The Social Democratic Party (SDP) on Thursday invited the former Senate Chief Whip, Ali Ndume, to its fold.
The SDP National Chairman, Alhaji Shehu Gabam, extended the invitation at a news conference in Abuja.
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He had since been replaced by the Senator representing Borno North, Mohammed Monguno, in that position.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.
At the briefing, Gabam condemned the removal of Ndume for criticising the government and its policies.
He said the advice by the APC leadership that Ndume was free to join any opposition party was an act of intolerance.
The chairman said: “The SDP believes that criticism is essential to a healthy democracy, and we will not stand idly by while the APC seeks to stifle dissenting voices.
“We extend an official invitation to Senator Ndume to join our party and continue his quest for social justice, good governance, and the entrenchment of democratic principles.
“To Senator Ndume, we say your courageous stand against the APC’s authoritarian tendencies is laudable, and we welcome you to our fold.
“Together, we shall continue to advocate for the rights of Nigerians and ensure that our democracy remains vibrant and inclusive.”
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SDP woos former Senate chief whip, Ndume
Tribunal upholds APC Rep’s victory in Katsina rerun election
The National and State Assemblies election petitions tribunal on Thursday upheld the election of the lawmaker representing Faskari/Sabuwa/Kankara federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Alhaji Dalhatu Tafoki, in this year’s rerun elections in Katsina State.
The three-member panel headed by Justice K.A Ojiaka dismissed the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Alhaji Jamilu Muhammad, for lack of merit.
The tribunal also ordered Muhammad to pay a fine of N150,000 each to three respondents.
The respondents are Tafoki, the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The petitioner alleged that the election that returned Tafoki was marred by irregularities, multiple thumb printing, disenfranchisement of voters, and non-compliance with the electoral act.
The tribunal declared that the petitioner failed to present witnesses to prove his case.
INEC had declared Muhammed as the winner of the 2023 election in the constituency but the tribunal declared the election inconclusive.
The panel ordered INEC to conduct re-election in 16 polling units of Kankara and four in Faskari local government areas of the state.
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Niger doesn’t rely on allocations from federation account – Gov Bago
Governor Mohammed Umar Bago has disclosed that Niger State does not need to rely on the monthly allocation from the federation account to survive.
Bago stated this while declaring open a stakeholder town hall meeting on the state’s state affairs in Minna.
Bago explained that with bodies of water and four hydroelectric dams located in the state, Niger ought not to be complaining of hunger but rather will serve as a food basket for Nigeria.
According to him: “Niger State Government doesn’t need the monthly FAAC allocation from the Federal Government because we are not poor and are producing, which is our secret.
“Many people have invested in Niger State for the next five years and we even had to defer a bilateral agreement with the United Arab Emirate’s Dubai until next year since Nigeria cannot feed itself now.”
The governor also revealed that the sum of N500,000 as minimum wage will be paid to each youth employed to work in the one hundred thousand greenhouses located at the Airport City project in the state.
He disclosed: “Under the greenhouse project, the Niger State Government will employ one million youths, comprising males and females, which will assist in addressing the problem of unemployment as well as provide jobs to the teeming unemployed.”
Bago further approved the release of the N20,000 wage award for disbursement to all categories of civil servants while approving another N2 billion as scholarship allowances to students of tertiary institutions across the state.
Speaking on behalf of security chiefs, Niger State Commissioner of Police Shawulu Danmamman stated that security agencies in Niger State have been working round the clock to ensure peace for sustainable development and will not relent in that direction.
Niger doesn’t rely on allocations from federation account – Gov Bago
Farmer docked for allegedly defiling neighbour’s daughter in Oyo
Police on Thursday arraigned a farmer, Mufutau Salaudeen, at the Oyo State Family Court in Iyaganku, for allegedly defiling his neighbour’s daughter.
Police charged the defendant with defilement in charge No. MI/ FC/ 52C/ 2024
The prosecuting counsel, Insp. Gbemisola Adedeji, told the court that Salaudeen defiled the 11-year-old girl at Olowosokedile Ajegunle area of Saki, Saki West local government area of the state on July 2.
