I CAN’T SETTLE RIFT WITH FUBARA – WIKE
I CAN’T SETTLE RIFT WITH FUBARA – WIKE The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has downplayed the possibility of resolving his conflict with Governor Sim Fubara of Rivers State. Wike criticised Fubara and his camp for refusing to carry out the directive issued by President Bola Tinubu during the peace meeting he convened. He noted that Fubara and his supporters should have returned to Tinubu to explain their inability to implement all the directives issued by the president. Wike made this disclosure during a media briefing in Abuja on Sunday. Wike and Fubara have been at loggerheads since Fubara became governor. The face-off between the two stems from a struggle for control of the state’s political and structural resources. The rift has also affected the state House of Assembly, with 27 members defecting to the All Progressives Congress, APC. Furthermore, the conflict has led to the emergence of factional speakers and a parallel assembly. At the press briefing, Wike said: “I’m wondering, what conflict to resolve? Mr President, in his wisdom, called all parties. He said withdraw the impeachment notice, you go and do this, you go and do that, but they never returned to him. “The Assembly withdrew the impeachment notice; you did one and two, and then you sent people to go to court. Elder, have you gone back to Mr President to tell him we can’t do three and four? Nothing. “I have never seen this in my life — for a president to call parties, and one party goes back and says it’s political. Who does that?”
Dons Eze
- Foreign Affairs
- January 20, 2025
- 38 views
TRUMP PUSHES FOR US CONTROL OF TIKTOK, PROPOSES 50% AMERICAN OWNERSHIP
TRUMP PUSHES FOR US CONTROL OF TIKTOK, PROPOSES 50% AMERICAN OWNERSHIP Donald Trump, during a rally in Washington, outlines his vision for TikTok’s future in the United States. He insists that the app, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, must have at least 50% U.S. ownership to operate legally within the country. Trump highlights the app’s worth and emphasizes that government approval determines its value. “Without U.S. approval, TikTok is worth zero. With approval, it’s worth billions—possibly even a trillion dollars,” he says, proposing a joint venture where the United States becomes a major stakeholder alongside private bidders. TikTok users across the U.S. face a 12-hour service outage following the enforcement of a new law requiring ByteDance to divest its ownership or face a nationwide ban. The service resumes only after Trump reassures providers that they will not face penalties. In a public statement, TikTok confirms the restoration of its services, saying:“We appreciate the clarity provided, ensuring TikTok remains accessible to over 170 million Americans and supports millions of small businesses.” Trump plans to sign an executive order that extends the compliance deadline for the new regulations. The extension aims to secure a deal addressing national security concerns while keeping TikTok operational for its massive U.S. user base. The debate centers on concerns over data privacy and the potential misuse of user information. TikTok, which supports more than 7 million small businesses in the U.S., continues to navigate the delicate balance between meeting regulatory demands and maintaining its presence in the market. This development highlights a broader challenge as governments address the growing influence of foreign tech companies on national security. For TikTok, the road ahead involves navigating U.S. demands for transparency while maintaining its global operations. The outcome could set a precedent for other tech platforms operating in sensitive geopolitical environments.
