Folarin Kehinde

Staff of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) National Secretariat have resorted to prayers ahead of Wednesday’s judgment of the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC).

Leading reporters gathered that the prayer session began at about 1:00 pm at the PDP Chapel in Wadata Plaza, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja.

Reports confirm that the staff are asking for divine intervention as the PEPC delivers judgment on the case instituted by the PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, against the declaration of Bola Tinubu as the winner of the February 25, 2023 Presidential election on Wednesday, September 6.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had announced Tinubu, the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner of the election.

Atiku and his party, unsatisfied with the announcement, sought justice from the tribunal. According to them, there were widespread irregularities and malpractices.

The military and police have warned against any unlawful action by troublemakers ahead of the delivery of the judgment of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja on Wednesday.

Leading reporters recalls that the Director of Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Tukur Gusau said in a statement that the security agencies would not condone any attempt to disrupt the peace.

“We have been maintaining peace and security in collaboration with other security agencies across the country,” Gusau said. “In Abuja, we have the Guards Brigade and the Army Headquarters Garrison in conjunction with other security agencies that have been on the ground to provide security in the FCT.”

He warned those planning to cause violence to discard the idea. “We will continue to do our own work, and if anybody wants to perpetrate any mayhem, we cannot fold our arms and be looking at them,” Gusau said. “We have to do our job.”

He said the security agencies would be on high alert on the day of the judgment and would not hesitate to take action against anyone who tries to cause trouble.

“On the (judgment) day, we will maintain our normal vigilance in conjunction with other security agencies,” Gusau said. “We can’t be doing our work and see somebody trying to unleash mayhem and we keep quiet. So, why are we outside (on patrol)?”

The statement from the military and police comes amid concerns that there could be violence in the wake of the judgment. The petition challenging the election victory of President Bola Tinubu has been widely seen as a test case for the country’s democracy.

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, had on March 1 declared Tinubu the president-elect because his party, the All Progressive Congress, APC, scored the majority of votes cast in the poll.

Both Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, the first runner-up in the election and Peter Obi of the Labour Party, the second runner-up, challenged the declaration of Tinubu as the winner of the election.

The Director of Works of Mariga Local government area of Niger State Alhaji Yakubu Bala has been killed by terrorists three days after he was abducted.

Leading reporters learnt that the Director was abducted with 23 others over the weekend from Mariga town.

It was learnt that the terrorists demanded N50m ransom, which his family paid.

The sister of the deceased, Hajia Hadiza Abdullahi disclosed that the late Director was in his room with his two wives, one of who was heavily pregnant, when the terrorists invaded his house.

She explained that when the terrorists knocked, one of the wives opened the door and the terrorists forced their way in before taking the deceased to an unknown destination.

Abdullahi explained that three days after her brother and others were kidnapped, the bandits called for a ransom of N50 million.

“We raised millions but the bandits did not release my brother. There were relations of four others kidnapped who were able to contribute N2 million each and they took to the abductors in the forest before their family members were released.

“It was when these people came from the forest that we were told that my brother had been killed by the gunmen two days after he was kidnapped,” Abdullahi said.

According to her, the released victims disclosed that her brother was tied to a tree and the terrorists broke his two legs before he died adding that they were told that he was buried in a shallow grave in the forest.

She lamented that her brother left behind two wives and 10 children saying that the family are having a hard time coming to terms with his death.

Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), on Tuesday, nabbed some officials of State Emergency Management Agency diverting palliatives meant for the citizens to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal.

Some of the suspects arrested at a popular market in Lafia, Nasarawa State capital where the items were being resold included officials of Nasarawa State Emergency Management Agency (NASEMA) and their accomplices

Spokesman of the secret police, Peter Afunanya, who disclosed the development to journalists in Abuja, explained that some of the diverted items were recovered from the suspects.

Afunanya called on members of the public who may have information relating to the emerging trend to report same to the relevant security agencies for necessary action, saying the culprits would be punished according to laws.

“The Department of State Services (DSS) has received reports from some State Governments relating to diversion or sale of palliatives meant for their citizens.

“Consequently, the Service undertook investigations in that regard and has recovered some of the items as well as apprehended the suspects,” the DSS spokesman noted.

