The Northern Elders Forum, NEF, says Nigerians in the region are regretting their support for President Bola Tinubu in the 2023 election.

The spokesman of the forum, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman made the claim in an interview with Guardian on Tuesday.

He noted that in subsequent polls, particularly the 2027 general elections, the region will prioritize unity and consensus in selecting a candidate for the highest office in Nigeria.

“The North made a mistake in voting Bola Tinubu to the presidency in 2023, and it is unlikely that they will repeat the same error in the future.

“They have learned from their past misstep and will strive to select a candidate who can unite the country and govern in the best interests of all Nigerians.

“Moving forward, the North will be more cautious in selecting a candidate for the presidency. They will prioritize someone who is seen as more inclusive, less controversial, and more aligned with the interests of all regions of the country”, he said.

DAILY POST recalls that President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, APC, polled the highest votes from the region to beat his major contenders, including a Northerner, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Since his inauguration in May 2023, the president has been widely criticised over some policies of his administration, which were tagged by the opposition as anti-masses.

Tinubu was also accused by Northern groups of lopsided appointments in the federal government.

No fewer than 39 lecturers in the nation’s tertiary institutions have been indicted and dismissed over sexual misconduct in the past five years, analysis of media reports by The PUNCH has revealed.

Sexual harassment has been recurring in Nigerian higher educational institutions with a survey conducted in 2018 by the World Bank Group’s Women revealing that 70 per cent of female graduates from tertiary institutions in the country were sexually harassed in school, with the main perpetrators being classmates and lecturers.

Although the Senate had in 2021 passed a bill stipulating 21 years imprisonment for randy lecturers, The PUNCH reports that most of the lecturers indicted and found guilty after the bill was passed were simply sacked.

In April 2018, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, announced the indefinite suspension of a professor of Accounting, Richard Oladele, over sexual harassment.

In 2021, the university also dismissed three lecturers from the Departments of English Language, International Relations and Accounting over sexual harassment.

In February 2020, the institution also announced the suspension of a lecturer at the Centre for Distance Learning, Monday Omo-Etan, for sexually molesting a 19-year-old female student.

In 2019, Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma, announced the suspension of an associate professor, Monday Igbafen, over allegations bordering on sexual harassment of female students.

Igbafen, who was the chairman of the AAU branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities at the time, had accused the vice-chancellor of the institution of trying to frame him.

The senior lecturer in the Department of Philosophy at the university, in a letter written to the school by his lawyers, Osahon Irebhude & Co, demanded a written apology from the school.

In September 2020, the management of the Imo State University announced the suspension of two lecturers, who were alleged to have been involved in sexual misconduct with female students.

In February 2021, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, announced the suspension of a lecturer in the Department of Archaeology and Tourism, Dr Chigozie Odum, over allegations bordering on sexual misconduct.

The Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, similarly suspended a lecturer in the Department of Media and Theatre Arts in June 2021 for sexual misconduct.

In the same month, the management of the University of Lagos announced the dismissal of two lecturers over similar offences.

In August of that year, the University of Port Harcourt announced the dismissal of a lecturer in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literature for sexual misconduct.

In October 2021, the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi, also announced the dismissal of two lecturers from the departments of Nutrition/Dietetics and General Studies over sexual misconduct.

A lecturer in the Department of Sociology, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education was dismissed for impregnating a female student.

In December 2021, the Kwara State University, Malete, announced the dismissal of a lecturer for harassing a student in the Department of Pure and Applied Sciences.

In January 2022, the Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Rivers State, announced the dismissal of a lecturer for harassing a female student.

In April 2022, OAU again launched a probe into allegations of sexual harassment against a professor in the Department of Linguistics and African Studies. So far, two professors have been affected in the institution.

In June 2022, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Prof Abdul-Raheed Na’allah, announced the dismissal of two lecturers for sexual misconduct. Both of them are professors.

