leader hails from does not matter. Rather, what he brings to the table in terms of development and governance should matter,” Obasanjo said.

The former president also urged the group to adopt a more inclusive name, suggesting they become a "National League of Democrats" rather than a regional group focused on the North. He argued that Nigeria’s fixation on regional divisions—whether North, East, or West—has perpetuated the country’s problems.

“One of the things that led us to where we are today, and we haven’t gotten out of, is regionalism. Whenever I hear ‘North’, ‘East’ or ‘West’, I get frightened,” Obasanjo said.

While acknowledging the group's concerns about Nigeria’s political landscape, Obasanjo stressed the importance of correcting these wrongs with a national outlook.

The Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) has voiced its support for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in its fight against corruption.

This is coming as the Supreme Court reserved ruling on the suit against the EFCC by 19 other governors over the constitutionality of its establishment.

Chairman of the forum and governor of Kwara State, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, expressed this commitment at the 2024 National Cybercrime Summit held in Abuja.

The summit was organised by the EFCC in collaboration with the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme, RoLAC, and the European Union

The summit is with the theme: “Alternative to Cybercrime: Optimising Cyber Skills for National Development,” focused on enhancing digital skills as a strategy to combat cybercrime.

The NGF chairman called for synergy on cyber-security in the country to enhance national development.

Abdulrazaq emphasised the need for a shift in the public perception of crimes.

He expressed delight at the efforts of the EFCC, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in educating young Nigerians on issues related to crime, drug abuse, and patriotism.

“You have our full support in this endeavor. I am impressed with what the EFCC, NDLEA, and NOA are doing in the new media and our basic schools to dissuade young people from engaging in crimes, drug abuse, and to promote patriotism.

”This effort should be elevated so that we can achieve a national consensus on the behaviors that form the foundation of our cultural legacy as Nigerians.

“We also commend the EFCC for organising this summi. I am confident that, after this gathering, we will be better informed and more motivated to improve the public’s perception of cybercrime,”he said.

In the same vein, Gov. Dauda Lawal of Zamfara, in a chat with newsmen, expressed readiness to support the commission in its anti-corruption crusade in Zamfara and the country as a whole.

Lawal said that he was not afraid of the EFCC’s investigation, and would give the commission the required assistance.

According to him, people elected to positions of leadership should be accountable and transparent.

The Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Federal Government has announced a ban on the export of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), commonly known as cooking gas, produced in Nigeria, following a sharp rise in its price.

This was made in a statement released on Tuesday by the media aide to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo.

The Minister voiced concerns about the surging LPG prices.

Despite previous efforts, including the formation of a high-level committee in November 2023 led by the Authority Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr. Farouk Ahmed, the price of LPG has skyrocketed from an average of N1,100–N1,250 per kg to N1,525 per kg.

The statement revealed that Ekpo held a meeting with key players in the LPG value chain to address the situation, which is placing a significant burden on Nigerians.

As part of the government’s intervention, the Minister announced several key measures:

Short-Term Solution: Starting November 1, 2024, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and local LPG producers are to cease exporting LPG produced within the country. Should they continue to export, they will be required to import the equivalent volume at cost-reflective prices.

Pricing Framework: Over the next 90 days, the NMDPRA will work with stakeholders to develop a new domestic pricing framework for LPG. This framework will be based on the cost of in-country production, moving away from the current practice of using international market prices from regions like the Americas and Far East Asia.

Long-Term Solution: Over the next 12 months, the government plans to develop infrastructure for the blending, storage, and distribution of LPG. Exports will remain halted until domestic supply meets demand and prices stabilize.

These steps, the Minister emphasized, are intended to ensure that LPG is available at affordable prices, reducing the financial burden on Nigerians.

As part of efforts to fast-track justice delivery in Lagos State, a bill to significantly reduce litigation time at the Magistrate and High Courts has been sent to the State House Of Assembly for approval.

The Attorney General of Lagos & Commissioner For Justice, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Lawal Pedro said when passed, the bill will ensure that civil cases last not more than two years in courts and tenancy matters no more than 6 months.

Pedro disclosed this at a Press Conference held at the Ministry of Justice Conference Room, Alausa, Ikeja, on Tuesday to commemorate his first year in office and to set the stage for the upcoming Strategic Stakeholders Meeting of his ministry scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.

Other innovations the Lagos State Ministry of Justice has introduced include the establishment of the State’s Criminal Information System, to capture photographs, and biometrics and identify the cases of all inmates in the Correctional Centres in Lagos State, as well as the establishment of the Lis Pendens Registry on land matters to serve as a repository of information of land disputes in the courts, reduce incidents of third-party interests as well as enhance confidence in real-estate investment within the State.”

The AG says all of the innovations will ultimately aid economic growth and protect investors.

The Lagos State Ministry of Justice held its Justice Reform Summit from May 27th to 28th, 2024.

