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ASUU Stands Firm, Rejects Bayelsa Allowance Package Over CBA Demand

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ASUU Stands Firm, Rejects Bayelsa Allowance Package Over CBA Demand

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Niger Delta University (NDU) chapter has rejected the recent approval of a 40 per cent allowance package for public servants by the Bayelsa State Government, insisting that the measure does not address agreements already reached with university lecturers.

The union said the state government was misleading the public by making its demands look like part of the newly approved allowances. It added that lecturers were only asking for the implementation of agreements in the 2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

The union was demanding the implementation of the Consolidated Academic and Allied Staff Allowance (CATA) agreement signed on December 23, 2025, to take effect from January 2026, a statement on Tuesday signed by the ASUU branch chairman, Comrade Oyinkepreye Lucky Bebeteidoh and the branch secretary, Comrade Victory C. Owede, said.

The ASUU chairman said the total computed CATA for academic staff in the state’s three universities is N336.9 million monthly, contrary to claims that ASUU was demanding over N2.99 billion every month.

Criticising the government for misleading the figures, Bebeteidoh questioned why the government allowed “peculiar allowances” for the other unions but declined to implement an agreement it signed with ASUU voluntarily.

“The N2.144 billion being demanded by ASUU is a misleading and disinformation of the public to create the impression that ASUU is demanding over N2.99 billion monthly as CATA. The CATA was signed in December 2025 for commencement of implementation in January 2026.

“ASUU is demanding for the implementation of the CATA as stipulated in the agreement. Why is the government giving strange concessions to unions without such agreement? “Why put our CATA demand together with the peculiar allowances?” he asked.

The ASUU chairman also lambasted the government for its excuse that it was waiting for other states to implement the allowance before it could do anything.

He said that many states with far less federal allocation than that of Bayelsa had entered into such agreements.

“ASUU wrote to the government in January 2026 informing it of the implementation period. Why did it take seven months before taking an official position of inability to pay? The excuse that many universities have not yet adopted CATA is laughable.

“CATA has been implemented by more than 10 states that get far less than Bayelsa from the Federation Account. They did not wait for Bayelsa to act before they fulfilled their obligations,” he said.

The union also repeated its call for the payment of 19 months’ outstanding arrears arising from the delayed implementation of the 25 and 35 per cent salary wage award.

ASUU says the state government has paid six months of the arrears, but 19 months are still outstanding, despite the significant improvement in the state’s revenue.

Read Also: Nigeria’s Senate Calls on Facebook, TikTok to Set Up Local Offices

Bebeteidoh said Bayelsa received about N95.15 billion in April and May and had a closing balance of N37.08 billion, making the government’s claim of inadequate funds difficult to justify.

“You should have seen the inflow for April and May, but the state government is claiming paucity of funds to pay the 19 months arrears totaling N2.7 billion. “Benue State with significantly lower FAAC allocation implemented the wage award and paid all arrears.”

He also lamented the failure of the government to implement the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on February 5, 2025, which led to the suspension of an industrial action.

He also said one of the unresolved issues was the absence of on-campus staff accommodation at the university more than two decades after its establishment.

“More than a year after the signing of the MoU, nothing has been done in the matter of on-campus accommodation. ‘The campus is like a ghost town from 4pm every working day until the following morning because staff have nowhere to live.’

The ASUU chairman lamented that no permanent staff housing project had been completed in the university’s 26-year history warning that the absence of residential facilities continues to hinder academic activities and the development of a vibrant university community.

He called on the Bayelsa State Government to honour the agreements it signed with the union, implement the CATA, pay outstanding salary arrears and fulfil other commitments geared towards the welfare of university lecturers and the overall development of higher education in the state.

Nigeria’s Senate Calls on Facebook, TikTok to Set Up Local Offices

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Nigeria’s Senate Calls on Facebook, TikTok to Set Up Local Offices

Facebook, TikTok and other global social media companies operating in Nigeria may soon be forced to establish physical offices in the country as the Senate moves to pass a bill aimed at beefing up regulatory oversight and deepening their engagement with Africa’s largest digital market.

The proposal received broad support on Thursday at a public hearing held by the Senate Committee on Information and Communications Technology and Cyber Security in Abuja. The committee also looked into another bill seeking the establishment of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Academy in Omuo-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

The bill on social media platforms sponsored by Senator Ned Nwoko (Delta North) seeks to amend the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023, to make it mandatory for social media companies operating in Nigeria to have physical offices within the country’s territorial boundaries.

The bill, which was sponsored by Senator Yemi Adaramodu (Ekiti South), is meant to promote artificial intelligence education, research and innovation in Nigeria.

At the hearing, Chairman, Senate Committee on ICT and Cyber Security, Senator Shuaib Salisu (Ogun Central), said the two proposals are aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s digital economy and positioning the country for more technological advancement.

Represented by Deputy Senate Leader, Lola Ashiru (Kwara South), the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, said the two bills were strategic initiatives that would facilitate national development.

Read Also: PFN Rejects Muslim-Muslim Ticket, Calls for Religious Balance in 2027

He said the move to compel social media companies to establish offices in Nigeria was not to impede their operations but to improve accountability, regulatory engagement and their contribution to the economy of the country.

Nwoko defended the proposal, rejecting suggestions the legislation was hostile to technology companies or foreign investment.

“This Bill is not punitive and it is not hostile to innovation. “It is not meant to frustrate investment or to discourage technology companies from operating in Nigeria,” he said.

Instead, it aims to deepen their engagement with Nigeria by encouraging them to become true corporate citizens of our country.”

The lawmaker said countries like United Kingdom, India, United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Brazil and Ireland have benefited from hosting regional offices of global technology firms through increased employment, tax revenues, innovation and technology transfer.

“Major technology companies have set up headquarters, regional offices, engineering centres and operational hubs in countries such as the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Spain, Singapore, India, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Brazil, Australia and Japan globally,” he said.

“These offices perform a variety of functions including engineering and artificial intelligence research, legal and regulatory compliance, public policy, advertising, trust and safety, cloud services, sales, customer support, and product development.

Such investments did not come to these countries by accident. They understood early on that the digital economy is now as important as the traditional economy. “We have brought jobs, increased tax revenues, increased regulatory engagement, spurred innovation and encouraged technology transfer to our citizens,” he said by encouraging global technology companies to set up shop locally.

He said Nigeria, having one of the largest digital markets in Africa, should not be left behind in attracting similar investments.

The Senate committee is expected to review memoranda submitted by stakeholders following the public hearing before presenting its recommendations to the Senate for further legislative consideration.

PFN Rejects Muslim-Muslim Ticket, Calls for Religious Balance in 2027

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PFN Rejects Muslim-Muslim Ticket, Calls for Religious Balance in 2027

The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has kicked against the adoption of Muslim-Muslim ticket for elective offices ahead of the 2027 general elections, insisting that the political leadership of the country should reflect the nation’s religious and ethnic diversities.

It was reported that the Christian body made this known in a communiqué issued after its National Executive Council meeting and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Dr Sylvanus Ukafia.

This is coming after the All Progressives Congress (APC) adopted President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, both Muslims, for the 2027 presidential election.

Reiterating its commitment to the unity and stability of Nigeria, PFN said it believed that inclusion was necessary to engender trust and a sense of belonging among the citizens.

“Nigeria’s diversity should be reflected in leadership”

The fellowship said, “The National Executive Council, NEC, of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) at its duly constituted meeting has taken into consideration recent events affecting the country and wishes to announce the following resolutions to the Nigerian public.

The PFN reaffirms its unshakeable commitment to the unity, peace and progress of Nigeria. We continue to believe that our country can only succeed where justice, equity, rule of law and respect for the Constitution prevails.

“The PFN does not support the adoption of a Muslim-Muslim ticket to vie for elective public office. Nigeria is a multi-religious and multi-ethnic country and its leadership should reflect its diversity. Inclusive governance promotes national unity, mutual trust and belonging to all citizen.”

The body argued that political arrangements should recognize the plural nature of Nigeria and avoid creating the perception that any religious group was being excluded.

PFN Speaks Out Against Bans on Preaching
The fellowship also objected to any proposed legislation or policy that might curtail Christian preaching.

It said it “strongly opposes any law or policy that seeks to ban or unduly restrict Christian preaching.”

Such legislation, the PFN said, would be “inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which guarantees every citizen the freedom of thought, conscience, religion, expression and peaceful assembly.”