Earlier in 2023, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission arraigned Dr. Balogun Olaniran of the Tai Solarin University of Education, who was said to have allegedly demanded sexual gratification from a female student to alter her results in 2021.

In March 2023, a lecturer at the Kogi State Polytechnic, Abutu Thompson, was dismissed on account of sexual harassment and victimisation of a female student in the Department of Computer Science.

In May, the management of the Ambrose Alli University in Edo State reportedly dismissed an unnamed lecturer over allegations bordering sexual harassment.

Reports noted that the lecturer was dismissed on the recommendations of the institution’s Staff Disciplinary Committee, which found him guilty of the offence.

According to AAU’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Asomwan Adagbonyin, the dismissed lecturer had claimed to only make advances, yet he went to the girl’s church to plead for forgiveness.

In July 2023, the VC of UNIABUJA, Na’allah, said two lecturers were dismissed following allegations of sexual harassment.

In August, the management of the University of Calabar suspended the embattled Dean, Faculty of Law, Prof. Cyril Ndifon, over allegations of sexual harassment. Ndifon is currently being held by security operatives.

On September 7, 2023, the University of Lagos suspended a lecturer, Kadri Babalola, who was accused of raping a 21-year-old student.

Similarly, in October 2023, the Federal College of Forestry, Plateau state announced the suspension of four lecturers over allegations bordering sexual harassment of female students.

Speaking with our correspondents on the matter, the Director of Programmes, Reform Education Nigeria, Ayodamola Oluwatoyin, urged President Bola Tinubu to sign the sexual harassment bill into law.

Oluwatoyin said, “The President signing the bill will be a game-changer. We need to make schools safe for our students. The most unfortunate part of the issue is that some of these students even when harassed are scared to come out in the open for fear of victimisation and other issues.”

Former Programme Manager, Gender Justice at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Foundation, Nafisa Atiku-Adejuwon, urged institutions to prevent survivors from being further victimised into silence and provide safe anonymous pathways for them to report such incidents.

Atiku-Adejuwon also called for the building of a system of trust between university management and the student population.

“The response system has to be survivour-centred and holistic; mental and physical health concerns must be taken seriously. The response system shouldn’t be created to make the university look good; it should be to take care of the survivors,” she added.

The leadership of the Labour Party, on Tuesday, warned the Nigeria Labour Congress against trying to hijack the political platform, saying it lacks the power to sack the Julius Abure-National Working Committee as recently declared.

The party’s response was a reaction to Monday’s resolution taken by the NLC Political Commission at a stakeholders meeting in Abuja.

In a communiqué released after the gathering, the unionists voided the national convention that returned Abure and his NWC members to office.

To fill the vacuum, the stakeholders said the congress will set up a transition committee to oversee the party’s affairs pending when new officers will be elected in three months.

The resolution taken by the NLC also raised concerns on the need to conduct a forensic audit of LP in line with the demand of its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, following allegations of corruption, forgery and fraud levelled against the party leadership.

But the party kicked on Tuesday, saying the congress lacked such power to sack its executives..

This was contained in a statement issued by National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh, titled ‘NLC, cohorts lack powers to sack legitimate leadership of Labour Party.’

Ifoh described the stakeholder’s meeting as an illegal assembly of a handful of aggrieved former members of the party and some ‘social media tigers’ who are not card-carrying members of LP.

He said, “The Political Commission of the NLC is a front for Comrade Joe Ajaero which he has empowered for his political ambition come 2027. The group is unknown to the Labour Party and as such lacks powers to convene a meeting of ‘stakeholders’ to deliberate, let alone take any decision which will have a binding effect on a legally constituted party leadership.

“The group has been mandated by Ajaero to ensure that crisis in Labour Party festers ahead of 2027 by presenting itself as a rallying ground for dissident former members of our party, who recently lost the leadership battle in the courts. We are also not unmindful of the political pact the leadership of the NLC has gone into with the current All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government to destabilize the opposition.