The Summit culminated in a series of impactful recommendations presented by the diverse speakers and discussants in attendance.

Following the reception of these recommendations and with the approval of Governor Sanwo-Olu, an implementation committee tasked with developing an action plan to operationalise these recommendations was soon constituted.

One of the foremost areas of focus for the committee was the Administration of Civil Justice for Economic Growth and Investment Protection.

Recognising that delays in justice delivery can significantly hinder economic progress, the committee emphasized the necessity of reducing the time of conclusion of cases in the Magistrate and High Courts.

To this end, a Bill for the enactment of the Administration of Civil Justice Law has been forwarded to the House of Assembly for the legislative process.

If the Bill is passed into Law, it is expected that litigation in trial courts should not last more than 18 to 24 months and tenancy matters between 3 to 6 months.

In the Criminal Justice System, delays in DPP legal advice and prosecution have been addressed.

In addition, the Lagos State Criminal Information System has been established to capture photographs, biometrics and identify the cases of all inmates in the Correctional Centres in Lagos State.

Another innovation introduced is the Bill for the establishment of the LIS Pendens Registry. The Registry aims to serve as a repository of information on land disputes in our courts to prevent instances of purchase of land subject to litigation by unsuspecting purchasers without notice. This initiative will not only reduce incidents of third-party interests arising from ongoing court cases but also enhance confidence in real-estate investment within the State.

Another Bill being proposed is the Customary Marriage and Dissolution Registry for the registration of customary marriages and dissolution of customary marriages. This will give the people of Lagos State opportunity to have customary marriage certificates and certificates of dissolution of customary marriages.

Controversial crossdresser, Idris Okuneye, widely known as Bobrisky, was detained in a female cell at the Force Criminal Investigation Department Annex in Alagbon, Lagos State.

A source close to the police facility, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, confirmed to Punch that Okuneye spent the night in the female cell due to his controversial lifestyle and the absence of other female detainees at the time of his detention.

The source said, “Bobrisky was brought to the FCID, Alagbon, around 10 p.m. on Monday. Immigration arrested him at the Seme Border and brought him for safekeeping. He is in detention at the FCID, Alagbon. He was arrested on Sunday, detained overnight, and taken to the FCID, Alagbon.

“We have a lot of cells in Alagbon; and when you are having a case like that, you have to look for the right place to guarantee the safety and security of the person being detained.

“Everybody is conscious of the fact that Bobrisky could be gay and nobody wants to be part of a scandal. If you put him among males, anything can happen and you cannot put him among females. So, they gave him a cell alone and the cell is around the female section and they didn’t have any female inmate around that cell.”

Confirming Okuneye’s detention, the spokesperson for the FCID, Lagos, Mayegun Aminat, during a conversation with Punch, on Tuesday, said, “He is detained at the FCID, Alagbon. He is with us and we are to get a remand to keep him in custody today.”

Naija News learnt that further directives were being awaited regarding Okuneye’s case as he was taken to the FCID for safekeeping following his arrest by officials of the Nigeria Immigration Service during his attempt to exit the country through the Seme border.

The source said Okuneye’s attempt to exit the country through the Seme border indicated that he knew security agencies were after him.

“From what we gathered, he was trying to escape from the country, but we also think that maybe he is on the blacklist and for him to go to the Seme border, maybe he is aware that they are looking for him,” the source said.

A former presidential candidate of the African Renaissance Party, Alhaji Yahaya Ndu, has voiced strong criticism against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu‘s economic policies, labelling them as “thoughtless” and harmful to the economic stability of Nigeria.

In an interview with PUNCH, Ndu accused the current administration of driving numerous Nigerians into extreme poverty through these policies.

Further intensifying his critique, Ndu characterized President Tinubu’s leadership style as a “civilian dictatorship,” underscoring a significant discontent with the governance approach in the country.

He advocated for a mass participatory method to tackle the nation’s challenges, stressing that democracy should extend beyond the electoral process to include active citizen engagement.

Highlighting a notable disconnection between the government and the populace, Ndu pointed out that the combined votes secured by Tinubu, along with other major candidates like Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar, and Rabi’u Kwankwaso in the recent elections did not even constitute 20 percent of Nigeria’s total population.

Ndu said, “People said that President Tinubu is just in power a little over a year and that he should be given the opportunity to turn things around, but when they said this thing, I got worried because we are supposed to be practising party democracy and his party has been in power since 2015. The President was the leader of APC. So many of the top functionaries of the party were nominated by him or tutored by him.

“For instance, the current Chief of Staff was then Speaker of the House of Representatives and so on. In any case, when he came on board, he said he was coming to continue from where Buhari stopped. The point I was trying to make is that it is dishonest to say that he just met the trouble, and he is trying to fix it because he has always been part of the team led by Buhari since 2015.”