While the fellowship acknowledged the power of government to make legal provisions for the sake of public order, it warned against using such regulations to curtail religious liberty.

Read Also: US Announces 12.5% Tariff on Nigerian Imports Amid Forced Labour Concerns

It said, “While the PFN supports a legal framework necessary to preserve the peace, such regulation should never be used as a tool to suppress legitimate religious expression and infringe on fundamental human rights.

“We call on all arms and tiers of government to uphold the Constitution, protect the rights of every Nigerian regardless of faith and ensure that no law discriminates against any religious community.”

The PFN also urged Christians across the country to be peaceful and law abiding in the exercise of their constitutional rights.

It urged believers to remain “peaceful, prayerful, law-abiding and steadfast. “We must continue to show the love of Christ while exercising our constitutional rights responsibly without violence or provocation.

The fellowship also called for ongoing dialogue between the government, religious organisations and civil society groups on issues that may threaten national unity.

“We call for meaningful dialogue between government, religious leaders and civil society in order to address issues that could threaten our national cohesion. Nigeria’s diversity should be seen as a plus to be cultivated and not a point of division.

“The PFN remains dedicated to praying for our nation and to working with all stakeholders to forge a Nigeria that is peaceful, just and prosperous where every citizen is afforded equal protection under the law,” the statement said.

US Announces 12.5% Tariff on Nigerian Imports Amid Forced Labour Concerns

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US Announces 12.5% Tariff on Nigerian Imports Amid Forced Labour Concerns

The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has kicked against the adoption of Muslim-Muslim ticket for elective offices ahead of the 2027 general elections, insisting that the political leadership of the country should reflect the nation’s religious and ethnic diversities.

The Christian body said this in a communiqué issued after its meeting of the National Executive Council and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Dr Sylvanus Ukafia.

This is coming after the All Progressives Congress (APC) adopted President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, both Muslims, for the 2027 presidential election.

PFN said it believed that inclusion was necessary to engender trust and a sense of belonging among the citizens, reiterating its commitment to the unity and stability of Nigeria.

“Nigeria’s diversity should be reflected in leadership”

The fellowship said, “The National Executive Council, NEC, of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) at its duly constituted meeting has taken into consideration recent events affecting the country and wishes to announce the following resolutions to the Nigerian public.

The PFN reiterates its commitment to the oneness, peace and progress of Nigeria. We still believe that our country can only succeed where there is justice, equity, the rule of law and respect for the Constitution.

“The PFN is not in support of the adoption of a Muslim-Muslim ticket to contest for elective public office. Nigeria is a multi-religious and multi-ethnic country and its leadership should reflect its diversity. Inclusive governance promotes national unity, mutual trust and belonging to all citizen.”

The body argued that political arrangements must take into account the plural nature of Nigeria and not give the impression that any religious group was being excluded.

PFN Speaks Out Against Bans on Preaching
The fellowship also opposed any proposed legislation or policy that might limit Christian preaching.

It said it “strongly opposes any law or policy that seeks to ban or unduly restrict Christian preaching.”

According to the PFN, such legislation would be “inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which guarantees every citizen the freedom of thought, conscience, religion, expression and peaceful assembly.

The fellowship recognised the power of government to make legal provisions in the interest of public order, but cautioned against using such regulations to limit religious liberty.

It said: “While the PFN supports a legal framework that is necessary to preserve the peace, such regulation should never be a tool to suppress legitimate religious expression and violate fundamental human rights.

“We call on all arms and tiers of government to defend the Constitution, protect the rights of every Nigerian irrespective of faith and ensure that no law discriminates against any religious community.”

The PFN also urged Christians across the country to be peaceful and law abiding in the exercise of their constitutional rights.

It urged believers to remain “peaceful, prayerful, law-abiding and steadfast. “We must continue to show the love of Christ while exercising our constitutional rights responsibly without violence or provocation.

The fellowship also urged for continuous dialogue among the government, religious organisations and civil society groups on issues that may threaten national unity.

We call for meaningful dialogue among the government, religious leaders and civil society to address issues that threaten our national cohesion. Nigeria’s diversity should be a strength to be harnessed and not a weakness to be exploited.

