National

By Muhammadu Sabiu

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which has been on strike for four months, will call off the industrial action soon, the Federal Government assures through Minister of Labour Chris Ngige.

Dr Chris Ngige revealed this to reporters after the Federal Executive Council, FEC, met for its weekly meeting on Wednesday.

Ngige claimed that efforts were being made to settle the ongoing conflict, which was primarily brought on by payment platforms.

However, he confirmed that the Federal Government has no plans to set up an alternative funding model for institutions.

Dr Ngige was quoted to have said, “Federal Government was indeed engaging with ASUU, despite notions that it has been snubbing the union.”

The university teachers have been insisting on the use of a payment system called University Transparency and Accountability Solution, which the Federal Government opposes, showing no sign of shifting ground on the use of the initial payment platform it came up with, called Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The Lagos Campus of the Nigerian Law School is set to discipline a student for drinking water from a bottle instead of a cup provided at the Law School Dinner table. 

A query letter making round on social media, dated June 20, 2022, and signed by one Mrs Fagbemi Charity Titilayo on behalf of the Lagos Campus’ Director & Head of Academics, disclosed the development. 

“It has been reported by the Director and head of Academics on June 16 2022, that while the Law Dinner was ongoing in the Dining Hall, you were found putting a bottle of water in your mouth when a glass cup was on your table ” Part of the query letter reads. 

The query letter further demanded that the student explain that disciplinary actions should not be taken regarding the unprofessional behaviour. 

“Consequently, you are requested to explain why disciplinary action should not be taken against you for violating Rule 6 (29) of the Code of Conduct of Students of Nigerian Law School on dinner etiquette and manners”, The letter reads. 

Although, at the time of fielding this report, the Nigerian Law School has yet to confirm or denounce the development. However, the Nigerian Law School is known for their strict adherence to written basic rules and etiquette. It is universally believed that good character and an uncompromising sense of decorum make a lawyer.

By Muhammadu Sabiu

Three All Progressives Congress (APC) senators have resigned from the ruling party.

Senators Ahmad Babba Kaita (Katsina North), Lawal Yahaya Gumau (Bauchi South), and Francis Alimikhena (Edo North) are the defecting lawmakers.

Gumau defected to the New Nigeria Peoples Party, while Babba Kaita and Alimikhena joined the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, read three different letters in Tuesday’s plenary in which they announced their defections.

Senator Alimikhena’s decision to leave the APC was motivated by the “ongoing and complex crises that have plagued the APC,” particularly in his Senatorial District, “that has formed parallel executives that have weakened internal discipline, coherence, and commitment.”

Explaining the reason for his detection, Babba Kaita was quoted as saying, “As Senator representing Katsina North Senatorial District, I write to formally notify you of my resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC), and registration declaration for the Peoples Democratic Party.

“My resignation from the APC was born out of the marginalisation of critical stakeholders by the State Government and Leadership of the Party in Katsina State, where small people like me do not have a chance.

“I have since been joyful and graciously accepted into the fold of the Peoples Democratic Party in Katsina State.”

By Uzair Adam Imam

Reports from different sources have indicated that negotiations between the federal government of Nigeria and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have been completed.

Meanwhile, ASUU awaits reports from the federal government to decide the fate of many promising students in the country.

However, demands of the union were made through a committee set up by the government to negotiate with it. The committee was reportedly headed by Prof. Nimi Briggs.

Speaking, the ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, stated that the union had done its best in the circumstance.

He added, “we have made our presentations to the committee, and there is nothing more to add.”

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

President Muhammadu Buhari has submitted names of seven ministers-designate to be screened and confirmed by the National Assembly.

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan disclosed this during the plenary on Tuesday, June 21, 2022.

The names and states of the ministers – designate, read out at the floor of the Red Chamber include: Henry Ikechukwu – Abia State, Umana Umana -Akwa Ibom State, Ekuma Joseph – Ebonyi State and Goodluck Obia – Imo State.

Others are Umar Yakub – Kano state, Ademola Adegorioye – Ondo State and Odo Udi – Rivers State.

