Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Monday 25th April 2022
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 25/04/22
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2023: Elder Statesmen, Adebanjo, Clark, South-East Governors Meet In Abuja Monday To Canvass Support For Igbo Presidency
The leader of the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, leader of the Southern & Middle Belt Forum, Pa Edwin Clark, and governors from the South-East region will on Monday converge on Abuja to persuade Nigerians on why the region should produce Nigeria’s next president.
Aside from Adebanjo and Clark, others to attend the Greater Nigeria Conference, which is slated for Monday at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, are eminent nationalists, statesmen, and foremost federalism campaigners, among others.
The GNC is a pan-Nigeria dialogue organised by a global Igbo think tank, Nzuko Umunna, to canvass support for a presidential candidate from the region during the 2023 general elections.
It is led by a former Governor of Enugu State, Chief Okwesilieze Nwodo, Senator Victor Umeh, and Senator Chris Anyanwu.
A statement on Sunday from the GNC Media Office signed by Collins Steve Ugwu said the conference is dedicated to awakening the best ethnic and political fraternities of Nigerians to appreciate the binding need for accommodation and sacrifice, in supporting a Nigerian president from the South-East region come 2023.
“The plannings are complete, the audience is ready, and more patriotic Nigerians are now selfless in championing the truth, that our country can only get better and faster on the wheels of equality, justice, fairness and deliberate inclusion, to all her citizens, especially the Southeast people of Nigeria,”
the statement by Collins Steve Ugwu, the GNC Media Coordinator said.
“Aside from the nationalist patriots expected in Abuja, from all over the country are also our Governors from the Southeast region, who will play central roles in the big idea of a Nigerian President from the Southeast persuasion project. It is already heartwarming, and a sign of great awareness that one of them, Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo state declared passionately this week.
“That Ndigbo have cried enough on their marginalization, and Nigerians should grant the region a fair playing ground, come 2023 general elections for the Presidency.”
Amplifying this firm and fair resolve, he again called Nigerians’ attention to history, saying, “Most of the patriots who engineered the plan that made the Southwest region produce the presidential candidates for the two major political parties in 1999 are still alive and active in Nigerian politics. That same underlying love for the country that inspired them to do what they did for the Southwest in 1999, should inspire them to do the same for the Southeast in 2023.
“That simply is a factual foretaste to the many more of what Greater Nigeria Conference will put on the front burner, as they gather all the Presidential aspirants from Southeast before Nigerians to dialogue and persuade the election of one as Nigerian President in the spirit of Together We Can do better for this country.”
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Residents Storm Police Station In Ondo After Fatal Accident At Checkpoint, Dump Corpses Of Traditional Ruler, Two Other Victims At Facility
Some aggrieved residents of Kajola in the Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo state have attacked the community police station, accusing policemen of recklessness and causing an accident which led to the death of three persons.
The accident it was learnt happened at a checkpoint along Lagos/Benin Expressway on Saturday evening.
The victims, David Olowofeyekun, Gbenga Abayomi and Kola Akinduro, who was the traditional leader of Korede village, were on a motorcycle and heading home from their farms.
Following the incident, some residents stormed the Police Divisional Headquarters, Kajola in their hundreds, chanting a series of protest songs to register their grievances.
They also dumped the three corpses at the police station.
According to them, the accident was caused by an illegal checkpoint mounted in the area by policemen, adding that they do not want to see any officer in the community again.
The spokesperson for the state police command, Funmilayo Odunlami, who confirmed the incident exonerated the police of any blame.
She said the accident was caused by the rider of the motorcycle, whom she accused of wrong-way driving (counterflow driving).
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BREAKING: Macron Wins French Presidential Election, Incumbent Holds Off Far-right Challenge
Emmanuel Macron has held off a challenge from far-right leader Marine Le Pen to retain the French presidency, according to projected results from French polling agencies.
The centrist incumbent is projected to receive between 57 and 58.5 percent of the vote in Sunday’s second-round runoff, versus 41.5 to 43 percent for Le Pen, his nationalist rival, France24 reports.
If accurate, Macron will triumph decisively though by a smaller margin than in 2017, when he won by more than 30 percentage points to became France’s youngest president. While falling short of the Élysée Palace again, in her third presidential run, Le Pen still looks to have secured the most votes ever for a French far-right candidate.
