President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on Monday in Abu Dhabi, have finalized a historic agreement, which has resulted in the immediate cessation of the visa ban placed on Nigerian travelers.

Furthermore, by this historic agreement, both Etihad Airlines and Emirates Airlines are to immediately resume flight schedules into and out of Nigeria, without any further delay.

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As negotiated between the two Heads of State, this immediate restoration of flight activity, through these two airlines and between the two countries, does not involve any immediate payment by the Nigerian government.

In recognition of President Tinubu’s economic development diplomacy drive and proposals today presented by President Tinubu to his counterpart, an agreed framework has been established, which will involve several billions of U.S. dollars worth of new investments into the Nigerian economy across multiple sectors, including defense, agriculture and others, by the investment arms of the Government of the United Arab Emirates.

Additionally, President Tinubu is pleased to have successfully negotiated a joint, new foreign exchange liquidity programme between the two Governments, which will be announced in detail in the coming weeks.

In conclusion, the President wishes to commend the UAE President, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, for his unalloyed friendship and his determined effort to join hands with him to fully normalize and reset to excellence, the standard of relations between the two important countries.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)

September 11, 2023

A Royal Navy warship, HMS Trent, arrived in Lagos on Sunday to aid the fight against illegal activities including piracy and illicit trafficking in the sub-region.

This is Trent’s second visit to Nigeria, the British High Commission said in a statement.

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“The visit will help deliver capacity training and support maritime security in the region,” the statement partly read.

HMS Trent departed Gibraltar carrying an expert boarding team of UK Royal Marines and a Puma surveillance drone. HMS Trent’s mission is to support West African allies helping countries to develop capability to fight illegal crimes at sea and ensure they can play an effective role in bringing stability to wider West Africa.

With around £6 billion of UK trade passing through the region, part of Trent’s tasking is to support stability across the Gulf of Guinea through training to help partner navies take the fight to criminal actors, fostering ties and sharing knowledge, whilst conducting patrols to increase security.

HMS Trent’s Commanding Officer, Commander Tim Langford, said, “It is an honour for HMS TRENT to return to Nigeria, an important visit on the Ship’s three-month deployment to West Africa. We are excited to work with our partner nations as we strive for a long-term solution to maritime insecurity across the region”.

“The Royal Navy has a long history of engagement within the region and an enduring partnership with the Armed Forces of Nigeria. My team is really looking forward to the opportunity to work with their Nigerian counterparts and build on the relationships established when we visited Lagos in 2021.”

UK Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, Jonny Baxter said, “This deployment demonstrates how a truly Global Britain is stepping up on the world stage to tackle shared international security challenges.

“Nigeria is an important and valued defence partner for the UK in West Africa. Our two countries face many shared threats and we are keen to work with Nigeria to defeat these and to help improve maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.”

The Police Command in Lagos, says it has arrested an impersonator who has been parading himself before the public as a Police Commissioner.

The command’s spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the arrest on Monday while briefing newsmen on the recent achievements recorded by the command.

According to him, the feat included the arrest of 12 others for various offences committed in the last two weeks.

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He said that within the period, the command recovered four firearms, two live cartridges, one expended cartridge, 11 live ammunition and one vehicle from the culprits.

He added that other items recovered were two wristwatches, six phones, some quantities of weed, suspected to be a variant of drugs, a walkie-talkie, Police warrant cards and a police camouflage cap and singlet.

The image maker said the suspected “fake CP”, simply identified as Emmanuel, was arrested on Sept. 2, at about 4.40 p.m. when he visited a police formation in the Ikorodu area and introduced himself as a Commissioner of Police.

“He was fully regarded as such but upon questioning, he was discovered to be an impersonator.

“During a search in his residence, we recovered a Deputy Commissioner of Police warrant card, an Assistant Commissioner of Police warrant card, Kenwood walkie-talkie, police camouflage singlet and face cap,” he said.

Similarly, the spokesperson said that another impersonator was arrested on Sept. 4 following a complaint from the Nigeria Bar Association, Epe Area of Lagos.

Hundeyin said that the suspect, Ibrahim Bello, has allegedly been conducting and presenting himself as a Lawyer at the Epe Magistrate Courts for several years.

According to him, operatives of the Command arrested the suspect fully dressed in a lawyer’s regalia in the court where he went to depend on a client.

