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Renowned Nigerian singer Gabriel Oche Amanyi, professionally known as Terry G, has brought attention to an alleged unpaid debt owed by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) following his performance at President Bola Tinubu’s pre-inauguration concert in Abuja.

The artist, who was among the entertainers at the event held at the MKO Abiola National Stadium in May, voiced his grievances in a widely circulated video, claiming that certain individuals were in possession of money that was rightfully due to him for his contribution to the campaign event.

In a statement posted on his Instagram story on Monday, Terry G candidly addressed the situation, asserting that he had entrusted the matter to a higher power, seemingly disappointed by the unresolved financial disagreement.

He said: “For the people or whoever wey chop the money I worked for this APC campaign matters so make he no worry say nothing don do them o. I leave am to God. It’s only a matter of time.”

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have jointly declared a nationwide strike scheduled for next Tuesday, November 14, 2023.

The decision was reached after an extraordinary meeting of the National Executive Council in Abuja.

The leadership of the two major labour unions confirmed that the nationwide mobilisation of their members and supporters had commenced immediately in preparation for the impending strike.

This move by the Organised Labour is in response to the recent assault on NLC National President Joe Ajaero, which occurred last week in Imo State.

The incident sparked widespread outrage within the Labour community, with accusations directed at Imo State’s Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Barde, alleging complicity in the attack on Ajaero in Owerri, the state capital.

In the aftermath of the assault, Organised Labour issued a five-day ultimatum to the Federal Government, demanding the replacement of the police commissioner.

Additionally, Governor Hope Uzodimma, seeking re-election, faced allegations from the Labour unions.

The unions have further demanded the arrest and prosecution of some of the governor’s aides.

In response to the escalating situation, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, redeployed Commissioner Mohammed Barde on Sunday, citing the need for “neutrality” ahead of the November 11, 2023, governorship election in Imo State.

Ahead of Wednesday’s nationwide strike, the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress have summoned an extraordinary National Executive Council, NEC, meeting.

During the meeting, the organized labour will review the modalities of the planned strike following the attack on the National President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, review the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Federal Government and the Organized Labour on October 2, 2023, following the removal of the subsidy on fuel.

TUC’s National Vice-President, Tommy Etim, disclosed the summon on Tuesday.

The organized labour had on Friday last week, issued a five-day ultimatum ahead of its protest against Ajaero’s arrest in Owerri, Imo State.

The labour centres demanded the redeployment of the commissioner of police in the state and the arrest and prosecution of the aide of the governor alleged to have perpetrated the attack.

The unions also threatened to embark on a nationwide strike if their demands were not met in five days.

Ajaero was arrested by the police ahead of the state-wide protest in Imo on Wednesday.

Former employees of the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) and its subsidiary, the Nigerian Mobile Telecommunication (M-tel), have taken to the streets of Abuja to protest the non-payment of their severance package 17 years post-privatisation of NITEL.

NITEL, the state-owned telecommunications company, was privatised in 2006, leading to the disengagement of many employees.

The company and its mobile arm M-Tel were eventually sold through “guided liquidation” because of its huge liabilities.

In 2015, the government finalized a transaction that saw NITEL and M-tel’s assets sold to the National Commission (NATCOM). The deal was valued at $252.521 million.

But speaking during the protest, one of the ex-workers who didn’t provide his name said the Federal Government had previously approved and allocated funds for the unpaid severance packages. He questioned the delay in disbursing the funds.

The protesting workers expressed their frustration and disappointment over the situation and demanded an urgent response from the authorities and immediate disbursement of their long-overdue severance packages.

One of the protesters said, “We need this money. I’m from Nitel, M-tel staff, disengaged over the years and they don’t want to pay us.

“The money has been assigned and approved by the Federal Government. This is seventeen good years. Many have died without being paid. What are you keeping the money for?”

A fire incident was on Monday recorded at a  showroom at the popular Banex Plaza located along the Aminu Kano Crescent in Wuse II, Abuja.

In a video obtained by our correspondent, the popular electronics store was seen in flames while some persons were heard screaming in the background.

As of press time, our correspondent confirmed that men of the FCT Fire Service were already on the ground in an attempt to contain the fire.

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“Yes, it’s true. Our men are already on the ground,”  the Head of Operations of the FCT Fire Service, Abiola Adebayo, told our correspondent.

