The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have stormed the secretariat of the Labour Party to protest the party’s national convention planned for end of this month.

The union also demanded the sack of the National Chairman of the party, Julius Abure.

The NLC leadership alleged that Abure was planning to hold a “secret” convention without the inputs of major stakeholders.

Vanguard gathered that the planned convention has pitched Abure against the NLC and the House of Representatives caucus.

The workers accused Abure of planning to destroy the Labour Party.

The protesting workers have been refused entry into the party Secretariat by the Nigeria Police Force.

Details later…

Comedian AY Makun has spoken about the bad side of social media.

According to him, social media is now a place where people do not need formal training on how to be a fool.

AY said social media is now a place where people do not care about how others feel.

His post reads

''Social media is now the new king Kong, where feelings are now more important than objective facts. If a foolish person comes out and says something that unlocks the feeling of an audience, he or she gets praised. But if a wise person comes and says something that is contrary to how people want to feel, he or she gets persecuted.

Social media is a place where you don't need formal training to know how to be a fool. You just have to be born foolish and be free enough to express your foolishness. It's a place that gives you confidence even in your ignorance. It is the only place where you can freely express the nothingness of your not knowing close anything before your interferences.

The funny part is that a lot of people carry their ignorance with a lot of class and a lot of confidence based on what they see or feel. But we must also understand that each community is entitled to have a fool or a community of fools that recognizes and accepts the foolishness of others as a brand to submit to. Such foolishness does not stop you from being a man or woman. It does not even stop you from not having fans and followers cut across the strata of different foolish endeavors.

Having said that, more foolish people will continue to evaluate their performances in the space by creating sensationalism and negative viral content for the entertainment pleasures of their different audiences. But as long as foolish individuals do not care about the stress, pain, anxiety, loneliness, and depression they bring you, the more it is also very important for them to enjoy the consequences of their actions."

On Tuesday, Zenith Bank Plc announced the appointment of Dame Adaora Umeoji as the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (GMD/CEO), effective from June 2024.

She is the first female to lead the bank.

Her appointment is, however, subject to the approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Umeoji will take over from the current GMD, Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, whose time in office expires on May 31.

Here are things to know about Adaora Umeoji

1. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of Jos,

2. She also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, and first-class honours in Law from Baze University Abuja.

3. She’s a Master of Laws graduate from the University of Salford, United Kingdom.

4. She also bagged a Master in Business Administration from the University of Calabar.

5. Umeoji joined Zenith Bank in 1998, and since joining the bank, she headed the marketing group Maitama branch and went on to be the deputy zonal head of the Abuja Zone.

6. She then became executive director in charge of Abuja and Middle Belt Zones of the Bank.

7. She was appointed to the board on October 9, 2012.

8. She is an alumnus of Harvard Business School.

9. She attended the strategic thinking and management program at Wharton Business School, USA.

10. She holds a certificate in Economics for Business from the prestigious MIT Management Sloan School and a Certificate in Leading Global Businesses from Harvard Business School, USA.

11. She is a fellow of professional bodies including the Chartered Bankers Institute of London, the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, the Institute of Credit Administration, the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Nigeria, the Institute of Chartered Meditators & Conciliators, and the Institute of Chartered Secretaries & Administrators of Nigeria, among others.

12. Beyond banking, Umeoji founded the Catholic Bankers Association of Nigeria (CBAN), a platform she uses to promote ethical banking and service to humanity.

13. She is a peace advocate of the United Nations (UN-POLAC), and a Lady of the Order of Knights of St. John International (KSJI).

14. She was recently awarded a Papal Knight of the Order of St. Sylvester by His Holiness Pope Francis.

15. In 2022, the Federal Government honoured her with Officer of the Order of Nigeria as a recognition of her contributions to nation-building.

Justice James Kolawole Omotoso of the Federal High Court in Abuja has thrown out a lawsuit brought against the Federal Government, aiming to prohibit the conduct of elections and examinations on Saturdays in Nigeria.

The suit instituted by the Seventh Day Adventist Church of Nigeria was thrown out by the Judge on ground of being frivolous, vexatious, irritating and baseless.

The church had claimed that Saturday is its Sabbath day of worship and that fundamental rights of its members are being brutally breached by the conduct of elections and examinations on Saturdays.

The plaintiff then sought order of the Court to prohibit the Federal Government of Nigeria from further conducting elections and examinations on the Sabbath day so as to stop disruption of their rights to worship.

However, Justice Omotoso, in his judgment on Wednesday, held that the fundamental rights being claimed by the church were not at large and cannot be curtailed by government policy.