“He was brought in for questioning, where he was discovered to be an impersonator,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that items found with him, which were also paraded, include his portrait with the inscription: “Bello Law Firm Office, Obas & Chiefs of Lagos State Law, Tenancy Law 2015, Due Process of Law and Law of Trespass of Land and Nuisance.

When the suspect was interviewed, he claimed to be an estate agent and not a lawyer.

Hundeyin said other suspects arrested included a woman, arrested on Sunday at about 1.00 p.m., in the Igbogbo area of Ikorodu for allegedly being in possession of a large quantity of weed, suspected to be hard drugs.

He said the woman was found with 97 wraps of colours, 22 wraps of loud, some mixtures of loud and Arizona and a sum of N271,600, her proceeds as at the time of the arrest.

He added that other suspects were arrested for alleged rape, armed robbery, cultism and defilement, adding that after discreet investigation, the suspects would be prosecuted before a competent court of law.

So far, about eight persons who won elections to various elective offices during the 2023 general elections have been sacked by the Election Petitions Tribunals across the states over non qualification to contest election to such offices.

We have 2 in Katsina, 1 in Kano, 1 in Benue, 1 in Taraba, 1 in Imo State, 1 in Abia and still counting.

Speaking with Daily Gazette on Monday, an Enugu public affairs analyst, Simon Edeh said he is hopeful that the tribunal in the state will be courageous enough to dispense Justice and not Judgment.

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“As we count down to the judgement of Enugu Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, Ndi Enugu are expectant that Peter Mbah who was alleged to have forged his certificate of national service, NYSC, will be sacked and the mandate freely given to Barr. Chijioke Edeoga by Enugu electorates will be restored.” he said.

The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja on Monday dismissed the petition filed by Hon. Ejiofor Vincent Chukwu challenging the election of the Senator representing Ebonyi North Senatorial district and Deputy Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Accounts, Barr. Onyekachi Nwebonyi of the All Progressives Congress, for lacking in merit and awarded a fine of 250,000 naira against the Petitioner for wasting the time of the Tribunal.

After extensive hearing of the petition in merit, the honourable Justices unanimously agreed that the petition is incompetent, vague, and lacking in merit.

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Part of the judgement reads:

“The evidence of the Petitioner’s witnesses were contradictory, hearsay, and lacking in probative value. There was really nothing for the Respondents to respond to in the petition as the petitioner never really made any effort to prove the petition. Besides, the petitioner had no locus standi to present the petition because he was not a candidate in the questioned election.”

Reactiing shortly after the judgment, Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi described the verdict as a triumph for the rule of law and democracy. He hailed the judges for their superlative jurisprudence and courage to do the right thing.

“The Judiciary has continued to superintend the country’s nascent democracy through arbitration of electoral disputes and other matters. I salute the courage of the learned Justices of the panel who stood their ground without minding whose ox is gored. I dedicate this victory to the Almighty God and the good people of Ebonyi North Senatorial district who overwhelmingly gave me their votes. I will never let you down, my people.”

Chief Nwebonyi further extended an olive branch to his opponent noting that it is now time to close rank and work towards the progress of their Constituency.

The National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Umuahia, the Abia state capital, on Monday sacked the lawmaker representing Abia North/South federal constituency in the house of representatives, Hon. Emeka Nnamani of the Labour Party.

The three man tribunal declared Alex Ikwechegh of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA winner of the house of reps election for Abia North/South federal constituency held on 25 February 2023.

Details soon….

Despite the Edo State Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon Philip Shaibu’s statement withdrawing the suit he instituted against his boss and others in Abuja over a purported plan to impeach, the deputy governor and staff in his office have been sent out of the Edo State government house and relocated to a new building that was formerly housing the Edo State Procurement Agency.

The facility is situated at No 7, Dennis Osadebey Avenue close to the emergency gate of the government house.

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It was gathered that a memo directing the relocation to the new location was issued last week by the Permanent Secretary, Head of Office to the Permanent Secretary, Deputy Governor’s Office and a reminder was issued over the weekend.

An aide to Shaibu while confirming the development said “We have been told to move and we have started movement today. The memo was sent directly to the Permanent Secretary, it was a tow paragraph memo from the HoS but the civil servants are the ones moving right now, the letter was sent to the PS so we are waiting for directives. The civil servants are moving today but we may move before the end of the week” the aide said.

