TOP 10 NEWS MAKING THE ROUNDS IN NIGERIA TODAY THURSDAY 

TOP 10 NEWS MAKING THE ROUNDS IN NIGERIA TODAY THURSDAY 

Lagos: Appeal Court Dismisses LP’s Rhodes-Vivour Case Against Sanwo-Olu

The Appeal Court sitting in Lagos has dismissed the appeal of the Labour Party (LP) and its candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour challenging the victory of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu as the winner of the March 18 election for the Office of the Governor of Lagos State.

The Appeal Court held unanimously that the lower tribunal was correct to hold that Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat were qualified to contest, contrary to the claims of the LP and Gbadebo.

The court held: “The decision of the lower court is affirmed and the appeal is dismissed.”

The justices held: “No case of renunciation of citizenship has been established by the LP and Gbadebo against the 3rd respondent (Hamzat) in accordance with the constitution.

“No evidence of oath of allegiance to the United States and renunciation of Nigerian citizenship was placed before the tribunal (by the LP and Gbadebo) –

“No document to prove that 3rd respondent (Hamzat) was no longer a citizen of Nigeria. It is incumbent on the appellants (LP, Gbadebo) to prove their claim.”

Details Of Meeting Between FG And Organised Labour Emerge

The details of the Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government and Organised Labour meeting over the ongoing nationwide strike have emerged.

The meeting comes after Ribadu had said the attackers of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, have been arrested and appealed to labour unions to call off the strike.

Speaking at the end of the meeting with reporters, the President of TUC, Festus Osifo, who led other labour leaders to the meeting, said they had a robust conversation with the government officials.

He added that a lot of assurances were given in furtherance to the statement by the NSA that some people had been apprehended and that he would coordinate the investigation.

The TUC president added that the promises made by the government officials would be taken to their respective organs, and they would communicate accordingly.

NLC, TUC Takes Fresh Decision On Nationwide Strike

Organized Labour, comprising the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has suspended its two-day-old nationwide strike.

The NEC decided to suspend the strike after a discussion with the Bola Ahmed Tinubu government.

The NEC meeting which commenced at a few minutes past 7 pm lasted for close to one hour during which various affiliates and state chapters reviewed the outcome of the meeting held between the leaders of the organised labour and Ribadu.

This was confirmed to The PUNCH by the National Deputy Vice-President of the TUC, Tommy Etim, in an interview.

“The NEC of the NLC and the TUC have suspended the strike. We did this based on our trust for the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, who gave us his words,” he said.

NSA Arrests Ajaero’s ‘Attackers’, Begs NLC, TUC To End Strike

The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, has disclosed that those responsible for the attack on the President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, in Owerri, Imo State capital, on November 1, have been arrested, and investigations have commenced.

Consequently, the labour gave the government an ultimatum to meet some demands, including arresting those behind the attack and threatening to begin a nationwide strike if the demands were unmet.

The Federal Government had gone to court to restrain labour, but the strike commenced on Monday, paralysing national activities.

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In a statement signed by the Head of Strategic Communications in the Office of the National Security Adviser, Zakari U Mijinyawa, on Wednesday, Ribadu apologised to the organised labour over the attack and urged the movement to rescind its decisions on the ongoing strike.

NLC, TUC Calls Emergency NEC Meeting

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) will today hold an emergency joint extraordinary National Executive Council (NEC) meeting by 7 pm.

The emergency meeting was disclosed by the National Vice President of the TUC, Tommy Etim, in an interview with The PUNCH in Abuja.

Etim revealed that the NSA briefed the leadership of the organised labour on the steps taken so far.

He also noted that the union leaders secured the commitment of the NSA.

Etim noted that the union leaders were satisfied with the NSA’s steps so far.

We Were Not Served Any Court Order, Organised Labour Replies FG

The Organised Labour has said it did not receive any court order stopping its members from going on a nationwide strike.

The President of the court, Justice Benedict Kanyip, issued the order on Friday while ruling on an ex-parte application.

The application was brought before the court by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) on behalf of the Federal Government and argued by Tijani Gazali (SAN), Acting Director (Civil Appeals), Federal Ministry of Justice.

Justice Kanyip said the order shall subsist until the determination of a motion on notice for interlocutory injunctions equally filed by the AGF.

2027: Cost Of Nomination Forms, Others Causes Storm In APC

A fresh storm may be brewing in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) over the high cost of contesting elections on the party’s platform due to the steady increase of the expression of interest and nomination forms since its formation in 2014.

However, party stalwarts have urged the leadership of the ruling APC to make the 2027 contest less expressive, alleging that despite raking in billions of Naira from the sale of expression of interest and nomination forms before the 2023 elections, the party has failed to give an account of how the money was spent.

In a statement on Tuesday, the former national vice chairman (North West) of the APC, Salihu Mohammed Lukman, lamented the increasing cost of contesting elections in the party.

He expressed fears that by 2027, the APC might charge N250 million for expression of interest and nomination forms for the presidency and N125 million for the governorship.

Supreme Court Stops UK From Sending Asylum Seekers To Rwanda

The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom has declared as illegal the British government’s contentious proposal to send asylum seekers to Rwanda in Africa.

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In Rwanda, individuals will be given the option to seek asylum within the country, return to their home country, or pursue asylum in a different nation, excluding the United Kingdom.

But Lord Reed, President of the court, says there is a “real risk” asylum seekers may be sent from Rwanda to the places they fled from, BBC reports.

Since being announced in 2022, the plan has been thwarted by legal challenges – the High Court ruled it lawful before the Court of Appeal overturned the decision.

The Supreme Court has now confirmed the Court of Appeal’s decision.

The five-judge panel at the UK’s highest court unanimously sided with Court of Appeal judges that the policy was incompatible with Britain’s obligations under international treaties.

FG Meets Organised Labour Over Nationwide Strike

Representatives of the Federal Government are currently meeting with Organised Labour over the ongoing nationwide strike.

The meeting is underway at the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) in Abuja.

Present at the meeting include the NSA, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Bako Lalong, and the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyeajeocha, among other government officials.

Also present at the meeting are Labour leaders led by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) President, Comrade Festus Osifo, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Secretary General, Emmanuel Ugboaja, and other union leaders.

Appeal Court Delivers Judgement In Jandor Vs Sanwo-Olu Suit

The Appeal Court sitting in Lagos has dismissed the appeal of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate Olajide Adediran, challenging the declaration of Babajide Sanwo-Olu as the winner of the March 18 governorship election in the state.

The three-man panel unanimously affirmed the decision of the Lagos State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal which on September 25 affirmed the victory of Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

It held that the appellants failed to prove their allegations of forgery and non-qualification against Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat.