Aloy Ejimakor, lead counsel of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has issued a caution to President Bola Tinubu amid the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protest and the Biafra agitator’s continued detention.
Ejimakor said those advising Tinubu to use force against protesters and continuing Kanu’s trial and detention are trying to destroy him politically.
The constitutional lawyer urged Tinubu to lead with justice and fair play to all Nigerians.
Posting on X, Ejimakor wrote: “Dear President Tinubu: Anybody advising you to use force against #EndBadGovernace protest and to persist in the #UnfairTrial and detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is not doing you any favor but is actually pushing you to destroy yourself politically. Lead with justice and fair play for all.”
Kanu has been detained by the Department of State Services, DSS, despite court judgements ordering his release.
Despite several pleas and moves for a political solution, Tinubu’s administration had refused to bow to such pressures.
Meanwhile, Nigerians have been agitating against the hunger and suffering in the country.
Lead with justice, fairness – Aloy Ejimakor advises Tinubu
Lead with justice, fairness – Aloy Ejimakor advises Tinubu
Military vows to go after coup agitators
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, said on Tuesday the military and security agencies would go after those behind the call for coup in the country.
Musa stated during a combined news conference by the heads of security agencies and service chiefs at the Defense Headquarters in Abuja.
He said the military knew that protesters calling for unconstitutional change of government were sponsored, adding that the security agencies were trailing them to bring them to book.
The CDS said: “I want to appreciate Nigerians for their understanding, for their commitment to upholding the law and order.
“We have had issues in the past few days, but you can see that people have seen reason for us not to continue with the destruction, to stop the looting, to stop giving opportunities for others to subvert our nation and to destroy our nation.
“They have also seen reasons to join hands together with the security forces to make Nigeria better.
“We want to assure them we on this side that we are fully committed to Nigeria, we love the country, we are mindful of the fact that we have been equipped and so we are duty bound to protect the country.
“We are only after those that are against the states, not those that are innocent.
“So I want to make that very clear and we will continue to work together as a team to support Mr. President in achieving his mandate of peace and tranquility in our dear country Nigeria.”
Musa called for the collaboration of other agencies to ensure that the security agents achieved success in their task.
He also called for dialogue to achieve national unity and cohesion as one great country.
On his part, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, said the main operational commitment of the army was to deploy resources to combat the protests that have turned violent to ensure sustainable peace in the country.
He said the army under his command was more concerned about peace and security, adding that attention had not been diverted from its main operational commitment in combating terrorism and banditry.
“I checked the number of patrols that troops conduct, the number of ambushes that are undertaken on daily basis, the number of violent insurgents that have been eliminated, incapacitated and other indices, and it has not dropped by whatever measure.
“Also we have continued to expand the frontier of peace and security in Borno State.
“Internally Displaced Persons (IDP’s) are being returned back to Kukawa and some other places as I speak to you which are indices of return to peace and stability.
“So the troops are not relenting in their operational commitment in the field on our contingency plan in the event that the situation degenerates.
“I want to also assure you that our estimates looking into the future suggests that the situation will not degenerate but we need cooperation of every stakeholder in Nigeria to achieve that,” the army chief stated.
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INEC, others advise youths against electoral malpractices
The Independent National Electoral Commission, the National Orientation Agency and the National Youth Service Corps have advised the youths against being used for electoral malpractices.
The advice was given following the scheduled governorship election in Edo State on September 21, 2024.
At a one-day workshop organised by the electoral commission for youths in Benin, the state capital, on Tuesday, the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Anugbum Onuoha, who was represented by the state’s INEC Administrative Secretary, Emmanuel Ogbodu, urged the youths to come out in large numbers for the governorship election.
Onuoha, who charged the youths to participate actively and positively in the election, noted that the engagement was to encourage the youths to participate in the electoral process.
He noted that INEC attaches a great value to youths’ participation in the electoral process.
He said, “INEC’s major goal of its partnership with the young people is to strategically position them to better appreciate their stake as an important demographic and player in public space, capable of meaningful contributions to the democratic advancement of the nation.”
In his goodwill message, the state’s NOA Director, Osahon Woghiren, said, “Some youths have been used as political thugs, being used to destroy electoral materials, vote buying among others.”
