Socio- Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sued President Muhammadu Buhari and three others at the Federal High Court, Lagos over failure to “reverse the unlawful, unjust and unreasonable increase in electricity tariff and to probe the spending of public funds as ‘investments and bailouts’ to DisCos (Distribution Companies) and GenCos (Generation Companies) since 2005.”

Joined in the suit as respondents are Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET).

Following reported approval by the NERC, electricity tariffs were increased across DisCos last month. Several prepaid customers have supposedly confirmed the increase.

The Minister of Power and NERC have, however, refused to confirm the increment.

In the case numbered FHC/L/CS/99/2023 and filed at the weekend by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare and Adelanke Aremo, SERAP is asking the court to compel Buhari to direct NERC to reverse the hike.

The rights group is also asking the court to compel Buhari to order Malami and appropriate anti-corruption agencies to promptly investigate the spending of public funds as investments and bailouts to DisCos and GenCos since 2005.

In the suit, plaintiff is arguing that regular and uninterrupted access to electricity is a fundamental human right, stating: “Electricity is an essential public service but millions of Nigerians continue to pay the price for corruption in the electricity sector – staying in darkness.”

The applicant is insisting that the hike did not follow due process of law.

SERAP continued: “It is entirely inconsistent and incompatible with the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 (as amended), Electric Power Sector Reform Act and country’s international human rights obligations.

“The increase is unjustified, especially given the unreliable, inefficient and poor quality of electricity in the country. Millions of Nigerians continue to live in darkness despite the spending by governments of trillions of naira as investments and bailouts to electricity companies.

“The government has legal obligations to effectively and progressively provide affordable, regular and uninterrupted access to electricity as a matter of human rights.

According to the body, the Federal Government has a legal responsibility to ensure transparency and accountability in how the investments and bailouts to electricity companies are spent to reduce vulnerability to corruption and mismanagement.

The lawsuit reads in part: “The increase in electricity tariff would exacerbate the extreme poverty across the country and undermine the ability of millions of Nigerians to satisfy basic human needs.

“The consequences of corruption in the electricity sector are felt by citizens on a daily basis. Corruption exposes them to pay additional costs and crazy electricity bills. Electricity supply remains inadequate and irregular.”

No date has been fixed for hearing of the matter
https://www.otowngist.com/2023/01/serap-others-sues-buhari-over-electricity-tariff-hike/

The Federal Government has released half of November 2022 check-off dues deducted from the salaries of all lecturers of federal universities in the country to the Academic Staff Union of Universities,

The PUNCH had exclusively reported how the Ministry of Labour and Employment withheld the check-off dues of the union.

The ministry’s spokesman, Olajide Oshundun, in an interview with The PUNCH said the decision of the government was based on the failure of ASUU to submit its audit reports.

The PUNCH reports that check-off dues are the money deducted from an employee’s pay for membership in a union or an organisation that represents workers in a particular industry.

The chairperson of ASUU, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Prof Gbolahan Bolarin, told one of our correspondents on Sunday that the government remitted half of the money deducted from the salaries of members after the report by The PUNCH.

He said, “After the report by The PUNCH, the union received an alert intimating us of the receipt of the check-off dues. However, what we noticed was that we did not receive full payment. Instead, we received less than what was due.

“The funny aspect is that the government made full deductions from the salaries of our members. Our question now to them is where is the balance of the check-off dues?

“You can’t make full deductions and then remit half of what you deducted into the account of the union. The government needs to let us know what they plan to do with the money still with them.”

Efforts to get the comments of the spokesperson of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Oshundun, proved abortive as calls and messages sent to his line remained unanswered as of the time of filing this report.

ASUU warns

Meanwhile, branches of ASUU have concluded congresses organised over the recent happenings between the union and the Federal Government.

Some of the recent happenings include the decision of the government to pay the withheld salaries of lecturers under the aegis of the Congress of Nigerian Universities Academics and threats to deregister ASUU as a trade union.

The PUNCH gathered that branches commenced their branch meetings on January 18, 2022.

Though most of the branches are yet to make public the decision taken at the meetings, Bolarin noted that his branch resolved that the government must return to the negotiation table to forestall fresh strike in the university system.

Bolarin told The PUNCH on Sunday that while ASUU called off its strike on October 14, 2022, in obedience to an Appeal Court ruling in favour of the Federal Government, none of the issues that led to the strike has been addressed by the government.