WHY UPLOAD OF 2023 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION FAILED – INEC
WHY UPLOAD OF 2023 PRESIDENTIAL POLL FAILED – INEC Unanticipated system error was responsible for the glitch that affected upload of the Presidential election result on the INEC Result Viewing (IREV) during the 2023 general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission has explained. The Commission said a review of the system during the upload process showed that the system was encountering an unexpected configuration problem in mapping the presidential election results uploaded into the system to the participating Polling Units. The INEC explanation is contained in the report of the commission’s stakeholder engagements and retreats carried out by the commission between July 11 and August 5, 2023 to review the conduct of the general elections. Those at in the stakeholders’ engagements include: leaders of the registered political parties, civil society organisations, Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) and Administrative Secretaries, security agencies under the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security and media executives. The report said: “During this review, many stakeholders repeatedly sought explanation for the technical glitch that affected the upload of the 2023 Presidential election results. During the review, details of the problem were provided by INEC’s technical experts. “In a nutshell, the challenge of uploading the PU presidential election results on the IReV after the presidential and National Assembly elections on February 25 of 2023 was unique.” Giving an insight into the problem which appeared to have cast some doubt on the credibility of the election, the report said: “As voting ended across the country and POs began the process of uploading the images of the PU result sheets of the elections for the various constituencies around 4pm, the commission began to receive reports that the upload of presidential election result sheets was failing. “Following these reports, the commission immediately engaged with its field officials for details to understand and trace the origin, source, scale and magnitude of the problem across the result management ecosystem to devise appropriate solutions. “In the troubleshooting process, it was established that there was no issue in uploading the PU result sheets of the Senate and House of Representatives elections through the Election Result Modules. However, there was a problem with uploading the presidential election results to the system. “Attempts to upload the results were generating internal server errors, which refer to a significant impairment that usually originate from within an application due to problems relating to configuration, permissions, or failure to create or access application resources correctly. “Further interrogation of the Election Result Modules indicated that the system is encountering an unexpected configuration problem in mapping the presidential election results uploaded into the system to the participating PUs. “Due to the complex, sensitive and critical nature of the systems and the real potential for malicious cyber-attacks, the commission immediately put in place several strict security and audit control measures to prevent any unfettered or elevated access to the Result Upload System.” The report, copies of which have been made available to the Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters, also revealed that “in the process of resolving the challenge, it was discovered that the backend system of the IReV was able to query and detect the base States for uploading the PU result sheets based on the mapping of all senatorial district and federal constituency elections to the respective 36 states of the Federation and the FCT as established in the database structure deployed within the system. “In configuring and mapping the election results for the presidential and National Assembly elections, the commission created 470 election types consisting of one presidential constituency covering the entire country, 109 senatorial districts and 360 federal constituencies. “Each senatorial district and federal constituency election on the database was mapped to their respective states. However, the presidential election result…
LABOUR PARTY CRISIS DEEPENS AS NENADI USMAN’S CARETAKER COMMITTEE REJECTS APPEAL COURT VERDICT
LABOUR PARTY CRISIS DEEPENS AS NENADI USMAN’S CARETAKER COMMITTEE REJECT APPEAL COURT VERDICT The Labour Party’s internal leadership crisis escalated on Saturday as the 29-member caretaker committee, led by Senator Nenadi Usman, demanded that Julius Abure cease presenting himself as the party’s national chairman.The committee, established by Abia State Governor Alex Otti and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, insists it remains the party’s legitimate leadership body. In a statement issued in Abuja, Senator Usman declared that party stakeholders empowered the committee during an emergency convention. She further criticized Abure’s claims to the chairmanship despite recent court rulings. The tussle comes on the heels of a Court of Appeal judgement delivered on Friday in Abuja, which affirmed Abure as the party’s national chairman. The appellate court upheld the Labour Party’s March 2024 national convention in Nnewi, Anambra State, declaring it valid. Justice Hamma Barka, who presided over the three-member panel, ruled that the party’s leadership issues were not justiciable, deeming any actions outside the court’s jurisdiction null and void. The decision invalidated an earlier Federal High Court ruling delivered on October 8, 2024, by Justice Emeka Nwite. Caretaker Committee Rejects RulingDespite the appellate court’s verdict, the caretaker committee, in a statement co-signed by Senator Usman and its National Secretary, Darlington Nwokocha, criticized the judgement. They alleged that the Federal High Court made significant errors, lacked jurisdiction, and violated their right to a fair hearing. The statement read, “As the duly recognised National Caretaker Committee Chairman and Secretary of the Labour Party, we, on behalf of ourselves and other members, deem it necessary to issue this press release to clarify and set the record straight. “The Court of Appeal affirmed that Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1271/2024, filed before the Federal High Court by Julius Abure, concerned a leadership dispute over which the Federal High Court has no jurisdiction. “The Federal High Court erred and acted without jurisdiction by entertaining the leadership dispute brought before it by Julius Abure. It also violated our right to a fair hearing by failing to consider our counter-affidavit opposing the suit before it. “Finally, we wish to remind the public that, on 4th September 2024, the Labour Party constituted a National Caretaker Committee, appointing us as the national chairman and secretary. Both have been diligently and effectively carrying out their duties to the admiration of stakeholders and the entire membership of the party.”