Woghiren said it was time the youths stopped being used negatively by the political class, urging them to shun all criminal tendencies and collaborate with INEC for the conduct of free, fair and credible elections.
The NYSC state director, Ifeoma Ben-Ushie Ifeoma, appealed to youths to avoid being used as agents of electoral malpractices or tools in electoral issues during elections.
INEC has released the final register of voters for the upcoming Edo and Ondo governorship elections.
The decision followed a meeting held by the commission on Tuesday, as contained in a statement signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun.
Ndume apologises to APC over anti-Tinubu comments
The immediate past Chief Whip of the Senate, Ali Ndume, on Tuesday publicly apologised to the ruling All Progressives Congress for embarrassing President Bola Tinubu on a live television programme.
The apology came one month after he was removed as the Senate’s Chief Whip following the interview he granted Arise TV, stating that Tinubu had been caged and prevented from knowing the hardships which Nigerians were going through,
Following his sack, Ndume was immediately replaced by the Senator representing Borno North, Tahir Monguno.
Ndume’s replacement by the Senate followed a directive issued to that effect in a letter written by the National Chairman of the party, Umar Ganduje, and National Secretary, Senator Bashir Ajibola.
Addressing journalists after a two-hour closed-door meeting with members of the party’s National Working Committee at its secretariat in Abuja, the senator said that though he has tendered an unreserved apology to the party, he stands by what he told Nigerians in the interview.
He said, “Yesterday, I was invited by the party and here I am to discuss family matters. Actually, the national chairman is not just a chairman to me but also a father. With what has happened, it is not surprising that I was invited to hear my side and we had a family discussion.
“I accepted the mistake of not talking to the party as a last point and I told the party that all my observations as a senior member of the family should have terminated or ended with the party. That is something that will be corrected moving forward. But whatever I said or did was out of patriotism.
“Those issues may have been said strongly but they are true. Again, I should have talked to the party as the last bus stop. Next time when I want to talk, I will come and get clearance or at least talk to the party.”
When asked to address the speculation that his membership was withdrawn by the ruling party, Ndume expressed surprise.
“My membership? No, I have not been expelled. Even the party did not say we don’t want you here because the party is my father. “The only thing the party said is that ‘If you don’t want this house, you can go to any house.’ But where will I go? This is my house,” he added.
The lawmaker also waved aside the question on whether he plans to apologise to the President and the Senate over the development.
He stated, “The President and the Senate have nothing to do with this. The President did not take offence. I didn’t insult the President or say anything against the party.”
Ganduje also confirmed to journalists that Ndume has apologised and expressed regret over the incident.
The APC national chairman also disclosed that the party plans to write the Senate leadership to reconsider its stance on his removal as the Chief Whip with a view to reinstating him.
He said, “We are quite satisfied with his apology. As he said, we invited him. As a party, the APC is the father of everybody. We are free to invite legislators, members of the executive and even all appointed party members in the government. That is why we decided to come together.
“It is a family issue and we need to resolve it. We are writing to the National Assembly to convey what has transpired between Senator Ndume and the party. As you are aware, he has apologised to the party with the hope that they can review their position.”
Kaduna gov attributes #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests escalation to external influences
Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, on Tuesday, attributed the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests, which escalated in the state on Monday, to external influences.
According Online reports that the protesters regrouped and marched through the city’s major streets, waving Russian flags.
In response, the state government, through the overseeing Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, imposed a 24-hour curfew on the Kaduna and Zaria metropolitan areas on Monday.
While assessing the security situation on Tuesday, the governor expressed concern for innocent residents affected by the curfew, including those unable to earn a living or visit the market.
Sani attributed the protests to external influences, citing the involvement of children aged 9-14 waving foreign flags.
According to him, this is a deliberate attempt to create anarchy, taking advantage of the psychology of the children and the cultural proximity to neighbouring countries like the Niger Republic.
Sani dismissed the notion that the protests were about bad governance or hunger, suggesting that initial genuine protesters were hijacked by sponsored elements exploiting uneducated and underage children.
