The sacked Senate Chief Whip, Ali Ndume, has reacted to his removal from the position.
The Senate on Wednesday removed the outspoken lawmaker as Chief Whip following the recommendation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee (NWC).
He had since been replaced by the Senator representing Borno North, Mohammed Monguno, in that position.
Ndume was removed a few days after he criticised President Bola Tinubu’s leadership style.
The lawmaker, who featured in a programme on Arise TV, said the president has been caged by his aides in Aso Rock.
He added that Tinubu was not aware of the challenges faced by Nigerians because he was far removed from the current realities in the country.
He also argued that former President Muhammadu Buhari was a more accessible leader.
Ndume, who spoke with journalists in Maiduguri, Borno State, on Friday, said the statement that led to his removal as Chief Whip did not warrant the decision.
The lawmaker revealed that he rejected the chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Tourism due to lack of experience.
He said: “I did not say anything wrong. And therefore I want to state that I stand by all my statements in the interview I granted.
“So, I know that I’m not wrong. The people are not wrong by speaking the truth and standing by the truth.
“And I pray that the president who by now, I expect the message should have gotten to him, looks at what I have said and takes appropriate measures to eliminate the suffering of the people.
“Secondly, the party that recommended to the Senate that I should be removed from being the chief whip of the Senate, I take that as an act of God because if it is God who gave me that position. It is God that took it through APC. So, I bear no grudges about that.
“After all, I did not contest to be the chief whip. I did not contest to be the vice chairman of the appropriation committee. I contested to be the se one of the Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and God granted me that victory and I’m happy with God, what God has given to me.”
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‘I stand by my statements on Tinubu’s interview,’ Ndume reacts to removal as Senate Chief Whip
Naira sheds N30 to trade N1,596/$1 at official window
The naira shed N30 against the American dollar at the official window on Friday.
Data from the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM) showed that the domestic currency traded N1,596/$1, up from N1,566/$1 recorded on Thursday.
The intra-day high and low recorded during the day were N1,619/$1 and N1,495/$1 respectively, representing a lean spread of N124$1.
The naira gained N60 against the dollar at the parallel section of the market to trade N1,580|$1, as against the N1,640/$1 posted on Thursday.
The currency gained N20 against the British Pound to trade N2,070£1 as against the previous N2,090£1.
The Canadian dollar remained flat against the naira to trade N1,200|CA$1.
The naira also gained N20 against the Euro to trade ₦1,720/€1 as against the previous ₦1,740/€1.
By: Babajide Okeowo
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16-floor tower: ‘Shameless politicians think Akwa Ibom people are stupid – lawyer reacts
A human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, has dismissed the clarification provided by the Akwa Ibom State government about the proposed 18-floor Ibom Towers in Lagos State.
Effiong, in a post on his X handle on Friday, described the government’s response as a ‘silly statement from a pathetic regime that has no vision’, adding that ‘shameless politicians think Akwa Ibom people are stupid.’
His statement comes after the government, in a release by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ekerete Udoh, justified the proposed 18-floor Ibom Towers project.
Udoh had said that the 18-floor Ibom Towers and a three-star hotel to be built in Abuja are great investments that would guarantee solid income to the state government.
The spokesman also questioned those opposing the projects, insisting ‘they will stand out as an enchanting symbol of rise and ascendancy of Akwa Ibom.
However, Effiong, who had earlier issued a stern warning to the governor as he asked people in the state to get prepared for a massive protest, said: “A silly statement from a pathetic regime that has no vision. These shameless politicians think Akwa Ibom people are stupid.”
16-floor tower: ‘Shameless politicians think Akwa Ibom people are stupid – lawyer reacts
Anti-government protest: TinubuMustGo hashtag trends on social media
Ahead of the planned nationwide protests over hardship, netizens have threatened to demand President Bola Tinubu’s resignation.
A cross-section of Nigerians on their X microblogging handles are using the hashtag #TinubuMustGo to campaign for the protest.
They are alleging that the president lacks the ability to tackle the economic crisis bedevilling the nation.
TVN reports that Nigerians, particularly youths who are frustrated by the economic reality, have vowed to stage mass protests nationwide.
According to the flyers making the rounds, the protest has been scheduled for August 1 to 10.
Some X users who were campaigning for the protest threatened that if the protest is disrupted by security operatives, they would demand Tinubu’s immediate resignation.
Below are some of the posts on X as compiled by TVN:
@j_samdavid wrote: “As we mount the barricade in August to rage, the APC urchins, the police, the army and all the trigger-happy state apparatus of the elite ruling class should know that if any one of the masses protesting should be wounded or killed, we will come for Tinubu #TinubuMustGo.”
