MC Oluomo: Why We Won’t Redeploy Lagos REC – INEC

 The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it will not redeploy the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Lagos State, Mr. Segun Agbaje.

The Labour Party and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have kicked against INEC’s plan to transport electoral materials through the Lagos State Parks Management Committee chaired by Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya, aka MC Oluomo.

Commenting on this in a chat with reporters on Wednesday, Mr. Rotimi Lawrence Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said Agbaje could not be removed over “unfounded allegations”.

He dismissed the allegations against the REC, describing it as deliberate misinformation and distortion of facts, not needed with days to this year’s general elections.

Oyekanmi, who urged those demanding Agbaje’s redeployment to perish the thought, also urged the two political parties calling for Agbaje’s redeployment to respect the boundaries of the relationship between the commission and all political parties.

“Let me make one thing clear upfront. Mr. Olusegun Agbaje will not be removed as the REC for Lagos over unfounded allegations. He will not only conduct the presidential/national assembly election scheduled for 25th February 2023, he will also superintend over the governorship/state House of Assembly election holding on 11th March.

“He is a conscientious, honest, dependable, and hardworking Resident Electoral Commissioner. His integrity speaks for him in all the places where he had served,” he said.

According to him, during the recent Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) that took place between June 2021 and July 2022, Lagos State under Agbaje registered the highest number of voters in the country being 585,629.

Oyekanmi said, “On 27th January this year, we announced that out of the 940,200 PVCs delivered to Lagos State as of that date, 839,720 PVCs representing 89.3 percent had been collected. This debunks the allegation that the Lagos REC deliberately withheld the PVCs belonging to persons from a particular region of the country.

“As for the movement of election materials in Lagos State, the commission is engaging individual vehicle owners. Unions don’t have vehicles and even if they have some, they cannot possibly provide the number of vehicles that the commission requires to conduct the general election.

“Rather, the unions are made up of individuals that own vehicles. You then have to negotiate with the vehicle owners and join the unions as witnesses and for accountability purposes. We have been conducting elections in Lagos and we have been using these individuals’ that own vehicles that meet our specification.”

He assured Lagosians and voters who intend to vote in Lagos that their votes will count as the commission has not candidate in Lagos State or anywhere in the country for the elections.

Nine States Join Suit On Naira Swap Crisis

 The Supreme Court on Wednesday joined nine States as parties in the suit filed by Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara challenging the propriety of the naira swap policy of the Federal Government.

In a ruling a moment ago, a nine-member panel, led by Justice John Okoro, joined the Attorneys General of Katsina, Lagos, Ondo, Ogun, Ekiti, Cross River and Sokoto States as co-plaintiffs, while the Attorneys General of Edo and Bayelsa states were joined as co-respondents.

The court ordered the original plaintiffs and the respondent - the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) - to amend the processes already filed to reflect the new parties.

Buhari Meets Tinubu In Aso Rock Villa

 The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Wednesday morning, met with the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

According to senior presidency sources, the meeting, which was held at Buhari’s official residence, explains his 40-minute delay before arriving at the Council Chambers to chair this week’s Federal Executive Council meeting.

The PUNCH reported that Buhari arrived at the Council Chambers at around 10:40 am, about an hour after the usual time of 10:00 am.

This comes four days after the APC held its campaign rally at Eagle Square, Abuja.

Although the reasons for the meeting are not known, it is likely connected with the APC’s campaign and the election which is only about 10 days away.

Another source who spoke with our correspondent said Buhari’s delay was premised in his decision to monitor the outcome of the Supreme Court’s ruling against the federal government and the Central Bank of Nigeria on the latter’s new naira policy.

However, the hearing was adjourned to Wednesday, February 22.

Sanwo-Olu: It Is Illegal To Reject Old Naira Notes In Lagos

 FLASH: SANWO-OLU WARNS AGAINST REJECTION OF OLD NOTES 

The Lagos State Government wishes to put on record the patience and calmness of Lagosians following the controversy generated by the Naira shortage crisis.