Le Pen’s challenge to the country’s mainstream order and the West’s unity against Russia had officials in Europe and Washington anxiously following the election amid the war in Ukraine.
She conceded defeat in a speech to supporters shortly after the projections were released, but said her unprecedented vote total represented “a shining victory in itself.”
“The ideas we represent are reaching summits,” she said.
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E2%80%99s-death-stalls-installation-nigerian-house-representatives-speaker Alaafin Of Oyo’s Death Stalls Installation Of Nigerian House Of Representatives’ Speaker, Gbajabiamila As Aare Baasofin Of Yorubaland
The installation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, as the Aare Baasofin of Yorubaland (the Supreme Lawmaker of Yorubaland) has been suspended.
Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Speaker, Lanre Lasisi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
Lasisi said the event, which was planned to take place on Friday, May 27, 2022, was postponed over the death of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III.
Gbajabiamila was conferred with the traditional title in September 2021 but the installation ceremony was billed to take place on Friday, May 27, 2022, with the All Progressives Congress’ presidential aspirant, Bola Tinubu, named as the Chairman of the occasion.
“You will recall that his Royal Highness, the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III communicated the conferment of the title of Aare Baasofin of Yoruba Land to Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila through an appointment letter dated September 7, 2021, and presented to the Speaker on Thursday, September 30, 2021, at the National Assembly, Abuja, by members of the Oyomesi Council led by the Bashorun of Oyo Kingdom, High Chief Olayinka Ayoola, who is the traditional Prime Minister of Oyo Kingdom and Bishop Ayo Ladigbolu,” the statement read.
“Upon which the Speaker, in turn, accepted the appointment with gratitude to God. However, due to the tight work schedule of the Speaker, the Chieftaincy ceremony could not hold throughout 2021, until this year when the date of May 27, 2022, was agreed with the palace but as God in his majesty will have it, the revered monarch passed on Friday night before the distribution of Invitation cards for the event (May Allah grant him Aljanah Firdaus).
“Naturally, the event can no longer hold as the Speaker, the entire Yoruba race, Nigerians home and abroad mourn the demise of the widely respected Monarch.”
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E2%80%98outrageous-illegal%E2%80%99-costs-apc-pdp-parties-nomination 2023 Elections: Falana Condemns ‘Outrageous, Illegal’ Costs Of APC, PDP Parties’ Nomination Forms
Femi Falana (SAN)
Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) has condemned the cost of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) nomination forms.
The APC and PDP had fixed the cost of their presidential nomination forms at N100 million and N40 million respectively.
Femi Falana (SAN)
The cost of the forms, particularly that of the APC, has attracted widespread criticism.
Falana in a statement on Sunday described the actions of both political parties as a mockery of the Not Too Young To Run Bill signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2018.
“By asking the young people to pay N60 million (being 40 percent discount off the said N100 million), the APC has made a mockery of the Not Too Young to Run Act enacted by the Federal Government under its control. It is undoubtedly clear that the N100 million deposit fixed by APC for its presidential aspirants has excluded the majority of the alleged 40 million members of the party from participating in the party primary elections,” the Senior Advocate of Nigeria said.
“The APC ought to have realised that by restricting politics to the affairs of fat cats it has violated Article 13(1) of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act which states that ‘every citizen shall have the right to participate freely in the government of his country, either directly or through freely chosen representatives in accordance with the provisions of the law.’
“The apparent endorsement of the controversial nomination fees by President Muhammadu Buhari smacks of hypocrisy because, in 2014, he had told Nigerians that he had to borrow N27.5 million to buy his nomination form. In condemning the skyrocketing nomination fees at the material time, I did say that ‘Under section 131 of the Constitution any Nigerian citizen who has attained the age of 40 years and is a member of a political party and sponsored by that party and has been educated up to secondary school level is qualified to contest for presidential election in Nigeria. Section 87 of the Electoral Act which provides for the nomination of candidates by political parties has not prescribed that aspirants shall pay any fee. In the circumstance, political parties may only be permitted by law to charge administrative fees.’
“However, in a careless attempt to play on the collective intelligence of Nigerians, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) accused the APC of ‘inflicting maximum pains on its members’ and that the fees cast the ruling party ‘in the image of rogues and hypocrites’. However, the PDP had earlier pegged its fees for both the expression of interest and nomination forms at N40 million for the President, N21 million for Governorship aspirants. Those aspiring for Senate, are to pay N3.5 million, N2.5 million for those aspiring for the House of Representatives, while state House of Assembly aspirants will pay N600,000
The party’s NEC also approved a 50 per cent reduction in nomination fees for youths aged 25 to 30 years for various elective positions. In justifying its own high nomination fees the opposition party said that ‘We are a mass movement for the Nigerian people. This is why our nomination fees are soft and democratic’.