There were no details on the cause of the fire or casualty figures as of the time of filing this report.

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, weekend, expressed shock over the death of one-time Deputy President General of the pan-Igbo group, Dr Sylvanus Olisanye Ebigwei.

Ohanaeze, in a release by its National Publicity Secretary, Alex Ogbonnia, described the deceased as a ‘humanist, erudite scholar, and bridge-builder’.

Leading Reporters gathered that Dr Ebigwei served as the president of Aka Ikenga, Lagos; and later as the Vice President General (VPG) of Ohanaeze under Chief Nnia Nwodo as the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.

According to the release, “Throughout his tenure as the VPG, Chief Ebigwei’s wise counsel, moral authority, audacity of intellect, humility and nobility radiance were irresistible and disarming; and at the NEC meetings, Nwodo would cast a look at Ebigwei to solicit his validation at any critical juncture.”

The statement continued that, “Dr Ebigwei decried the inanity of double standards, identity crises and ethnic ambivalence that have pervaded the Igbo of the South-South extraction of Nigeria.”

The departed had in his book entitled ‘The History of Okpanam People and Culture’ stated that ‘Delta Ñorth, known as Anioma people, are basically Ndi Igbo’.

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Ohanaeze wrote, “Ebigwei lamented that the likes of Dennis Osadebay, Col Joe Achuzia, and Ambassador Raph Uwechue were firm about their Igboness; and would turn in their graves over the recent developments, where a split personality with Igbo name, language and culture would prefer to deny his identity for a genealogical rootlessness, porridge mendacity and chameleon mentality.”

Ebigwei, the statement added, regretted that it was “after the civil war in 1970 that many persons from Anioma started to distance themselves from their original ethnic identity for political survival.”

Ogbonnia further stated that, “Ebigwei was an exemplary Anioma who detested wobbling personalities and remained steadfast to his roots until Friday, November 3, 2023 when he departed to meet his ancestors.”

The President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, in the release, expressed dismay over the close chain of deaths of some Igbo icons of late, including Chief Joel Kroham, Prof George Obiozor, Prof Joe Irukwu, Prof Ben Nwabueze, Elder Dr UK Kalu and now Dr S. O. Ebigwei.

Born January 8, 1943, Sylvanus Olisanye Ebigwei attended St Patrick’s College, Asaba, and left as the best graduating HSC student in 1966. He proceeded to the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, where he studied dentistry.

He served as the chairman, Governing Council, Nnamdi Azikiwe University University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi; chairman, College of Dental Technology and Therapy, Enugu, and chairman, Post Graduate Medical College of Nigeria

No fewer than 11 persons lost their lives and 22 sustained various degrees of injuries when a truck loaded with beans and passengers from Sokoto en route to Ibadan, in Oyo State had an accident in the Shanga Local Government Area of Kebbi State on Friday.

It was gathered that the truck somersaulted after the driver lost control of the vehicle, at Giron Masa village.

Confirming this incident, the spokesman for the Kebbi State Police Command, SP Nafiu Abubakar, said the incident happened in the early hours of Friday.

“On  November 3, 2023, around 6 am, there was a  motor vehicle accident along Koko – Yauri Road, involving a Volvo DAF truck with number plate KWA 230 SKK, driven by one Alhaji Sule ‘m’ aged 40yrs of Gada LGA of Sokoto State.

“The truck which was loaded with passengers and bags of beans was coming from Sokoto to Ibadan, Oyo State. On reaching Giron Masa village, Shanga LGA, the driver of the truck lost control. As a result, it somersaulted and 21 passengers sustained various degrees of injuries.

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“On receipt of the report, a team of policemen from Shanga Division mobilised to the scene and evacuated the victims to General Hospital Shanga, for treatment, where a medical doctor confirmed 11 dead, while the remaining victims are responding to treatment.

“Given the above, the Commissioner of Police, Kebbi State Command, CP Chris Aimionowane, prayed for the souls of the departed to have an eternal rest”

The CP also called on transport unions and other road users to always ensure they place adequate safety measures in their vehicles and be conscious, to prevent recurrence.

He also advised them to observe the speed limit, avoid overloading, and recklessness and be more careful while driving.

France is set to repatriate $150 million stolen from Nigeria by former Head of State, late General Sani Abacha.

