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National Chairman of All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Adamu, on Monday admitted that the conduct of the February 25 Presidential and National Assembly poll was not ‘perfect.’
Adamu made the statement while giving a speech at the parley of APC National Working Committee with the president-elect, Bola Tinubu; vice president-elect, Kashim Shettima and members-elect of the National Assembly.
The closed-door meeting was held at the State House Banquet Hall, Abuja.
Among dignitaries spotted at the event were Shettima; Senate President Ahmed Lawan; Speaker of House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola; Godswill Akpabio, among others.
The development is coming a few days after disgruntled members of the NWC called for the reformation of the party and his resignation to balance the contentious Muslim-Muslim ticket of the incoming administration, which has generated tension prior to the 2023 elections.
Speaking at the event, Adamu congratulated all the elected political officeholders, saying they deserve the joy of victory after winning the February 25 elections.
The embattled APC chairman, however, conceded that the polls that produced them were flawed.
He said, “I very heartily congratulate all the distinguished men and women elect. I salute you all. You are the new team Nigeria. From May 29 this year, the burden of our national unity, peace, and development will rest on your shoulders as a team.
“It is fair and honourable to admit that the February 25 elections were not perfect. We did not set out to conduct perfect elections.
“World history has no instances of perfect elections. Like all other democratic nations, we set out to conduct free, fair, and credible elections. This we did.
“I am proud to say we achieved this feat and delivered on the promise made by President Muhammadu Buhari to the people. For the first time in living memory in respect of our elections, there were no allegations of vote-buying and outcry over all the other ills associated with the conduct of our elections. Rigging may not be dead, but it has been decapitated. Our democracy is maturing, and we are maturing with it.
“From the results of February 25, 2023 general elections announced so far by the electoral umpire, INEC, the APC won the presidency, clean and clear, and a majority in both chambers of the national assembly.
“We chose not to rout the other political parties because they are our partners in our national progress and development.”
A group of protesters on Monday staged a demonstration in the federal capital territory (FCT), warning Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the Labour Party (LP), against intimidating the judiciary.
The group known as The Natives said both candidates should allow the courts to address their grievances without intimidating them.
Speaking with reporters, Smart Edwards, leader of the group, said Bola Tinubu, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), won the election because he was better prepared.
Edwards said it is time for the PDP candidate to retire from politics.
“The Obidients should understand that Tinubu is a political juggernaut and election strategist. They were all part of the plan because the candidature of Obi was an asset to the APC,” he said.
“The Obidients made Tinubu’s victory easy, they all made it possible. Ordinarily, it should have been Obi or Tinubu. Tinubu was not in the best position to steal the election but he planned well and worked vigorously for victory.
“We also have a message for the PDP candidate, Abubakar; Your Excellency, it is your time to test the court and not to intimidate the court. It is your time to retreat and retire or reset and re-contest again if your party is not tired of you.
“Your inability to be consistent in a party like Tinubu shows it is all about you alone. No sir, the Supreme court is not about you, the Appeal court is not about you, and even the Tribunal is not about you, it is about rule of law.
“So, today we are putting the nation on notice that no one will be allowed to intimidate the Nigerian judiciary any longer, we will not entertain it. These judges and the judiciary are the most crucial party of the hope that democracy holds.
“We want to say categorically that Tinubu of APC won the election. The Lagos state he lost should have been a taboo but the Democrat in him publicly accepted the outcome without calling for anybody’s head.”
Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) says it will close runways 18R and 36L at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos for maintenance.
FAAN disclosed this in a tweet on Monday.
The agency said work on the runways will last for eight weeks.
It also assured that normal airlines’ activities would not be affected, as the taxi way B-18L would be used for all flight operations.
“This is to notify the public that runway 18R/36L of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos has been closed for 8 weeks for Maintenance work to be carried out,” the statement reads.
“Taxi way B-18L will be used for all flight operations.”
Checks on NOTAM, a notice containing information essential to personnel concerned with flight operations, shows that the runaways have already been closed and scheduled to be reopened in May 2023.
The People's Democratic Party, PDP in Abeokuta South says Governor Dapo Abiodun in desperation has again bought another bad market as he has been lied to in his bid to retain the number one seat in the state.
The Chairman of the PDP in Abeokuta South local government, Alhaji Kamal Shodipo stated this while debunking the rumour making the rounds that the Party's Assembly Candidate for Abeokuta South Constituency 1 has decamped to what he described as the failed All Progressives Congress, APC in Ogun State.
Alhaji Shodipo who denied this rumour said the duly recognized Candidate of the party is Hon Lukmon Atobatele whose name appeared on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC list and not Solomon Enilolobo who was never recognized nor elected as the party's Candidate.
