TOP 10 NEWS MAKING THE ROUNDS IN NIGERIA TODAY, SATURDAY 

TOP 10 NEWS MAKING THE ROUNDS IN NIGERIA TODAY, SATURDAY 

Naira Scarcity: Buhari, Emefiele Must Stop Inhabiting Alternate Universe!

The fact that Nigerians are resilient and can meander their way through every misery sown on their path should not give the Buhari government the impetus to keep pushing the goat to the wall. With the level of desperation and frustration in the land caused by poorly thought-out policies of the government, it wouldn’t matter that those in authority have barely three months when the people have nothing more to lose. It has been the hopes of their anguish being over soon that has been sustaining the people. Now that the end isn’t as near as thought, Nigerians really deserve honour for maintaining their cool.

Which country of the world would their citizens remain docile in the face of the government denying them access to their hard-earned money? Nigerians rarely look up to the government for anything as the government and its institutions have disappointed them spectacularly. A case in point is the 2023 presidential election where the people decided to give the system a benefit of the doubt. The world has acknowledged how ruinous it turned out to be. It is therefore unconscionable for the government to crash its crass ineptitude and poor imagination on the personal finances of the people, thereby throwing more Nigerians into poverty.

One week ago, the Supreme Court invalidated the naira redesign policy introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), affirming that the old N200, N500 and N1000 notes remain legal tender until December 31, 2023. While delivering judgment in a suit instituted by Kaduna, Kogi, and Zamfara States, a seven-member panel of the apex court faulted the entire policy of the CBN, saying the timing and implementation were defective. Nigerians who thought that this verdict will bring relief to the acute cash scarcity have been disappointed as a result of the exacerbating crisis situation, no thanks to the nonchalant disposition of those who should give effect to the apex court ruling.

APC Vice Chairman Demands Adamu, Omisore’s Resignation

The National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) North-west, Salihu Lukman has called for an emergency national convention.

Lukman made the call in a statement released on Friday calling for the resignation of the National Chairman of the party, Abdullahi Adamu and National Secretary, Iyiola Omisore.

Following the emergence of Tinubu as President-Elect, Lukman expressed the importance of the new National Chairman of the party to be a Christian.

He also emphasised that the National Chairman could be retained in North-Central.

Supreme Court Replaces Shekarau With Hanga As NNPP Kano Central Senatorial Candidate

The Supreme Court has dropped the former Governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau, as the Kano Central Senatorial candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

The apex court also removed Senator Shekarau as the Senatorial candidate of the NNPP in the February 25 National Assembly election.

A five-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice Inyang Okoro, made the ruling in a unanimous judgment on Friday.

The apex court affirmed the nomination of Senator Rufa’i Hanga as the NNPP candidate and faulted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for refusing to replace him with Shekarau, who had left the party for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Justice Emmanuel Agim, who read the lead judgment on behalf of the apex court held that the INEC’s appeal lacked merit and substance and dismissed it.

The court affirmed the two earlier concurrent judgments by the Federal High Court and Court of Appeal, both in Abuja, in which it was held that Hanga was the candidate of NNPP for the election.

The Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal had in their previous judgment upheld Hanga as the NNPP Senatorial Candidate for Kano Central following the withdrawal of Shekarau as a member of the party and Senatorial candidate.

Racism: Seplat CEO Roger Brown Obeys Court’s Order, Hands Over To Nigerian

Roger Brown, the CEO of Seplat Energy PLC, has stepped down in line with an order from the Federal High court in Lagos.

Roger Brown is accused of discrimination against Nigerians, preference for foreign employees, racism, and a breach of good governance.

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To prevent Brown and others from taking advantage of the company’s stakeholders while the litigation was still pending, the court issued an order requiring them to refrain from impersonating themselves as top ranking officers of the company.

The Ministry of Interior has suspended Brown’s employment permit, visa, and residency status as a result of claims of racism and prejudice against him.

The displeased parties had presented a petition written by Seplat employees to the Interior Minister against Brown, as well as a letter from the Interior Minister informing the company of the ministry’s decision about the petition.

In a letter dated March 3, 2023, the Ministry of Interior informed the chairman of Seplat’s board of its decision to revoke Brown’s employment permit, visa, and residence status.

The ministry accused the British national of turning down invitations extended to him in a letter revoking Brown’s visa, work permit, and residency permit.

‘INEC Reconfigures BVAS Without Independent Witnesses’ – LP

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been condemned by the Labour Party (LP) for coming up with the idea to reconfigure the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines after the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, sought to examine the election materials.

LP faulted the claim of INEC backing up data retrieved from BVAS without the presence of independent witnesses and representatives of political parties.

This is coming after the Court of Appeal in Abuja granted the commission’s request to reconfigure the BVAS that was used for the presidential election on the 25th of February, 2023.