It would be recalled that a statement issued by Shaibu last week withdrawing the suit said his decision was to respect the intervention of several individuals including religious, prominent Edo people and the traditional institution and also appreciated the governor for agreeing on the peace initiatives.

The statement read: “Re: SUIT NO. FHC/ABJ/CS/1027/2023 Between: – Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu and Inspector General of Police, State Security Service, The Governor of Edo State and The Chief Judge of Edo State.

“Arising from the series of meetings held with me and also with Mr. Governor by well-meaning Edolites and indeed Nigerians including Party Leaders, Traditional Rulers, and my Archbishop, His Grace Most Rev’d Dr. Augustine Akubeze, the Archbishop of Benin Archdiocese on the issues that led to my going to Court on the above-named suit and with due respect to these eminent personalities and leaders whose persuasions and persons | cannot ignore, |, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu has authorized and instructed my Solicitors to withdraw the Suit forthwith.

“I wish to sincerely thank and appreciate these well-meaning Nigerians, Party Leaders, Traditional Rulers, and my Archbishop, His Grace Most Rev. Dr. Augustine Akubeze for their kind words, advice, and encouragement thus far in ensuring peace and unity in our dear State Edo. I also wish to place on record my special thanks to Mr. Governor, my boss, and my senior brother for this path of peace. “Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu.

Former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, has criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for not transmitting the election results electronically as promised during the 2023 presidential election.

He described INEC as a monumental disgrace for reneging on its promises to use digital transmission of results.

Chidoka said this in an interview with Channels TV on Sunday, adding that it was shameful to be associated with the electoral umpire as a Nigerian.

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The former minister said this days after the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal upheld the victory of President Bola Tinubu.

The presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) – former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi respectively had challenged Tinubu’s victory.

They prayed the court to nullify his win on the basis among others that INEC did not do a real-time transmission of results to the election portal.

However, the five-man panel PEPT led by Justice Haruna Tsammani while giving its ruling on the petitions filed by Obi and Atiku last Wednesday, ruled that INEC is at liberty to transmit results in whichever way it deemed fit.

Reacting, Chidoka said, “INEC is a monumental disgrace. INEC is an organization I am ashamed to be associated with as a Nigerian.

He made the criticism because of “the promises INEC made with the Anambra, Ekiti, and Osun [governorship] elections”.

“I came on this programme and called for third-party verification of the INEC system so that we are sure that on election day what is going to happen that day would not lead to a glitch. On election day, INEC said there was a glitch.”

According to him, despite INEC’s inability to test the election results portal on a large scale, the electoral body’s defence was a “shame.”

“Despite not testing the system, it is a shame that INEC went to court to argue that not complying with its regulation does not make it a ground to cancel an election,” he added.

Parties in the petitions filed by governorship candidates of the All Progressives Congress APC, and the New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP, will on Monday September 11, 2023 adopt their final written addresses at the Election Petitions tribunal sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Pastor Umo Eno and the the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Senator Bassey Akpan of YPP are listed as first, second, third and fourth Respondents in the petition by Akan Udofia of the APC.

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Both Obong Akan Udofia and Senator Akpanudoedehe, like other pending petitions before the tribunal are seeking the disqualification of Pastor Umo Eno of the PDP as duly elected governor in the March 18, 2023 election conducted in the State.

Interestingly, each of the governorship candidates are seeking to be declared the winner of the said election.

Obong Udofia and the APC in their joint petition are seeking the relief of the Tribunal that it be determined that at the time of the governorship Election of Akwa Ibom State the 2nd Respondent and the 4th Respondent were not qualified to contest the election.

Also the petitioners are seeking that it be determined that the votes purportedly scored by the 2nd and 4th Respondents in the election were wasted votes owing to non-qualification of 2nd and 4th Respondents.

The petitioners are equally seeking the relief of the Tribunal “that it be determined that on the basis of the remaining valid votes (after deducting the wasted votes credited to the 2nd and 4th Respondents, he (first petitioner) scored the majority of the lawful votes cast at the election, and satisfied the constitutional requirements to be declared the winner of the said election.

“That it be determined that the Certificate of Return wrongly issued to the Second Respondent by the first Respondent (INEC) is null and void and be set aside.

“An order compelling the first Respondent to issue the Certificate of Return to the first Petitioner (Udofia) as the duly elected governor of Akwa Ibom State”

The main challenger in the governorship election in the State, Senator Bassey Akpan and his party the Young Progressive Party (YPP) are also asking the court to order INEC to declare him the lawful winner of Akwa Ibom governorship Election.