“This explains why in quick succession all their plots to hijack the party leadership failed. First, it was by illegal picketing of the party when that failed, it attempted to introduce and inaugurate a non-existing Board of Trustees that also failed. Again, the attempted plot to take over the party using stakeholder meetings comprising former members, social media tigers and non-members will fall like a pack of cards.

“It is pertinent to add that Nigerians are suffering under the harsh economic conditions of the current government. Workers and the downtrodden are at the receiving end. As we speak, there are unfair workers’ practices perpetuated by employers but the Nigerian Labour Congress has failed to take proactive roles to fight for the rights of workers. We want to remind Comrade Joe Ajaero that he has a lot of work to do for the Nigerian workers, which he is abdicating to face politics. This is why we previously advised that he should first resign as NLC President if he wants to join politics.”

A Sokoto-based cleric, Sheikh Musa Lukwa, defied the directives of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, and led his followers on Tuesday, to observe Eid prayers.

Recall that the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, NSCIA, under the leadership of the Sultan of Sokoto, had on Monday night declared that fasting would continue on Tuesday as the crescent moon could not be sighted.

The Sultan declared Wednesday as the first of Shawwal and Eid day, which would commemorate the completion of the 2024 Ramadan fast.

The Saudi Arabian authorities had also announced Wednesday for the celebration of the 2024 Eid-el-fitr.

But Sheikh Lukwa, who has over the years disobeyed the Sultan’s directive on moon sighting, led prayers at his Juma’at mosque on Tuesday morning.

Lukwa claimed that the moon of Shawwal was sighted in neighbouring Niger Republic on Monday night.

“There were reports of sightings of the new crescent in many places, including here in Nigeria, but the one that we were sure of is that of Niger Republic.

“We have a verified video clip of their Council of Ulamah authenticating the report after which the country declared Tuesday as Sallah day. So it is now binding on us to observe Eid on Tuesday because this is what the teachings of the Holy Prophet says.

“If we can accept that of Saudi Arabia, why can’t we agree with that of Niger Republic which is nearer to us?

“I am not saying all Nigerian Muslims must observe their Eid prayerson Tuesday but we have no moral justification not to observe our prayer on Tuesday because the new moon was sighted by our neighbors. And remember there is no fasting on Sallah day, it is prohibited,” he said.

The cleric had in 2022 disobeyed the directive of the Sultan on the moon sighting and led Muslims in Sokoto State for Eid prayers on a contrary date.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has begun a probe into eight suspected oil thieves in its custody in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom capital.

A statement released on Tuesday by EFCC head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, said the suspects were dealing in petroleum products without appropriate licences.

The suspects were arrested on Friday February 23, 2024, onboard a wooden boat, MV Jasmine, by the Nigeria Navy Ship, Forward Operating Base Ibaka, in Akwa Ibom, and handed over to the Commission on Tuesday, April 3, 2024 by the Commanding Officer Captain (NN) Uche Aneke.

According to the EFCC spokesperson, the arrested suspects include Pere Ebiye (Captain), Okon David (DeckMan), Enuwa Wilson (Cook), Wesley Okon (DeckMan), Ade Ojo Idowu (Asst. Engineer), Oluwadamire Abraham (DeckMan), Oluwole Azuzu (Asst. Captain) and Taiwo Adebanwo (Chief Engineer).

They were arrested in a boat which was laden with 30,000 litres of petroleum products suspected to be crude, bunkered in a cellophane-sealed compartment of the boat and in four Geepee tanks.

“Both the arrested crew members and the exhibits were handed over to the Commission on Tuesday April 3, 2024 by the Commanding Officer Captain (NN) Uche Aneke of the Nigeria Navy Ship, Forward Operating Base Ibaka, in Akwa Ibom State.

“According to him, the crew were arrested at Posn Lat. 04°18.258°N. Long 008°29. 696’E by the Navy Ship Ekulu during a patrol. He expressed determination to ensure that the Nigerian waterways remain safe and free of criminal activities.