“The PFN remains committed to praying for our nation and to working with all stakeholders to forge a Nigeria that is peaceful, just and prosperous where every citizen is afforded equal protection under the law,” the statement said.

Atiku Renews Call for Investigation Into Tinubu Over U.S. Narcotics Case

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Atiku Renews Call for Investigation Into Tinubu Over U.S. Narcotics Case

The Presidency has been lampooned by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over its reaction to fresh talks about President Bola Tinubu’s alleged connections to a decades-old narcotics case in the United States, with the administration being accused of trying to silence scrutiny of the issue.

In a statement on Thursday, Atiku described a recent statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on behalf of Tinubu in response to an earlier call-out on the case as “reckless and shameful”.

Atiku said the claim by the Presidency that the case of narcotics trafficking against the President had “long been settled” amounted to an admission that Tinubu was investigated in connection with narcotics trafficking.

The statement said: “We are shocked that the Presidency would say that the charges of narcotics trafficking against Tinubu have ‘long been settled’ and rendered moot by an electoral mandate.

He reportedly warned that immunity does not stop a new probe.

“The argument essentially concedes that Tinubu was investigated for narcotics trafficking but argues that his present position as President immunises him, and clears the records of his links to the heroin scandal,” Atiku said in the statement from his media office.

The ADC 2027 presidential candidate also questioned the Presidency’s opposition to the renewed public interest in the case.

Citing a Yoruba proverb, Atiku said: “As the Yoruba adage goes: an aged bowl of pounded yam can still steam.

He challenged Onanuga and the President’s media team to explain what he described as moves to stop further scrutiny of Tinubu’s records in the United States.

“If the case against their principal is really time-barred, why are they so panicky about any attempt to revisit it? “Why is President Tinubu blocking every move to unravel what is in his FBI/DOJ US files?” he asked.

Atiku argued that the Office of the President required the highest level of integrity and that allegations surrounding its occupant could harm Nigeria’s international reputation.

“The Office of the President is not just a political job. It is an office that reflects the soul of the society it governs. “The presence of an alleged ex-trafficker in that office is a huge reputational blow to Nigeria’s image and to all Nigerians on the world stage,” he said.

The ex-VP further held that criminal investigations could be reopened where fresh circumstances warranted such action.

Read Also: United Nigeria Airlines Announces Temporary Suspension of Benin Flights

“The Presidency’s media team should be reminded that criminal justice issues are never thrown out completely. They can be revisited at any material time especially when new circumstances arise,” he said.

Atiku said there had been a change of leadership in the United States between 2023 and 2027, adding that it was the duty of law enforcement agencies to determine whether the issue should be revisited.

He said, “Revisiting the narcotics case against a sitting president is not an affront to the intelligence of Nigerians. Instead, it is a bold effort to keep the wheel of justice turning.”

He called on Tinubu to cooperate with any fresh review of the matter if he had nothing to hide.

“If President Tinubu has no skeletons in his closet regarding his involvement in the US narcotics scandal, he should allow the case to be re-opened instead of resorting to his usual tactics of thwarting disclosure through frivolous appeals in court or assigning his media team the task of writing long, empty essays aimed at rewriting history for his personal benefit,” Atiku said.

United Nigeria Airlines Announces Temporary Suspension of Benin Flights

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United Nigeria Airlines Announces Temporary Suspension of Benin Flights

United Nigeria Airlines has suspended all scheduled flights to and from Benin Airport after the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) closed the airport’s runway following an aircraft runway excursion, citing safety concerns.

The airline announced the suspension on Thursday, saying flight operations on the Benin route would stay on hold until aviation authorities finish recovery efforts and declare the runway safe for use.

The runway was closed following a report that an aircraft veered off the runway while landing at the airport, leading to FAAN commencing safety inspections and recovery operations.

Read Also: Ubi Franklin Recalls Suicide Attempt, Says Embarrassment Fueled His Struggles

United Nigeria Airlines confirmed the disruption saying the closure has made it impossible to continue operations into the airport.

“Following the closure of the runway by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) due to an excursion, all our flights to and from Benin Airport have been cancelled until it is reopened,” the airline said.

The carrier apologised to travellers for the inconvenience caused and urged affected passengers to contact its customer service channels for rebooking and other travel assistance.