He noted that while their operation was ongoing in other states, the service has already intercepted a suspected criminal syndicate in Nasarawa State responsible for the diversion and sale of the palliatives meant for the vulnerable in the place.

Leading reporters learnt that the federal government had a few weeks ago shared thousands of bags of rice, a staple food, across 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory in order to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal, particularly on the vulnerable citizens.

Officials of the Anambra State chapters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) reportedly used canes to chase workers out of the state secretariat on Tuesday in their bid to enforce compliance with the two-day nationwide warning strike declared by the body.

Following its National Executive Council meeting, NLC had issued a communiqué declaring that it would commence a two-day nationwide warning strike on Sept. 5.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), some NLC officials resorted to the use of canes to chase civil servants out of workplaces.

One of the workers, who preferred anonymity, said: “This is the first time I’ve witnessed labour union taking this strike action seriously since I joined the civil service. For the first time, I saw labour officials using canes to flog workers out of their offices. If I had known they would be this serious, I would not have reported to work today.

The federal secretariat opposite the state secretariat was deserted as workers did not report to work. Banks and courts within Awka, the state capital, were also closed.

Commercial activities in Awka were unaffected, however, as businesses, shops, and markets were open and transporters carried out their businesses without obstructions.

Humphrey Nwafor, NLC chairman in Anambra State, said: “Though we are still monitoring the strike, I can tell you that we have recorded 90 per cent compliance in Anambra State. I’m calling on workers in the state to come together as a pressure group to press home our demands.”

A power outage hit the federal capital territory and its environment on Tuesday as workers shut down the power supply over the Nigeria Labour Congress Two-day warning strike.

The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company disclosed this on Tuesday in a notice to customers through its X handle.

The DisCo said: We are aware of the general power outage being experienced across our franchise due to the enforcement by NLC of the 2-day warning strike embarked upon by the labour union.

“We apologize for any inconvenience you may be experiencing as a result of this, as we continue our engagement with key stakeholders towards minimizing the strike’s impact on our customers”, the notice partly reads.

LEADING REPORTERS recalls that NLC announced a two-day warning strike over the hardship occasioned by fuel subsidies removal, among other demands.

However, efforts by the federal government to halt the strike have yet to yield results.

Several Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) have chosen to disregard the directive issued by the National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institution Employees (NUBIFIE) to participate in a two-day warning strike called by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

NUBIFIE’s directive, issued on Monday, September 4, was ignored by some of the DMBs.

At branches of First Bank, UBA, and Access Bank located in the Karu area of Abuja, customers were issued numbers and ushered into the banking halls in batches, even as other banks such as Zenith, Polaris, and Fidelity appeared to have customers stranded on their premises.

It is noteworthy that the banks where customers were seen stranded had their staff readily available within the banking halls, suggesting a lack of compliance with the NUBIFIE’s orders.

According to report, some of the banks continued their operations despite the directives issued by NUBIFIE.

At the Access Bank branch adjacent to A. A. Rano along Karu Road, our correspondent had a conversation with the Bank Manager, who, while unable to provide a reason for the bank’s operation, directed inquiries to the bank’s headquarters.

“I’m not in the position to speak on this (NLC strike), but contact them at our Garki branch, they will speak on this and give a reason why, we are only obeying orders,” he said.

Similarly, at UBA and FirstBank, our reporter learned that employees were instructed to continue working, defying the strike directive.

However, at Zenith Bank, Abacha Road, in Nasarawa State, an anonymous staff member revealed that the bank was only conducting online transactions, with physical transactions temporarily suspended due to the ongoing NLC strike.

“We are in the office, but can’t receive customers, this is because of the ongoing NLC strike, all we are instructed to do is carry out online transactions for customers,” the staff said.

Meanwhile, at Polaris and Fidelity Banks, customers expressed their frustration at the inconsistency in banks’ responses to the strike.

Njoku Adams, a man in his late 40s, remarked, “Look, the UBA branch beside this Polaris branch is open and operational. Why aren’t they working? If it’s because of the NLC strike, is UBA above the NLC?”

Another customer, David Bayo, lamented, “It skipped my mind, I would have done this transaction yesterday.”