He said, "the governor is so jittery and not confident of his works, thus the reason he has been cajoling weak, frustrated, retired and those who lack integrity to come and join his sinking ship".
According to him, "if the governor has done well, he won't be running helter skelter, wasting tax payers money on feather-weight politicians. Workers were not giving their dues, pensioners are suffering, infrastructure deficit is the order of the day, and APC has shown us there is nothing good they can give our people. Infact no sensible person will vote them again".
In his words Shodipo said, "Enilolobo who is just looking for what to eat has been allegedly given $2,500 in company of those he went there with, that means he has eaten his own father Christmas bonus in March".
"The Dagunja of Egba, Chief Lukmon Atobatele , who is also the son of the Balogun Egba is our candidate for Abeokuta South State Constituency 1. He is trusted and capable and he is the one we are going to vote for to represent us at the state house of Assembly, while Chief Ladi Adebutu and Abiodun Akinlade will be elected this Saturday to save Ogun people from the insincerity of the present administration" he said.
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has insisted that its February 10 deadline for the validity of old naira notes still stands.
Godwin Emefiele, CBN governor, made the disclosure while briefing the diplomatic community at the ministry of foreign affairs in Abuja on Tuesday.
The development comes despite the ex parte order of the supreme court which restrained the federal government from implementing the February 10 deadline, pending the hearing of the matter on February 15 (today).
Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation, said the federal government would obey the supreme court order.
But speaking at the event, Emefiele said he does not believe there was a need for further extension of the deadline.
“The situation is substantially calming down since the commencement of over-the-counter payments to complement ATM disbursements and the use of super-agents,” Emefiele said.
“There is, therefore, no need to consider any shift from the deadline of February 10.”
He said effective implementation of the naira redesign policy could cut off 4 percent from the current inflation level of 21.34 percent.
The CBN boss also accused some politicians of “buying” the new notes and hoarding them.
“Some of our leaders are buying the new notes and storing them for whatever purposes. I will not be direct here,” he said.
Emefiele further warned that the apex bank, in collaboration with security agencies, would arrest and prosecute point of sale (PoS) operators who collect exorbitant charges for transactions.
Police operatives, on Tuesday, took over premises of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) office located in the Alagbaka area of Akure, the Ondo capital, the cable news has reported.
The takeover of the facility followed a protest by some bank customers who were complaining about the rejection of the old naira notes by commercial banks and business centres in the state.
Motorcyclists, drivers, traders, civil servants, had complained about going to commercial banks to exchange the old naira notes for the new but were turned back by bank officials.
Some of the customers who spoke with journalists said the banks are no longer collecting the old naira notes despite the Supreme Court order.
Emmanuel Adeniyi, an Ondo resident, described the rejection of the notes by the banks as “impunity”.
“The automated teller machines (ATM) of the commercial banks are still dispensing the old notes and they are rejecting the notes from us. What kind of impunity is that?” Adeniyi asked.
“You can just imagine. The bank is not collecting the old notes from us. They directed us to go and deposit the money at the CBN office and it’s the reason why we are here right now,” another bank customer said.
“Sadly, these banks are still dispensing old notes to us and they are not collecting the old notes by hand any longer. It’s just frustrating.”
Meanwhile, the CBN has insisted that its February 10 deadline for the validity of old naira notes still stands.
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said that it cannot print adequate naira notes to replace the old N200, N500 and 1,000 notes because the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc (The Mint) is suffering from capacity constraints.
CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, stated this on Friday when he briefed the emergency meeting of the National Council of State.
President Muhammadu Buhari convened the meeting to discuss issues of national importance among which is the threats posed by the shortage of naira.
There are reports of social disobedience at many banks, a development forcing banks to shut down across the country.
Protests have been recorded in some parts of the country, including in Ogun, Oyo and Akwa Ibom states.
Some state governors have since sued the federal government and the CBN.
The CBN had extended deadline by 10 days, which expired on Friday, February 10.
But the Supreme Court had restrained the Federal Government from enforcing the deadline of old naira notes and adjourned the case to February 15 for hearing.
However, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, is challenging that interim ruling by the Supreme Court while the central bank has not spoken on the ruling, thereby leaving Nigerians confused.
A source revealed that the Mint had received CBN’s request to print 70 million copies of the new notes, totalling N126 billion to be pumped into circulation by today, the source added, regretting that the request could not be met because “The Mint doesn’t have the capacity.”
“The Mint has run out of papers to print N500 and 1,000 notes,” a source said, explaining the supply constraints The Mint faces.