This was announced by presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, following a meeting between President Bola Tinubu and Catherine Colonna, the French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs.

Abacha ruled Nigeria from 1993 until his death in 1998. Transparency International had estimated that he stole up to $5 billion from the nation’s coffers during those years.

More than two decades after his death, Nigeria has continued to recover funds stolen by him during the five years he ruled the nation.

Transparency International puts the total amount recovered since the death of the late military dictator at $3.65 billion, as of 2022.

“Thank you for the good news on the return of Abacha loot,” Ngelale quoted President Tinubu as thanking France for the planned return of the loot.

“We appreciate your effective cooperation concerning the return of Nigeria’s money. It will be judiciously applied in attaining our development objectives,” the President added.

Tinubu emphasized the need for stronger collaboration on both political and economic fronts, and welcomed the growing cooperation between the two countries in areas of mutual interest, such as climate change, economic integration, education, and culture.

On the situation in Niger Republic, the President, who is also the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, said that Nigeria is monitoring the situation closely and working through diplomatic channels to avoid violence.

“Leadership is about responding to the needs of the people; their cries, and their frustrations. Nigeria shares a border with Niger across the expanse of seven Nigerian states, and most of these states are very populated. Therefore, I need to guide ECOWAS carefully and steadily so that we manage our anger carefully.

”We have a colleague and a democratically-elected leader, President Bazoum, being used as a human shield. If we are not careful, he and his family can be endangered.

”I am deploying all appropriate back-channel strategies to avoid bloodshed in Niger Republic. We recognize the wishes of our people; they do not want war, but that does not mean we can not take bold and decisive action,” the President affirmed.

President Tinubu said Nigeria will continue to galvanize international partners in the determined pursuit of a peaceful resolution to the situation in Niger Republic.

The French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs conveyed the goodwill of President Emmanuel Macron and expressed the readiness of France to expand mutually beneficial collaboration with Nigeria across multiple sectors.

She extended a formal invitation to President Bola Tinubu to attend the forthcoming Paris Peace Forum.

Colonna further applauded the conclusion of the lengthy legal process for the repatriation of the Abacha loot.

“It was a long process, but we are glad that it was concluded. Sometimes, justice may be slow, but this is a very good achievement,” she said.

Colonna added, “We support your efforts at ECOWAS. We are behind you because we believe that constitutional order is a treasure for all countries, and democracy must be a reality.”

bola ahmed tinububola tinubuEmmanbuel MacronFranceSANI ABACHA

Tinubu Empowers Nigerians To Hold Him Accountable, Launches Projects Tracker After Signing Performance Bond With Ministers

After Tinubu Disowned N5bn ‘Presidential Yacht’ Request, Reps Yank Off Proposal From Supplementary Budget

The House of Representatives has removed the N5 billion presidential yacht from the 2023 supplementary budget.

The House passed the N2.17 trillion budget on Thursday after the adoption of the report submitted by the chairman of its appropriations committee, Abubakar Bichi.

Bichi announced that the committee had reallocated the funds proposed for the yacht to the student loan budget provision to make it N10 billion.

Leading Reporters earlier reported that amid backlash over the N5 billion budget provision for the presidential yacht, the Presidency clarified that President Bola Tinubu did not request and does not need a yacht to carry out his functions.

According to Temitope Ajayi, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, the Nigerian Navy requested it in its budget.

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Earlier on Thursday, the Senate passed the supplementary budget which amounted to N2.17 trillion.

President Tinubu had requested the supplementary budget to address labour wage adjustments, security concerns, and other urgent matters.

Additionally, the President sent the 2024-2026 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) to the Senate for consideration.

The sectoral allocations of the supplementary budget were as follows:

• INEC: N18 billion
• Defence: N346.1 billion
• Police formations and commands: N29.6 billion
• Office of the National Security Adviser: N39.6 billion
• Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security: N103 billion
• Service-wide vote: N515 billion
• State House: N28 billion
• Ministry of Defence: N200 billion
• Police formations and commands: N20.3 billion
• Office of the National Security Adviser: N10.3 billion
• Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security: N97 billion
• Federal Ministry of Works: N300 billion
• Federal Capital Territory Administration: N100 billion
• Capital Supplementation: N220.5 billion.