It assured customers that it was making arrangements to minimise the impact of the cancellations, stressing that passenger safety and welfare remain its highest priority.

United Nigeria Airlines also appealed for patience while FAAN completes recovery work and the necessary safety checks required before normal flight operations can resume.

An aircraft excursion happens when an aircraft leaves the runway during take-off or landing. Incidents like these often lead to temporary closures of runways as aircraft are recovered and damage and safety assessments are conducted before airports are reopened to air traffic.

Ubi Franklin Recalls Suicide Attempt, Says Embarrassment Fueled His Struggles

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Ubi Franklin Recalls Suicide Attempt, Says Embarrassment Fueled His Struggles

Nigerian music artist manager, Ubi Franklin, has recalled an attempted suicide on the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos State following the collapse of his marriage to Nollywood actress cum former wife, Lilian Esoro.

Ubi was said to have made the revelation in a video that he posted on his Instagram page while educating his fans through his life story.

Speaking about his marriage to Lilian, Ubi Franklin said, “I got depressed and embarrassed after my separation from Lilian.

“I’ve had some crazy, depressing periods but later I understood that not all love stories end the way one had thought.”

Ubi Franklin, who said that he attempted suicide several times, said that he once drove to Third Mainland Bridge to commit suicide, before he was rescued by his cousin brother, Omini Stitches.

Read Also: Otedola Deepens First HoldCo Holdings with Fresh N77.6 Billion Transaction

“I had some crazy depressing positions,” he said. I remember one time I bought a red CL, I drove that car to the third Mainland bridge to go and commit suicide.

“The only luck I had was my cousin brother Omini Stitches who came to save me. Omini saved me when I tried to kill myself several times. I was so embarrassed, I don’t know what to do. I thought, what have I done to deserve all this. I got a pretty good career ahead of me. I have, like, the biggest artist in the country at the time. I think it was my time to settle down, everything was good.

“Sometimes I always feel like this relationship did not work it was just supposed to be that way. To this day I can’t really explain what exactly happened but we are now very good friends. We are very good co-parents, we celebrate events of our son . So sometimes I have always believed that no matter how much pain, the best result that I got from that was my son. And she’s still doing really well. So any chance I get to support her, I always do it to the fullest and I pray she keeps doing great.” What I want you to learn from this lesson is I don’t want you to think that when something happens sometimes with the human being, you have to hate the human being. That is not the case. Sometimes it’s just an opportunity for you to learn from the process and keep it moving.”

Otedola Deepens First HoldCo Holdings with Fresh N77.6 Billion Transaction

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Otedola Deepens First HoldCo Holdings with Fresh N77.6 Billion Transaction

Chairman of First HoldCo Plc, Femi Otedola, has further cemented his position in the financial services group after acquiring further shares valued at ₦77.6 billion in a fresh transaction executed through his investment vehicle, Calvados Global Services Limited.

First HoldCo’s regulatory filing indicated that Calvados Global Services Limited bought 706,131,179 ordinary shares in the company at ₦109.88 per share in a transaction that took place on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) on 22 July 2026. The filing described Calvados as a company connected to Otedola, who is a major shareholder and chairman of the financial group.

The acquisition also increases Otedola’s equity stake in First HoldCo and comes as the group pushes forward with its recapitalisation programme, consolidating his position as the company’s biggest shareholder. The deal also comes at a time of renewed investor interest in the lender, whose shares have jumped about 120 per cent since the start of the year, buoyed by improving financial performance and expectations around its plans to raise capital.
The latest investment came a day after First HoldCo became the first Nigerian banking stock to hit a market capitalisation of over ₦5 trillion during intraday trading on the Nigerian Exchange, indicating continued demand for the stock.

Read Also: Nwibubasa Alleges Fubara Chose Wike Over Rivers People

According to the company’s half-year financial results for the period ended 30 June, 2026, profit before tax increased by 83.5 per cent to ₦653.54 billion from ₦356.15 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025. The group’s second quarter performance was also positive with profit before tax rose to ₦332.42 billion, a 3.5 per cent increase from the estimated ₦321.12 billion it recorded in the first quarter and a 95.9 per cent increase from ₦169.67 billion reported in the second quarter of 2025.

