INEC Releases Final List of Candidates for February Bye-Elections
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially unveiled the roster of candidates for the upcoming by-elections scheduled for February 3, 2024. The bye-elections are necessitated by the unfortunate death or resignation of members from both the National and State Houses of Assembly. According to a statement issued on Wednesday by INEC National Commissioner Sam Olumekun, the electoral process will span nine states, encompassing two Senatorial Districts, four Federal Constituencies, and three State Constituencies. Notable areas include Ebonyi South, Yobe East, Kebbi State, Lagos State, Ondo State, and Taraba State, among others. The timetable, schedule of activities, as well as the personal particulars and final list of candidates, have been made accessible in INEC state offices and the relevant constituencies. INEC has also adhered to the provisions of Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act, 2022, by publishing this information on their official website and social media platforms. Commissioner Olumekun urged Nigerians to meticulously examine the personal details, including Form EC9 and academic credentials, of the candidates. He emphasized that individuals with reasonable grounds to believe that a candidate provided false information during party primaries can challenge the nomination in a Federal High Court, as stipulated in Section 29(5) of the Electoral Act 2022. Importantly, the commissioner clarified that this publication is exclusively for the upcoming bye-elections, which involve fresh elections with candidates nominated through party primaries. For re-run elections occurring on the same day, the list and personal particulars of candidates were published before the 2023 General Election, as they are not open to new or disqualified candidates.
Tinubu Reacts To Ibadan Explosion
President Bola Tinubu has expressed sadness over the tragic incident which happened in Ibadan, Oyo state, on Tuesday, January 16. This was made known in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President, Ajuri Ngelale, via Dada Olusegun’s X handle on Wednesday, January 17. The statement reads: “President Bola Tinubu has expressed sadness over the devastating explosion that occurred on Tuesday night in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. “The explosion killed two persons and wounded about 80 others. It also destroyed several buildings, vehicles, and other properties. “It is worrisome that the cause of the blast is being attributed to the activities of illegal miners. Those behind the inexcusable and reckless behaviour that has created the conditions for the sad incident to occur must be fished out and punished,” the President said. “President Tinubu commiserated with the government and people of Oyo State and called on all concerned agencies of government to unravel the circumstances that led to the tragedy with alacrity. “The President directs the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to work with the Oyo State Government to offer immediate and comprehensive relief to the victims.”
Niger, others hold Nigerian Passports – Interior Minister Tunji-Ojo…as lawyers call for the need to break the old order of governance
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has revealed that some foreigners who have no business doing so are in possession of the Nigerian passport. He said there were Ghanaians, people from Niger Republic, and the rest who hold Nigerian passports but added, “What we have been able to do is to introduce a verification system into passport application and issuance.” Meanwhile, the President of the Nigeria Bar Association, Yakubu Maikyau SAN, has said there is a need for young lawyers to be properly mentored, as the need to break the old order of governance is necessary. Speaking at the National summit of the NBA young lawyers forum, in Abuja, Maikyau emphasized that the young lawyers are positive that with the right guidance and mentorship, they would be able to scale through all the challenges and attain the prestigious ranks in the profession. This was revealed at the ongoing Youth Leadership Summit of the Young Lawyers Forum of the Nigerian Bar Association(NBA) themed “Breaking the Old Order of Governance and Advocacy”. The event is aimed at bringing stakeholders together to brainstorm on issues revolving around good governance and advocacy. In his keynote address, the Minister assured Nigerians that with lawyers in President Bola Tinubu’s administration, the government would succeed. Tunji-Ojo listed lawyers advising Tinubu to include the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, Chief of Staff To the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and the Principal Secretary to the President, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola. The minister expressed his confident that with the caliber of lawyers in Tinubu’s government, the administration was on track to getting things right in the country. He said, “this administration has no reason not to get it right. I say this emphatically (because) we have one of the most celebrated lawyers today, the Attorney-General of the federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, Chief of Staff To the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, Principal Secretary to the President, Mr. Hakeem P. When we look at the people advising the president, they are lawyers.” Further in his submissions, the Yakubu Maikyau, maintained that the country remains the greatest country on the face of the earth potentially saying potential makes no meaning to you until one converts it to an experience. “If have 10,000 naira in your pocket, you will die of hunger unless you convert it into an experience of getting food which you will eat to deal with that hunger. That is the case in Nigeria,” Maikyau said. The NBA president however admitted that the generality of Nigerians are unhappy with the results the country has gotten so far despite various processes of governance and advocacies. He agreed with the lawyers on the need to break from the old order of governance and advocacy. He said he was committed to adjusting to any changes that would occur in the course of interaction between lawyers of the older and younger generations. On that note, Maikyau announced a mentorship program for young lawyers saying young lawyers would be assigned to law firms, to learn the “attitude and approach to work” among other things. According to him, two young lawyers from the three zones of the NBA would kick start the pilot program and would spend six months at different law firms learning the rudiments of the legal profession. Speaking to newsmen, the Chairman, NBA YLF, Governing Council, Abdulrauf Tijjani Aboki said the youth wing’s objective is to promote the rule of law and break from the norm, especially on how to do this right. Responding to the recent insecurity challenges, Tijjani said the NBA would continue to support every effort aimed at promoting the rule of law. “The issue of insecurity does not know lawyer, doctor, or journalist, if it happens, it happens. But the NBA as an association can do what it can, we can lend our voices, we can prosecute cases Pro-bono(free of charge),: he said, explaining that the Executive and Legislative arm of government has alot to do regarding addressing insecurity.