- Foreign Affairs
- January 19, 2025
- 55 views
US PRESIDENT-ELECT, DONALD TRUMP, ARRIVES WASHINGTON AHEAD OF TOMORROW’S INAUGURATION
US PRESIDENT-ELECT, DONALD TRUMP, ARRIVES WASHINGTON AHEAD OF TOMORROW’S INAUGURATION Donald Trump landed in Washington on Saturday ahead of his inauguration, with the billionaire Republican set to attend a series of events and celebrations before reclaiming the presidency. Trump, who arrived with his wife Melania and other family members at Dulles International Airport, headed to a private event, including a fireworks show, at his golf club in Virginia outside Washington. Earlier Saturday, Trump told NBC News that he plans to sign a record number of executive orders after being sworn in, beginning “right after” he delivers his inaugural address on Monday. He said the number of orders he will sign after taking office had not yet been determined but the figure will be “record-setting.” The president-elect is expected to sign orders undoing many of the policies advanced during President Joe Biden’s outgoing administration. Trump’s promises for Day 1 of his new term also include a mass deportation program. The expulsion of undocumented migrants will “begin very, very quickly,” Trump told NBC. “I can’t say which cities because things are evolving. And I don’t think we want to say what city. You’ll see it firsthand,” he said in the phone interview. Hardline immigration official Tom Homan, whom Trump has named his “border czar,” told The Washington Post Saturday that the incoming administration was rethinking its initial moves following media leaks. Multiple US outlets had reported the Trump administration planned a major raid in Chicago on Tuesday. Trump’s team “hasn’t made a decision yet,” Homan told the paper. “We’re looking at this leak and will make a decision based on this leak.” Homan added that he did not know why Chicago had become the focus of media reports but that the new administration will arrest people they deem “public safety threats” from “day one.” “We’ll be arresting people across the country, uninhibited by any prior administration guidelines,” he said. Recent inaugurations have been held on the steps of the US Capitol overlooking the National Mall, but Trump announced Friday the ceremony was moving indoors because of unusually cold weather forecast to hit Washington. “I think we made the right decision,” he told NBC. “The weather was really looking bad in terms of the coldness, and I think it would have been dangerous for a lot of people.” Following Saturday’s private party, Trump is expected to lay a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery on Sunday before attending a rally of his supporters in Washington. He is also scheduled to address a dinner event on Sunday. Thousands of demonstrators marched through the streets of Washington on Saturday in protest over Trump’s policies.
- Foreign Affairs
- January 19, 2025
- 38 views
I DON’T WANT BRITAIN TO BE LIKE NIGERIA WHERE GOVT DESTROYS LIVES – KEMI BADENOCH
I DON’T WANT BRITAIN TO BE LIKE NIGERIA WHERE GOVT DESTROYS LIVES – KEMI BADENOCH UK Conservative party leader Kemi Badenoch says she does not want Britain to be like Nigeria, a poor country where terrible government destroy lives. In her first speech of the year on Thursday, Ms Badenoch explained her push for “real conservatism” that guarantees a “better, richer and safer” tomorrow for the younger generation of Brits. “Why this matters so much to me is because I know what it is like to have something and lose it. I don’t want Britain to lose what it has,” said Ms Badenoch. “I grew up in a poor country, and I watched my relatively wealthy family become poorer and poorer and poorer despite working harder as their money disappeared with inflation,” Ms Badenoch said. The Tory leader narrated how she migrated to the UK at age 16 with her father’s last £100 and would never want the UK to become a country like Nigeria where terrible governments destroy lives. “I came back to the UK at 16 with my father’s last £100 and a hope of a better life. So, I’ve lived with the consequences of a terrible government that destroys lives, and I never ever want that to happen here,” Ms Badenoch said. This comes as another episode of Ms Badenoch criticising her home country Nigeria, exposing how prolonged misgovernment is ruining the country. Before now, she had berated Nigerian police as “armed robbers” who intimidate the citizens they are employed to protect with their guns. Angered by Ms Badenoch’s intermittent criticisms of Nigeria at every opportunity, Vice President Kashim Shettima responded, telling her to change her name if she does not want any association with the “greatest black nation on earth, Nigeria.”