“While receiving the crew members, boat and products, the Uyo Zonal Commander, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE1 Bawa H. Saidu, who was represented by Assistant Superintendent of the EFCC, ASE1 Terseer Chinyam, thanked the Nigerian Navy and assured it of the Commission’s readiness to always partner with it and other security agencies to curb economic crimes in Nigeria.”

Ace journalist and presidential aspirant, Dele Momodu, has said that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, cannot be trusted due to his alleged disloyalty to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Momodu’s accusations highlight a deepening rift within the party, underscoring the political tension following the 2023 presidential election.

Despite serving in President Bola Tinubu’s APC-led administration, Wike remains a PDP member, a situation that has stirred controversy and distrust in political circles.

Momodu claims that even the president’s camp is wary of Wike’s allegiance, signaling a broader mistrust that transcends party lines.

Wike’s political journey took a contentious turn when he supported APC’s Tinubu in the 2023 elections, following disagreements within the PDP regarding the nomination of Atiku Abubakar, a northerner, as the party’s presidential candidate.

This move, coupled with his subsequent appointment as FCT Minister, has placed Wike at the center of political discourse, questioning his fidelity to the PDP.

Despite the turmoil and calls from certain quarters within the PDP for disciplinary action, the party has yet to officially sanction Wike.

Momodu, a prominent figure and publisher, expressed his disapproval of Wike’s actions, accusing him of undermining the PDP’s unity and strength.

Nigeria appreciated further in the official and parallel markets, on Monday after a 12 per cent or N152.23 reduction in the Bureaux de Change (BDC) exchange rate to N1,117.5 per dollar.

Over the weeks, Nigeria’s local currency, the naira has experienced steady appreciation against the dollar, as efforts to boost the economy are intensified by the federal government.

It is pertinent to know some of the factors responsible for the naira’s appreciation, and a few of them are discussed below:

1. CBN sells dollars to BDCs

In a circular on its website yesterday, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) sold dollars to Bureau de Change (BDC) operators.

The apex bank said it would sell $10,000 to each BDCs a1 about N1101 per/$ and also instructed the BDCs to sell at a spread not exceeding 1.5 per cent above the CBN rate.

This approach has the capacity to strengthen the naira against the dollar, making it to be exchanged at N1,117.5 per dollar.

With this, the customers are suspending the decision to buy because based on the CBN announcement, they expect the exchange rate to further go down.

2. Implementation of CBN policies

The policies of the apex bank led by Dr Olayemi Cardoso are responsible for the naira’s steady appreciation according to the affirmation by co-founder, Comercio Partners Limited, an investment bank, Nnamdi Nwizu.

Nwizu said, “Factors behind the appreciation are basically around the various CBN policies implemented and the confidence it is bringing back to the market.

‘’We now have Foreign Portfolio Investment, FPI’s showing interest in Nigeria and have seen the forex backlog cleared by the CBN. Also, we have high-interest rates, making it harder to source naira to buy the dollars. All of these have contributed largely to the naira’s appreciation.”

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has warned schools, supermarkets, hotels and others against charging for services in the country in dollar or any other foreign currency.

EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede, in the latest edition of the commission’s monthly e-magazine, released on Monday, threatened to jail anyone found dollarising the economy.

The EFCC boss cautioned that anyone caught collecting dollar for services or goods would be treated as a criminal in accordance with relevant Nigerian laws.

He vowed that the commission would go after schools, supermarkets, hotels, estate developers and business operators that used the dollar for transaction instead of naira.

“We have also started securing convictions. Schools that charge Nigerians in dollar, supermarkets that trade in dollar, estate developers that sell their property in dollar, hotels that are invoicing in dollar, we are coming after you and we have made arrests in that area.

“Yes, if foreigners are coming in and the only means of transacting is their credit card, and dollar, why not, you will get that.

