The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has demanded that President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) disclose what his government inherited from the former APC-led administration of Muhammadu Buhari that plunged Nigeria into bankruptcy.
In a series of posts on X (formerly known as Twitter) on Thursday, Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, said Nigerians deserve to know and that governance is about “transparency and strict accountability”.
The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, on Monday, had reportedly lamented that the Tinubu administration inherited a bankrupt country from the Buhari government.
Also, Tinubu, on Monday in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, had said that his administration inherited serious liabilities but also assets from his predecessors.
Reacting, Obi said officials of the Tinubu government must “disclose what they inherited which had qualified us for bankruptcy status”.
“One major characteristic of responsible governance is transparency and strict accountability. This demands that the government disclose exactly the degree of deficit they inherited. What is inherited should be disclosed to enable the public to know where we are and where we are headed.”
Obi said the previous APC government made a similar claim in 2015 against the previous administration.
“Rather, they took our debt profile from N12.6 Trillion in 2015 to N87 trillion in 2023 when they left office without improving on any indices of development: Education, Health, Poverty eradication, and Security.
“Instead, the condition of the nation on every development index got worse, leading to the present sad state. Nigerians know things are bad, and they experience it daily. What they now want to hear regularly are measurable and verifiable steps to improve the situation.
Naira scarcity is biting harder across the country as banks have limited cash withdrawals, findings have shown.
Residents of Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa and Adamawa and in other parts of the country are expressing concerns over their inability to withdraw huge cash in their banks, raising fears of scarcity as experienced during the naira swap.
This has also affected business transactions in local markets, especially in the northern part of Nigeria where buyers and sellers prefer to deal in cash instead of bank transfers.
On November 1,it was reported that cash scarcity had resurfaced in Borno and Kano states as the December 31 deadline for the use of the old N200, N500 and N1,000 banknotes draws nearer.
The report had forced the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to explained that “The seeming cash scarcity in some locations is due largely to high volume withdrawals from the CBN branches by Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) and panic withdrawals by customers from the Automated Teller Machines, ATMs).”
The CBN, through its Director, Corporate Communications, Isa Abdulmumin, added, “While we note the concerns of Nigerians on the availability of cash for financial transactions, we wish to assure the public that there is sufficient stock of currency notes for economic activities in the country. The branches of the CBN across the country are also working to ensure the seamless circulation of cash in their respective states of operation.
Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Tuesday urged the Court of Appeal to dismiss the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Ladi Adebutu against the judgment of the Ogun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which affirmed the election of the Governor during the March 18 elections.
At the hearing of the appeal by the Appeal Court, sitting in Lagos, Abiodun, APC, and INEC told the 3-man panel of justices, led by Justice Joseph Shagbaor Ikyegh that the appeal by Adebutu and PDP, lacked merit and was ambitious.
The Tribunal had on September 30, dismissed the petitions by Adebutu and his party and affirmed the re-election of Governor Abiodun.
Leading the charge, counsel to first Respondent (INEC), A.J. Owonikoko SAN urged the Court to dismiss the appeal for lacking in merit.
Reacting to the issue of 49,000 disenfranchised voters, raised by the Appellants’ counsel (Chief Chris Uche SAN), Mr Owonikoko referred to paragraphs 4.37 to 4.40 at pages 18 and 19 of his Brief to point out that Appellants only called 48 witnesses. He explained that in cases of disenfranchisement, all the disenfranchised voters must be called as witnesses but Appellants did not do so. He concluded that the Court cannot amplify 48 witnesses to 49,000 witnesses as Appellants want.
He urged the Court to dismiss the appeal
Counsel to the 2nd Respondent (Prince Abiodun), Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN, also identified and adopted his Brief.
As a preliminary point, Chief Olanipekun stated that contrary to the position set out by Chief Uche SAN, the recent decision of the Supreme Court in the Atiku v. INEC case completely encapsulates the issues in the appeal.
He argued that in that appeal, the Supreme Court simply adopted in toto the decision of the Court of Appeal, adding that incidentally, the same Samuel Oduntan who was rejected as a witness by the Court of Appeal in Atiku’s case metamorphosed as PW 93 in the appeal under consideration. In response to the Court’s demand, Chief Olanipekun promised to provide a copy of the judgment.
In addition, Chief Olanipekun SAN emphasised pages 3-5 of his Brief where he identified about 8 key findings of the Trial Tribunal that Appellants did not challenge, paragraph 4.3 of the Brief arguing that Appellants have abandoned about 5 Grounds of Appeal, and issue 3 at page 17 of 2nd Respondent’s Brief where 2nd Respondent argued that Trial Tribunal rightly struck out paragraphs of the Appellants’ pleadings.
On the margin of lead, Chief Olanipekun argued that there was nothing to even consider on margin of lead and urged the Court to dismiss the appeal for lacking merit.
Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, appearing for the third Respondent (APC), emphasised that Exhibit PT609 is not a proper document to use (referring to Pages 71-72 of his Brief).
On the Atiku appeal, Dr Ikpeazu SAN noted that the Supreme Court did not do anything novel as it relied on settled Constitutional positions already espoused in Ararume v INEC and in Oke v. Mimiko to the effect that all witness statements must accompany the Petition.
He argued that all the witnesses who could be said to have given substantial evidence in this appeal did so on subpoenas and thus were rightly discountenanced. He too urged the Court to dismiss the appeal.
Chief Uche SAN counsel to the Appellants had noted that there is a distinction between the facts in the Supreme Court decision in Atiku v. INEC & 2 Ors and his clients’ appeal as cited by the 2nd Respondent in support of First and Second Issues raised.
He also told the judges that Appellants called 94 witnesses, half of which were Polling Unit Agents, adding that on the issue of margin of lead, that elections did not hold in 99 Polling Units based on which about 41,000 votes were excluded.
He also pointed out that up to 37,000 ballot papers utilised by INEC were either not thumb printed or carried multiple thumb prints.
Calling on the appeal to be allowed, Chief Uche said when the 41,000 and 37,000 votes are utilised, the declaration of Governor Abiodun would have been set aside.
The Court of Appeal reserved judgment to a date to be communicated in the future
OUDUWA NEWS has gathered that three persons were shot dead during the cult clash that occurred in
One person has been reportedly killed in a suspected cult clash in Sagamu Area of Ogun State. The killing which was an aftermath of Friday and Saturday cult clash is coming barely two months after cult clashes claimed no fewer than eight lives in the same area of the State.
The victim was reportedly killed along Ewusi Street towards the Ita Oba roundabout in the Sagamu Local Government Area of the state. Finding has it that a group of unidentified gunmen on motorcycles shot and killed a young man whose identity is currently unknown.
The deceased was said to be lying in a pool of blood with bullet wounds on the neck, stomach, and hand. Additionally, three expended cartridges were found at the scene.
The federal government has warned the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) against embarking on their planned strike action, saying it would amount to contempt of court.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, in a statement on Monday, said the government had obtained a restraining order from the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) barring the unions from going ahead with the strike.
Fagbemi said the order was granted on November 10 by the President of the NICN, Justice B. B. Kanyip, and that the unions had been duly served with the order.
He urged the unions to respect the court order and adhere to the principle of the rule of law.
“There is no need to resort to self-help,” Fagbemi said. “We urge workers to report for duties and not to entertain any fear as their safety is guaranteed and will be protected within the ambit of law.”
The labour unions had declared an indefinite strike from midnight to protest the attack and manhandling of the President of NLC, Joe Ajaero, in Owerri, Imo State, on November 1, as well as other outstanding labour-related issues.
The Organised Labour has begun its strike action today followed the brutalisation of NLC National President, Joe Ajaero, last week in Imo State.
The order for the commencement of the strike was stated in a memo signed and released today by the leadership of the Unions.
The Organised Labour last Friday handed the Federal Government a five-day ultimatum to replace the Police Commissioner, while also blaming Governor Hope Uzodimma who sought re-election of the attack on Ajaero though the governor had since said he had no hand in the attack on the labour leader.
The Organised Labour also demanded the arrest and prosecution of some of the governor’s aide and threatened to embark on a nationwide industrial action if their demands were not carried out.
Already, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on Sunday, redeployed Barde for “neutrality sake” ahead of the November 11, 2023 governorship election in Imo State.
Meanwhile, the Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU has ordered the commencement of strike in all campuses stating that all workers should begin to stay at home in compliance with NLC directive.
Oduduwa News has gathered that there was a reported banditry attack in Sepeteri, Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State.
It was learnt that the incident occurred inside the Old Oyo National Park on Monday morning and according to a resident who spoke to Oduduwa News under the condition of anonymity, the local vigilante men engaged the bandits with gunshots, which led to the rescue of one of the abductees.
Armed bandits have allegedly killed one person and kidnapped two others in Sepeteri, Saki East local government.
According to information gathered, efforts are ongoing to rescue the other man that was abducted.
The name of the man killed and those abducted are yet to be made public as the police authority in the town said they were on top of their investigation and pursuit of the criminal gang.
“The story is real . According to a credible source, one person was killed, two people were abducted and one has been rescued by the local vigilantees after exchanging gun battles with the bandits.
“As things stand, efforts are still being made by the local security to rescue the second person.
The lifeless bodies of the cleaners were seen laid in a drainage channel as onlookers mourned.
The gathering of onlookers and other street cleaners led to blockade of the road, leaving commuters stranded for hours
According to eyewitnesses, the victims who were said to be from the same family, were hit by a vehicle whose driver lost control, swerving to escape an early morning raid by LASTMA.
“This has been happening for a very long time, the exploitation and the wickedness by Lagos state government and LASTMA, this wickedness must stop.
“Look at what happened, two family members died because a LASTMA official was chasing a bus. This has been happening for a very long time,” said a resident, identified as Friday.
At the venue, some street cleaners were seen ranting, accusing the state government of endangering their lives.
All civil attempts to take them off the road fell on deaf ears until the intervention of a horde of police officers who dispersed them after sporadic gunfire in the air.
Meanwhile, there was a mild protest against the operation of LASTMA at Ile Zik bus stop close to Ikeja Along.
Drivers who participated in the protest carried placards bearing inscriptions to express their grievances against LASTMA.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has travelled to lesser Hajj in Saudi Arabia. This Islamic rite was performed immediately after the summit held with African leaders in Saudi Arabia.