POLITICAL UNDERCURRENTS IN BENUE SOUTH AHEAD OF 2027
POLITICAL UNDERCURRENTS IN BENUE SOUTH AHEAD OF 2027 It may be well over two years to the next cycle of general elections in Nigeria. For the people of Apa/Agatu federal constituency in Benue South, however, the measure of their participation and integration into the governance scheme will be defined in the run-up to the general polls that year. Nine local government areas make up the predominantly Idoma country of Benue State also labelled Zone C in the senatorial tripod of the geo-polity. The zone is also home to the Igede ethnic stock and the Etulo. Local government areas in “Benue Zone C” include: Apa, Agatu, Oju, Obi, Ado, Ogbadibo, Okpokwu, Otukpo and Ohimini. The other zones, Benue North East and Benue North West, are wholly dominated by the Tiv nationality, striding across 14 local government areas. They are christened Zone A and Zone B in the local political scheme of the state. Federal constituencies in Benue South are: Apa/Agatu, Oju/Obi; Ado/Ogbadibo/Opokwu and Otukpo/Ohimini. The subjugation of groups and ethnicities considered demographically smaller, by the larger groups which has dominated Nigeria’s politics over time, has not been any different for the Idoma of Benue State. Until the circumstantial emergence of a Yahaya Bello from the Ebira ethnicity in Kogi State in 2015, the Igala had the relay baton of governorship of Kogi State, in rounds and succession. The Ebiras and the Okun-Yoruba zones in the state could only aspire to be serial deputies or Secretaries to the State Government. This political template was virtually cast in stone. The Ilorin people of Kwara State have similarly wholly warehoused the gubernatorial office, sparingly conceding the position to other sociocultural groups in the state. The only exception was the concession of the seat to a candidate from Kwara South, in the person of Abdulfatah Ahmed, by his predecessor, Bukola Saraki in 2011. Even at that, there were murmurs and dissent from those who believed Ahmed came from a community too close to the Ilorin emirate to be of genuine Igbomina stock, which prides itself as the pure Yoruba species in Kwara State. Twenty-six years into the Fourth Republic, the maximum proximity of the Idoma to Government House, Makurdi, has been by the customary allocation of the Deputy Governor’s slot to its people. Ogirri Ajene from Oju/Obi, the charismatic blue-blood of blessed memory, was deputy to George Akume, incumbent Secretary to the Government of the Federation, (SGF), from 1999 to 2007. Akume it was reported, genuinely desired to be succeeded by Ajene who exhibited competence and loyalty and could build on their legacies. The Tiv nation we understand, shot down the proposal. Gabriel Suswam succeeded Akume and had the urbane multipreneur, Stephen Lawani from Ogbadibo as deputy. Samuel Ortom, a Minister in the Goodluck Jonathan presidency who took over from Suswam opted for Benson Abounu, an engineer from Otukpo as running mate, while Hyacinth Alia, the Catholic priest who succeeded Ortom, also chose as deputy, Samuel Ode, who was also a Minister in the Jonathan government, from Otukpo. Arising from this precedence, Apa/Agatu has not for once, been considered for a place in Government House, Makurdi. In similar fashion, the position of Senator representing Benue South, has repeatedly precluded Apa/Agatu federal constituency. David Alechenu Bonaventure Mark a former army General from Otukpo, took the first shot at the office in 1999. He was to remain in the position for five consecutive times, a distinctive record by Nigerian standards. Mark would subsequently become President of the Senate and the third most senior political office holder in the nation’s governance scheme for a string of two terms between 2007 and 2015. He was replaced by Patrick Abba Moro, who hails from Okpokwu and was a former teacher, in 2019. Abba…
- Foreign Affairs
- January 18, 2025
- 49 views
NIGERIANS FLOCK IN UK AS PRISON OFFICERS, SLEEP IN CARS TO CUT COSTS
