Author

Folarin Kehinde

Headlines

BREAKING: Heavy Security Presence As NLC Set To Begin Protest In Abuja (PICTURES)

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

There is heavy security presence at the Unity Fountain, Abuja as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is about to commence its planned protest over some recently implemented policies by the Federal Government.

The protest which was slated to commence by 7am on Wednesday, 2nd August 2023, is about to commence at 8:17am.

Members of the NLC are present in large numbers with flags, placards and loudspeakers ready to commence the protest.

The group has since announced this protest, and after warnings and attempts by the FG to dissuade them, the protest is about to begin.

LEADING REPORTERS had earlier reported that the NLC could not resolve with the FG at the last scheduled meeting held on Friday 28 July 2023.

T

he meeting which ended in a deadlock had the leadership of the NLC, Joe Ajaero revealing that the FG wasn’t ready for a dialogue.

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestThreadsBlueskyEmail
Headlines

BREAKING: Nigerians Begins Protest In Kano, March Against Hardship Under Tinubu’s Government

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

Nigerians have begun a “warm up” protest in Kano State over the hike of petrol price from N195 to N617, naira devaluation, school fees increment and other anti-poor policies of the President Bola Tinubu-led Nigerian government.

Leading Reporters learnt that on Monday that JAF alongside the Alliance for Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB) and Coalition for Revolution (CORE) declared their total support for the August 2 Nigeria Labour Congress nationwide action.

The civic organisations in a joint declaration, signed by Femi Falana (ASCAB), Baba Ayelabola (CORE), and Achike Chude (JAF) after a meeting on Sunday, which was made available to SaharaReporters on Monday, had said they would join in the protest until victory was achieved.

Titled: “August 2nd, 2023 as the beginning of nationwide resistance against fuel price hike and anti-poor policies is sacrosanct,” the civic organisations had said that the minimum aim of the forthcoming struggle is the reversal of the “criminal hike of petrol from N617 to N195, reversal of other criminal policies like fee hike in public tertiary institutions, devaluation of the naira” which they noted had made life unbearable on Nigerian masses.

“We support the decision of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to call Nigerian workers and poor masses out on protest starting from Wednesday, August 2, 2023, against the wicked and neoliberal policies of the President Tinubu government, including, the severe hike in the price of petrol and devaluation of the naira.”

The organisations tasked the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) with unity in their engagement with the Federal Government and encourage them to jointly mobilise for mass action.

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestThreadsBlueskyEmail
Headlines

BREAKING: Labour may reconsider planned protest

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The Organised Labour gave an indication on Tuesday that it may reconsider its planned nationwide protest scheduled to commence on Wednesday.

Secretary of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) Emma Ugbaja gave the indication at the end of the Presidential Steering Committee on Palliatives meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He argued that though the measures announced Monday evening by President Bola Tinubu were welcoming, they were not far-reaching enough.

He however said the Labour team would go back to the bodies they represent to consort to achieve consensus on the next line of action.

Details Shortly

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestThreadsBlueskyEmail
Headlines

BREAKING: Panic As Chopper Crashes In Ikeja, Lagos

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

A chopper has crashed in the Oba Akran area in Ikeja, Lagos State, Leading Reporters has learnt.

The Spokesman for the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), Tunji Oketunbi, confirmed the development to our correspondent on Tuesday afternoon.

Also, an official of the The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) told our correspondent that the incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon.

More to follow…

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestThreadsBlueskyEmail
Headlines

JUST IN: Atiku storms tribunal for final battle in petition against presidential election

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the last presidential election, Atiku Abubakar has stormed the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal for the final legal fireworks in his petition against the declaration of Bola Tinubu as winner of the election.

Atiku, who dressed in a sky blue kaftan, arrived the Court of Appeal, venue of the tribunal, with a retinue of his political associates and friends.

The former Vice President was heralded into the court room by several members of his legal team.

At the time of this report, Atiku was the focus of action and visit inside the court room.

His lead counsel, Chief Chris Uche SAN, has also arrived the Tribunal to engage Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN, lead counsel to President Tinubu in the last legal fireworks for and against the declaration of Tinubu as winner of the February 25 presidential election.

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestThreadsBlueskyEmail
Headlines

Ministerial Screening: “Taking A Bow Doesn’t Confirm your Appointment”- Akpabio Tells Nominees

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has told ministerial nominees that taking a bow during screening before the lawmakers does not mean they have been cleared or confirmed.

Akpabio made the clarification on Monday, during the screening of a nominee from Anambra State, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye.

Kennedy-Ohanenye, who was the first female ministerial nominee to be screened by the red chamber on the first day of the screening, was the sole female presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 presidential election.

Kennedy-Ohanenye, a native of Anambra State, stepped down for former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, during the APC presidential primary in June 2022.

She was one of the seven female nominees that made the President’s 28-men ministerial list unveiled last Thursday by the Senate President.

After Kennedy-Ohanenye’s introductory comment, Senator Ireti Kingibe from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) asked her colleagues to let the ex-APC presidential aspirant take a bow.

Kingibe said, “I would like to support distinguished Senator Ifeanyi Ubah that she (Kennedy-Ohanenye) also should take a bow. She deserves it, and everybody else has taken a bow. I think her CV (Curriculum Vitae) requires that she takes a bow also.”

Responding, Akpabio said, “Distinguished Senator Ireti Kingibe, any nominee that comes before us will take a bow, whether the person is cleared or not.

“At the end of the day, we will go into the clearance and the confirmation; we will confirm whether the person is qualified or not, but bowing before the hallowed chamber is a tradition all over the world.