The court dismissed the objection by the LP seeking to prevent INEC from reconfiguring the BVAS, adding that it will adversely affect the forthcoming governorship and state Assembly elections.

The spokesman for the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Council, Yunusa Tanko noted that it is wrong of INEC to claim that it had backed up the data from the BVAS without any witness.

Why I Still Repose My Confidence In INEC – Adesina

Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, has expressed his trust and confidence in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) despite the challenges experienced in the February 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections.

He commended the electoral body for admitting that the just-concluded elections were flawed and not claiming that the exercise was the best thing that ever happened to the country.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity stated this in an article released via his Facebook page on Thursday night.

Adesina said he still has belief in INEC because the electoral umpire owned up to its lapses, and is willing to correct the mistakes in the forthcoming governorship and state assembly elections and future polls.

Intrigue As Gbajabiamila ‘Eyes’ Chief Of Staff Position In Tinubu’s Govt

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, is reportedly eyeing the position of Chief of Staff (CoS) to the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in the incoming government.

Gbajabiamila was re-elected for the 6th consecutive time to represent his Surulere 1 federal constituency of Lagos State during the just-concluded National Assembly elections.

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During his 20-year sojourn in the lower chamber, Gbajabiamila served as Minority Whip, Minority Leader, and Majority Leader before he was elected Speaker of the House in 2019.

However, the Speaker was absent from the presentation of Certificates of Return to Members-elect of the House of Representatives on Wednesday in Abuja.

According to Leadership, the leader of the Green Chamber may eventually not represent his constituency in the 10th National Assembly due to his alleged political ambition to become the next CoS in the Tinubu administration.

Speaking with the newspaper, a source close to Gbajabiamila said the Speaker is more likely to be considered for the plum job because he is one of Tinubu’s core loyalists and proteges for the last 25 years.

APC NWC Member Calls For Christian Senate President From South-East/South-South

The vice-chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the north-west, Salihu Lukman on Friday called for the next Senate President to be zoned to the South-East or South-South.

Lukman in his reaction to the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the APC advised that the President of the 10th Senate should be a Christian.

The President-elect, Bola Tinubu and his vice, Kashim Shettima are Muslims.

He further stated that the Speaker of the House of Representatives should be zoned to the North-West.

The APC NWC member noted all other positions in government can be assigned by taking a bearing from the decisions of the Senate President and Speaker.

Lukman made this call in a statement released on Friday.

He said, “With a Muslim president and a Muslim vice-president, it is only logical to zone the senate president who is the number three ranking leader of the government to either the south-east or south-south who would be Christian.

“Logically, the position of speaker of the house of representatives should be zoned to the north-west. This would have the advantage of acknowledging that the northwest gave Asiwaju Tinubu the highest votes of 2,950,393 representing 33.6% of the votes he won.”

Nine Months After Resignation, Buahri Govt Yet To Pay Ex-CJN Tanko N2.5 Billion Entitlements

The Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government is yet to pay the entitlements of the immediate past Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad.

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This is coming nine months after his retirement from service on June 2022 as the 16th Chief Justice of the apex court due to unnamed health challenges.

According to Daily Post, ex-CJN Tanko was expected to be paid the N2.5 billion severance package by the Federal Government.

Recall that the National Judicial Council (NJC) approved a gratuity of 300% of the CJN N3.38 million annual basic salary. This was about a 300% increase compared to what was paid to the previous CJNs after leaving office. The federal government is also expected to construct a mansion in Abuja or any city they choose with a lump sum for furnishing.

However, nine months after resigning at the age of 69, less than a year before his mandatory retirement age, the ex-CJN Tanko, who is battling with an undisclosed ailment, has been shuttling between Kaduna and Abuja for medical attention without an idea when his entitlement would be paid.

This is despite the recommendation in the provisions of sections 291 (2) and (3a-c) of the 1999 Constitution and Section 2 of the Pensions Rights of Judges Act.

Crisis In IPOB As Nnamdi Kanu Is Set To Sack Senior Lawyer

A crisis is brewing in the camp of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as the group leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, is set to sack one of the senior lawyers presenting him in court.

The pro-Biafra agitator has remained in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) despite a court ordering his release.

But unsatisfied with how his case is being dealt with, the IPOB leader is set to relieve one of his legal representatives.

Nnamdi Kanu is reportedly angry with the said senior lawyer, who he accused of not being able to secure his release from custody since his incarceration for what he described as no crime.

Top security sources told Daily Sun that Kanu accused his lawyers of only being interested in his money as they were not doing enough to get him out of detention.

He has also expressed worry over the division in his legal team over who is to lead the council and the infighting within the legal team, preventing the team from presenting a formidable case.