“An investigation into the matter is ongoing. The sad aspect of what has happened is that many innocent people are now at home. These are people who are supposed to come out and earn their living. When you see children between the ages of nine and fourteen raising the flag of another country, you will agree with me that it’s a well-designed, sponsored effort by some elements calling for anarchy in their own country.
“They took advantage of the psychology of those children, knowing fully well that here in Northern Nigeria, our people are close to neighbouring countries like Niger Republic, making them believe that what happened in Niger Republic, Burkina Faso, and Mali can happen in Nigeria.
“So, as far as I’m concerned, the protest has nothing to do with bad governance or hunger. Those that came out a few days ago were sponsored by people who exploited the fact that most children are uneducated and underage.
“I want to commend the security forces for managing the situation. If you noticed what happened, some of the children were even climbing the armoured personnel carrier of the police, which shows that the police are very understanding. They acted professionally by allowing the children, to recognise that they were underage. We are investigating the situation.”
He commended the security forces for their professional handling of the situation, allowing underage children to climb on police vehicles without resorting to force.
Ogun Assembly approves revised LG election guidelines
The Ogun State House of Assembly has approved the request of the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission, OGSIEC, for revised election guidelines in line with the provisions of sections 3(i)(i) and 5 of the Ogun State Regulations Approval Law 2020.
The approval followed the presentation of the report by Deputy Speaker Bolanle Ajayi, in respect of the request of the commission, at a plenary presided over by the Speaker, Oludaisi Elemide, at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, on Tuesday.
Deputy Whip Tella Babatunde moved the motion for its adoption, seconded by Damilare Bello, and unanimously supported by all the other lawmakers through a voice vote.
Consequently, Majority Leader Yusuf Sheriff later moved the motion converting the committee’s recommendations to a House resolution, which was seconded by Lukmon Adeleye, the Minority Leader, and supported by the whole house through a unanimous voice vote.
Earlier, the speaker acknowledged and read a letter from the chairman of the OGSIEC, Babatunde Osibodu, requesting the assembly’s approval for the revised guidelines in line with the Ogun State Regulations Approval Law 2020.
In another development, the speaker acknowledged the receipt of correspondence from Governor Dapo Abiodun, proposing a bill for a law to improve electricity generation, transmission and distribution within Ogun State; establish an electricity marker and key power sector bodies; enforce consumer rights and obligations; and for other connected purposes.
The letter partly reads: “I am pleased to forward the above-captioned bill, through your good self, to the House of Assembly for due consideration and passage into law.
“The bill, which was approved at the Executive Council Meeting held on the 1st of August 2024, is necessitated by the passage of the Electricity Act 2023, which empowers states to provide a comprehensive legal and institutional framework for the power sector in the areas of generation, transmission, distribution, trading and enforcement of consumer rights and obligations, amongst others.”
Ogun Assembly approves revised LG election guidelines
Nigeria seeks specialised court to tackle piracy in Gulf of Guinea
Nigeria has called for the creation of a specialised court to handle piracy cases in the Gulf of Guinea.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, made the appeal during the 6th ordinary session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Gulf of Guinea Commission in Accra, Ghana, on Tuesday.
Addressing the assembly, Tuggar stressed the importance of establishing a court to bring maritime criminals to justice, emphasising piracy as an international criminal offence.
“The importance and significance of the Gulf of Guinea to Africa cannot be overemphasised. To this end, Nigeria takes this opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to the work and mandate of the Gulf of Guinea Commission.
“As a demonstration of our commitment to the Gulf of Guinea Commission, Nigeria’s National Assembly passed the Suppression of Piracy Other Maritime Offences Act in 2019 to prevent and suppress Piracy, Armed Robbery and any other unlawful acts against any vessels unlawfully operating in the Gulf Region.
“Nigeria continues to deploy significant resources towards tackling piracy in the Gulf of Guinea. This has resulted in a significant containment of threats. We are proud to state that since 2022 till date, there have been no incidents of piracy recorded in Nigeria’s territorial waters”, the minister noted.
He proposed agreements with regional states to facilitate the trial of offenders, highlighting the need for a competent jurisdiction within the Gulf of Guinea.