While faulting the government’s decision to withhold the salaries of lecturers during the period of the strike, the university teacher identified teaching, research and community service as the three legs on which a lecturer’s role in the university stands.

Bolarin said, “The public must be aware that the storm is not over. The ASUU suspended the strike on October 14, 2022, in accordance with the Appeal Court’s ruling. Our members have since gone back to work as law-abiding citizens, despite the financial hardship and mental stress occasioned by the withheld salaries.

“The issues that prompted the strike were the conclusion of the 2009 agreement renegotiation, funding for revitalisation of public universities, payment of the Earned Academic Allowance, the release of the visitation panel report, testing and adoption of University Transparency and Accountability Solution, and university proliferation.

“These issues have not been resolved, no agreement has been reached, and no meaningful effort has been made by the government to address them.”

CONUA begs FG

Meanwhile, the leadership of CONUA has appealed to the Federal Government to be magnanimous and pay all university lecturers their eight months withheld salaries.

Though the Federal Government had commenced the process of paying members of CONUA the withheld salaries since they refused to join the strike, the president of the newly-registered union, Dr Niyi Sunmonu, however, appealed that all lecturers should be paid.

Sunmonu spoke on Saturday during CONUA’s maiden National Executive Council meeting held at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, where he was ratified as the pioneer national president.

Maintaining that CONUA did not declare a strike, Sunmonu said, “The only thing we can do at this stage is to appeal to the Federal Government to be magnanimous to pay everybody. But along the line of principle, CONUA did not declare a strike and the no-work-no-pay policy will be unjust to be applied on it.”
https://www.otowngist.com/2023/01/asuu-protects-as-fg-pays-incomplete-check-off-dues/

A pop singer, Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as ‘Portable’ has released an album entitled ‘Kuku Do Ritual’.

Meanwhile an Islamic human rights organisation, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has condemned the album for having the potential to encourage ritual killing and misleading Nigerian youth.

MURIC’s statement was released on Monday, 23rd January, 2023 by its director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

The statement reads :“Popular pop singer, Habeeb Okikiola, has released a new album under the title ‘Kuku Do Ritual’ in which part of the lyrics say, ‘Kuku do ritual. If you do ritual you go die. If you no do ritual you go die. Kuku do ritual’.

“We find this song disgusting, detestable and egregious. It is a brazen assault on Nigerian and African values. Portable’s latest song has reduced human life to the level of ordinary ants that can be stamped out under human feet without qualms and without consequences. It is an open invitation to criminality. It makes mockery of law and order. It is an open disrespect for human life.

“This song has the capacity to influence our young ones in a negative manner. It is also capable of destroying the future of the youth. Something must be done urgently. Already, there are several reports of young ones engaging in the shameful act for the purpose of getting rich in their tender ages.

“Three teenagers were caught attempting to kill a 13 year old girl for money ritual in Bayelsa State in January 2022

“Four teenagers living in Abeokuta, Ogun State, killed the girlfriend of one of them for money ritual

“MURIC calls on all men of goodwill, all mothers in Nigeria, Muslim and Christian leaders to rise against the madness called Yahoo Yahoo and ritual killings among young ones whose ambassador has just released this horrendous song in their praise. ‘Kuku Do Ritual’ is nothing but a eulogy to glorify and elevate the names of ritual killers to high heaven.

“This album calls for immediate action from Nigeria’s traditional rulers. They are the custodians of our tradition. We therefore take our cry for help to these royal fathers to speak up on this sacriledgious song released by ‘Portable’. They must put pressure on the authorities to stop the circulation and broadcast of this album on any radio or television station and through any medium whatsoever.

“We invite the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) and the Performing Musicians’ Association of Nigeria (PMAN) to take necessary action with military dispatch.

“We see no reason why the security agencies should not investigate the author of this most embarrassing and irrational song to explain the number of rituals in which he has indulged. A scape goat must be made of this album and its artist before the trend escalates.

“Nobody should hide behind artistic priviledge, poetic licence or freedom of expression to launch such barbaric offensive on our culture, our norms and our values. This is beyond free speech. It is criminal speech. It is incitement to commit murder. It is instigation to criminality. It is a bestial invasion on decency and good manners. It is Bohemian.”
https://www.otowngist.com/2023/01/muric-others-ban-portables-kuku-do-ritual/

A political earthquake has hit Delta State as the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, mainstream wing, Delta Unity Group, DUG, today declared for the All Progressives Congress, APC, with a commitment to vote all candidates of the party in the 2023 general elections.

