The Nigerian Senate has approved the National Minimum Wage Bill, 2024, raising the national minimum wage to N70,000.

Senators gave their approval after conducting the first, second, and third readings of the bill on Tuesday.

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President Bola Tinubu submitted the bill to the Senate on the same day, emphasizing that it establishes a new national minimum wage and provides a legal framework for its regular review.

The new minimum wage of N70,000 marks a significant increase from the previous N30,000.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged the House of Representatives to amend the Nigeria Police Act, aligning it with Section 58 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

The proposed amendment focuses on the appointment and tenure of the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

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Specifically, it seeks to modify the Nigeria Police Act, 2020, to allow the appointed IGP to serve the full term specified in their appointment letter.

The amendment proposes the addition of a new subsection (8A) to Section 18 of the Principal Act: “Notwithstanding the provisions of sub-section (8) of this section, any person appointed to the office of Inspector-General of Police shall remain in office until the end of the term stipulated in the letter of appointment in line with the provisions of Section 7(6) of this Act.”

The bill has successfully passed its second reading and has been referred to the Committee on the Whole.

Under the current Act, an officer must have at least four years of service to be eligible for the IGP position.

However, this requirement was not considered in the recent appointment of Kayode Egbetokun as IGP, who is set to retire in a few months.

Salman Idris, the representative for Kabba-Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency in Kogi State, announced his defection from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday.

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The announcement was made through a letter read by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen during a House of Representatives plenary session.

Idris cited a leadership crisis within the national leadership of the ADC as the primary reason for his defection.

He emphasized that the decision was made after thorough consultations with his constituents and other stakeholders.

Salman Idris

A Makurdi High Court, led by Justice Tertsea Asue, has denied former Benue governor Samuel Ortom’s application for permission to appeal a previous ruling.

The ruling in question dismissed Ortom’s ex parte motion aimed at preventing Governor Hyacinth Alia from investigating him.

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The court also refused Ortom’s request for an interlocutory injunction to halt proceedings until the main case is resolved.

The case proceeded with the hearing of a motion on notice for the substantive suit.

Ortom’s counsel, Oba Maduabuchi, SAN, filed for leave to appeal the ruling that lifted the order and sought to stay further proceedings.

However, Mohammed Ndarani, SAN, representing the 7th, 8th, and 9th respondents, opposed this application, arguing that there was no case warranting an appeal.

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He highlighted that the issue of jurisdiction must be prioritized as it is fundamental to the adjudication process.

Ndarani pointed out that jurisdictional challenges take precedence, except in cases of contempt or when correcting an order made without jurisdiction.

He requested the court to address the motion for judicial review and the respondents’ preliminary objections, asserting that the plaintiff’s actions did not meet legal standards.

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The 3rd respondent, State Attorney General Fidelis Mnyim, echoed this stance, noting that Ortom had not served the necessary applications and thus had no case before the court.

Consequently, the court upheld the respondents’ arguments, instructing Ortom to move his application for an extension of time to file for judicial review.

The court has adjourned the matter to July 30, 2024, to deliberate on the legitimacy of Ortom’s application.

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This development follows Ortom’s legal challenge against the state government’s authority to investigate his administration’s finances.

Governor Alia established two panels in February to probe the state’s financial and asset management under Ortom’s tenure.

Ortom contends that the state’s Auditor-General had already audited the accounts and submitted the report to the Benue State House of Assembly, as required by the Constitution.

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He argues that this new investigation constitutes a duplicate effort alongside an ongoing Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) inquiry into the same matters.

The Appeal Court in Abuja has upheld the candidacy of Asue Ighodalo as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) nominee for the upcoming Governorship Election in Edo State.

This decision came after the court dismissed an appeal by Philip Shaibu, the state’s Deputy Governor, who sought to nullify the primary election results.

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In a unanimous decision, the three-member panel led by Justice A. M. Lamido rejected Shaibu’s appeal, marked CA/ABJ/CV/642/2024, for lack of merit.

The court affirmed the 27 May ruling of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which had also dismissed Shaibu’s suit.

The appellate court ruled that the trial court was correct in refusing to invalidate the PDP primary election outcome.

It imposed a N1 million cost on the appellant. Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court had previously determined that Shaibu did not have the legal standing to challenge the primary election’s results.

Justice Omotosho emphasized that Shaibu did not participate in the primary election, a necessary condition to contest its outcome legally.

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Evidence showed that Shaibu was not present at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City during the 22 February primary election.

Shaibu had requested the court to prevent the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognizing Ighodalo as the PDP candidate.

He argued that the primary election violated the Electoral Act and the party’s constitution, seeking an order for a new primary election.

However, the court found no basis for his claims and dismissed the appeal.

The leadership of the organized labour has advised President Bola Tinubu to address the imminent nationwide protest by engaging in dialogue with its conveners.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Joe Ajaero, made this call on Monday, emphasizing the need for the President to listen to the grievances of the people.

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The nationwide protest, set to take place across all 36 states, has seen significant mobilization efforts from hundreds of Nigerians.

Ajaero urged Tinubu to identify and engage with the protest leaders, highlighting the widespread dissatisfaction among Nigerians due to the prevailing economic hardships.

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Ajaero stated, “As the date for the widely reported national protest looms, the Nigeria Labour Congress urges President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to invite the leadership of the protest movement for discussions on their grievances.”

He pointed out the severe economic struggles faced by many families, noting that the inability to afford even one meal a day has become a harsh reality.

“The truth is that millions of Nigerians are angry about the state of the national economy. A situation where most Nigerian families are forced to eat one miserable meal a day and eating from the dustbin is now seen as luxury beckons for serious intervention by the government,” he said.

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Ajaero referenced a recent assessment by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), which indicated that about 133 million Nigerians live below the extreme poverty line.

He also cited the International Rescue Committee (IRC), which reported that in the first three quarters of 2024, approximately 32 million Nigerians faced acute hunger.

“When these statistics are added to the millions being recruited into the armies of the unemployed and under-employed, one can easily understand the hardship, pain, frustration, and despair that many Nigerians are experiencing right now,” Ajaero concluded.

Former Senate Chief Whip, Mohammed Ali Ndume, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to heed the concerns of Nigerians driving the planned protest.

Ndume made this appeal during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today.

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Responding to the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) President Joe Ajaero’s plea for the president to address the nation, Ndume expressed his support.

“I second his motion. The NLC president moved that motion. Tell him I support his motion that the president should listen to Nigerians,” Ndume stated.

He highlighted the ongoing struggles in his constituency, particularly in Gworza, where recent attacks have left people fighting to return to their farms and survive.

“We are 26 days away from the attack in Gworza. My people are struggling to go back to the farm; we are struggling to survive. We can see that the state government and other agencies are working to help us. We are dealing with this situation; we don’t have time to protest. To protest to who? I doubt if the protest will be held in Maiduguri. This is not to say people should not show their grievances.”

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Ndume expressed concern about the potential escalation of protests, referencing the EndSARS movement.

“My fear is looking at what happened during the EndSARS protest. I hope it doesn’t get out of hand and more especially when you can’t identify the leadership. That makes it more difficult. Even the labour union that went on strike several times, now we only see them struggle to go on protest. But I don’t know who the faces are.”

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Despite his concerns, Ndume conveyed his belief in President Tinubu’s ability to resolve Nigeria’s issues, given sufficient time.

He acknowledged the global nature of economic challenges and urged the president to remain attentive to the people’s voices.