“So, if you are saying others have taken a bow, they took a bow because they entered into the hallowed chamber.

“We have to amend our rules; we have to suspend our rules to allow strangers to come in. So, when they come, they take a bow; the bow does not mean they have been confirmed. So, even if she (Kennedy-Ohanenye) takes a bow, we will still go into the issue of confirmation later.”

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestThreadsBlueskyEmail
Headlines

“Nigerian will benefit from over 1trnSaved From Removal Of Fuel Subsidy In Two Months” Tinubu Assures

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

President Bola Tinubu on Monday said that since the removal of petrol subsidy on May 29 this year, over N1trn has been saved by the Federal Government.

Tinubu who said this in a national broadcast noted that his administration would do all it can to ensure that the pain of the removal of subsidy ameliorated through palliatives that are being worked on.

He said, “In a little over two months, we have saved over a trillion Naira that would have been squandered on the unproductive fuel subsidy which only benefitted smugglers and fraudsters. That money will now be used more directly and more beneficially for you and your families.

” For example, we shall fulfill our promise to make education more affordable to all and provide loans to higher education students who may need them. No Nigerian student will have to abandon his or her education because of lack of money.

” Our commitment is to promote the greatest good for the greatest number of our people. On this principle, we shall never falters. “

Tinubu during his inauguration on May 29 had announced that the Federal Government will no longer pay subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit.

Consequently, the NNPC Ltd adjusted the prices upward from between N189 to N194 to N537 per litre and then N617 in Abuja and other North-Central States such as Nasarawa, Plateau, Kwara, Kogi, Benue and Niger.

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestThreadsBlueskyEmail
Headlines

Your nationwide broadcast waste of time, deceptive – Atiku’s aide Slams Tinubu

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

Phrank Shaibu, the Special Assistant on Public Communications to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has described President Bola Tinubu’s national broadcast as uninspiring and deceptive.

Shaibu said the nationwide broadcast was a complete waste of time.

He noted that Tinubu’s speech was only done in order to convince the organised labour not to embark on a nationwide protest.

In a statement he signed, the Atiku’s aide maintained that Tinubu’s broadcast was an afterthought after removing petrol subsidy without a clear plan that would have ameliorated the sufferings of the people who have gotten poorer since the All Progressives Congress, APC, took power in 2015.

According to Shaibu: “Tinubu’s speech was hurriedly put together in order to dissuade the suffering masses and the organised labour from embarking on protests. Rather than apologise for removing subsidy without providing a cushion for the poor, he went about accusing subsidy thieves of being behind the current suffering. If he is sure of this, why hasn’t he arrested them?

“Tinubu also lied when he claimed that he had for years been an advocate of subsidy removal. This was a man who in 2012 described petrol subsidy removal as “the Goodluck Jonathan tax” and sponsored protests in Lagos State. After he dubiously got to power, he lacked imagination on how to address the issue and then removed the subsidy but without a plan.”

Shaibu said Tinubu’s so-called plans to provide N50,000 grants to small businesses would be undermined by inflation, exchange rate problems and corruption

He added, “Tinubu says he will provide N50,000 (roughly $60) to 1, 300 nano businesses. This is reminiscent of the dubious trader moni and the monthly N20,000 spent on the public works programme of the last APC government which not only failed to stimulate the economy but also worsened poverty as funds went into private pockets.

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestThreadsBlueskyEmail
Headlines

JUST-IN: Despite Tinubu’s Appeal, NLC Insists On Strike

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

Despite President Bola Tinubu’s plea during the national broadcast on Monday, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has insisted on a nationwide protest.

Tinubu had confirmed the plight of Nigerians following the removal of fuel subsidy while promising that workers’ salaries will be increased.

However, the NLC vows to hit the street in its proposed August 2, 2023 protest, insisting that the voice of the people must be heard in a tweet on Monday night.

The union said “Now that they have spoken, they must allow the citizens to speak.

“The Citizens also have what to say, our voice must be heard, come 2nd August, we speak truth to power.”

The Union in collaboration with the Trade Union Congress (TUC) had met with representatives of the Federal Government in a closed-door meeting at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja on Monday.

The meeting was to unresolved issue of subsidy removal and the accompanying hardship being witnessed by Nigerians, Labour re-issued its earlier strike notice declared in the wake of the removal of subsidy on petrol on May 29.

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestThreadsBlueskyEmail
Headlines

Tinubu, Six Govs Off To Benin Republic For Country’s 63rd Anniversary Celebration

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

President Bola Tinubu will on Tuesday honour an invitation to attend the 63rd independence anniversary of the Republic of Benin.

This is contained in a statement by Mr Dele Alake, Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy on Monday in Abuja.

He said that the President, who is also the Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States, would be the Special Guest of President Patrice Talon at the ceremony.

President Tinubu had first met with Talon on the sidelines of the summit on New Global Financing Pact in Paris, France and at the 63rd Ordinary session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS held in Guinea-Bissau.

The two leaders also more recently met at the State House, Abuja along with leaders of three other West African nations, where the Benin Republic President invited him for the anniversary.

Tinubu had drawn the attention of the Beninese leader to the need to review and strengthen cultural, trade and economic relations between their two countries.

The president also highlighted the need for joint border patrols by the Customs and harmonizing regulations on the frontlines among West African countries.

The President will be accompanied on the one-day visit by six governors, who were invited by Talon, and his personal aides.

The six governors are: Ogun, Dapo Abiodun; Lagos, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Oyo, Seyi Makinde; Kwara, AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq; Kebbi, Nasir Idris, and Niger, Mohammed Umar Bago.

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestThreadsBlueskyEmail
Newer Posts
Older Posts