He said the defendant allegedly lured the girl into his room and defiled her.
The offence, according to Adedeji, contravened Section 34 of the Oyo State Child Rights Law 2016.
The Magistrate, Mrs. Serifat Adesina, who did not have jurisdiction to entertain the matter, ordered that the defendant be remanded in the Agodi correctional facility in Ibadan.
She adjourned the matter till October 14 for mention.
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Why we accepted N70,000 minimum wage – NLC, TUC
Organised labour has explained that it agreed to President Bola Tinubu’s N70,000 new national minimum wage increase because wage review will now be every three years, not five years.
The president of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Joe Ajaero and his counterpart in the Trade Union Congress, TUC, Festus Osifo disclosed after a meeting with President Tinubu on Thursday.
The NLC President, Joe Ajaero said: “What has been announced in terms of the amount of N70,000 happened to be where we are now. But the cool thing about it is that we will not wait for another five years to come on review.
“Rather than settling on a figure that we wait for five years, it’s like we’ll have to now negotiate even two times within five years.
“That is one of the reasons why we decided to reach where we are today. Because of the proviso that we can review in the next three years.”
On his part, Osifo said: “The President (Tinubu) made a pronouncement or announcement of N70,000. By next week, he should put the finishing touches to the bill and the transmission to the National Assembly.
“But why this became a catch is because we, from organised labour, have been pushing that the issue of a five years review is a long time, that a lot of economic indices may have changed because we are in an era where things are moving very fast in terms of both macro and micro economic policies.”.
TVN recall that on Thursday Tinubu announced N70,000 new minimum wage increase for Nigerian workers.
He also promised that the federal government would support the sub-national and private sectors to pay the N70,000 minimum wage.
Why we accepted N70,000 minimum wage – NLC, TUC
Court orders final forfeiture of properties linked to ex-NAPL boss
Justice Chukujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on Wednesday, ordered the final forfeiture of five properties linked to a former Managing Director of Nigerian Army Properties Limited (NAPL), Major-Gen. Umaru Mohammed to the Federal Government.
The judge gave the order following a motion by the lawyer to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), A.O. Mohammed.
Justice Aneke on March 4 ordered the interim forfeiture of the properties and directed the commission to publish an order in a national newspaper for any interested person to show cause why they should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
READ ALSO: Court to rule on final forfeiture of Patience Jonathan’s $5.8m, N2.4bn on March 28
The EFCC had in its brief of argument told the court that the properties located in Lagos were fraudulently misappropriated and the proceeds of the sale diverted for personal use by the army officer.
The properties are No.8b, Bedwell Road, Ikoyi; No.3, Force Road, Ikoyi, Lagos; No.14, Glover Road, Ikoyi, Lagos; No.6, Marina, Ikoyi, Lagos and No. 28, Point Road, Apapa, Lagos.
In Wednesday’s proceeding, Mohammed said the EFCC had complied with the order of the court on the properties.
He urged the court to order the final forfeiture of the properties to the government.
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‘We’re not in a nightclub’ – Akpabio cautions Senator Natasha in Senate [VIDEO]
![‘We’re not in a nightclub’ – Akpabio cautions Senator Natasha in Senate [VIDEO]](https://tvn.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/akpabio-768x512.jpeg "‘We’re not in a nightclub’ – Akpabio cautions Senator Natasha in Senate [VIDEO]")
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio on Thursday, cautioned Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan on the floor of the Senate.
The Senate was in session when Akpabio said those in favour of the second reading of a bill should say ‘Aye’ while those against say ‘Nay’.
The ‘Nay’ response was the loudest and as the Senate President contemplated his next action, Senator Natasha rose to explain why she and some others were against the second reading of the bill.
“Mr President, we don’t want it to be killed. We just want a bit of modification. We don’t want the bill killed but there should be slight modification…”
Responding to her, Akpabio said, “You see Senator Natasha, in the chamber, you have to be recognized before you speak. We’re not in a nightclub.”