@PhCity_Oracle wrote: “Built a N21 B mansion for Shettima but asked Nigerians to be patient. Bought a N5B presidential yacht for Tinubu – approved 70000 naira for the NLC and TUC. Bought N150 B presidential jet but shared rice with Nigerians. #RevolutionNow #TinubuMUSTGo #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria.”
@Jrnaib2 wrote: “Do you know that majority of Nigerians are committed to the One Term President, OTP Project? Join the patriotic movement now! #TinubuMUSTGo.”
@Verydarkman wrote: “Dear Nigeria Youth. Make sure you come out for the protest and never give up. As you can see, they are already developing cold feet. NIGERIA BELONGS TO ALL OF US. #TinubuMUSTGo.”
Anti-government protest: TinubuMustGo hashtag trends on social media
Police dismisses report on abduction of 11 passengers in Enugu
The Enugu State Police Command has dismissed as misleading a report on the abduction of 11 people at the Amechi-Idodo area of the Enugu/Abakaliki Expressway on Wednesday.
The command’s spokesman, Daniel Ndukwe, said in a statement on Friday in Enugu that the report was aimed at creating panic in the state.
Ndukwe said that the stance given in an online publication was a total distortion of facts surrounding the incident of an attempted abduction along the road.
The spokesman pointed out that a joint security team moved to the Enugu/Ebonyi States border point along the highway after receiving a report on the activities of criminals and rescued the occupants of a commercial bus in the area.
He said: “Hence, they rescued 13 occupants of a Nissan commercial bus. However, three others, who scampered into nearby bushes upon the attack, are yet to be located.
“The Commissioner of Police, Enugu State, Mr. Kanayo Uzuegbu, has ordered the sustenance of ongoing operations to locate and rescue the three missing victims and also hunt down the assailants.
“The commissioner further cautions reporters and publishers to always verify their facts before going to press.”
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Niger Republic jailbreak: Immigrations steps up border patrol in Niger
The Niger State Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, has beefed up its presence and intensified its patrols across border communities to curb the influx of hardened terrorists into the state.
A statement signed by the command’s head of the Media and Public Relations Unit, Mukhtar Abubakar, in Minna, said that the step was taken to nip in the bud any unforeseen security breaches.
He said the move was a result of a memo that directed state and zonal commands of the service to intensify and increase their patrol of border towns to curtail the influx of some notorious terrorists that escaped from prison due to a jailbreak in the Niger Republic.
Abubakar explained: “The memo from the Controller General of the Service, Kemi Nana Nandap, directed all immigration formations within border communities in their respective states and zonal commands to be on the alert to curtail the movement of unusual faces within the border areas.”
Abubakar further asserted that the command has already placed men on border patrol and on red alert to assist in intensifying their patrols along the border towns across the state to checkmate suspicious movement.
According to him: “We are not taking any chances. We are already on top of the situation to curtail and checkmate any unusual movement in our border communities in the state.
“Our border patrol squads are already on top of the situation with the aim of checking the influx of suspicious movement of any character within our border towns and communities.”
He also urged the general public to assist the command with useful and credible information on the strange faces in their midst to assist the command in taking proactive action.
Niger Republic jailbreak: Immigrations steps up border patrol in Niger
NGX: Equities market ends week with N20bn gain for investors
The Nigerian equities market ended the week’s trading with a N20 billion gain for investors on Friday.
This followed an increase in the share prices of stocks like SOVRENINS, CUSTODIAN, and NAHCO amongst others on the trading floor today.
After five hours of trading at the capital market, the equity capitalization increased to N56.92 trillion from N56.90 trillion posted by the bourse on Thursday.
The All-Share Index (ASI) increased to 100,539.40 from 100,503.21 recorded the previous day.
The market breadth was negative as 16 stocks advanced and 28 declined, while 71 others remained unchanged in 9,988 deals.
SOVRENINS, CUSTODIAN, and NAHCO led other gainers with 4.26%, 4.17%, and 3.41% growth in share price each to close at N0.49, N10.00, and N39.40 from the previous N0.47, N9.60, and N38.10 per share.
On the flip side, CUTIX, ABC TRANS, and TANTALIZER led other price decliners as they shed 8.55%, 8.33%, and 8.16% each to close at N5.99, N0.77, and N0.45 from the initial N6.55, N0.84, and N0.49 per share.