“Since the national minimum wage is N30,000 per month the deposit of N100 million or N60 million has excluded millions of workers from contesting the presidential election in Nigeria. Even retired professors, judges and permanent secretaries are not in a position to pay the deposit demanded by the APC and PDP from their meagre pension. Ironically, Nigeria houses the second largest population of poor people in the world but the nomination fees collected from aspirants by APC and PDP are the highest in the world.
“Tunji Ariyomo, the National Coordinator of Nigeria Focus Group has said that, ‘To run for a governorship position in any state in the US in 2022, your political party’s primary filing and nomination fee can range from as low as $0 (yes, zero) to $3,750 (or N1.8m). The average fee is thus circa $2,000 (or N980,000). These charges cover what is labelled in Nigeria as nomination and expression of interest forms’ fees.’
“Finally, Nigerian courts have repeatedly maintained that the National and Independent Electoral Commission and State Independent Electoral Commissions lack the legal capacity to add to, alter, enlarge, curtail, or repeat the conditions contained in sections 106 and 107 of the Constitution which have covered the field with respect to the qualifications and disqualifications of candidates contesting elections in Nigeria.
“Therefore, as political parties are incapable to prescribe conditions for the eligibility of candidates outside the provisions of the Constitution the nomination fees of N100 million or N40 million pegged by the APC and PDP respectively are illegal and unconstitutional as they constitute a flagrant violation of sections 40, 106 and 107 of the Constitution as well as article 13(1) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights Act. The illegal, insensitive and immoral nomination fees should be cancelled without any further delay.”
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Bandits Abduct Woman, Daughter After Distributing Ramadan Gifts To Kaduna Residents
A philanthropist, Ramatu Abarshi, has been abducted by terrorists alongside her daughter, Amira, after distributing Ramadan gifts to local communities of Mariri town in the Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
According to Daily Nigeria, the bandits trailed them on Saturday noon around Kasuwan Magani in the Kachia Local Government Area, the southern part of Kaduna State.
Daily Nigerian
Mrs Abarshi, a former Head of Department of Electrical Engineering, Kaduna Polytechnic, is known for philanthropic work and peace initiatives in Southern Kaduna.
When contacted, the spokesman for the Kaduna State Police Command, Mohammed Jalige, said he was unaware of the incident.
“You know people don’t always report such incidents immediately to the police,” he said.
In recent months, Kaduna has witnessed a spate of violent attacks which has led to killings and abduction of residents.
On March 28, a Kaduna-bound train was attacked by gunmen, which led to the death of at least eight people. Several persons were injured while many are still missing.
Some of the abducted people are currently in the custody of the gunmen.
Days after the train attack, 11 soldiers were killed in an attack by gunmen on a military base in Birnin Gwari LGA of Kaduna state.
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BREAKING: Traditional Worshippers Protest Open Display Of Alaafin Of Oyo’s Corpse on Internet During Burial
The Traditional Worshippers Association of Nigeria, Oyo State branch has condemned the open display of the corpse of the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, during the Muslim prayer session, saying it was against the tenets of traditional respect for a dead king.
The association disclosed this on Sunday in a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Adefabi Dasola and Secretary, Dr. Fakayode Fayemi Fatunde respectively.
The statement noted that the late monarch never minced words in condemning the open display of any Yoruba Oba remains for any purpose while he was alive.
The traditional worshippers said it was disappointing to see the corpse of a revered monarch being displayed all over the internet.
They added that their protest against the disparaging act was to set the record straight that it was a disrespect for the dead monarch.
The statement read in part, “We send condolences to the children, widows, the Oyo indigenes, Yorùbá land in general and most especially, the ?àngó devotees worldwide who have just lost one of them. In fact, Oba Adeyemi was a true devotee of ?ango and that was why he joined the ancestors on Sango Worship day.
“It is rather disappointing to have seen the corpse of our revered Alaafin being displayed all over the internet, it is saddening and we want this to be on record that we as a body are protesting this act, we do not want our children and grandchildren to question us in the future that we did not act or talk.