Tuggar added, “Your Excellencies, to counter the soft bigotry of low expectations, we must consider setting up a specialised court in our region to try maritime piracy cases. Piracy is regarded as an international criminal offence; international jurisdictions are replete with examples of bringing offenders to book.
“The time is apt for the GGC to step forward and lead the way in establishing a specialised court to handle the trials of maritime crimes. This requires agreements with regional states and setting up processes to facilitate the trial of offenders in the court of competent jurisdiction that we would establish.”
Tuggar also urged the commission to enhance efforts to protect the environment from degradation, prevent the dumping of radioactive material and nuclear waste, and guard against pollution by ships.
He called for the endorsement of a Combined Maritime Task Force to promote regional synergy in safeguarding the Gulf’s waters.
According to the European Union, the Gulf of Guinea is crucial for global oil transport, containing 10 per cent of the world’s oil reserves and serving as a major route for ships carrying oil and other goods. However, piracy remains a significant threat in the region.
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea noted that piracy involves illegal acts such as violence, detention, or robbery on the high seas for private ends. In 2020, the Gulf of Guinea experienced 78 piracy and armed robbery incidents at sea, with 130 seafarers kidnapped for ransom, highlighting the region’s ongoing security challenges.
Protest: Be wary of foreign actors – Zamfara coalition warns govt, residents
The Coalition of Northern Groups, CNG, in Zamfara State, has appealed to stakeholders to remain vigilant against the infiltration of foreign actors as the nationwide protest persists.
The group lamented that the nationwide protest, which started as a peaceful protest, has tragically degenerated into violence, especially in Kano and Jigawa states.
According to a statement issued by the Zamfara State coordinator of the group, Hassan Hussein, CNG has been monitoring developments across the 19 states of northern Nigeria.
“Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) allows citizens to peacefully protest and demand accountability, transparency, and good governance.
“In the last few days, what began as a peaceful protest in northern states has tragically degenerated into violence, particularly in Kano, Kaduna, and Jigawa states, among others.
“Public and private properties were destroyed; shops and stores were looted; hundreds of protesters and security personnel sustained various injuries; and many people lost their lives.
“In Zamfara State, the last three days of the protest were peaceful, devoid of harassment and maltreatment of protesters by security agents deployed to ensure their safety and prevent the infiltration of criminal elements.
“We observed young men and women’s procession through the various routes of the state’s capital, escorted by the security agents.
“However, on Monday, August 5, 2024, the protest took on a different dimension. We noticed the infiltration of criminal elements who manipulated the protesters (mostly underage) and triggered violence.
“The criminal elements succeeded in hijacking the peaceful protest and subsequently making it violent.
“Subsequently, many protesters sustained serious injuries; public and private properties were destroyed; businesses, public offices, and schools were shut down. This dire situation makes this moment critical in the history of Zamfara State.
“As tensions rise between the protesters and security agents and hoodlums that hijacked the peaceful protest for personnel gains, CNG feels that it is essential to issue this press statement, clarify issues as they unfold, and call for calm and restraint.”
The statement added that Zamfara State has long been a beacon of resilience amidst adversity, and if the current violent protest persists, it may threaten the fragile peace in the state and trigger another cycle of insecurity.
“In light of this, we urgently appeal to all parties involved to exercise restraint and engage in peaceful dialogue and constructive engagement to air their grievances.
“Our collective response to this situation will determine not only the immediate resolution but also the long-term stability and unity of our dear state.
“In the light of Monday’s events in Zamfara State, where a peaceful protest has regrettably turned violent, and given the fragile state of peace in the state, it is crucial that we prioritise dialogue and non-violence to achieve the peace and security that our dear state’s desire.
“The CNG has noticed that some of the protesters in Zamfara State were flying foreign flags, chanting anti-democratic songs, and calling on President Putin of Russia and the military to intervene in Nigeria’s governance.
“The infiltration of foreign agents and governments into Nigeria’s affairs could undermine the genuine grievances of the protesters and distort the objectives of the protests.”
“The CNG appeals to all stakeholders to remain vigilant against the infiltration of foreign actors and ensure that the protests reflect the genuine will of our people and are conducted within the framework of the law,” the group added.
Protest: Be wary of foreign actors – Zamfara coalition warns govt, residents
Ondo promises to pay N70,000 minimum wage
The Ondo State Government, on Tuesday, expressed its readiness to pay the N70,000 national minimum wage to the state civil servants.
The state Head of Service, Mr. Bayo Philip, stated this while speaking in his office, in Akure, the state capital.
The minimum wage was approved by President Bola Tinubu after a series of negotiations with the organised labour unions in the country.
According to him, the state governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, had repeatedly assured all that his administration would not do anything less than whatever is approved by the Federal Government as the national minimum wage for workers.
He noted that the state government also extended the gesture to retirees and workers in all state-owned tertiary institutions as a way to ameliorate the current economic situation in the country.
He said, “Before the bill was assented to by the President, the governor had given his words that Ondo State would pay whatever minimum wage may be agreed upon and assented to by Mr. President.
“As I speak, we are doing all the preliminaries, that as soon as the details of the salary table for the minimum wage is out, we will be at it, and I know for sure that the state will implement it without delay.”
On the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protest in the country, Philip said the people of the state could not protest against themselves as they had seen Aiyedatiwa’s government as theirs.
“Here, no one is protesting. Not the youths, not the market women, not the students, not the public servants. As you can observe, we are in our various offices carrying out our statutory duties and there is tranquillity across the state.
“The reason is that we have a governor who is in touch with the feelings and aspirations of the people. A governor who is well-connected with the people. In fact, the government that is being run in Ondo State is the government owned by the people themselves. So we cannot organise a protest against ourselves,” the HoS stressed.
GCR affirms Dangote Industries’ AA+ positive ratings
GCR Ratings has affirmed Dangote Industries Limited with national-scale long-term and short-term issuer ratings of AA+ and A1+, respectively.
In its report on Tuesday, GCR also affirmed the national scale long-term issue rating of AA+(NG) for each of Dangote Industries Funding Plc’s Series 1 NGN10.5bn Tranche A and NGN177.1bn Tranche B Bonds, as well as the Series 2 NGN112.4bn Senior Unsecured Bond.
GCR said the outlook on these ratings has been revised to Evolving from Stable.
“The ratings were affirmed on the prospects of significant growth in earnings following the commencement of operations at the new petrochemical refinery and robust earnings expectation from the other businesses,” it said.
The rating agency highlighted the impact of naira devaluation on Dangote Industries’ performance, stating, “the ratings are constrained by the adverse impact of the currency devaluation on the profitability and financial position of the group, given its significant foreign debt exposure.”
Recognising the potential of the Dangote Group, GCR noted, “The group’s business profile is bolstered by the commencement of refining operations in February 2024 (with the production of diesel, naphtha, heavy fuel oil, and aviation fuel), which now complements the already well-diversified group businesses.
“We expect the group’s business fundamentals to become increasingly tilted towards oil refining, given its size as the largest refinery in Africa and Europe. We also expect strong export sales potential given the recent debut exports of refined oil to Europe. The non-oil businesses continue to demonstrate strong earnings generating capacity and market leaderships in their respective sectors, underpinned by the above-peer production capacities and favourable demographics.
“We have maintained a positive peer comparison consideration for DIL underpinned by the importance of the refinery to the Nigerian economy. However, we have lowered the extent of support applicable under this rating component because we expect the support factors to translate to substantive enhancements to the group’s business and financial profiles over the outlook period. In 2022, DIL raised a cumulative NGN300Bn in Series 1 (Tranches A and B) and Series 2 Senior Unsecured Bonds issued by its sponsored special purpose vehicle, Dangote Industries Funding Plc. Being senior unsecured debt sponsored by DIL, the Series 1 Tranches A and B Bonds and the Series 2 Bond rank pari passu with all other senior unsecured creditors of the group.
“Therefore, the Bonds bear the same national scale long-term rating as that accorded to DIL and any change in DIL’s long-term corporate rating would impact the Bonds ratings. We have reviewed the draft trustees’ bond performance report dated 24 May 2024 and note that the coupons have been paid as and when due and there were no breaches to any covenants and pledges in the trust deeds.
“However, the group remains highly exposed to volatile energy cost dynamics and is reliant on importation of gypsum for cement, raw sugar input, and crude oil for the refinery.”