NIGERIANS FLOCK IN UK AS PRISON OFFICERS, SLEEP IN CARS TO CUT COSTS Many Nigerians are reportedly being hired as prison officers in the United Kingdom, UK as the British government seeks to address staffing shortages in overcrowded prisons. According to The Telegraph, the UK prison service is now sponsoring skilled worker visas for the first time, as a result of a rule change that allows them to recruit from abroad. Prison governors disclosed that many of the new recruits come from Nigeria, with some skilled workers switching to the role from other visa routes. However, many of these workers soon arrive in the UK only to encounter accommodation challenges, upon realizing that their job offers did not include any provision for housing. Reports reveal that some have resorted to camping or even sleeping in their cars as a cost-saving measure. Mark Fairhurst, president of the Prison Officers’ Association (POA), shared an example of one foreign recruit who commuted 70 miles daily from Huddersfield to Nottingham but later decided to sleep in his car outside the prison to save costs. At another prison, recruits camped in a wooded area near their workplace after discovering no housing was provided. “We have got problems with people who turn up at the gates with cases in tow and with their families saying to the staff: ‘Where is the accommodation?’” said Mr. Fairhurst. The recruitment drive follows changes in visa rules in October 2023, which added prison officers to the list of skilled workers eligible for sponsorship. Ministry of Justice (MoJ) sources estimate that about 250 foreign nationals have been sponsored to join the prison service so far, completing Zoom interviews and vetting processes. Prison governors report a high interest in these roles, with many applicants coming from Africa. In one month last year, two-thirds of 3,500 applicants were from the continent. Tom Wheatley, president of the Prison Governors Association (PGA), believes online word-of-mouth among the Nigerian expat community has fueled the demand. This influx has created challenges in some prisons, particularly in remote rural areas, where integration into local communities and communication issues have surfaced. “It’s turned into an approach that has been promoted online by the expat Nigerian community,” Wheatley noted. Despite these challenges, the Prison Service maintains that all recruits undergo thorough assessments and training. “In October 2023, changes were made to the skilled worker visa scheme which has allowed the prison service to sponsor visa applications for foreign nationals,” said a spokesperson. “All staff – regardless of nationality – undergo robust assessments and training before they work in prisons. Our strengthened vetting process roots out those who fall below our high standards.” However, Mr. Fairhurst has criticised the recruitment process, particularly the reliance on Zoom interviews and six weeks of training. He argued that this system is inadequate for preparing recruits to manage prisoners effectively. “The process is simply not fit for purpose,” he said, warning that it risks recruiting under-qualified or corrupt officers.
APPEAL COURT REAFFIRMS JULIUS ABURE AS LABOUR PARTY NATIONAL CHAIRMAN
APPEAL COURT REAFFIRMS JULIUS ABURE AS LABOUR PARTY NATIONAL CHAIRMAN The Abuja division of the Court of Appeal has reiterated that Julius Abure remains the National Chairman of the Labour Party. A three-member panel of the appellate court in a judgement delivered by Justice Hamma Barka, held that its judgement of November 13, 2024, which recognizes Abure as national chairman subsists and has not been set aside by any court. Barka made the declaration on Friday while delivering judgement in two separate appeals filed by Senator Esther Nenadi Usman and the caretaker committee and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The appellate court in the two separate appeals held that it did not delve into the issue of the leadership of the Labour Party, because such issues are not justiciable. According to the appellate court, anything that is done outside jurisdiction amounts to a nullity. Hence the judgement of the Federal High Court delivered on October 8, 2024 by Justice Emeka Nwite is of no effect because it was delivered without jurisdiction. “We cannot say this appeal fails or succeed because the lower court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit in the first place”, Barka held. While striking out the suit for want of jurisdiction, he held that the appellate relied on its previous judgement of November 13 last year to hold that “Abure Remains National Chairman of the Labour Party”.