A group of women on Monday, March 27, protested in front of the United States Embassy in Abuja over the outcome of the 2023 presidential election.

The women, who are members of the Free Nigeria Movement, were at the US Embassy to report the alleged fraud that happened during the 2023 polls.

Some of the women stripped to their innerwear during the protest.

They had placards inscribed with messages expressing their grievances.

The protesters called on the US Government to place a visa ban on the instigators of violence during the poll.

This comes barely one month after Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was declared winner of the February 25 presidential election by the Independent National Electoral, INEC.

Tinubu was declared winner of the 2023 polls. His closest challengers, candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi of the Labour Party have since petitioned the Election Tribunal to seek redress.

The Abuja High Court has issued an order attaching funds standing to the credit of Governnor Seyi Makinde’s government and state agencies in four banks.

Justice A.O. Ebong issued the order while ruling on a motion ex parte for garnishee order nisi filed by the ex-chairmen and councillors led by Bashorun Majeed, Bosun Ajuwon and Idris Okusesi.

The banks are First Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA), Wema Bank and Zenith Bank.Mr Ebong ordered the banks to show cause why the order nisi should not be made absolute.

The ruling on the motion marked FCT/HC/BW/M/238/2023, was delivered by the judge on March 2 and a certified true copy (CTC) sighted on Sunday in Abuja.

The funds, according to court filings, are to settle the outstanding balance of N3,374,889,425.60 from the judgment debt owed some former local government chairmen and councillors sacked on May 29, 2019 before the end of their tenure by Mr Makinde.

The garnishee proceeding, initiated for the chairmen and councillors by their lawyer, Musibau Adetunbi, is in execution of a judgment they got against the governor and six others from the Supreme Court on May 7, 2021.

“A garnishee order nisi is hereby granted to attach the judgment debtors’ accounts with garnishees numbers one to four in the motion ex parte, for the purpose of settling the judgment debt outstanding in the sum of N3,374,889,425.60 as awarded by the Supreme Court and conceded by the judgment debtors in Exhibit 11 attached to the applicant’s motion,” said the court ruling.

It added;

“The garnishees (first to fourth) shall file affidavits and attend court on the next adjourned date to show cause why the order nisi should not be made absolute. A copy of this order nisi shall be served on the judgment debtors as required by law. This matter is hereby adjourned to the 4/4/2023 for continuation.”

It was gathered that the judgment creditors have since effected service of copies of the order on the judgment debtors as ordered by the court.

Listed as judgment debtor with Mr Makinde are Oyo attorney general, the commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs, the accountant general, the house of assembly, the speaker and the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC).

The ex-chairmen and councillors were elected in an election conducted by OYSIEC on March 12, 2018 for a three-year term.

Upon learning that Mr Makinde, who took office on May 29, 2019 had planned to sack them, the chairmen and councillors filed a suit at the state’s high court to challenge the constitutionality of sections 11 and 12 of the Oyo State Local Government Law 2001, which empowered the governor and the house of assembly to dissolve LG executives in the state.

In its judgment on May 6, 2019 the court declared sections 11 and 12 of the state’s Local Government Law 2001 as unconstitutional, on the grounds that it violated section 7(1) of the Constitution.

Despite the subsistence of the judgment, Mr Makinde sacked the chairmen and councillors on May 29, 2019 and subsequently appealed the judgment.

The Court of Appeal, in its judgment on July 15, 2020 set aside the judgment of the high court. The chairmen and councillors appealed the decision at the Supreme Court.In its judgment on May 7, 2021 a five-member panel of the apex court, presided over by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, allowed the appeal marked SC/CV/556/2020 and set aside the decision of the appelate court.

The apex court, which awarded a cost of N20 million against Mr Makinde, ordered that the ex-chairmen and councillors, who were unlawfully sacked by the governor, be paid their salaries and allowances from May 29, 2019 to May 11, 2021 when their tenure ought to have expired.

In the lead judgment by Justice Ejembi Eko, the Supreme Court came down hard on Mr Makinde, who it found, acted arbitrarily and undemocratic.“I will not conclude this appeal without commenting on the disturbing ugly face of impunity displayed by the governor of Oyo state (first respondent herein) on 29th May, 2019, tantamounting to executive lawlessness, outrightly and vehemently condemned by this court in the case of the military governor of Lagos state v. Ojukwu,” said the judge.

He noted that, even before appealing the high court judgment, Mr Makinde on May 29, 2019 “issued imperial directives dissolving all democratically elected local government councils in Oyo state in spite of the subsisting judgment of Oyo state high court in the suit No. 1/347/2017.”