“But document it properly as against selling things within the system, local economy and you will be using dollar as the medium of exchange, it is illegal.

“Our law does not allow for that. And we have also effected some arrests,” he said.

•12.5kg rises 38% to N14, 150

THE price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, LPG, otherwise known as cooking gas has risen to N14,150 for 12.5kg cyclinder, about 38 per cent Year-on-Year, YoY, against N10, 323.33 it sold in April 2023 last year.
This is even as the price of aviation fuel also rose to between N1, 300 and N1, 500 per litre in the domestic market, from about N1, 000 during the period, indicating an increase of 33 per cent.

However, checks by Energy Vanguard also indicated that the price of 5kg of the gas increased by 37 per cent to N5, 700 from N4, 642.27 during the period.

In an interview with Energy Vanguard, the President, Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers, NALPGM, Mr. Oladapo Olatunbosun, said the prices of cooking gas would continue to leap as the domestic market continues to be impacted by foreign exchange crisis.

He said: “It is expected that when the foreign exchange increases, the price of LPG will follow suit because it still priced and determined by the flow of foreign exchange.”

On his part, the Minister of Petroleum (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, said: “Despite the declaration of the decade of gas and the government’s push to make gas a transition fuel, low production and rising prices have continued to push Nigerians away from the use of cooking gas.

“You have seen the demonstration by the federal government by withdrawing all taxes and levies from importation of gas related equipment. It is a big incentive on the issue.

“We are interacting with the critical stakeholders to ensure that there is no exportation of cooking gas. All cooking gas produced within the country will have to be domesticated and when this is done, the volume will increase and of course, the price will automatically crash.

“I am in contact with the regulator, NMDPRA (Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority), we have meetings almost on a daily basis, and the producers of the gas like Mobil, Chevron and Shell. So, there is hope that things will turn around.

“It is not going to reflect that way. We are dealing with human beings. The policy has been put in place and the investors want to maximise the profits that they are going to get from it all. At the end of the day we have to come in. That is why you have the regulator and we are interfacing with them to make sure they crash the price.”

However, further checks indicated that many households, especially in the outskirts of cities and rural areas have taken to increased utilisation of firewood, thereby encouraging deforestation in the nation.

The Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja, on Monday, sent back the immediate-past Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, to the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Justice Rahman Oshodi made the remand order shortly after the anti-graft agency arraigned Emefiele on 23 counts bordering on “abuse of office, accepting gratifications, corrupt demand, receiving property fraudulently obtained, and conferring corrupt advantage.”

In the substance of the charges, the EFCC alleged that abused his office while he was CBN Governor through allegation allocations of $4.5bn and N2.8bn.

He was arraigned alongside Henry Isioma-Omoile, whom the EFCC accused of accepting gifts from agents.

Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.

While Justice Oshodi ordered that Emefiele should be remanded in EFCC custody, he ordered that Isioma-Omoile be remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre, where he was already being held.

The judge made the remand orders while adjourning till Thursday, April 11, 2024, to hear their bail applications.

With Monday’s order, Emefiele returns to the EFCC custody about four and a half months after he left the custody of the anti-graft agency in November 2023, following his initial 151 days in both the custody of the EFCC and the Department of State Services.

At the Monday proceedings, his lawyer, Mr Abdulakeem Labi-Lawal, told hinted that the ex-CBN governor would be up for a fresh arraignment between April 25 and 26.

It will be the fourth criminal case filed against him by the Federal Government following his removal from office last June by President Bola Tinubu.

The DSS first arraigned before the Federal High Court in Lagos for illegal possession of firearms. The case was later withdrawn.

He was subsequently arraigned by the EFCC in November before Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Territory High Court on charges bordering on procurement fraud and forgery of the signature of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari.

His Monday arraignment before Justice Oshodi in Lagos was the third.