“The same disparaging act was witnessed during the burial of the late Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji and we made our minds known as well. This is a trend that must stop or we will all be contributing towards the total annihilation of our tradition and culture, our Yoruba monarchs and kingmakers should please make efforts at remedying this malady.
“However, we extol the ?àngó devotees for being tolerant to allow the Muslims and Christians to do the initial prayers before the final rites commenced, it is a good sign of religious tolerance that we have been advocating.
“We also use the opportunity to enjoin all the ?ba in Yorùbáland to emulate ?ba Lamidi Adeyemi in the promotion of Yorùbá Traditional Religion which is the basis of the crowns on their heads.”
However, the group commended the maturity displayed by Sango worshippers during the burial, noting that it would go into history as worthy of emulation.
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Illegality Of Outrageous Nomination Form Fees, By Femi Falana SAN
Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) willing to participate in the presidential primary election have been directed to pay N100 million for the nomination and expression of interest forms. Similarly, the nomination and expression of interest forms for those seeking the party’s ticket to contest the governorship election in their respective states cost N50 million. Aspirants for the Senate, House of Representatives and Houses of Assembly are to cough out N20 million, 10 million and N2 million respectively. The party granted a financial waiver to all female aspirants on its platform and approved a 40% discount for aspirants aged 35 and below.
By asking the young people to pay N60 million (being 40 percent discount off the said N100 million) the APC has made a mockery of the Not Too Young to Run Act enacted by the Federal Government under its control. It is undoubtedly clear that the N100 million deposit fixed by APC for its presidential aspirants has excluded the majority of the alleged 40 million members of the party from participating in the party primary elections. The APC ought to have realised that by restricting politics to the affairs of fat cats it has violated Article 13(1) of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act which states that “every citizen shall have the right to participate freely in the government of his country, either directly or through freely chosen representatives in accordance with the provisions of the law.”
The apparent endorsement of the controversial nomination fees by President Muhammadu Buhari smacks of hypocrisy because, in 2014, he had told Nigerians that he had to borrow N27.5 million to buy his nomination form. In condemning the skyrocketing nomination fees at the material time, I did say that “Under section 131 of the Constitution any Nigerian citizen who has attained the age of 40 years and is a member of a political party and sponsored by that party and has been educated up to secondary school level is qualified to contest for the presidential election in Nigeria. Section 87 of the Electoral Act which provides for the nomination of candidates by political parties has not prescribed that aspirants shall pay any fee. In the circumstance, political parties may only be permitted by law to charge administrative fees.”
However, in a careless attempt to play on the collective intelligence of Nigerians, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) accused the APC of “inflicting maximum pains on its members” and that the fees cast the ruling party “in the image of rogues and hypocrites”. However, the PDP had earlier pegged its fees for both the expression of interest and nomination forms at N40 million for the President, and N21 million for Governorship aspirants. Those aspiring for Senate, are to pay N3.5 million, N2.5 million for those aspiring for the House of Representatives, while state House of Assembly aspirants will pay N600,000
The party’s NEC also approved a 50 per cent reduction in nomination fees for youths aged 25 to 30 years for various elective positions. In justifying its own high nomination fees the opposition party said that ” We are a mass movement for the Nigerian people. This is why our nomination fees are soft and democratic”.
Since the national minimum wage is N30,000 per month the deposit of N100 million or N60 million has excluded millions of workers from contesting the presidential election in Nigeria. Even retired professors, judges and permanent secretaries are not in a position to pay the deposit demanded by the APC and PDP from their meagre pension. Ironically, Nigeria houses the second largest population of poor people in the world but the nomination fees collected from aspirants by APC and PDP are the highest in the world. Tunji Ariyomo, the National Coordinator of Nigeria Focus Group has said, “To run for a governorship position in any state in the US in 2022, your political party’s primary filing and nomination fee can range from as low as $0 (yes, zero) to $3,750 (or N1.8m). The average fee is thus circa $2,000 (or N980,000). These charges cover what is labelled in Nigeria as nomination and expression of interest forms’ fees.”