He added;

“Series of applications were filed by the judgment creditors, the present appellants, to restrain, particularly the first respondent (the governor), from embarking on the self-help designed to contemptuously frustrate the judgment of the high court. He was not dissuaded. He proceeded in his imperial omnipotency to continue in his untrammelled, albeit invidious contemptuous, disregard of subsisting judgment of the high court.”

Mr Eko stressed that “it is unthinkable that a democratically elected governor would embark on these unwholesome undemocratic tendencies. These tendencies no doubt endanger democracy and the rule of law,” pointing that “it is almost becoming universal phenomena that the democratically elected governors have constituted themselves into a specie most dangerous to democracy in this country.”

Governor Seyi Makinde has called on his co-contestants in the just concluded March 18 governorship election in Oyo to join hands with him to develop the State.

“Electioneering campaign is behind us now and we are to battle the issue of governance now.

“This is our state and commonwealth and we must make sure we move our state forward,’’ Mr Makinde said on a radio programme on Saturday in Ibadan.

He described his electoral success as victory for the people of Oyo and said he was open to working with the ideas of his co-contestants wherever they were found to be superior to his.

According to him, everyone must now come together in the interest of Oyo State and that he will reach more people with infrastructural development.

He promised to continue to deliver quality projects that would touch all sectors of the state, stressing that he would continue to build on the solid foundation already laid in the last four years.

The governor added that he would also put the sticky points learnt during the campaigns into practice and continue to develop the state vigorously as he had done since 2019 when he took office.

Mr Makinde appreciated all residents, including elder statesmen and women, businessmen, labour unions, market associations and religious bodies that stood by him before, during and after the election.

He equally noted that his administration would reach more areas with infrastructure and touch a wider population of Oyo State in his second term of office.

He maintained that the recruitment of teachers and other non-teaching staff, building of more education infrastructure would receive major priority in his second tenure.

Mr Makinde added that the administration would reabsorb many of the workers that were sacked provided they were not linked to fraud.

The governor said contract for the rehabilitation of the Agbowo Shopping Complex, situated opposite the University of Ibadan main gate, would be re-awarded to a contractor with the right capacity soonest.

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has assured Nigerians that the technology to be deployed in the conduct of the 2023 census cannot be manipulated.

The Director-General of NOA, Garba Abari, gave this assurance during the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja on Sunday, while urging Nigerians to ensure that they’re counted during the conduct of the 2023 National Population and Housing Census.

The NOA boss said the technology to be deployed for the exercise would facilitate its credibility and acceptability, and “will make it difficult for anyone to manipulate the process.

“No doubt, the exercise will be different from previous ones because we are advancing through the use of modern technologies,” he said.

The country is getting set for national population and housing census in May. The last time Nigeria had a census was in 2006.Mr Abari, who is a member of the National Publicity and Advocacy Committee on census, said that the exercise is due to begin on May 3.

He, therefore, appealed to the media to help in educating Nigerians about the importance of presenting themselves for the headcount when it begins.

He said;

“I urge Nigerians to participate fully in the exercise so as to avail the country of the benefits that can be derived from the population and housing census.

“Nigerians, please remember you count, so come out and be counted. Census is for all of us and census is for development and development is all we need.”

While highlighting the importance of census to national planning and development, he emphasised the need for accurate figures that would be credible and acceptable, saying “in this day and era, we cannot be planning on the basis of conjectures.”

He added that so far, every building in the country had been coded for the purpose, assuring Nigerians not to expect manipulations in the forthcoming census.

He expressed the commitment of NOA to mobilise Nigerians for the exercise through robust sensitisation.He said the federal government’s consideration of the 2023 census as a priority programme in spite of challenges confronting the country underscored why Nigerians should participate in the process.

He added that, “we will ensure that all Nigerians are well informed to be properly counted.

“We need to sensitise the population to know the importance of the national population census.

“This is for the purpose of planning, legislative representation and insecurity that will reflect the peculiarity of our national demography — men, women, youths and children per local government, state and geo political zone.

“Be assured of the commitment to conduct a credible digital census in the country,” Mr Abari said.

Ademola Adeleke has been reinstated as Governor of Osun state by a Court of Appeal.

A three-member panel of justices presided by Justice Mohammed Lawal Shuaibu on Friday March 24, held that the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate and former governor, Gboyega Oyetola failed to prove allegations of over-voting against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

They also noted that the election tribunal erred when it ruled that the 1st and 2nd respondents (Gboyega Oyetola and the All Progressives Congress) proved their allegation of over-voting.