The DUG is renowned as the strategic and “intellectual “ arm of the Delta PDP.

Vanguard reported that the group previously coalesced around Olorogun David Edevbie, former Delta Governor, Chief James Ibori’s choice for Delta state governor; a choice that was rebuffed by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in favour of controversial and unpopular House Speaker, Sheriff Oborevwori.

At a Special Declaration Rally, Sunday, January 22, at the St George’s College, Obinomba, thousands of DUG members donning their signature red shirts and hats declared formally for the APC.

They were led by its chairman, three-time member of the House of Representatives, Daniel Reyenieju; ex-house speakers, Chief Monday Igbuya and Olisa Imegwu, among others,

Speaking, Reyenieju said the DUG was founded and created to support the best candidate of the PDP, but when the best could not be presented, “we went round the state for a man who could do the modernization programme of David Edevbie.

“And (we) found that capacity in the person of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege. Galvanizing that find outside would be meaningless, hence we decided to join the APC.

We will show PDP pepper. We can’t continue like this, we can’t have a President that will sell all our assets, we can’t have a vice president that will continue to borrow money with nothing to show.

“All the money they borrowed and kept away will turn to fertilizers in their farms.”

Former House Speaker, Igbuya, recalled that when Governor Okowa came on board with him as Speaker, “he complained that the debt burden incurred by former governor Emmanuel Uduaghan was so heavy.

“He cut all our entitlements; that there was no money. Now the debt he has incurred in eight years will be difficult to pay back in a life time.”

Also speaking, Chief Evans Iwurie, a prominent DUG leader and former Delta Assembly member, said Governor Okowa, by his incompetence, has become an embarrassment to Delta State, Nigeria and the medical profession, assuring that with Senator Ovie Omo-Agege as governor, Delta State will regain its pride again.

An obviously elated Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, Deputy Senate President and Delta APC Governorship candidate, said he was in awe, but not surprised by the development.
https://www.otowngist.com/2023/01/pdps-premier-group-dug-declares-for-apc/

A member of Board of Trustees (BoT) and the National Caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Abia state, Ochiagha Benjamin Apugo has declared that the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi and the party's governorship candidate in Abia, Dr. Alex Otti will win the State in the forthcoming general elections.

Apugo made the declaring while dissociating himself from a report that linked him with the endorsement of the candidate of the APC in Abia state, Chief Ikechi Emenike.

In a report sent to Vanguard in Abuja by the Spokesman of the Alex Otti Campaign Council, Ferdinand Ekeoma who was present at a press briefing by the APC chieftain at his country home in Ibeku Ancient Kingdom, Abia State, Apugo said he was not supporting party but individuals with track road of performance.

He said "Chief Ikechi Emenike and his team paid me a courtesy visit as a Chieftain of the party to inform me of his governorship ambition as well as the proposed visit of the APC Presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to Umuahia, Abia state.

"I emphatically told Emenike that the APC would lose both the Abia governorship and Presidential elections, and restated my uncompromising support for the Labour Party governorship candidate in Abia state, Dr. Alex Otti and its Presidential Candidate, Mr. Peter Obi.

"APC will fail woefully in Abia State. PDP is already dead. I am supporting Otti. I didn't endorse him (Emenike). I told him that APC will not win because there is nothing to show APC people. So, forget about endorsement."

Giving reasons for supporting Obi and Otti, Apugo said " If you check my political history, you would discover that I have always associated with people of high moral standing and integrity, hence my support for Otti whom I believe will develop this land when he becomes governor".

Apugo said it would not be politically reasonable to support a party that could not fix the strategic Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene road and the Umuahia-Ohafia-Aro chukwu road respectively, maintaining that both the APC and the PDP have failed Abians and should be roundly rejected.

The elder statesman, widely respected for his candour and firm stance on critical national and state issues, insisted that Otti was the only outstanding personality in the Abia governorship race with proven capacity and passion to develop the state, stressing that though he was a member of BOT and National Caucus of the APC, the development of Abia, including Ibeku land was of paramount importance hence his decision to support the former managing director of Diamond Bank.

He also vehemently refuted the idea of anti-party when reminded about that.

"What is anti-party? What I am telling you is the correct thing. They haven't done anything here. I am saying it with annoyance. With the position that I held in APC, nothing. I am not talking about myself. I have not gotten even one contract from them.