Besides, the Judge held that the Seventh Day Adventist Church is in the minority in Nigeria and cannot impose its doctrine on the majority of other religious denominations in the country.

Details later...

A nurse treating patients at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, has died due to an outbreak of Lassa fever.

A source at the hospital said the nurse, Ewogu Nkechi, died last weekend and was buried immediately based on Lassa fever control protocol.

She had been attached to the emergency department of AE-FUTHA since December 2019. She was a graduate of Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, and hailed from the Ikwo Local Government Area of the State.

When contacted for his reaction, the Commissioner for Health in Ebonyi State, Dr. Moses Ekuma, confirmed the outbreak of Lassa fever in the state, saying the state epidemiologist and other health personnel are on top of the outbreak.

“Actually, there is an outbreak of Lassa Fever. It is not only in Ebonyi State. It affected other places more especially those areas that are prone to the outbreak. The state epidemiologist and other health team are on top of it to ensure its prevention and control,” he said.

Yesterday, the Nigerian Senate passed N446,342,656,992 as the 2024 budget of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

The action of the Senate followed its adoption and approval of the recommendation of its Committee on Finance that considered the budget.

The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Sani Musa (APC – Niger East) presented the report.

Of the sum, according to the report, N177,441,479,682 is for Personnel Cost, N156,454,385,053 is for Overhead cost and N112,446,822,255.00 is for capital expenditure.

The committee observed that: “The Service Year 2024 budget estimates are based on Zero Based Budgeting.

“That the 2024 projected Cost of Collection of N446.34 billion is 39 per cent higher than the 2023 approved budgeted cost of collection which stood at N320.90billion.

“The personnel cost is based on staff strength on the payroll including social benefits (such as NHIA, Pension contribution etc.) and anticipated performance bonus for the year.

“The increase in overhead projection can be attributed to the need for more robust operational activities which are critical in driving the achievement of Service core objectives e.g tax automation projects and other critical ones that relate directly to tax collection and administration.

Amadu Galadima, a Nigerian man residing in the Dukku Local Government Area of Gombe State, asserts that he travels 9.5 kilometers daily from his village to Dukku to procure free food for his nine children, enabling them to break their fast during Ramadan.

Galadima, aged 49, made this known to Daily Trust, revealing that his family is one of the beneficiaries of an annual Ramadan feeding programme organised by a Bulgarian-based charity organisation, Charity Association Margarity, in the state.

“I usually secure motorcycle lift from good Samaritans going to Dukku so that I can get to where the food is distributed to have a plate, and the quantity served is good. When coming back, sometimes I trek some distance before I can see someone to give me a lift back home,” Galadima was quoted as saying by Daily Trust.

He continued: “When I get the food, I take it to my family and I hardly get a mouthful of it. I have 9 children - 5 girls and 4 boys - and this food is greatly helping us as we don’t have what to eat at home. We thank the association for this gesture.”

Like millions of other Muslims around the country, Galadima's tribulation during the holy month of Ramadan could be linked to the current socioeconomic challenges created by President Bola Tinubu's fuel subsidy removal and Naira floating policies.

SaharaReporters had reported several demonstrations tagged as #EndHungerProtests in major cities across the country.

Speaking further on the programme, Alhaji Hafiz Muhammad Sulaiman, the Nigeria Country Coordinator of Charity Association Margarity, stated that the group feeds at least 300 people per day, including widows, orphans, almajiri children, and other impoverished individuals.

According to the organiser, the organisation fed 18,000 people (600 for 30 days) during last year's Ramadan.

He added that the food scheme had been hurt this year by a decrease in donations received by the group, which he attributed to the Gaza war.

Asabe is another beneficiary of the charity. She is a widow and mother of eight, who always travels from a far distance every day to also get free food for her family to eat.

She said, “I come from Daurawa (quarters in Dukku) to collect a plate of this food. I have eight children. I thank these people who are providing this help to us. In this hardship, having this food is helping us. With this food, at least we have what to eat for dinner. It is a great relief!”

Another widow, Malama Fatsuma, stated that she and her children rely on the Iftar meal provided by the association.

“We feed on this food. We thank the leadership of this association for helping us with what to eat. It is only Allah that will reward them. It is a great help, especially in this trying time,” she said.

“In this period when prices of food items have increased, the food we get here (from the association) is a succour to my family.

“Sometimes we hardly have what to eat, but with this help, at least I have what to take to my family every day. I’ve been saved the cost of giving them dinner at least,” Abdullahi Isma’il, another beneficiary said.