Ndu explained that party democracy means that you are collectively responsible for the actions of your party, insisting that the President’s henchmen should better stop pulling the wool over the eyes of Nigerians by saying he just came on board because he has always been there.

He further stated, “In any case, I am not even surprised that he is not able to handle the situation because shortly before the election I stated in a press conference that it is either he does not have the solutions or that he is not patriotic. If he had the solutions all along he would have given the solutions to his party to implement even before coming to be President and if he didn’t have the solutions that meant he didn’t have them, if he had them and he refused to put them on board for his party to implement, that means he was not patriotic. You don’t get the solution simply because you became President.

“In any case, even during the electioneering campaign to become President he consistently refused to answer any question. Remember even when he went to Chatham House, when questions were put to him, he delegated others around him like Nasir el-Rufai to answer the questions for him. During rallies when he was supposed to address people on his programmes he was holding broom and dancing.

“So, I am not surprised that things are getting worse under him, but I am not blaming him as a person, I am blaming all of us for agreeing to be so fooled, not just by him but by the whole polity we are operating. If you put all the votes that Tinubu had in the election, whether rigged or unrigged, together and add that one of Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar and Rabi’u Kwankwaso, they don’t come up to 20 per cent of the population of the people of Nigeria; and if you said as for those who voted, it is still an extremely negligible percentage. Democracy is supposed to be about mass participation.

“The solution to our problems can be found in a mass participatory approach, in other words, if we are trying to involve programmes for technological advancement, you must create a system that will outsource all our engineers, all our technologists whether at home or in diaspora to contribute together, to collate and marshall out what should be our technological advancement blueprint, likewise for health. Our medical doctors, our pharmacists, and all those in the health industry should put their heads together. Thank God for information technology; they don’t need to leave their bases to be able to reason together.

“This is the process we need to undertake to move this country forward. Nobody should pretend to be more Nigerian than the other. And nobody has any monopoly on knowledge. When all of us come together and work as one that is only when we can move this country forward.”

On fuel subsidy, Ndu stated that the removal of subsidies on Premium Motor Spirit was the worst decision of the Tinubu administration.

He said, “To start with, even if it was supposed to be the best decision, it was removed in the most wrong possible way.

“You remember that he removed the fuel subsidy even before he had a cabinet during his swearing-in that more than anything is the most eloquent, graphic explanation that this was a civilian dictatorship, and if I were in his position, if I think that the best decision is to remove the fuel subsidy the most common thing or the basics thing my administration would have done is to, first of all, encourage all those young boys and girls who are operating what our country prefers to call illegal refineries who we send our Air Force, soldiers and Navy to destroy their refineries; my administration will encourage them, regulate their products, make sure that they don’t pollute the environment, help them to get the crude oil at the cheapest possible price and suffocate everywhere with properly refined oil; incidentally information reaching us now says that Libya, as of this moment is selling one litre of PMS at N52.

“If Libya, an African nation can be selling PMS at N52 a litre and we are selling our own officially at more than a thousand naira a litre, something is wrong with us.

“Everybody knows that it was a terrible decision, even he and his administration have realized that it was a terrible decision and that is why they are now talking about CNG, which if they realised that they were doing something terrible would have come before the removal of subsidies the way it was done.”

Football fans in Nigeria are on edge as the Confederation of African Football (CAF) is set to announce its decision today on the contentious 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match between Nigeria and Libya.

The match, part of Group D, was marred by controversy after the Nigerian team experienced what has been described as inhumane treatment upon their arrival in Libya for the second leg against the Mediterranean Knights last Sunday.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) lodged an official complaint with CAF following an incident where the Super Eagles were reportedly left stranded at the airport without support.

A video shared by the Eagles’ media team captured the players and officials surrounded by their luggage, apparently ignored by Libyan airport staff who were conversing in Arabic.

The logistical nightmare began when the Nigerian team’s flight was unexpectedly diverted to Al Abraq International Airport—over 200 kilometers from their intended destination in Benina, where the match was scheduled at the Martyrs of Benina Stadium.

The airport, typically used for hajj operations, lacked essential amenities, contributing to the exhaustion and frustration of the players and officials.

The absence of a welcoming team and the unavailability of arranged transportation compounded the difficulties, forcing the NFF to seek alternative travel arrangements.

The situation escalated when the Nigerian delegation was confined at the airport for more than 20 hours without access to food, water, or outside communication, leading to their decision to boycott the match.

The Libyan Football Federation responded to the complaints by alleging non-cooperation from the Nigerian side during both legs of the qualifiers, suggesting that the treatment received by the Libyan team in Nigeria was comparably challenging.

CAF President Patrice Motsepe addressed the issue during a press conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, stating that a thorough investigation was underway.

The football community, both in Nigeria and across Africa, is anxiously awaiting the outcome of CAF’s deliberations, which could have significant implications for the standings in Group D and the broader dynamics of the tournament qualifications.