On the volume index, FCMB led trading with 114 million shares valued at N869 million in 218 deals followed by JAIZ BANK which traded 103 million shares valued at N224 million in 151 deals.
UCAP traded 56 million shares valued at N2.29 billion in 1480 deals.
On the value index, UCAP recorded the highest value for the day trading stocks worth N2.29 billion in 1480 deals followed by GTCO which traded equities worth N1.69 billion in 521 deals.
ZENITH BANK traded stocks worth N1.09 billion in 569 deals.
By: Babajide Okeowo
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APC, police disagree over attack on Okpebholo, Shaibu in Edo
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo has accused the state police command of complicity in the attack on its governorship candidate, Monday Okpebholo, and the reinstated deputy governor, Philip Shaibu.
Gunmen attacked the duo while leaving the Benin Airport shortly after they arrived from Abuja on Thursday.
A police inspector was killed while three other operatives were seriously wounded in the attack.
At a media briefing on Friday, the Director of Media, APC Campaign Council for the September 21 election in the state, Kassim Afegbua, demanded the sack of the state’s Commissioner of Police, Funso Adegboye.
He said the killing of the police officer was witnessed by the CP.
Afegbua said the party had petitioned the Inspector-General of Police to look into the case and check how the police commissioner undermined the role of the police.
According to him, some members of the party who saw the CP at the airport shared the intelligence of what was about to happen, but he unfortunately ignored it.
He said: “It is disheartening to observe that while the ruthless shootings were going on, Adeboye was on ground at the Benin Airport and he did nothing to repel the vicious attack which led to the death of one of his officers.
“As fate would have it, it was our candidate’s police attaché that was killed, while our candidate and the deputy governor missed death by the whiskers.
“From eye witness account, it is very clear that some of these hoodlums are members of the Edo Vigilante Network who were fully knitted in their uniforms.
“The Commissioner of Police, Edo State Command, has willfully undermined the responsibility placed on him by law, that is protection of lives and property within his jurisdiction.
“As at today, Edo State is in a state of lawlessness occasioned by the non-control of the source of weapons being paraded by members of Edo State Vigilante Network who were recruited without any formal training.”
He described the attack on the APC candidate as an assassination attempt.
Adegboye, however, absolved himself of blame in the mayhem.
He dismissed claim that intelligence was shared with him before the attack.
“I had information that some people gathered at the airport, supporters and I went in there because our goal is to maintain law and order. Where we discover we have a crowd, we will go there.
“So we were there, myself and my men and it was after these people left the airport that we learnt about the shooting which led to the death of the inspector.
“Nobody gave me any intelligence of what was about to happen. There was no single incidence at the premises of the airport,” the CP stated.
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LP ward executives in Rivers suspend actress Hilda Dokubo
The Labour Party has suspended actress-turned-politician, Hilda Dokubo, over alleged financial misappropriation.
She was also accused of abusing her position and violating party rules, among other things.
The thespian, who once served as special adviser on youth affairs to former Rivers State Governor, Peter Odili, was suspended by her ward executives in the Asari Toru local government area of the state on Thursday.
READ ALSO: Buhari is sexist –Hilda Dokubo
In a letter signed by the ward chairman, Ajalamonia Ibama, and the secretary, Lole Amacheer, the ward executives said they took the decision after a comprehensive investigation of the claims against the 54-year-old actress.
They said considerable evidence had been discovered to support their charges against Dokubo, who has refused to respond to the allegations against her.
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New service scheme: ASUP mobilises for strike
Members of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, may go on strike if the Federal Government refuses to withdraw its new scheme of service approved by the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE.
TVN reports that the two-week ultimatum issued the Federal Government will expire on Monday.
Chairman of ASUP, Federal Poly, Offa, Dr Atilola Moses Idowu, disclosed this to TVN in Ilorin on Friday.
He said a resolution to this effect was taken in line with the directive of the national body of the union at the congress of the union’s chapter held on Thursday in Offa, Offa Local Government Area of Kwara state.
The union asked the NBTE to withdraw the new scheme of service for polytechnic lecturers or risk a strike.
ASUP, raised concerns in some areas of the new scheme which required amendment, including dichotomy against HND holders in other cadres, allowing at least one skipping for all cadres as it is done other tertiary institutions in Nigeria and not elongating the waiting period for all promotions beyond three years.
“These observations from the Committee of Rectors of federal polytechnics, polytechnic staff unions, and the national association of polytechnic students, have been forwarded to the Head of Service of the Federation,” it stated.
New service scheme: ASUP mobilises for strike