Management said the improved earnings were due to better operating efficiency, improving asset quality, sustained growth in transaction banking and higher contributions from non-interest income businesses. The half-year performance has reinforced expectations that the financial group is entering a new phase of earnings growth after years of restructuring and strategic repositioning.

The details in the insider dealing notification showed that the transaction consisted of the purchase of 706,131,179 ordinary shares of First HoldCo Plc at ₦109.88 per share on 22 July 2026. The deal was done on the floor of the Nigerian Exchange Limited, Lagos. The notice identified Calvados Global Services Limited as a company connected to Otedola and described the disclosure as an initial notification of insider dealing.

Nwibubasa Alleges Fubara Chose Wike Over Rivers People

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Nwibubasa Alleges Fubara Chose Wike Over Rivers People

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship aspirant in Rivers State, Dr Leloonu Nwibubasa, has accused the suspended Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, of surrendering to his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, and abandoning the people of the state after months of political confrontation.

In a statement during an interview, Nwibubasa said Fubara’s recent statement confirming his reconciliation with Wike was a betrayal of the Rivers people who stood by him through the political crisis.

He said the governor had built public goodwill by portraying himself as a leader bent on liberating the state from the political stranglehold of Wike only to return to the same political camp.

“Governor Fubara went into a negotiation with Wike and came back saying there is reconciliation and that he has returned things to his godfather; that was his surrender,” he said.

The people of Rivers supported Fubara because they believed that he was determined to protect the interests of the state, Nwibubasa said, recalling that the governor had repeatedly told residents that he would stand against political interference even at great personal cost.

He said, “The pain in what the governor did yesterday is the deceit, the long term deceit, which he has deceived not just his supporters but the people of Rivers State.”

Read Also: Falana Labels APC Consensus Primaries ‘Plutocracy,’ Raises Democracy Concerns

He also accused the governor of “abandoning the principles he once professed to champion” by adopting the ones he once denounced.

“It’s a pity that a man that leadership was entrusted to can turn 360 degrees in a moment of time and throw the people under the bus.”

The ADC governorship aspirant stated that Fubara had lost the moral right to lead, saying leadership is about consistency, vision and the confidence of followers.

if the governor himself has no place to go, because he has lost his capacity to lead, he’s just a governor, he’s no more a leader.”

Nwibubasa urged the people of Rivers to forge a new political path, saying the state must be freed from what he termed entrenched political control.

He also called on residents to shun leaders who, according to him, abandon the ideals they campaigned on after getting the backing of the public.

Falana Labels APC Consensus Primaries ‘Plutocracy,’ Raises Democracy Concerns

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Falana Labels APC Consensus Primaries ‘Plutocracy,’ Raises Democracy Concerns

Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has described the use of consensus by the All Progressives Congress, APC, to determine governorship primaries, particularly in Ogun State, as “extortion” and “plutocracy” that subverts democracy.

Falana spoke at the 8th Penpushing Annual Lecture held at Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta on Thursday with the theme “Restoring Electoral Integrity: The Path to Good Governance and Public Accountability.”

For him transparent party primaries were a prerequisite for electoral integrity.

“Please, let’s stop kidding ourselves. “You have to start with the primaries if you are going to talk about electoral integrity,” he said.

He said the use of consensus arrangements denies party members the right to freely choose their candidates, even though the Electoral Act allows for both direct and consensus methods.

The SAN also expressed worries over what he called rising threats to Nigeria’s multi-party system, warning that deregistration of political parties and disenfranchising others from` elections could lead to political crisis.

Read Also:Ewor Claims Wike Ordered Fubara to Fire Rivers SSG and Chief of Staff

“Political exclusion has historically encouraged undemocratic forces to undermine democratic institutions across Africa,” said Falana.

He further condemned the monetisation of politics, citing the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, who alleged that some governorship aspirants spent between N20 billion and N30 billion during primaries.

“How much are you going to spend in the real election if you are spending between N20 billion and N30 billion on a primary?” he asked.

“Such huge amounts couldn’t have been earned legitimately,” said Falana, adding that the practice encourages corruption and undermines democracy.

He called for urgent reforms to strengthen internal party democracy, curb the commercialisation of politics and preserve the integrity of Nigeria’s democratic process.

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