Indeed, in Bullock v Carter 405 U.S 134 (1972) the appellants who sought to become candidates for local office in the Democratic primary election challenged in the District Court the validity of the nomination fees up to $8, 999. It was held that the fees contravened the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. It was the view of the Judge that “By requiring candidates to shoulder the costs of conducting primary election through filing fee by providing no reasonable alternative means of access to the ballot, the State of Texas has erected a system that utilizes the criterion of ability to pay as a condition to being on the ballot, thus excluding some candidates otherwise qualified and denying an undetermined number of voters the opportunity to vote candidates of their choice.”
In Canada, candidates are no longer required to pay deposits for federal elections. In the case of Szuchewycz v. Canada (Attorney General) 2017 ABQB 645, Justice Avril Inglis of the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta declared that the deposit requirement infringed on Section 3 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and could not be justified under Section 1 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Before the Szuchewycz v. Canada ruling, a candidate for Member of Parliament needed to place a $1,000 deposit.
Since the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 is the basic law of the land, any Act or law or policy which is inconsistent with the same will be struck out. Thus, the payment of outrageous nomination fees which is not one of the conditions for contesting elections under the current democratic dispensation is illegal and unconstitutional on grounds of inconsistency with the Constitution. In the case of the Independent National Electoral Commission v Alhaji Abubakar Balarabe Musa & 4 Ors (2003) 10 WRN 1, certain guidelines issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission for the registration of political parties were struck down by the Supreme Court on the ground that they were not in consonance with sections 40 and 222 of the Constitution.
Thereafter, in the case of the National Conscience Party & 23 Ors v Independent National Electoral Commission (Suit No FHC/ABJ/CS/ 42/2003), the Plaintiffs challenged the announcement of the defendant to charge as “processing fees” amounts ranging from N500,000 for presidential candidates to N25,000 naira for those seeking election as local government councillors. The presiding Judge, the Honourable Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako agreed with the submissions of the Plaintiffs’ counsel, Chief Gani Fawehinmi SAN and said, “Going through the constitution and the electoral act 2002, I fail to see where INEC was empowered to prescribe and demand such processing fees…I, therefore, declare the processing fees charged by the defendant illegal and unconstitutional.”
In the same vein, in National Conscience Party v Ekiti State Independent Electoral Commission (2015) NHRLR (Part 1) on Page 1, the Ekiti State High Court nullified the demand for the payment of nomination fees and production of tax clearing certificate as preconditions for contesting the 2004 local government elections. In upholding our submissions
the presiding Judge, the Honourable Justice Babalola said that “The demand for the production of tax receipt or tax clearance certificate showing evidence of tax payment as at when due for the last 3 years before the date of election and the demand of N5,000.00 deposit in the case of candidates contesting as councillor to the commission are in my view attempts to add or alter sections 106 and 107 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999. The two demands are inconsistent with the provision of section 7(4) and 106 of the Constitution of Nigeria, 1999 and therefore declared null and void to the extent of their inconsistency”. The appeal filed against the judgment by the Ekiti State Independent Electoral Commission was dismissed by the Court of Appeal.
In Osun State Independent Electoral Commission v National Conscience Party (Unreported Appeal No SC.40/2009) the Osun State High Court nullified the payment of nomination fees by all registered political parties as a condition to contest March 27, 2013, local government election on the state. The Appellant had issued guidelines which required each chairmanship candidate to pay a sum of N50,000 and each councillorship candidate to pay N25,000 to the coffers of the Appellant. The High Court held that the Defendant lacked the power to prescribe conditions for the eligibility, qualifications and disqualifications of candidates to contest Local Government Elections in Osun State outside the conditions stipulated by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999.” The appeal filed by the appellant against the judgment was dismissed by the Court of Appeal and later by the Supreme Court.
In the Peoples Democratic Party v Edo State Independent Electoral Commission & Another (Unreported Suit No. B/18/OS/13), the Honourable Justice N.A. Imoukhuede declared the requirement of a non-refundable deposit of N100,000.00 (One hundred thousand Naira) for Chairmanship candidates and N50,000.00 (Fifty thousand Naira) for Councillorship candidates was in breach of the provisions of sections 7(4), 106 and 107(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended). Consequently, the learned trial judge set aside the collection of the deposits by the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission.
It is submitted that if the electoral bodies that are vested with the power to conduct elections are prohibited from collecting meagre nomination fees from candidates what is the legal basis for collecting billions of Naira from aspirants by political parties? However, while political parties cannot charge outrageous nomination fees they may be permitted to direct aspirants to pay nominal fees for administrative expenses. In Independent National Electoral Commission v Balarabe Musa, the Supreme Court (supra) refused to strike down the N100, 000 as part of the conditions prescribed by INEC for the registration of political associations as political parties. According to Justice Niki Tobi of blessed memory: “It is common knowledge that the process of registration involves money. The application forms and other accompanying documentation involve money. As I said above, I do not expect the first appellant to play the role of a Father Christmas. Somebody has to defray part of the expenses, and it should be the political association that wants to be recognised as a political party under Section 222. Considering the cost of production of material and labour, I do not see the amount of N100,000 as too much.”
The administrative fee of N100,000 was allowed by the Supreme Court because it was the era of paper documentation. But with the incredible advancement in technology, paper documentation is no longer necessary. Since the applications are going to be filled and submitted while payment of nomination fees
will be made online by aspirants no political party should charge more than N10,000 for administrative purposes. After all, the registration fee charged by the Joint Matriculation Examination Board is less than N5,000 per candidate. Therefore, the APC and PDP should withdraw the outrageous fees and charge administrative fees of not more than N10,000 per aspirant.
It is submitted that if the electoral bodies that are vested with the power to conduct elections are prohibited from collecting meagre nomination fees from candidates what is the legal basis for collecting billions of Naira from aspirants by political parties? However, while political parties cannot charge outrageous nomination fees they may be permitted to direct aspirants to pay nominal fees for administrative expenses. In the Balarabe Musa case, the Supreme Court refused to strike down the N100, 000 as part of the conditions prescribed by INEC for the registration of political associations as political parties. According to Justice Niki Tobi of blessed memory: “It is common knowledge that the process of registration involves money. The application forms and other accompanying documentation involve money. As I said above, I do not expect the first appellant to play the role of a Father Christmas. Somebody has to defray part of the expenses, and it should be the political association that wants to be recognised as a political party under Section 222. Considering the cost of production of material and labour, I do not see the amount of N100,000 as too much.”
The administrative fee of N100,000 was allowed by the Supreme Court because it was the era of paper documentation. But with the incredible advancement in technology, paper documentation is no longer necessary. Since the applications are going to be filled and submitted while payment of nomination fees will be made online by aspirants no political party should charge more than N10,000 for administrative purposes. After all, the registration fee charge) ed by the Joint Matriculation Examination Board is less than N5,000 per candidate. Therefore, the APC and PDP should withdraw the outrageous fees and charge administrative fees of not more than N10,000 per aspirant.
Finally, Nigerian courts have repeatedly maintained that the National and Independent Electoral Commission and State Independent Electoral Commissions lack the legal capacity to add to, alter, enlarge, curtail, or repeat the conditions contained in sections 106 and 107 of the Constitution which have covered the field with respect to the qualifications and disqualifications of candidates contesting elections in Nigeria. Therefore, as political parties are incapable to prescribe conditions for the eligibility of candidates outside the provisions of the Constitution the nomination fees of N100 million or N40 million pegged by the APC and PDP respectively are illegal and unconstitutional as they constitute a flagrant) of) 40, 106 and 107 of the Constitution as well as article 13(1) of the African Charter) n Human and Peoples Rights Act. The illegal, insensitive and immoral nomination fees should be cancelled without any further delay.
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How Bishop Kukah, PDP Advised US Government Against Selling Super Tucano Fighter Jets To Nigeria— Buhari’s Aide, Garba Shehu
Presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu.
The presidency has again accused a Catholic cleric, Bishop Matthew Kukah, of hatred for the Muhammadu Buhari administration and working with the opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party to stop the sale of Super Tucano fighter jets to the Nigerian Air Force.
Garba Shehu, President Buhari’s spokesperson, disclosed this in a State House press release titled: Predicting Nigeria’s Collapse Is A Perennial Pursuit Of US Think Tanks And Policy Experts.
Presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu.
Shehu also said a former US ambassador to Nigeria, John Campbell, has been “consistently” proven wrong over his predictions that the country will collapse.
Reacting to a recent article authored by Campbell, the presidential spokesperson said events have proven the diplomat’s predictions wrong.
“In 2005, a US National Intelligence Council paper ‘Mapping Sub-Saharan Africa’s Future’ floated the idea there could be a military coup in Nigeria. At the time this was hardly an earth-shattering prediction: 2005 was only six years after the return of civilian democratic rule and just over a decade since the Abacha military coup of 1993 – the final of seven coups since independence,” the statement read.
“However, for the last 29 years – close to a generation – there have been none. Since the return of democracy in 1999 there have been six general elections, four elected presidents, four transfers of power – including one in 2015 between the winning opposition candidate and the losing incumbent president seeking re-election.
“Yet despite all the evidence to the contrary, the collapse predictors keep doubling down on their bets. Most recently retired former US Ambassador to Nigeria 2004-7 John Campbell has updated his book, of which the first edition said: While Nigerians often claim they are masters of dancing on the brink without falling off, the disastrous administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, the radical Islamic insurrection Boko Haram, and escalating violence in the Delta and the north may finally provide the impetus that pushes it into the abyss of state failure.
“It didn’t of course, quite the opposite: Jonathan was defeated at the 2015 general election with power peacefully transferring to the victor, President Muhammadu Buhari. Campbell is always more careful than others who openly claim their predicted collapse is just around the corner. Still, it is always there, as innuendo: ‘I have never predicted the breakup of Nigeria because I have never thought it would happen. But, were it to do so, the likely consequence would be a humanitarian disaster’ – said Campbell in a blog post in 2012 for the US Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) think-tank.
“That same CFR is now publishing the new edition of Campbell’s book. It seems unlikely the conclusion will be that Nigeria is improving on any measure as – for international Nigeria watchers – there seems little that can ever be found to suggest it is.
“Yet the people of Nigeria – the majority of which were born after the last coup of 1993 – and who have known nothing their whole lives except democracy and elected government are the living proof that democracy is here to stay. Though often negative, Campbell does however consistently express an important view that it is in the interests of the United States to encourage democracy and security in Nigeria. The government of Nigeria concurs. It is a pity therefore that US policy and support towards our country, including during the Buhari administration, has been so inconsistent.
“In 2015 the then newly-elected Buhari government requested US military support in the form of Super Tucano jet fighters for the Nigerian Air Force. The Nigerian military, security, and intelligence services repeatedly made this request. The US administration of the time concurred: the delivery of such jets would help deliver a critical turning point in Nigeria’s struggle against jihadist terrorists across the Sahel.
“Yet two years later, that jet delivery was rescinded, the reasons given that unless Nigeria improved its religious relations between Christianity and Islam then US support would not be forthcoming in this, and many other areas.
“Such views were compounded by the constant lobbying of US Congress by the opponents of the Nigerian government who had lost the previous election, and many of their southern religious supporters – including Bishop Mathew Kukah, the Catholic Bishop of Diocese of Sokoto, who, unsurprising, provides a supportive quote for the dustcover of the new edition of Campbell’s book. (Kukah even took to addressing the US Congress himself, briefing his audience on the history of coups in Nigeria – without, of course, mentioning that none had occurred since 1993, some 29 years ago).
“Fortunately, now today under a new US administration these jets have been delivered, and with it, a serious blow against the terrorists – with the supreme leader of Islamic State in West Africa and scores of other leaders of the group eliminated in airstrikes. It is all very well to claim it is in the United States’ interests to help Nigeria become an even-better democracy and stable country. It is quite another to forever avoid mentioning the last coup was 29 years ago, and that since 1999 Nigeria has enjoyed 23 unbroken years of democratically elected governments and peaceful transition between them.
“It is also inconsistent to preach the need for stability but needlessly delay sharing military equipment in the form of jets – not least when it is now proven they would have helped Nigeria much earlier defeat the terrorists who threaten our country. Hopefully, the United States and Nigeria are going to forge ahead with our continuing partnership in fighting terrorism in and out of the subregion.”
SaharaReporters had last week reported Kukah’s Easter message wherein he accused Buhari of destroying Nigeria.
The outspoken cleric, who has been a consistent critic of the government’s failures, also accused the president of allowing corruption to fester.
“With everything literally broken down, our country has become one big emergency national hospital with full occupancy,” he said.
“Our individual hearts are broken. Our family dreams are broken. Homes are broken. Churches, Mosques, infrastructure are broken. Our educational system is broken. Our children’s lives and future are broken. Our politics is broken. Our economy is broken. Our energy system is broken. Our security system is broken. Our roads and rails are broken. Only corruption is alive and well.”
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Group Knocks Oyo Company, Premier Feedmil, Over Death Of Casual Worker Crushed By Forklift, Demands Compensation For Victim’s Family
The Campaign for Democratic and Workers Rights (CDWR) in Oyo State has condemned the ‘avoidable’ death of one Nurudeen Abdusalam, a casual worker of Premier Feedmil, a subsidiary of Eagle Flour Mills located at Toll Gate area, Oyo State.
The deceased was said to have died during an accident at the factory.
CDWR coordinator, Comrade Bamigboye Abiodun, in a statement said the death of Nurudeen is an “urgent call on the Oyo State’s leadership of Nigerian Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress to come up with a holistic programme of action to commence a serious campaign against casualisation and other indecent labour practices in private companies across the state.”
According to him, Premier Feedmil, like many other companies in the state, is notorious for various forms of indecent labour practices and habitual violation of several provisions in the Nigeria Labour Act.
For instance, most of its workforce were recruited under an employment condition that is described as outsourcing or contract employment, he added.
The statement read, “The Campaign for Democratic and Workers Rights, CDWR, Oyo State Chapter decries the tragic death of one Mr Nurudeen Abdusalam, at Premier Feedmil, a subsidiary of Eagle Flour Mills located at Toll Gate area, along lagos-ibadan expressway, Ibadan, Oyo State. We equally express our condolences to the family of the deceased and demand an adequate compensation for them.
“The late Nurudeen Abdusalam, popularly called Alfa in the company, was a casual worker recruited and used by the company as an operator of a fork lift machine, in the raw materials department and was reportedly crushed by the same fork lift truck in the course of its operation while on night shift, early hour on Tuesday, 19th of April, 2022.
“The fact that the late Nurudeen was a casual worker in the company definitely suggests that the cause of his death couldn’t have been unconnected with the poor and slavery working condition suffered by mass of the workers in the company particularly those on contract employment under a fraudulent policy of outsourcing.
“Premier Feedmil, like many other companies such as Sumal Foods Ltd, Zartech limited, Gx foods limited, Extreme manufacturing Nigeria limited, Eagle Flour Mills, BAT among others in the state, is notorious for various forms of indecent labour practices and habitual violation of several provision in the Nigeria Labour Act. For instance, most of its workforce were recruited under an employment condition that is described as outsourcing or contract employment.
“Outsourcing is a dishonest strategy adopted by big businesses to circumvent labour laws. In practice it is not anyway different from casualisation which is the condition where workers lack regular status of employment and job security. Under this condition, workers are deprived of their right to minimum wage, pension and trade union through which they can fight for better pay and decent conditions
“The working conditions of the outsourcing/contract workers in Premier feedmil are so poor as they earn between N800 and N925 daily. In clear violation of section 13(3) of the Labour Act; the contract workers are often forced to work on a daily basis between 9 and 12 hours without adequate working and safety gadgets while the workloads are regularly increased in what is termed as “Firing” without an additional pay.
“Behind all of these poor working conditions including the anti-labour practice of casualisation itself is the greed for the maximisation of profit. It is this kind of unfortunate and unending chase for profit that simply explains why the management of the Premier Feedmil used the poor late Nurudeen, who had no expertise and certified training, as a forklift truck operator, instead of employing a trained and qualified machine operator.
“Again the report that the late worker was actually alone when the incident occurred and that the company had to depend on the doctor and ambulance from a nearby company largely explained why he could not be rescued immediately. This further exposes the depth of the company’s indecent labour practice which means that the poor worker was operating the said machine without being placed under the supervision of any expert
“We, therefore, demand an independent panel of enquiry that will comprise NLC, TUC, civil society organisations and professional bodies like NMA, NUJ and NBA for an open and transparent investigation into the cause of the unfortunate incident as well as the working conditions in the company
“More importantly, the death of Nurudeen is an urgent call on the Oyo State’s leadership of NLC and TUC to come up with a holistic programme of action to commence a serious campaign against casualisation and other indecent labour practices in private companies across the state.
“We equally hold that such a campaign must include a demand for immediate amendment of electoral act which failed to adequately address the question of casualisation and be linked to a demand for dropping of all trumped-up criminal and civil charges currently levelled against Comrade Abiodun Bamigboye, known as Abbey Trotsky, the Acting National Chairperson of SPN, over solidarity actions against casualisation and indecent labour practices in SUMAL FOOD LIMITED, Ibadan and by extension other companies like GX FOOD LIMITED in the state.”
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