"No employment for one single person since 8 years. So, what are you talking about anti-party? They know that what I am talking is the correct thing. They have not done anything to my people here. They didn't do one single thing here in my home town which is the capital of Abia State. No federal presence", he said.

Apugo also commended the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC for the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) innovation and enjoined the Abia electorate to come out on the election day and vote for Otti for governor and Obi for President for the development of Abia and Nigeria at large, stressing that the era of election rigging was over.

"In the first place, the electoral act does not permit anybody or give anybody chance to rig elections. What you can do is vote buying which is also a crime covered by law. So, if you think that somebody is going to rig the election, I doubt. If they will rig elections, they will rig it in other states. Here, we are ready to die instead of thinking that we are alive when we don't have hope.

"So, boys and girls will protect their votes. Men and women will protect their votes and we are going to vote for the best. I don't think money will solve this election. Who are you giving money to? Are you giving somebody who's nearer to the grave?

"He's already dead and you are giving him money. He wants to resurrect, he wants to come back to life", the Prince of Ibeku land stressed.
https://www.otowngist.com/2023/01/2023-election-obi-otti-will-win-abia-says-apugo-apc-chieftain/

The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), has described as alarming and unacceptable the continuous killing and kidnapping of Christian clerics in Nigeria.

Bishop Francis Wale Oke, President, PFN, in a statement, noted that, “As an organisation that worships God, we pray that the wrath of God shall fall heavily on all those responsible for terrorising Nigerians and killing innocent citizens.”

The statement condemned what it called “the recent gruesome murder of Rev. Fr. Father Isaac Achi of St. Peters and Paul Catholic Church, Kafin-koro, Paikoro Local Government Area of Niger State by bandits”.

It explained that the bandits, according to reports, invaded his residence at about 3am on January 15 and after failing to gain entrance into the residence, set the house ablaze and the clergyman was burnt to death.

The PFN recalled that the deceased’s colleague, Father Collins, was equally shot in the shoulder while trying to escape and was rushed to the hospital, describing the incident as most unfortunate.

The statement added that the killing of Achi is indeed one killing too many, saying, “The continuous killing, as well as kidnapping of Christian clerics in Nigeria is very alarming and unacceptable.”

The organisation lamented a situation where Nigeria had become a killing field where people are slaughtered like animals and the perpetrators go scot free.

“This has to be stopped at all costs. The government must do everything possible to bring an end to this evil,” the statement said.

The PFN called on the federal government and security agencies to intensify efforts to salvage what it called “this ugly situation” and give Nigerians a new lease of life, stressing that the lawless and barbaric act has continued for too long, without anyone being arrested and prosecuted by the government.

According to the organisation, the criminals may think they have escaped from the judgment of man, but they can never escape from the judgment of the almighty God who sees everything.

The PFN sennt its heartfelt condolences to the family of Achi and the Catholic Church and prayed that God will comfort them and ensure peace and unity in the country.
https://www.otowngist.com/2023/01/pfn-reacts-to-killings-kidnapping-of-christian-clerics-in-nigeria/

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended the appointment of nine Heads of Courts and 84 other judicial officers as part of concerted efforts to prepare for challenges that may arise for the Judiciary in the coming general elections.

The recommended persons would after appointment serves at the Federal and State Courts in the country.

A statement from the Council on Saturday in Abuja said the candidates were presented for recommendations by its panel after interviews during its 100th meeting presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.

The statement by NJC’S Director of Information Mr Soji Oye listed those recommended for posts of Chief Judges to include Justice Muhammad Tukur Mu’azu Aliyu for Kaduna, Justice Majebi Josiah Joe for Kogi, Justice Odusola Aiyedun Olusegun for Ondo, Justice Halima Sa’addiya Mohammed for Gombe and Justice Lilian Abai for Abia State.

Others are Justice Abdulateef Kamaldeen as Grand Kadi, Kwara State, Justice Stanley Adekunle Lawal, President, Customary Court of Appeal, FCT, Justice Monisola Oluwatoyin Abodunde as President, Customary Court of Appeal in Ekiti and Justice Uhuo Patrick Uchenna as President, Customary Court of Appeal, Ebonyi State.

A breakdown of the recommended 84 Judicial officers showed that four are for the Ondo High Court, namely Akinbinu Sylvester Femi, Leonard Boyede Ologun, Bolatito Florence Ajibade and Akinwumi Bankole Jacob.