At the Monday trial in Lagos, the EFCC prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), told the court that Emefiele allegedly abused the authority of his office as CBN governor by allocating foreign exchange in the aggregate sum of $2.2bn without bids, the act which was prejudiced to the rights of Nigerians.

Oyedepo also told the court that the ex-CBN governor corruptly accepted the aggregate sum of $26.5m through Donatone Ltd on account of the allocation of foreign exchange by the CBN.

The commission further accused Emefiele of receiving the sum of $400,000 from Source Computer Ltd on account of the approval of a “contract” in favour of the said company by the CBN, the institution wherein he served as the governor.

The anti-graft agency alleged that Emefiele used his position as the governor of the CBN to confer a corrupt advance on his associate, Limelight Multidimensional Services Ltd, by allegedly approving the payment of the aggregate sum of N900m to the said company.

Emefiele was also alleged to have used his position as the CBN governor to confer a corrupt advantage on Comec Support Services Ltd by approving the sum of N149m to the company.

The EFCC also alleged that the former CBN governor used his position to confer a corrupt advantage on Andswin Resources and Solutions Ltd by approving payment of the sum of N398m to the company.

The prosecutor said Emefiele, between January 20 and June 2, 2023, in Lagos corruptly, received $7,720,000 on account of foreign exchange.

He was also accused of receiving $850,000, sometime in March 2023, on account of foreign exchange in favour of his employer the CBN, the institution of government where Emefiele governed.

Oyedepo told the court that Emefiele’s co-defendant, Henry Osioma-Omoile, on November 17, 2020, while acting as an agent received the sum of $110,000 through Monday Osazuwa, as a gift for Emefiele as a reward for allocating foreign currencies by CBN.

The commission also accused Isioma-Omoile of receiving the sum of $100,000, in two tranches on behalf of Emefiele as a gift reward for the allocation of foreign currency.

The prosecution said both defendants acted contrary to the provisions of sections 8, 10, and 19 of the Corrupt Practices And Other Related Offences

Act 2000; as well as sections 65, 73, and 328 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011.

The two defendants, however, pleaded not guilty, following which the prosecutor urged the judge to fix a date for trial.

But the defendants’ counsel, Mr Abdulakeem Labi-Lawal, in two separate bail applications, urged the court to grant the defendants bail on liberal terms, pending the determination of the case.

Specifically, he said that the court should grant Emefiele bail on self -recognizance or release him to his counsel as he was not a flight risk.

He said Emefiele had served Nigeria as the number one banker for nine years and was also still standing trial in Abuja court and would always be available to attend court.

Labi-Lawal added that the charges filed against Emefiele were bailable offences and not capital ones.

“Though the first defendant was granted administrative bail by the prosecuting authorities, he is seeking bail based on self-recognizance and he is ready to attend trial.

“The court should also take into consideration, the status of the first defendant as he was the former CBN governor of the country,” the defence counsel said.

The defence counsel further told the court that Emefiele would likely be arraigned on another charge in Abuja between April 25 and 26, 2024.

“It is for this reason we are asking that this court grant the defendants bail, on self-recognizance or release them to their counsel so that they can attend the court in Abuja,” Labi-Lawal said.

Labi-Lawal also told Justice Oshodi that second defendant, Osioma-Omoile, was previously arraigned on Friday and was granted bail Justice O. Sule- Hazmat of the state high court in Yaba.

He urged Justice Oshodi to allow Osioma-Omoile to continue on Friday bail.

The prosecutor, Oyedepo, did not oppose the bail applications but urged the court to exercise its discretion judiciously in granting bail to the defendants.

Oyedepo also informed the court that the prosecution would like to ask for a closed section for some of their witnesses who were willing to come to court to testify but were scared for their lives.

After listening to the submissions of both counsel, Justice Oshodi ordered that Emefiele should be remanded at the EFCC’s custody, while the second defendant should be returned to the Ikoyi Correctional Centre where he was brought to the court.

The judge adjourned the case till April 11, to rule on the bail applications and to commence trial.