The nominees are to replace the ministers that left the administration to contest for different elective positions.

As at the time of fielding this report, the National Assembly is yet to schedule the date for the screening of the nominated ministers.

By Muhammad Sabiu

Garba Shehu, President Muhammadu Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, has issued a statement on General Abdulsalami Abubakar’s health.

Remember that Abdulsalami was reportedly transported out of Nigeria for medical treatment, according to some media sources.

The retired Army General was reported to have suffered a minor stroke before being airlifted to a hospital in the United Kingdom (UK).

Shehu verified Abubakar’s release from the hospital in a tweet on Monday, stating that there was no need to be concerned.

“Alhamdu Lillahi for Allah’s mercy.

“I just ended a visit to His Excellency Abdulsalami Abubakar, former Head of State.

“He is out of hospital in a London apartment and apparently in no serious condition.

“He was his jovial self, maintaining a keen interest in developments back at home in Nigeria. Please, no cause for alarm.”

Abdulsalami was the Head of State in 1999, during which he conducted an election that brought the democratically civilian government of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to power.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP, has made a clarification regarding reports that the party’s presidential candidate and former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, would accept to be the running mate of the Labour Party’s presidential candidate and former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, in the 2023 presidential election.

This was made known on Sunday, June 19, 2022, in a statement by NNPP National Publicity Secretary, Agbo Major.

According to Major, there was no time such discussion or negotiation was held.

“NNPP has never at any time said its esteemed presidential candidate, His Excellency, Engr. Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso could accept to be Labour Party, Peter Obi’s deputy. The report is misleading and embarrassing to our great party, its Presidential Candidate, Kwankwaso and millions of supporters in Nigeria and in the diaspora, and urges journalists to crosscheck their reports before publishing them to avoid national disaffection ahead of the crucial 2023 general election.” He said

However, Major acknowledged the possibility of an alliance with the Labour Party in the interest of Nigeria and democracy.

“As a mass movement, NNPP acknowledged alliance talks with Labour Party that would consolidate and boost the nation’s frail democracy as we collectively strive for a new Nigeria which the party champions,” Major stated.

This is coming amidst the rumour of a merger of the NNPP and LP to unseat the ruling party, which was confirmed to be true by Kwankwaso in an interview with BBC Hausa on Saturday.

B Muhammad Sabiu

In the early hours of today (Sunday), the All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State emerged triumphant after the results of Saturday’s governorship election indicated that the party’s candidate, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, defeated the 15 other contestants that took part in the race.

Oyebanji, the state’s immediate past Secretary to the Government, won in 15 of the state’s 16 Local Government Areas after receiving 187,057 votes in the election.

His nearest rival, Mr Segun Oni of the Social Democratic Party, polled 82,211 votes, while Bisi Kolawole of the Peoples Democratic Party received 67,457 votes.

Kolawole won his LGA, Efon, with a total of 6,303 votes, beating the APC’s 4,012 votes and the SDP’s 339 votes.

However, Chief Segun Oni, the Social Democratic Party’s candidate, who voted in his home town of Ifaki-Ward Ekiti’s 2, Unit 6, accused the other parties of vote-buying in Ado Ekiti and Oye Ekiti.

He was reported to have said, “I have been told that selling and buying of votes are going on in Ado and Oye. This is not allowed by the law. I want security agents to move in and stop those doing that.”

Vote buying isn’t an unusual practice in the Nigerian political space since the rebirth of democracy in 1999 when former President Olusegun Obasanjo took over power.

By Muhammad Aminu

The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, Mr Matthias Schmale, has called on all Nigerians to forge a new contract with nature in the face of the danger of desertification and drought, and its growing threat to lives and livelihoods across Nigeria and Africa.

In statement after a virtual commemoration of World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought 2022 signed by UN Information Officer, Nigeria, Dr Oluseyi Soremekun, Mr Schmale appealed to Nigerians to help preserve the nature.