The Customary Court of Appeal in Ekiti has three nominees, Lawrence Babatope Ojo, Adegboye Rotimi Adesoji and Ogundele Olufolakemi Olufunke.

Borno State has five and they include Amina Mustapha, Ibrahim Mohammed Maina, Hafsatu Isah Bappah, Bukar Malgwi Umar and Mallam Buna Makinta while Anambra has two comprisingEtomike Innocent Ndigwe and Tagbo Chinwuba Anieto.

The five nominated for the Sokoto High Court bench are Bashar Ibrahim, Fatima Ahmadu Suka, Abubakar Adamu, Kabiru Muhammad and Amina Modi Yabo while the Sharia Court of Appeal in the state has two nominees as Kadi and are Idris Adamu and Mustapha Abdullahi Ahmad.

Ogun State High Court has 8 nominees comprising Oluwafunke Omolara Odubanjo, Adelaja Adeola Ireti, Basirat Bolanle Adebowale, Adebayo Bamidele Adedapo, Ayodele Adebayo Omoniyi, Sunday Olufemi Adeniyi, Awofeso Ireti-Olu Babatunde and Abimola Christopher Shokunbi.

The two nominees for Bayelsa State High Court are Charlie Ebiyon Duke and Ekadi Amadise Michael while the six for Ebonyi State are Esther Awo Ota, BUkeni Ogoke Stella Ejituruchi, Ruth Obaji Okeh, Blessing Ibeabuchi Chukwu, Christopher Ofoke Mbam and Francis-Abba Solange Amaka.

The National Industrial Court of Nigeria has six nominees including Buhari Sani, Damachi-Onugba Agede Joyce, Hassan Muhammed Yakubu, Sandra Audu Yelwa, Subilim Emmanuel Danjuma and Muhammad Adamu Hamza.

Cross Rivers High Court has two nominees in persons of Okokon Edem Nyong and Amajama Jacob Eneji while the four for Adamawa High Court are Christopher Dominic Mapeo, Ahmed Isa, Mohammed Ibrahim Tola and Benjamin Lawan Manji.

Besides, Adamawa has one Kadi nominee for its Sharia Court of Appeal in person of Isa Yusuf Khalid while its Customary Court of Appeal has another Judge nominee in the person of Adabala Nicholas.

The breakdown showed that Rivers State High Court has five candidates comprising Asivosuo Maccarthy Oriye, Omonigho Nwibani, Comfort Ifikmotu- Awaji Adangor, Prince Chika Mini and Beauty Ihuoma Emmanuel-Okere while its Customary Court of Appeal has two Judges nominees, Odiki Daniel- Kalio and Tetenwi Ngeli Elerabari.

Zamfara High Court has four and are Abdullahi Muhammad Gusau, Umar Adulnasir, Saad Garba Gurbin-Bore and Muntaka Ahmad Ya’akubu.

Osun State High Court has four nominees comprising Lasisi Muhammed Adebayo, Awe Micheal Oludare, Fatimah Adejoke Sodamade and Owolawi Joseph Olukunle while has one and is Adamu Mohammed Jajere as well as one Kadi for its Sharia Court of Appeal in the person of Kasim Mohammed Kasim.

Kaduna State High Court bench has seven candidates and are Yakubu Bodamasi, Abdullahi Isiaka, Buhari Mohammed Balarabe Bashir Shitu Yusuf, Nana Fatima Mohammed John Aku Ambi and Joyce Asabe Akaa’ahs.

Apart from the recommended seven high court Judges, NJC also sought for appointment of five Kadis for the Kaduna Sharia Court of Appeal and they are Aminu Ahmad Jumare, Nuhu Mahmud, Murtala Nasir, Abdulrahman Ibrahim and Mahdi Muhammad Suraj.

In the same vein, the Kaduna Customary Court of Appeal is to have three Judges and they are Dorothy Sim Inwulale, Atung Dorcas Tabitha and Yusuf Yakubu.

The breakdown also showed that the Plateau State Customary Court of Appeal has only one Judge nominee in the person of Jettei T. Pekun.

The NJC statement indicated that all recommended candidates would be sworn- in upon approval of their recommendations by their respective state governors and State Houses of Assembly.
https://www.otowngist.com/2023/01/njc-seeks-appointments-of-9-heads-of-courts-84-judicial-officers/