Recall that parties in the Akpan and YPP joint petition adopted their final written addresses on the 16th day of August, 2023.

Other governorship candidates in the March 18, election seeking the disqualification of Pastor Umo Eno as duly elected governor of the state are Ezekiel Nya-Etuk of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and that of the

The Governorship candidate of the Allied People’s Movement (APM) withdrew his petition sometime in the month ofJuly.

Meanwhile according to the results declared by INEC on the 19th of March Umo Eno scored 356, 348 votes to defeat seventeen (17) other governorship candidates participated in the disputed election.

Pastor Eno’s main challengers Bassey Akpan (YPP) and Akan Udofia of the APC 136, 262 votes and 129, 602 votes respectively, while Senator John Akpanudoedehe of the NNPP scored 12,509 votes, Arch. Ezekiel Nya-Etuk of ADC scored 1, 685 votes and that of the Action Alliance scored 181 votes.

By Nnamdi Ojiego,

As the administration of Governor Alex Otti of Abia State clocked 100 days in office, Abias and political watchers have described as unprecedented, the gradual and steady positive changes that are taking place in the state.

State of Emergency;

The governor in a haste to put the state on the path of recovery, declared a state of emergency in all the critical sectors of the state economy. He introduced a new dynamic to leadership while laying a solid foundation to recover the state from the mess it was plunged into over the years.     

To many Abians, the task to rescue God’s Own State, specifically, Aba, from its stinky, decrepit and ignominious past commenced on May 29, 2023, when Otti entered into a new social contract with the people and pledged to use every attribute that God has given him to serve them.

Otti had in his inaugural address declared a state of emergency on the clearing of heaps of waste that littered the streets of Umuahia, the state capital and Aba, the commercial city. To achieve this, the governor immediately set up a Taskforce for the emergency cleanup of both cities.

The Taskforce had made a lot of progress in evacuating tons of refuse that had hitherto taken over many streets in the state. While men slept, the task force team headed by Mr. Ogbonnia Okereke, were working. The two cities are today cleaner and more conducive for people.

The governor also declared a state of emergency on Education, Health and Security and earmarked appropriate funding to match the commitment. He knows that the present and future of Abia depend on the quality and scope of education provided by the state. Given this, 17 schools across the 17 LGAs of the state have been marked for reconstruction and renovation.

“Education for us is the future and it is our goal to see that every child gets the opportunity to be taught and mentored to take advantage of the opportunities that abound in the 21st century economy which favours mostly the skilled and properly educated.

“We will intentionally prepare our children to be skilled participants in the global village, where science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are used as productive tools for work and play”, he assured.

Free Medicare;

The new administration came in when doctors working in the public health facilities in the state were on strike and the system was in a state of general collapse as the hospitals were shut down for months and patients, even those in very critical conditions, were turned away. Before declaring a state of emergency in the health sector, the governor appealed to the striking doctors to call off their strike and gave them his word that it would be an anathema for any health worker in the state to be refused their legitimate entitlements under his watch.

The government commenced free medical services across selected general hospitals in the state last July and this, according to the governor, would continue until the end of the year. This exercise covers free medical checks and examinations, provision of drugs and medicated glasses for eye patients at no cost, subsidized surgery and a variety of other medical services as part of efforts to give the population, especially the indigent, an opportunity to access quality care for themselves and their families.

Since the exercise commenced, thousands of people across all demographics, pregnant women, nursing mothers, newborn babies, infants under the age of five and several other groups with varying medical conditions have all benefited and thousands more will still be reached in the weeks and months ahead.

Operation Crush;

The security challenges facing some parts of the state, especially the prolonged cases of kidnapping at Lokponta in Umunneochi LGA, have been contained. Otti is leaving no stone unturned, he was aware that all that he intends to do could only come to fruition if the state is secure and open for business. Therefore, the government put measures in place to ensure that criminals are flushed out of the state. It collaborated with security agencies internally and adopted a more robust approach, “Operation Crush” to nip the activities of criminals in the bud.

Operation Crush is a joint task force comprising various security formations to swiftly address threats and make Abia unsafe for criminals and their cohorts. “I made it a priority to work with major stakeholders across frontiers to set up a robust system for tracking and smoking out criminals from their hideouts. By committing significant resources to set up the taskforce, we are boldly telling residents and investors in the state that we are determined and ready to keep them safe”, the governor stated.