He said:“Together we can build a more inclusive and sustainable world that leaves no one behind. On this day, let’s begin to see ourselves as caretakers of the precious resource that is land.”

He explained that “we could forge a new contract with nature that would ensure a healthy and prosperous Nigeria for future generations,” and noted that restoring nature was the great test of our generation, a test that could not be failed.

The Resident Coordinator advocated for a more inclusive, balanced and sustainable world that leaves no one behind.

Schmale further called for actions to be taken at all levels, from citizens, businesses, governments and UN partners, “everyone can come on board and lend a helping hand to rise up from drought together.” He added.

In his welcome remarks, the WMO Representative, Mr Benard Gomez, who was represented by the National Professional Officer, Mr Roland Abah, emphasized that the State of the Global Climate 2021 report released in May 2022 by the UN Community through WMO, indicated that the past seven years had been the warmest seven years on record, and drought affected many parts of the world, including parts of Africa.

Abah disclosed that “UN Agencies support programmes and projects to combat drought, desertification and other extreme climate-related events in Nigeria. These programmes cover meteorological and hydrological observation, data infrastructure, monitoring and forecast products from satellite and data processing centres, information services, and early warning systems, emergency response and recovery.”

FAO Representative, Mr Fred Kafeero, represented by FAO Assistant Representative, Mr Abubakar Suleiman, disclosed that “FAO’s large-scale landscape restoration activities were carried out in 15 communities with a total of 2,240 Ha of drylands put under restoration through the planting of native woody and herbaceous fodder species including 2,757 Ha farmland areas that were naturally regenerated for biodiversity conservation and protection.”

Abubakar emphasised that FAO was promoting nature-based approach through sustainable land management practices and restoration of degraded dry lands in three states of Bauchi, Jigawa and Sokoto in Northern Nigeria.

He further emphasized the commitment of FAO to transformation of the food system and sustainable management of Nigeria’s natural resources.

In her presentation on “Fostering Sustainability and Resilience for Food Security in the Savannah Zones of Northern Nigeria”, the Project Manager, UNDP-GEF-IAP- FS Project Nigeria, Ms. Rhoda Dia, explained how UNDP have worked with small holder farmers to build resilience to climate risks (Desertification and Drought inclusive) and other shocks that drives food insecurities.

She cited the introduction of different erosion control measures such as use of cover crops, earth and stones bund and use of sandbags; and disclosed that “So far, 17.14 % (84.4 hectares) of eroded land was reclaimed in farmers plots. Planted /grew 180,747 seedlings/tree at farmer’s plots, school compounds, orchards and household gardens.”

Ms Dia further informed that the project provided linkages to research institution to access foundation for Seed multiplication; Established over 97 orchards with economic tree species in schools and communities; Trained over 38,000 beneficiaries on: Integrated pest & weed Management, and different erosion control techniques; among others.

Explaining the remedy for drought management, the Coordinator, Northern Zone, Natural Eco Capital, Mr Umar Saleh Anka, said that “Reliance on ground water and surface water are viable option for reducing the impact of drought.”

On the other hand, Irrigation as an option, according to him, will increase cost of production, but will definitely save farmer from drought induced total loss or crop failure.

The virtual observance of the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought 2022 in Nigeria under the theme, “Rising up from drought together”, was organised by the UN Information Centre (UNIC), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).

By Muhammad Sabiu

Lagos State’s ban on female Muslim pupils attending public schools in the state wearing the hijab was overturned by the Supreme Court on Friday.

In a 5–2 split ruling, the Supreme Court maintained the Court of Appeal, Lagos judgement from July 21, 2016, which overturned Justice Grace Onyeabo’s October 17, 2014 decision from the High Court of Lagos State.

The lead majority judge, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, dismissed the Lagos State appeal against the 2016 decision of the Court of Appeal, Lagos, because it lacked merit. 

Justice Tijani Abubakar read the lead majority judge’s decision on Friday.

Wearing the hijab in the Yoruba-dominated region, which is a mixture of Muslims and Christians, has been causing a lot of controversies.