Natasha said, “Oh, pardon me,” and returned to her seat.
See Video
In the chamber, you have to recognize before you speak. We are not in a nightclub.- Sen. Akpabio to Sen. Natasha. pic.twitter.com/xtA0I3WQnD
— Imran Muhammad (@Imranmuhdz) July 18, 2024
‘We’re not in a nightclub’ – Akpabio cautions Senator Natasha in Senate [VIDEO]
Lebanese Islamist commander killed in Israel drone strike
A drone strike by Israeli forces has killed a commander in the Lebanese Islamist group al-Jamaa al-Islamiya (Assembly of Islam), in the eastern part of the country.
Security sources told journalists Muhammad Hamid Jabara from the town of Qaraoun, was killed at 6:30 local time (0330 GMT) Thursday in the attack that targeted his truck.
In June, the Israeli army said it had killed Ayman Ratma, who was responsible for weapons supplies for the Palestinian militant group Hamas and al-Jamaa al-Islamiya in eastern Lebanon.
READ ALSO:
The militant group did not comment initially.
The organisation is close to Hezbollah and Hamas and claims to support the Shiite Hezbollah militia’s fight against Israel.
Since the beginning of the Gaza war, there have been daily military confrontations between the Israeli army and the pro-Iranian Hezbollah and other groups in Lebanon.
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Edo APC guber candidate, Okpebholo admitted in hospital after gunmen attack – Aide
Senator Monday Okpebholo, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Edo State has been reportedly admitted in an undisclosed hospital following an attack on his convoy by suspected political thugs in Benin City.
A policeman in Okpebholo’s convoy was reportedly killed in the attack, while two others sustained injuries.
Godswill Inegbe, Legislative Aide to Okpebholo, in charge of Media & Communication, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday evening.
The statement was posted on several WhatsApp platforms.
Inegbe said the policeman was killed by suspected political thugs who invaded the Benin Airport when the impeached deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, and the APC governorship candidate arrived from Abuja.
He said, “This afternoon, the motorcade of Senator Monday Okpebholo, the APC governorship candidate, was brutally attacked by members of Edo State Security Network and State government-sponsored thugs.
“During the unprovoked brutal attack, three mobile policemen attached to the security detail of Senator Okpebholo were injured with bullets wound, while one of the policemen has been declared dead
“Senator Monday Okpebholo is at this moment admitted in an undisclosed hospital in Benin receiving medical attention, and other members of his entourage who were victims of the brutal attack are in various hospitals in Benin City.”
Edo APC guber candidate, Okpebholo admitted in hospital after gunmen attack – Aide
Court reserves judgment in Rivers APC leadership dispute
A Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt has reserved judgment on a suit filed by elected state, local government and ward executives of the All Progressives Congress, APC, under the leadership of Emeka Beke.
The suit is against the party’s National Executive and members of the Seven-Man Caretaker Committee in Rivers State, led by Tony Okocha.
Other defendants in the suit, filed by Sam Sam Etetegwung on behalf of himself and all elected executives of the APC, include the Inspector General of Police, the Nigerian Police, and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Etetegwung, Banarth Ezemoye, and Ezekiel Ubom, on behalf of the elected executives of the APC, are challenging the dismissal of the elected executives under Beke’s leadership and the appointment of the caretaker committee led by Okocha by the National Working Committee of the APC.
TVN reports that during the resumed session on Thursday, counsels representing the parties argued and adopted their final written addresses.
The presiding judge, Justice Sika Aprioku, after hearing their arguments, reserved judgment, which will be communicated to the parties within 48 hours.
Justice Aprioku also ruled on an application for joinder by some members of the APC loyal to the Vice Chairman of the APC, South-South, Victor Gideon.
The application was dismissed for lacking merit, and the judge awarded N300,000 (three hundred thousand naira) in favor of the claimants.
Court reserves judgment in Rivers APC leadership dispute