“They have placed orders with a German firm and De La Rue of the UK (for papers) but they have been placed on a long waiting list so their orders cannot be met now.”
Members of the council of state have expressed support for the naira redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The council however asked Godwin Emefiele, the CBN governor, to make new naira notes available or recirculate old notes to ease the suffering of Nigerians.
The meeting, held on Friday at the presidential villa, was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Darius Ishaku, governor of Taraba; Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos; and Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, jointly briefed state house correspondents on the outcome of the meeting.
They said although the council of state backed the CBN policy, the members expressed concerns about the implementation.
“The CBN was advised to make money available in quantum,” Ishaku said.
“The old money can also be recirculated to ease the suffering of the poorest of the poor.”
Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and Alkali Baba, the inspector-general of police (IGP), were also said to have briefed the council on preparations for the elections.
Commenting on their briefing, the attorney-general said: “We are on course as far as election preparedness is concerned.”
The hybrid meeting took place at the council chambers of the presidential villa, Abuja.
Yakubu Gowon and Abdulsalami Abubakar, former heads of state, were in attendance while former President Goodluck Jonathan was also present.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo joined the meeting virtually.
Membership of the national council of state comprises the president, vice-president, secretary to the government of the federation, former presidents, former heads of state, former chief justices of Nigeria, senate president, house of representatives speaker, governors of the 36 states of the federation and the attorney-general of the federation.
Kano state government has filed a suit against the federal government over the naira redesign by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The suit marked SC/CS/200/2023, was filed before the supreme court on Thursday.
The state’s attorney-general, through his lawyer, Sunusi Musa, is arguing that President Muhammadu Buhari cannot direct the CBN to recall the old N200, N500 and N1,000 banknotes without first consulting the federal executive council and the national economic council.
Kano is seeking an order of the court mandating the federal government to reverse the policy to recall the old N200, N500 and N1,000 notes from circulation.
The state submits that the policy affects the economic well-being of over 20 million Kano residents.
The state is also seeking an order to compel the federal government to reverse the naira redesign policy, alleging that it violates the 1999 constitution.
“A Declaration that the combined reading of the provisions of the section 148(2) of 1999 constitution and Part 1, and Paragraph 19 of the Third Schedule thereof, the President cannot unilaterally without recourse to the Federal Executive Council and National Economic Council respectively give approval to the Central Bank of Nigeria for the implementation of cash withdrawal limit pursuant to the demonetization economic policy of the Federal Government of Nigeria,” the suit reads.
The plaintiff is further praying the court for a declaration that the president’s directive to the CBN for the implementation of the new cash withdrawal limits policy pursuant to the demonetisation of Federal Republic of Nigeria without recourse to FEC and NEC respectively is “unconstitutional, illegal, null and void”.
The suit by the Kano state government is coming days after Kaduna, Kogi, and Zamfara filed a legal action against FG to stop the full implementation of the policy.
The supreme court, while ruling on an ex parte application by the three northern states, temporarily restrained the federal government from banning the use of the old naira notes from February 10, 2023.
However, the federal government has filed a preliminary objection to the suit arguing that the court lacks the requisite jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
The governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Biyi Otegbeye, may not contest the upcoming 2023 elections in Ogun State despite the verdict of the Appeal Court.
The filing of a ‘Notice Of Appeal’ at the Supreme Court in Abuja by the Labour Party may be the last straw needed to break the camel’s back.
A Notice of Appeal which was obtained by journalists revealed that the judgement of an appellate court in Ibadan that ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to enlist the names of Otegbeye and other ADC House of Assembly candidates for the elections is now been challenged at the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
In the Notice of Appeal, LP while rejecting the whole decision made by the appellate court in Ibadan, insisted that the acceptance and publication of Otegbeye as the ADC candidate was a breach of Electoral Act, 2022.
The motion for Appeal reads in part, “The learned Justices of the Court of Appeal erred in law when their Lordships held that the trial court lacked the jurisdiction to adjudicate on issues bordering on who a political party such as the 2nd respondent sponsors for an election.
“The learned Justices failed and/or neglected to consider the provisions of section 285 (14) (c) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) which allows a political party to challenge the 1st respondent where it failed to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act or any other applicable law in respect of, among others, the locus of the Appellant.
“The nomination of the 1st respondent as the candidate of the 2nd respondent was in flagrant breach of the Electoral Act, 2022, particularly Sections 84 (1) and Section 84 (5) (c).
“The acceptance and publication of the name 1st respondent as the governorship candidate of the 2nd respondent was in total breach of the Electoral Act, 2022, particularly Section 84 (1).
"The Honourable Justices of the Court of Appeal therefore ought to have found for the appellant and upheld the jurisdiction of the trial court over this suit.”