The appellate court in a unanimous verdict, also awarded the sum of N500, 000 cost against the APC and its candidate.

It however dismissed Adeleke’s contention that the comments by the chairman of the governorship election petitons tribunal saying “go low low, Buga won” did not amount to bias.

Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle of Zamfara state has conceded defeat after losing his re-election bid to the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Dauda Lawal Dare.

Matawalle who conceded defeat in an audio message to residents of the state, said he and all his supporters have to submit to the will of Almighty Allah as things happen only by His will.

He also said that when his administration came on board, he met with all major stakeholders in the state on how best they could restore lasting peace to the state through peace dialogues adding that up till today there is nothing more challenging than insecurity bedevilling the state.

The Governor said apart from the peace dialogue with armed bandits, he also worked hard to see that his administration brought different political factions into one platform so that peace and unity reign in the state.

He said;

“We have achieved the political reconciliation and this paved way for peaceful campaign rallies and healthy political activities in the state.

“If I have knowingly or unknowingly offended or hurt the feeling of anyone, I seek his or her forgiveness. I’m a human being like anyone and only Almighty Allah’s deeds or actions are error-free.

“I’m also using this medium to appeal for calm and sympathise with those who have lost their property in the name of celebration. We should understand that we have no other place than Zamfara state.

“We are also calling on the incoming administration to work hard to restore peace to the state. We are grateful for the commitment and hard work and resilience of the people of our dear state.”

Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Mr Festus Keyamo SAN has petitioned the State Security Services SSS, demanding the arrest of the Labour Party LP Presidential and Vice Presidential Candidates, Peter Obi and Datti Baba-Ahmed respectively, for comments he described as incendiary and capable of causing rebellion.

Keyamo said that since the declaration of the Presidential election results, the duo have been hopping from one media house to the other making incendiary comments and claims about the declaration of the President-elect by the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC.

Keyamo said,

“These comments and claims are made, not just within the boundaries of exercising their rights to freedom of speech and the freedom to air their grievances publicly, but they have since crossed the line to call for the outright truncation of democracy by insisting on the adoption of other processes outside the contemplation of our Constitution.

“In some cases, their privies have even called for the establishment of an Interim Government.

“The latest of such are the comments made by Datti Baba-Ahmed on behalf of himself and Mr. Peter Obi on Channels TV on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, wherein he threatened that if the President-Elect is sworn in on May 29th, 2023, it would ‘signal the end of democracy’.

Posing as an accuser, a judge and a jury all by himself, he unilaterally declared the duly elected President-elect as ‘unconstitutional’ and, in a subliminal manner, threatened mayhem if the President-Elect is sworn in on May 29th, 2023. ”

He continued;

“I also have it on good authority that Mr. Peter Obi and Datti Baba-Ahmed have camped some youths in a popular hotel in Abuja with the sole aim of instructing them to push out inciting messages everyday on social media in order to cause panic and fear within the federation and to incite people to riot and social unrest.

“I submit this petition in my personal capacity as a patriotic Nigerian to invite/arrest, interrogate and after investigation, if necessary, charge both individuals.” he added

The Federal Executive Council has approved the sum of N453.90bn for the procurement of rolling stock, operation and maintenance equipment for the Kano-Maradi standard gauge rail line currently under construction.

The Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo, disclosed this to State House correspondents on Wednesday, March 22, after this week’s Council meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The approved sum also includes N510.93m meant for procuring four customised fire service/search and rescue vans in seaports at Port Harcourt, Lagos Port Complex, Tincan Island port and the Marina headquarters of the Nigerian Ports Authority.

The 248km rail line will traverses Kano, other cities such as Kazaure in Bauchi State, Daura and Mashi in Katsina State; Dutse in Jigawa State, the border town of Jibia, before terminating in Niger Republic’s trade and agricultural hub of Maradi.

According to a former Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, the line has 15 stations along its path with a forecasted daily traffic of 9,364 passengers and approximately 3000 metric tons of cargo. However, the project has been fraught with resistance, especially from lawmakers.

However, on Wednesday, Sambo said:

“The memorandum sought council’s consideration and approval for the award of contract for the procurement of rolling stock, operation or maintenance equipment for the Kano-Maradi standard gauge rail line that is currently under construction.

“The contract was awarded to MSSRs Mota-Engil Nigeria Limited, who are the contractors handling this particular project in the sum of $984,722,302.5 inclusive of seven and a half per cent VAT with a completion period of four years.”

Sambo also revealed that the Transport ministry presented another memo on behalf of the Nigerian Ports Authority “for the award of contract for the construction and supply of four customised Fire Service search and rescue vans for extrication of accident victims for Rivers Ports in Port Harcourt, Lagos Port complex, Tincan Island Port and the Marina headquarters of the NPA, all in Lagos.

Sambo said:

“Council considered the memorandum and approved the award of the contract as recommended and reviewed by the Bureau of Public Procurement in the sum of N510,934,600 inclusive of seven and a half percent VAT with a completion period of nine months in favour of Messrs All Works Commercial Company Limited.”

Governor-elect Alex Otti of the Labour Party has assured Abia people that his administration will unite rather than divide the state and vows to pay salaries and pensions the incumbent administration owes civil servants and pensioners.

Mr Otti gave the assurance in his acceptance speech on Wednesday after he was declared the winner of the March 18 governorship election.

He spoke at his campaign office, near the Government House on Bank Road, Umuahia, which overflowed with supporters.The teeming crowd blocked the thoroughfare for several hours, dancing and jubilating over his victory.

“With deep humility and a profound sense of responsibility, I wholeheartedly accept your mandate to be your chief servant for the next four years. Before I go on, I must first dedicate this victory to God the Father Almighty, who makes everything beautiful in His own time,” said Mr Otti.

“I also dedicate it to the millions of Abia citizens who have been the unfortunate victims of bad governance these past decades.”Mr Otti expressed gratitude to the residents, including indigenes and non-indigenes, that took part in his election.

“As you are all aware, this was my third attempt at contesting for this office, in my quest to implement my long-held vision of rebuilding Abia as truly God’s own state.“At this third attempt, it pleased God to give us victory,” stated the governor-elect.

“In the words of one Labour Party stalwart, ‘The siege is over!.

He added;

“With our votes and the collective will of the people, we have ‘broken the gates of hell and cast its bars of iron asunder’. As recorded in the holy book, the kingdom of hell shall not prevail against us.”

Mr Otti described his victory as “a call to service” and that “even as I come out of a bruising and long-drawn out campaign, I know that this is just the beginning of the journey.”

He stressed thag there “is a lot of work to be done and we must get all hands on deck to ensure that we take back our state and bring the much sought-after dividend of democracy.”

He told the crowd of supporters that “you voted us to serve you and not to be served” and that “you voted us to alleviate your sufferings and not to compound and multiply them.”

The former Diamond Bank CEO added, “This is a service that comes with unusually high sense of devotion and commitment given our checkered history as a people.”

He promised to serve “all Abia people and all citizens living in Abia, irrespective of clan, religious persuasion or political leaning.”

“I see my mandate as cutting across all strata of our people and I once more promise to use the resources accruing to all Abia people for the benefit of all the residents,” said the governor-elect.Mr Otti noted that he holds “no bitterness against anyone and will not go on any revenge mission against anyone.”

“If in the process of getting here, we have wronged anyone, kindly find a space in your heart to forgive. We have equally forgiven anyone that wronged us,” he stated.

“This will be a government that would unite everyone in this state as we are all brothers and sisters.”

He also promised there would be no discrimination “in the amenities that each person is able to access in our government.”

Mr Otti said he made “a firm promise to all civil servants and pensioners owed salaries, pensions and emoluments that an immediate payments plan would be put in place to ensure that this gets the priority it deserves.”

The governor-elect said he was aware and prepared to deal with the issues of infrastructure decay, “which have continued to militate against our growth and development as a state,” declaring they “will be tackled head on,” adding that amenities would be evenly spread.

“I made a firm promise to all civil servants and pensioners owed salaries, pensions and emoluments that an immediate payment plan would be put in place to ensure that this gets the priority it deserves. Nevertheless, I caution that we all will need to put in our best and row together in one direction,” stated Mr Otti.

He, however, admitted that there “is no magic wand that can fix all the rot and decay noticed in virtually all segments of the system since the past years.”

Mr Otti stressed that to have sustainable development, “it would require very painstaking and elaborate layout of master plans to enable us tackle the menace of flooding and re-engineer our cities, especially Aba, Umuahia and other cities that would be developed in order to support our urban renewal projects.” Mr Otti asked the people to be patient with his administration.

“We therefore plead for patience and understanding as we first tackle the immediate challenges and work on the major ones. We remain resolute in our drive to eliminate poverty and create sustainable wealth for our people,” said the governor-elect, assuring them that“our doors will remain wide open and our channels of communication will remain unfettered so that your worthy contributions and suggestions will be a guiding light.”