The State Government has joined the dispute at the Supreme Court, which today adjourned the hearing of the matter till February 22. When the matter first came up on February 8, the apex court said the old notes remained legal tender.

That position has not changed. The State Government hereby warns those rejecting the old notes to desist from doing so or face prosecution. It is against the law to reject the old notes as doing so is contrary to the position of the Supreme Court.

Governor Sanwo-Olu urges Lagosians to remain law-abiding and shun mischief makers who may exploit this temporary situation to promote their anti-people agenda. He is confident that the Judiciary will resolve all the issues around the currency shortage crisis.

To cushion the effect of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) directive on the old notes, especially on the vulnerable among us, Lagos State has started the distribution of the food packs promised by the Governor.

The 50% fares slash on all State transportation facilities continues, as directed by Mr. Governor

Buhari To Extend Validity Of Old Naira Notes Till April 10 - TheCable

 President Muhammadu Buhari is considering extending the validity of old naira notes by 60 days, TheCable understands.

This is to avoid disobeying the order of the Supreme Court of Nigeria which ruled that the old N1,000, N500 and N200 notes remain valid until it delivers judgment in the case filed by some states against the federal government.

The CBN had insisted that the deadline of February 10 would not be changed but a senior government official told TheCable that Buhari was worried about the hardship faced by Nigerians as well as the legal implications of disobeying the order of the constitutional court.

The official told TheCable that this was the focus of a meeting between Buhari and the leadership of Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) as well as the Progressives Governors Forum until the early hours of Wednesday.

The governors were then expected to withdraw their case at the apex court.

“The resolve was to give room for President Buhari to make concession on the monetary policy and make the following announcements public,” the official said.

“One, that the old naira notes of N1,000, N500 and N200 be allowed free movement in and out of the banks for the next 60 days.

“Two, that all three notes will be legal tender during this period, but that any old N500 or N1000 that goes into a bank will not be sent back into circulation.”

The official said that while others were “on the same page with the president”, Nasir El-Rufai, governor of Kaduna state, insisted on total cancellation of the policy.

Buhari, who had earlier delayed attending the federal executive council (FEC) meeting by 40 minutes to monitor the development at the Supreme Court, was disappointed that the governors reneged on their promise to withdraw the case.

He had, after the meeting Wednesday, met with Godwin Emefiele, the CBN governor, and Modibbo Tukur, the director of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), on the need to allow all old notes circulate in the system to ease hardship on ordinary Nigerians.

“The president will not disobey court. But he is also concerned about the suffering of Nigerians and wants the to find lasting solution to it,” the official further explained to TheCable.

“It is clear that some militancy is being propagated against the people by elite who have the means to secure the new notes no matter what while the people continue to suffer.

“The president will continue to engage and see the way out of the logjam.

Ogun Government Threaten To Shut Commercial Banks Rejecting Old Naira Notes

 Gov. Abiodun to shut commercial banks rejecting old naira notes 

Ogun State governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has warned that the State government would shut down any Commercial Banks operating in the state that refused to accept old naira notes.

The warning is sequel to complains received from the people by the state government that commercial banks and some filling stations are rejecting the old naira notes as legal tender.

Police Rescue 15 NYSC Members Abducted By Unknown Gunmen In Anambra

 The Anambra state police command on Thursday February 14, rescued fifteen members of the National Youth Service Corps NYSC abducted by unknown gunmen along Isseke, Ihiala road in the state, IGBERETV reports.

A statement released by the spokesperson of the state police command, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, says the Corps members had just finished their three weeks orientation program today and were en route to Lagos when the vehicle they boarded was intercepted at total junction Ihiala, by yet unidentified armed men in unmarked white Toyota Hilux. 

"Their vehicle was diverted to Isseke, Ihiala-Orlu expressway where the gunmen kept them hostage. The armed men who noticed they were being followed by Police Operatives, abandoned the Corpers and zoomed off with the Toyota Hiace bus with Reg Nos: EPE 353 YE conveying the Corpers'', Tochukwu said.

He said that the corps members were debriefed by the police and necessary arrangements have been perfected to convey them back to their destinations