Labour Party, however, sought an order of the apex court to set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal delivered on Monday, January 23, 2023.
The party also prayed the court to grant “an order affirming the judgment of the trial court delivered on the 25th November, 2023; and making such further order or orders as this honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstances.”
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The Director-General of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council in Rivers State, Dr. Abiye Sekibo, on Thursday night escaped assassination by whiskers, while on transit in the Trans-Amadi area of Port Harcourt, the State capital.
Addressing journalists at his residence on Friday, Sekibo, who is also a former Minister of Transport, accused policemen attached to the Government House, Port Harcourt, of carrying out the attack.
He called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, to call Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, and the policemen attached to the Government House, Port Harcourt, to order.
The PDP chieftain said: “We called you to intimate of what happened between late yesterday and early hours of today. At about 11:30pm to 12:00 midnight, I received a call and the caller said the equipment at the sight that was being prepared for the PDP presidential rally are on fire.
“I told myself that is not possible but I said okay, let me go and see for myself. So, I asked my driver to bring out the car and took three policemen. Let’s go and see what is happening. The location is Rainbow Town by Amadi-Ama.
“As we approached the site, we saw a line up of Police Hilux vehicles on the right side of the road and the Policemen were looking at the fire. So, as we approached them, I was about to tell my driver to stop so that I can talk to the policemen.
“The next thing, those policemen who are watching the fire, opened fire on my vehicle. So I told my driver not to stop, but to keep on going. We drove off and were shot at from all sides. I looked at those vehicles, they were Hilux vehicles attached to the Governor of Rivers State.
“They shot one of our tyres and as we were going, the driver was finding it difficult to control the vehicle. When we got to Oando Filling Station at Trans-Amadi, I told the driver to clear by the filling station.
“And these Police Hilux vehicles, five in number, drove past us heading towards Ada-George. So, this is what our state has been reduced to. So, this governor who said he is giving us a place to use cannot stand us preparing another site for a rally that he doesn’t want to hold?
“He sent policemen attached to him to go and destroy equipments that we are preparing for the place. As I speak to you now, he has barricaded the place with Government House Police, to make sure that pressmen don’t gain access to the site.
“Now, I am calling on the Inspector-General of Police to please, call the police attached to Nyesom Wike to order. They want to reduce this state to state of anarchy.
“I call on the President of this country, Muhammadu Buhari, to please, call the Governor of Rivers State to order. He cannot cow us; we will continue to declare our stand as supporters of Atiku Abubakar in this state. Rivers people stand for Atiku Abubakar and we will support him.”
The prime suspect in the January 1 gruesome murder of the late couple, Kehinde and Bukola Fatinoye as well as their son Oreoluwa has confessed to being the mastermind of the dastardly act.
The suspect, Lekan Adekanbi who had been the couple’s driver since 2010 narrated how he invited two others, Ahmed Odetola a.k.a Akamo, and Waheed Adeniyi a.k.a Koffi to join him to rob the couple while being paraded at the State Police Command ,Eleweran, Abeokuta.
He equally noted that he organised a robbery to forcefully get money from the late family after they refused to increase his salary and grant him a loan request.
While talking to Nigerian Newstrack he said “I took the step because the couple refused to increase my salary, and when I approached them for a loan to buy a motorcycle, they didn’t oblige.”
Narrating how the gruesome act was carried out, Adekanbi noted that he and his two accomplices waited for the couple to come back from crossover service since he had access to the house and they pounced on them immediately after they entered the house.
He added that they had access to the house despite an Alsatian dog breed by the family at the gate because the dog is familiar with him being the person who always fed it.
Speaking further, he said, having got hold of the couple, they forced the husband, Kehinde Fatinoye to transfer money from his account to the “Kuda” bank account of Ahmed Odetola, but the transfer failed.
“Since that failed I gave the deceased my access bank account to which the sum of #1,102,000 (One million one hundred and two thousand) was transferred at gunpoint.
“When I realized that my identity had been known through my bank account, I decided with others to terminate the lives of the couple. That was when Waheed Adeniyi a.k.a Koffi took a knife from their kitchen and slaughtered the husband Kehinde Fatinoye, while I used a sledge hammer to hit the wife Bukola Fatinoye on the head and she died on the spot.”
Adekanbi noted that while the operation was going on, the only son of the deceased, Oreoluwa Fatinoye, and their adopted son, Felix Olorunyomi walked in and they were pounced on while their hands were tied with rope and drove them to Ogun River Bridge at Adigbe where they threw the two of them into the river.”
