President Bola Tinubu has called on Nigerians to cancel the ‘EndBadGovernance’ protest planned for next month, appealing for patience as the government addresses their concerns.

Information Minister Mohammed Idris conveyed the President’s message after a meeting with select State House correspondents on Tuesday.

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“Mr President does not see any need for the planned protest. He’s asked them to shelve that plan and await the government’s response to all their pleas,” Idris said.

The protest, organized against economic hardship and gaining momentum on social media, is scheduled to take place across all states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, in August.

The organizers of the protest remain anonymous.

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Nigeria has been grappling with severe inflation and an economic crisis, exacerbated by the government’s recent policies of removing petrol subsidies and unifying forex windows, leading to a sharp rise in the prices of food and basic commodities.

The Federal Government, through the National Orientation Agency (NOA), the Nigeria Police Force, and the House of Representatives, has cautioned against the planned demonstration.

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The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and embattled Senator Ali Ndume have urged the President to address the grievances of the discontented citizens, predominantly youths.

Additionally, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga warned on Saturday that the planned protest could escalate into the kind of destruction of assets witnessed during the EndSARS protests against police brutality and extrajudicial killings in October 2020.

Senator Ezenwa Onyewuchi, representing the Imo-East Senatorial District, has announced his defection from the Labour Party (LP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Onyewuchi, who won his seat in the 2023 senatorial election under the LP banner, cited internal divisions and crises within the Labour Party as reasons for his departure.

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In his letter of defection, Onyewuchi expressed his support for President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

“This decision is due to the intractable division and crisis in the Labour Party that sponsored my election into the senate. We give our unflinching support to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and, of course, support his administration aimed at achieving sustainable development for our country,” the letter read.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio read Onyewuchi’s defection letter on the Senate floor on Tuesday, with Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, who is also the chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) and a former senator, present in the chamber.

Onyewuchi had previously announced his switch to the Labour Party in June 2022, following consultations with his family, constituents, and supporters.

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In his earlier letter to then-Senate President Ahmad Lawan, he stated: “I wish to inform Mr. President and distinguished senators of my defection from the People’s Democratic Party to the Labour Party.”

Senator Onyewuchi and Peter Obi

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.