Uzodimma Dissolves Imo State Cabinet
Governor Hope Uzodomma of Imo State has dissolved the State Executive Council and sacked the Local Government Area Chairmen. The governor disclosed this on Tuesday during a state executive council meeting at the Sam Mbawke Executive Chambers at the Government House, Owerri. Those affected included the Secretary to the State Government, Commissioners, Special Advisers and Senior Special Advisers, the Chief of Staff, and the Chief Press Secretary. While dissolving the cabinet, Uzodomma thanked his former appointees for their contributions towards the success of his administration during his first term in office. He said the dissolution has become necessary to rejig the new administration for optimum performance and new direction and to meet up with the realities of the moment. The governor also apologised for any wrongdoing to any appointee during his first tenure and promised to carry everyone along in his second tenure in the interest and development of the state. Uzodimma is expected to constitute a new cabinet by sending commissioner-nominees to the state assembly for confirmation. Governor Uzodinma and his deputy, Lady Chinyere Ekomaru, on Monday, took their oath of offices at the Dan Ayiam Stadium in Owerri, the Imo State capital. President Bola Tinubu, ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo, the Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the Speaker of the House of Representative Tajudeen Abbas, and other All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains were among those in attendance.
FCC Chair, Secretary: Lawyer urges President Tinubu to enforce Court Judgement
An Abuja based legal practitioner, Mr Festus Onifade, has called onPresident Bola Tinubu, to correct the appointment of the Federal Character Commission (FCC)’s chairman and secretary by the previous government. This was contained in a certified true copy of a letter to President Tinubu, in Abuja, Wednesday, that was copied to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Sen. George Akume, and Chief Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice. On April 28, 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Muheeba Dankaka as FCC chairman for a five-year tenure and was confirmed by the Senate on June 2, 2020. Buhari also approved the appointment of Bello Tukur as FCC’s secretary on April 14, 2017, and was reappointed on March 12, 2021, for a term of four years.While Dankaka is from Kwara, Tukur hails from Taraba; the duo coming from the northern geopolitical zone. Meanwhile, in a letter dated Jan. 16 and titled: “Appeal to Mr President to Safeguard the Integrity of Federal Character Commission,” the constitutional lawyer prayed the president to give effect to the court judgment. The letter reads; “It is against this background that we make this appeal to you sir to give effect to the judgement of the court by appointing persons from different geo-political zones who will represent the diversity recognized in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended). “Mr. President sir, it may not have come to notice that the morale of staff is at all-time low and this singular incident has caused a lot of resentment among staff of the commission. “This is particularly because the commission itself is guilty of the infractions it was constitutional and statutory created to remedy.“Sir like the popular saying ‘remove the log in your eyes, before the log in mine.’ Mr. President Sir, your timely intervention will remedy this anomaly and restore the commission back to performing its constitutional and statutory functions efficiently. “It will also restore confidence of Nigerians in this administration as a government of inclusion, endearing hope in governance, and giving every Nigerian a sense of belonging.” Onifade, in a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/709/2021, sued the president, Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), FCC, Dankaka and Tukur as 1st to 5th defendants respectively at the Federal High Court, Abuja. In the originating summons dated and filed on July 19, 2021, the lawyer sought a declaration that “the president is bound to observe and comply with the provision of Sections 7 and 8 (1), (2) (a) (b) (c) of the Third Schedule, part 1 of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended) in the appointment of persons to the office of the Chairman and Secretary of FCC.” He also sought an order directing the president to immediately dissolve and reconstitute the FCC’s board in accordance with the laws. Justice Inyang Ekwo, in his judgment on Nov. 22, 2023, declared that the appointment of Dankaka and Tukur from the northern region was unlawful. FCC Chair, Secretary: Lawyer urges President Tinubu to enforce Court Judgement By Vivian Michael, Abuja An Abuja based legal practitioner, Mr Festus Onifade, has called on President Bola Tinubu, to correct the appointment of the Federal Character Commission (FCC)’s chairman and secretary by the previous government. This was contained in a certified true copy of a letter to President Tinubu, in Abuja, Wednesday, that was copied to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Sen. George Akume, and Chief Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice. On April 28, 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Muheeba Dankaka as FCC chairman for a five-year tenure and was confirmed by the Senate on June 2, 2020. Buhari also approved the appointment of Bello Tukur as FCC’s secretary on April 14, 2017, and was reappointed on March 12, 2021, for a term of four years. While Dankaka is from Kwara, Tukur hails from Taraba; the duo coming from the northern geopolitical zone. Meanwhile, in a letter dated Jan. 16 and titled: “Appeal to Mr President to Safeguard the Integrity of Federal Character Commission,” the constitutional lawyer prayed the president to give effect to the court judgment. The letter reads; “It is against this background that we make this appeal to you sir to give effect to the judgement of the court by appointing persons from different geo-political zones who will represent the diversity recognized in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended). “Mr. President sir, it may not have come to notice that the morale of staff is at all-time low and this singular incident has caused a lot of resentment among staff of the commission. “This is particularly because the commission itself is guilty of the infractions it was constitutional and statutory created to remedy. “Sir like the popular saying ‘remove the log in your eyes, before the log in mine.’ Mr. President Sir, your timely intervention will remedy this anomaly and restore the commission back to performing its constitutional and statutory functions efficiently. “It will also restore confidence of Nigerians in this administration as a government of inclusion, endearing hope in governance, and giving every Nigerian a sense of belonging.” Onifade, in a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/709/2021, sued the president, Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), FCC, Dankaka and Tukur as 1st to 5th defendants respectively at the Federal High Court, Abuja. In the originating summons dated and filed on July 19, 2021, the lawyer sought a declaration that “the president is bound to observe and comply with the provision of Sections 7 and 8 (1), (2) (a) (b) (c) of the Third Schedule, part 1 of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended) in the appointment of persons to the office of the Chairman and Secretary of FCC.” He also sought an order directing the president to immediately dissolve and reconstitute the FCC’s board in accordance with the laws. Justice Inyang Ekwo, in his judgment on Nov. 22, 2023, declared that the appointment of Dankaka and Tukur from the northern region was unlawful.
Seyi Makinde Reveals Cause Of Ibadan Explosion
Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo, says two people were killed in the explosion which took place in Ibadan, the capital of the state, on Tuesday night. Makinde said the explosion, which injured 77 people, was caused by illegal miners who stored explosive devices in one of the buildings in the Bodija area of Ibadan. “We visited the scene of the explosion which occurred at about 7.44 pm yesterday, 16 January 2024 in Bodija, Ibadan,” the governor said. “This unfortunate incident resulted in death and injury to residents in the vicinity and also affected properties. We have already deployed first responders and all relevant agencies within Oyo State to carry out comprehensive search and rescue operations.” He said preliminary investigations by the security agencies revealed that “illegal miners occupying one of the houses in Bodija had stored explosive devices there which caused the blast”. Makinde said the investigations are ongoing and all those found culpable for this will be brought to book. The governor said the rescue operations will continue throughout the night. “Earth-moving equipment, ambulances, emergency lights, and security were deployed to the scene of the incident,” he said. “The wounded and injured are being treated and moved to public and private hospitals within Ibadan. Medical personnel are on standby at these hospitals to provide all needed assistance to the injured. We have visited UCH to see some of those injured during the incident.” Condoling the families of those who lost lives and properties to the explosion, Makinde said “in total, we have 77 injured victims so far, most of whom were treated and discharged and 2 fatalities. May their souls rest in peace and may God give their loved ones the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss”. Makinde assured residents that the state government would take care of the medical bills of all victims of the blast. “We will also be providing temporary accommodation for those whose houses were affected and ensuring that they are supported to rebuild their lives,” he said. “I urge all residents to please call 615 for any emergencies they may be experiencing at this time and to remain calm and stay away from the immediate scene of the incident to allow rescue operations to be carried out without interference. “We are grateful to the first responders, security personnel and all those who are at the scene to assist with the rescue operations as well as the medical personnel taking care of the injured. “Please say a prayer for those who have been affected by this disaster as we continue with the rescue operations.”
UK Govt Increases List of Organizations that Can Sponsor Nigerian Immigrants
The United Kingdom government has released a revised list of companies and organizations authorized to sponsor skilled immigrants applying for temporary worker visas from Nigeria. The official website, as of January 12, 2024, reveals a significant increase, with a total of 99,856 approved companies, marking a notable rise of 31,226 from the previous count in January 2023, which stood at 68,630. The list spans various industries, including technology, commerce, education, media and advertising, and engineering, among others. The UK government, in an announcement on its website, detailed the categories of workers these sponsors are licensed to support, including charity workers, skilled workers, creative workers, global business mobility: senior or specialist workers, and international sportspersons. Aspiring individuals are encouraged to visit the companies’ websites to explore available job opportunities. The companies listed are: 1. RSS Express Ltd T/A Ledbury Fuel Service Station 2. IECC Care (Independent Excel Care Consortium Limited) 3. AboutCare Hastings Ltd 4. £ ESS Ltd 5. Architect UK Ltd 6. Home Accommodation Services Ltd 7. Ur Eaz Ltd 8. Infiniti Limited 9. Brunswick Stores Limited 10. Plus Care Ltd 11. 003 Ltd 12. 0086 Ltd 13. 00Nation Limited 14. 01 Accounting Services Ltd 15. 012 Global Ltd 16. 023 Ltd 17. 0xA Technologies Ltd 18. 1 Ace Training Limited 19. 1 and 1 Rougamo Limited 20. 1 and 5 Tech Ltd 21. 1 Answer Insurance Services Ltd, among others. This move is expected to enhance employment opportunities and foster international collaboration between the UK and Nigeria in various sectors. Interested parties are urged to explore the expanded list for potential job openings and sponsorships.
Hoodlums Attack UNILAG Bus During Convocation
The management of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Lagos State, has announced that unidentified miscreants vandalized the school bus. The varsity noted that the hoodlums, during the attack, stole gowns intended for its graduates for the 54th convocation ceremony scheduled to hold on Tuesday (today). Graduates have been mandated to pay N15,000 to obtain the convocation gowns. However, amid preparations, reports emerged that some graduates who made the payment received a notification from the university administration stating that the distribution of the gowns had been halted due to the vandalism committed by the unknown criminals. “We regret to inform you that the distribution of SPGS academic gowns is now suspended. Sadly, the remaining gowns were stolen, and our bus vandalised this afternoon,” the university’s email to one of the graduates read. Confirming the development, a lawyer who identified himself as Malachy Odo, said he had received the identical notification from the school through text messages subsequent to his payment of the fee designated for the gown collection. “I paid 15k for convocation gown yesterday and this is what UNILAG just sent me. This country is not a real place,” he noted.
EFCC arrests ex-Minister Charles Ugwuh over alleged N3.6bn fraud
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arrested a former Minister of Commerce and Industry, Charles Ugwuh, over an alleged conspiracy and fraud to the tune of N3.6 billion. EFCC Spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Monday that Mr Ugwuh was arrested alongside Chief Geoffrey Ekenma on Jan. 11, in New Owerri, Imo. Mr Ugwuh, an engineer, industrialist and a former President of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, served as Minister of Commerce and Industry from July 2007 to October 2008. Mr Oyewale said that the arrest followed a petition to the commission from a new generation bank on the alleged fraud perpetrated through a company, Ebony Agro Industries Ltd., linked to the ex-minister. “Investigations revealed that Ugwuh, a former President of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, and Ekenma, Managing Director, Ebony Agro Industries Ltd., allegedly obtained a loan facility from the bank for the purchase and production of polished rice. “However, the suspects, according to the petitioner, failed to meet up his obligations to the bank and all efforts to get him to repay the loan facility proved abortive,” he said. Mr Oyewale said that the suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigations were concluded.
Abducted girls in FCT: Remi Tinubu calls for prayers
Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Remi Tinubu, has reacted to the abduction of the Al-Kadriyar sisters in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. In a post on X, Mrs Tinubu lamented over the devastating loss of Nabeeha, one of the sisters who the abductors killed. She extended her condolences to her grieving family and called for fervent prayers for the safe return of the other sisters and others in captivity. Her words: ”It is with a heavy heart that I acknowledge the devastating loss of Nabeeha and extend my deepest condolences to her grieving family. ”In difficult moments like this, I urge the nation to join in fervent prayers for the safe return of these girls. Let us hold the families close to our hearts in prayers. I implore our security agencies to intensify their efforts in addressing the pressing matter of kidnappings and insecurity in our nation. The safety and swift return of the Al-Kadriyar sisters and others in captivity should be our paramount concern. ”To the parents, especially mothers, I appeal for intensified prayers for our children and for peace to prevail in our beloved country. ”May the Almighty God comfort the Al-Kadriyar family for their loss, and may God bring the other children back home safely.”