While parading the suspects, the Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi said, the suspects, were all arrested following painstaking intelligence based investigation embarked upon by men of the Command, as a result of the gruesome murder of the couple and their only son Oreoluwa Fatinoye.
Oyeyemi said, “in the course of investigation, one Lekan Adekanbi, a driver to the deceased family, was arrested based on circumstantial evidence, while investigation continues.
“The arrested suspect Lekan Adekanbi suddenly collapsed in the cell on the 2nd of January 2023, and he was rushed to the hospital for medical care.
“But while in the hospital receiving treatment, he suddenly jumped from the bed and escaped through the fence of the hospital.
“His escape further confirmed the police suspicion of his involvement in the intelligence-driven investigation while the Commissioner of Police ordered the State anti-kidnapping unit to join forces with the homicide unit in order to get the escaped driver and his accomplices arrested.
“The two teams, in compliance with the CP’s directive, embarked on a technical and intelligence-driven investigation and traced the movement of the suspect to his elder brother in Iseyin, Oyo State, but he had left the place before the arrival of the police.
“The teams further intensified their efforts which yielded positive results, when Lekan Adekanbi was apprehended in his hideout somewhere in Abeokuta on the 21st of January 2023.
“Waheed Adeniyi a.k.a Koffi and Ahmed Odetola a.k.a Akamo were both apprehended at Ogere on Thursday 9th of February 2023.
“The three suspects who are members of Aiye confraternity have all confessed to their various roles in the gruesome and callous murder of the family.”
Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation says the federal government would obey the supreme court order restraining the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from banning the use of the old naira notes from February 10.
A seven-member panel of the apex court led by John Okoro, made the ruling on Wednesday in an ex parte application brought by three states: Kaduna, Kogi, and Zamfara.
The AGF has also filed a preliminary objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the suit.
But in an interview monitored by Cable News on Arise Tv on Wednesday, Malami said the federal government would obey the order in line with the rule of law.
“The order was granted by the supreme court and the order is to lapse on Wednesday which is the day of the hearing. With that position in mind, we have taken steps to file an objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the matter,” he said.
“Jurisdiction on the grounds that when you talk of monetary policy regardless of the characters they take, the Central Bank is an indispensable and a necessary party for that matter.
“What we have at hand is a situation where the Central Bank is not joined as a party and if the Central Bank as an institution is not joined as a party the position of the law is clear that the original jurisdiction of the supreme court cannot be properly invoked.
“So we have given considerations to diverse issues inclusive of the issue of jurisdiction and come Wednesday we will argue the case from that perspective amongst others.
“There is no doubt the fact that the ruling of the supreme court regardless of the prevalent circumstances is binding and then within the context of the rule of law, you can equally take steps that are available to you within the context of the spirit and circumstances of the rule of law and what we are doing, in essence, is compliance with the rule of law both in terms of obedient to the ruling and in terms of challenging the ruling by way of putting our own side of the story, putting across our case, challenging jurisdiction.
“So the issue of obedience to the ruling of the supreme court is out of it we are wholeheartedly in agreement that naturally we are bound by it and will comply accordingly but within the context of compliance we shall challenge the ruling by way of filing an application seeking for it to be set aside, it is all about the rule of Law.
“The rule of law provides that there has to be obedience to the judgment and orders of the supreme court, the rule of law provides that when you are not happy with a ruling you can file an application for setting aside and in compliance with the rights and privileges vested in us as a government we are equally looking at challenging the order and seeking for it to be set aside.”
Suspects involved in the gruesome murder of a couple, Kehinde and Bukola Fatinoye and their only son, Oreoluwa Fatinoye have been arrested by officers of the Ogun State Police Command.
The suspects were arrested 40 days after the couple and their son were killed at their residence in Ibara GRA, Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital, on January 1.
The police spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the arrest of the suspects to journalists in Abeokuta on Thursday.
The assailants had reportedly trailed the couple from their church where they had gone to observe the crossover service. After killing them, they set their corpses and the house ablaze.
The attackers also abducted their son, Oreoluwa and their adopted son and later threw them into a river.
The decomposing corpse of Oreoluwa was discovered floating on the river, while the adopted son escaped with injuries.
Few days after the incident, the police arrested one Lekan Adekanbi, as the prime suspect in connection with the murder.
The adopted son, Felix who escaped had identified Adekanbi as one of the suspected killers when he was brought in by the police to identify the corpse of Oreoluwa by the river bank.
Adekanbi, who is said to be the driver of the couple, later escaped from police custody and was declared wanted by the police.
Confirming the arrest of the suspects, Oyeyemi disclosed that three persons involved in the killing, including the prime suspect were in custody.
He said the suspects would be paraded before journalists on Friday at the command’s headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta.