President Bola Tinubu has appointed Jim Osayande Obazee as a special investigator to investigate the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), which appears to be a further setback for suspended governor Godwin Emefiele. President Bola Tinubu has appointed Jim Osayande Obazee as a special investigator to investigate the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), which appears to be a further setback for suspended governor Godwin Emefiele. Obazee, who was removed by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2017, probed the CBN during Sanusi Lamido Sanusi’s term. His probe discovered substantial wrongdoing at Nigeria’s central bank, and his recommendation led to Sanusi’s suspension by former President Goodluck Jonathan in February 2014. Meanwhile, Obazee’s appointment is effective immediately, and he will report directly to the president. President Tinubu stated in his appointment letter dated July 28, 2023, that the special investigator would also work on a complete report on public wealth now in the hands of corrupt individuals and establishments. headtopics.com
The President, Bola Tinubu, will address Nigerians on Monday (today) at 7 pm. Dele Alake, the President’s Special Adviser on Strategy, Communication, and Special Duties, revealed this in a statement issued this Monday morning. “Television, radio stations, and other electronic media outlets are urged to connect to the network services of the Nigerian Television Authority and Radio Nigeria for the broadcast,” according to the announcement.
The website of the Ogun State Government has been hacked.A check by our correspondent on Wednesday morning revealed that a hacker had taken over the website, www.ogunstate.gov.ng.“Hacked by Aleister Crowley. Update your security. Greetings from Maldives,” the website homepage showed at about 10:44 am.When contacted, the Secretary to the Ogun State Government, Tokunbo Talabi, said he was not aware of the situation.
The Lagos State House of Assembly has requested the National Assembly to amend the 1999 Constitution to allow state police, in order to address the country’s security concerns. Mudashiru Obasa, the Speaker, said during the first plenary that in order to tackle instability in the country, the present constitution needs to be modified to provide state police legal authority. “There is a need for the National Assembly to begin amending the Constitution to allow ‘each’ state to establish its own police to address insecurity challenges,” he stated. He urged the governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to further equip the Neighborhood Security Corps to enhance security in the state. Other legislators backed the move, citing the insufficient number of police officers in Lagos. They also called for national police reform. The lawmakers also claimed that establishing state police would increase jobs across the country.
The Federal Government in collaboration with Lagos State Government, has reopened the Eko Bridge, after 15 months of closure due to rehabilitation work. Recall that the bridge was severely damaged at Apogbon section during a fire caused by illegal trading under it. The ferocity of the flame was believed to have compromised crucial bridge components and supporting pillars, necessitating its closure for costly repairs over the whole route. Eko Bridge is one of the three bridges linking the mainland to the Island of Lagos. The bridge’s reopening brought huge relief for motorists and commuters, who endured months of pain transiting in and out of Lagos Island. According to Sanwo-Olu, the Apogbon axis repair was finished, but maintenance work on the infrastructure will continue, resulting in periodic closures in the following months. The governor stated that the contractor in charge of the project will also rebuild auxiliary roads along the corridor to avoid further exploitation of the bridge. To prevent additional damage to the flyover, Sanwo-Olu stated that continuous commercial operations under the bridge would no longer be authorized. The Governor gave all traders and unlawful squatters a seven-day deadline to remove their things and evacuate the territory beneath the Eko Bridge.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the Adamawa governorship election, Aisha Dahiru, popularly called “Binani,” has, again, sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the nullification of her declaration as governor of Adamawa in the March 18 governorship election. Binani, represented by Michael Aondoaka, SAN, filed the new claim before Justice Donatus Okorowo of the Federal High Court in Abuja. In the ex-parte motion marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/935/2023, the APC candidate in the poll sued INEC, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and its candidate, Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri, as the first, second, and third respondents, respectively. Binani has requested a judicial review of INEC’s decision to revoke her earlier declaration as the winner of the poll by the state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Hudu Yunusa-Ari. Aondoaka contended in his plea on Monday that the election petition tribunal had the authority to decide his client’s fate in accordance with Section 149 of the Electoral Act, 2022. He claimed that INEC’s decision would deprive Binani of Section 285(6), which provides 180 days for her petition filed before the tribunal on May 6 to be dismissed. The senior counsel informed the court that, despite the fact that a similar action had previously been brought before Justice Inyang Ekwo, the sister court directed Binani to contact a tribunal about her suit, which was an election-related matter. As a result, he requested that the INEC’s action be reviewed. He stated that an undertaking had been signed in order to demonstrate to the court that the current complaint was not frivolous. He stated in the undertaking that they were willing to bear any expense if the court ruled the case to be frivolous. After hearing from Andoaka, Justice Okorowo decided not to rule on the case.
The United Arab Emirates has ordered the arrest of a man who was filmed arrogantly telling a car dealer in a luxury showroom to sell the most expensive cars in the garage to him, Arabian Business reports. According to a report by the state-run news agency WAM, the movie degrades and ridicules Emirati society and incites citizens to hold negative public opinion. In the viral video, an Asian man dressed in Emirati attire is seen attempting to buy a $545,000 car and others while being flanked by people holding significant sums of money. He said, “What is the most expensive car here? Okay. I want the Mercedez, rolls royce and the Red Bull sports car. Meanwhile, the UAE’s Federal Prosecution for Combating Rumours and Cybercrime has ordered the man’s detention anticipating investigations after he was accused of abusing the internet by disseminating exciting propaganda that incites public opinion and undermines public interest. He was also accused of disseminating information that violated media content rules and disrespected Emirati society. According to the UAE’s FBI, “He was shown distributing financial packages to the showroom employees in a way that reveals imprudence and lack of appreciation of the value of money. “The video promotes a wrong and offensive mental image of Emirati citizens and ridicules them, and then incites and provokes public opinion, which harms the public interest. “The Public Prosecution ordered the summoning of the owner of the car showroom in which the aforementioned video clip was filmed.” The Public Prosecution urged social media users in the UAE to follow legal and ethical regulations in the media content they publish, to avoid falling under the force of the law, as well as to consider societal characteristics and embedded values of the UAE society that call for moral commitment in all aspects of behaviour.
The National Association of Academic Technologists has expressed concern over the recent 200 per cent increase in fees in federal universities, saying that it may lead to students dropping out of school. NAAT also kicked against the dissolution of Universities Governing Boards and asked the Federal Government to reinstate the dissolved boards. These among others were contained in a statement issued by the NAAT President, Comrade Ibeji Nwokoma, at the end of its 52nd National Executive Council meeting, which was made available to journalists in Abuja on Sunday. The NAAT expressed its displeasure with the recent rise in tuition prices at tertiary institutions, saying, “NAAT is worried and concerned as well with the recent development regarding the increase in fees and charges in our Federal Institutions, particularly Universities.” “This development may force many of our students to drop out of school as a result of the current economic hardship experienced by parents and a lack of adequate resources to meet economic demands.” “We are aware that university authorities have imposed a 200% increase in fees and charges.” As a result, NAAT urges the government to respect the condition of the poor and reverse the decision by reverting to the status quo until the loan issue is resolved.” The collapse of university governing boards, according to the organization, was a setback for the growth and development of Nigeria’s Tertiary Education. The union argued that the dissolution would cripple the activities of the country’s tertiary institutions, especially in the areas of promotion, motivation, welfare, contracts, and project documentation as well as laboratory facilities for practical and research.
Ayo Adebanjo, the head of the Afenifere, has advised Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde not to interfere with the sociocultural organization’s leadership. Adebanjo made the comment while emphasizing his support for his predecessor, Pa Reuben Fasoranti. What Governor Makinde does not know about, he should not interfere. I have no dispute with Baba Fasoranti. He should not be one of those who want to split Afenifere, and that is not what I stand for,” he said. Addressing reporters yesterday, Adebanjo cautioned Makinde against any attempt to split Afenifere. Adebanjo spoke against the backdrop of a proposed reconciliation meeting with Fasoranti. Makinde had disclosed plans to reconcile Adebanjo and Fasoranti.
On Tuesday, the Presidential Election Petition Court in Abuja allowed as evidence President Bola Tinubu’s Chicago State University academic records, as well as a variety of other papers. Tinubu presented the documents before the tribunal via his legal team, which was directed by Wole Olanipekun (SAN). In response to petitions by the Peoples Democratic Party and its candidate, Atiku Abubakar, disputing his (Tinubu’s) win in the February 25 presidential election, the President launched his defense on Tuesday, in accordance with the tribunal’s Monday ruling. Olanipekun presented Tinubu’s Chicago State University academic records, which included a letter of admission from the college. Also shown were documentation from the Nigeria Immigration Service, which, according to Olanipekun, approved Tinubu for US visits, proving that he visited the US without incident between 2011 and 2021. The court also submitted as evidence a letter from the US Embassy to the Nigeria Police on April 4, 2003, noting that the US Embassy had no criminal records of Tinubu in the US. The court, presided over by Justice Haruna Tsammani, adjourned further proceedings till Wednesday (today).
Former Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje is currently being investigated by the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC) following the internet distribution of suspected bribery footage. In a press conference, Chairman Muhuyi Magaji Rimingado of the commission confirmed the arrest of former state commissioner Engineer Idris Wada Saleh, who is being accused of involvement in a ₦1 billion fraud. In reaction to the issue surrounding Ganduje, the anti-corruption commission’s head vowed to renew the investigation into the former governor’s case. The recordings show Ganduje taking wads of US dollar notes, which are alleged to be contractor bribes, and slipping them into the pockets of his flowing clothes. Ganduje, on the other hand, has categorically disputed these charges. Furthermore, Rimingado notified the public that a letter was issued to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) asking their assistance in the investigation and possible prosecution of the former governor. While the commission awaits the EFCC’s answer, it will continue its inquiry and would provide a cordial welcome to the EFCC and other investigating agencies if they chose to cooperate.
The National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu yesterday assured President Bola Tinubu and the entire country that security agencies will accomplish the objective of securing the country as well as re-establish peace and stability. His charge came against the backdrop of the insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes that have threatened the corporate existence of the country. The NSA, Mallam Ribadu, told State House media after the President’s first meeting with the security chiefs at the Presidential Villa in Abuja: “The President directed them to work as a team and deliver on their mandate.” “We’re here to thank Mr. President for the opportunity he gave us to serve our country and his own government,” he added of the meeting’s conclusion. We also vowed our allegiance to him, Nigeria, and Nigerians.