Fulfilling promises;

In Abia, the condition of so many important roads had been terrible for years and on assumption of office, it became clear to the governor that he would be failing the people if he did not make those roads a priority. In fulfilment of his electoral promise to fix dilapidated roads and create more access routes to ease traffic, Otti attacked the roads with the seriousness they deserve. He engaged reputable construction companies, such as Craneburg, FCC, and MCC to handle the road projects. So far, the governor has delivered Emelogu Road in Aba, ABSUTH Road Junction, Shalom Road Aba and Obehie Road. Work has commenced, and at different levels of completion, on over ten roads across the state including the abandoned Umuimo Road, Owerri Road, and College Road, among others.

Decayed Value System;

To serve as a catalyst for driving change in Abia, departing from old norms and a decayed value system that has hindered progress, the governor has launched the Abia State Orientation Agency, ABSOA. Speaking during the launch, Otti said: “Our goal is to bring about disruptive and transformative changes in our dear state.

“With ABSOA, we envision a vibrant and tech-driven public service, a robust economy, a clean and green environment, strong and functional institutions, an employable youth population and an investor-friendly Abia State. We are confident that with ABSOA spearheading the move towards achieving these goals, Abia will take its rightful place among leading states in Nigeria.”

A New Aba;

Speaking during the Abia Day celebration, the governor said: “Our plans and programmes for Aba are far more strategic and as the days go by, you will be seeing demonstrable proof that indeed, Aba’s time has come. From business digitization processes that would put Aba on the global enterprise map to structured real estate developments, urban renewal programmes and investments in energy and power infrastructure for improved industrial output, you will, before the end of the year appreciate that indeed, we are going somewhere. I am pleased to report that in the last two months, we have got hundreds of very interesting proposals from national and global conglomerates that are seeking to do business in the state”.

Building partnership;

In the last 100 days, the executive branch of government has continued to forge special but respectful relationships with the other arms to strengthen the democratic experience. The state chief executive has met with the National Assembly lawmakers from the state. The meeting was aimed at consolidating what could be described as a bipartisan relationship. All three senators and eight House of Representatives members were in attendance and pledged their cooperation and support to the government to build a united and progressive Abia.

The new administration is also partnering with relevant agencies, organisations and businesses in realizing its vision and mission of rebuilding the state. The governor has interfaced with the heads of various security agencies in the state; World Bank Country Director, Professor Shubham Chaudhuri and his team; Nigeria Medical Association led by the state chairman, Dr. Isaiah Abali; a team of senior management staff of MTN, led by the Chief Enterprise e-Business, Lynda Saint Nwafor; Management team of Access Holding Plc., led the CEO, Mr Herbert Wigwe; executive of the Nigeria Institute of Town Planners; Association of Retired Permanent Secretaries, and Association of Abia State Traditional Rulers.

Governor Otti also hosted renowned business tycoon and investor, Obinna Iyiegbu, popularly known as Obi Cubana, and his brother, Ike, where he promised to set up a major part of his business in Aba. He also hosted the top management of Zenith Bank plc; the UNICEF team; former Minister of Power and Chairman of Geometric Power Limited, Prof. Bartholomew Nnaji, and his team, and former Treasurer and a Vice President of the World Bank, Arunma Oteh.

Digital system;

In line with his campaign promise to sanitize methods of revenue collection and stop all kinds of extortion, intimidation and harassment of motorists, the governor introduced a revolutionary digital tax system that is designed to curb fraud and augment revenue. This system incorporates a free medical insurance scheme for all commercial vehicle operators, enabling the government to fuel entrepreneurial growth and progress within the state.

The digital platform will simplify tax compliance and unlock substantial revenue for development projects, thereby strengthening the state’s economy. It offers easy payment options for both transporters and traders and promotes transparency.

TSA;

Furthermore, the government has concluded plans to transition to a Treasury Single Account, TSA, system. This move will centralize all state revenue and payments, enhancing transparency and efficiency. This system will fight fraud, streamline tax payments, empower our citizens, generate employment and attract investors.

As Governor Otti pledged to continue to do his part in repositioning the state, it is incumbent upon every Abian to do their part because getting it right is a collective obligation.