LP House Of Assembly Candidate, Harrison Gwamnishu Attacked By Thugs In Delta

 

DJ Cuppy Graduates From Oxford University

 Nigerian Disc Jockey, Florence Ifeoluwa Otedola, popularly known as DJ Cuppy, has graduated with a Masters of Science from the Oxford University, United Kingdom, IGBERETV reports.

Taking to her Twitter handle on Thursday, March 16, 2023, the daughter of billionaire business mogul, Femi Otedola shared photos from her graduation ceremony. The ceremony was attended by her family members and her fiancé, British boxer, Ryan Taylor. 

“Third Degree HOTTER! I’m now officially a “Master of Science” from Oxford University,”

Tinubu’s Silence Over Attacks On Igbo In Lagos Dangerous - Labour Party

 The Chief Spokesperson for the Labour Party, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, has said the loud silence by the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, over the continuous ethnic profiling and hate propaganda against Igbo in Lagos State as dangerous for Nigeria’s corporate existence.

He said Nigerians expected that Tinubu as a leader and former governor of the state should have spoken out against the threats and intimidation being targeted at the Igbo and Nigerians from the South/South region in Lagos and any other tribe.

Tanko, said this in a statement mailed to Vanguard yesterday.

He expressed regret that Tinubu’s silence has gone a long way to support the impression in many quarters that “ he is the main enabler.”

Tanko reminded Tinubu that there is life outside politics, stressing that the ethnic propaganda war against Igbos and other tribes in Lagos could give rise to internal strife in the country, which may be hard to contain.

He maintained that Tinubu’s failure to call our brothers in the south west who are majorly his supporters to order, also gives the impression that the New York Times was right in describing him as a divisive character.

Tanko said, “We are worried over what could become of Nigeria, especially grave danger to ethnic war against other tribes, if he presides over Nigeria as its President.

“We must be reminded that when Hitler started with Communists, everyone kept quiet, he descended on Catholics, everyone kept quiet and he descended on Jews, everyone kept quiet because he is not Jewish, until Hitler descended on all.

“The story about the Rwandan example is too gory to contemplate. But, the way things are going in Lagos State, where Tinubu is also said to be a settler, shows that Rwanda can happen in Nigeria.

“This also serves a warning to all concerned citizens brothers nation wide that Nigeria is one and no any tribe should be a targets, for political gain.”

Responding to claims that Tinubu does not want to speak out in order not to hurt the political campaign strategy, which may likely favour his party, Tanko declared that “statesmanship, more than any virtue is a sine qua non for harmony in a plural society like ours.

“If am I am Tinubu, I will call my supporters to order and reduce acrimony.
“For God’s sake, where is the unity in victory, albeit contested? Why is Lagos election do or die for a president-elect?

“This a bad omen. Perhaps, Tinubu is angry that majority of voters in lagos did not vote for him.”

INEC Awards N434million Contract To Binani’s Printing Firm

 The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has allegedly awarded a contract for the printing of sensitive materials to Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani's printing firm, Binani Printing Press.

According to the contract documents obtained by SaharaReporters on Wednesday and signed by the Secretary to be the Commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, Binani Printing Press, owned by the Adamawa State gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Aishatu Binani, was awarded N434,372,649 to print election results sheets for the 2023 general elections.

This was done despite repeated assurances by the INEC chairman Mahmood Yakubu, that the integrity of the sensitive materials for the election would be ensured.

SaharaReporters had on March 8, 2023 reported that Binani boasted that she would win the 2023 gubernatorial election in Adamawa State by all means.

In a leaked video, Binani who spoke in Fulfulde language was heard saying that she would clinch the governorship seat, even if by theft.

Details of the INEC contract to Binani showed that the governorship result sheets are for Jigawa, Kaduna, Kebbi, Kaduna, Kano, Jamfara and Sokoto states.

When contacted by SaharaReporters for reaction, Binani refused to take her calls.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the Binani campaign organisation, Salihu Baba Ahmed, when contacted, said, “If any contract was awarded, it is to her company, consisting of many Nigerians. And in any case, is she not eligible to be awarded contracts in this country?"

SaharaReporters had two weeks ago reported that the governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Adamawa state, Umar Mustapha Madawaki shelved his ambition and declared support for Binani.

Madawaki, who is also known as Otunba Ekiti, had announced that he was no longer in the race for the governorship seat in the state.

The LP candidate hinged his decision to pull out of the race on a frosty relationship between him and the LP presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

FG Postpones Population Census To May

 The 2023 population and housing census earlier scheduled for March 29, has been postponed by the federal government, IGBERETV reports.

Minister of information and culture, Lai Mohammed confirmed the postponement on Wednesday, March 15, at the end of the federal executive council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja.

The minister said the census will now hold in May. 

EFCC Arrests 21 Alleged Yahoo Boys In Abuja

 The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, today, March 14, 2023 arrested 21 suspected internet fraudsters.

The suspects include Joseph Boniface, Emmaneul Okwara, Elijah Iwebie, Moses Hassan, Abdulrahman Lawal, Azu Chidubem Eugene, Abdullahi Adebola and Elijah Simon.

Others are Terfa Lincoln, David Kome, Chukwudah Martinez, Adie Matthew, Canice Agabi, Abbas Aminu, Damilare James and Christopher Simon. Also arrested include Mohammed Abdulhamid, Ifeanyi Bosah, Ayuba Aminu, Godwin Terkura and Victor Ademola.

They were nabbed in the Lugbe and Kubwa suburbs of Abuja, following actionable intelligence on their alleged internet-related fraud activities

More than 25 high-end mobile phones, 3 laptops and Mercedes CLA250 and C300 cars were recovered from the suspects.

They will be charged to court as soon as the investigations are concluded.

CBN Yet To Release Old Notes To Banks

 The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is yet to release the old N1000 and N500 notes it mopped out of circulation despite asking commercial banks to commence their recirculation, findings by Daily Trust have revealed.

This is amid the struggle by commercial banks to meet the increasing demands of customers who besiege their branches across the states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Traders, artisans, PoS operators, and students, among others, who visited bank branches, said they were disappointed as they could not withdraw the amounts they wanted.

Those who spoke to our correspondents said they were only given between N5,000 and N10,000 while a few others managed to get N20,000.

The CBN said Monday in a statement by its spokesman, Isa AbdulMumin, that deposit money banks operating in the country have been directed to comply with the Supreme Court ruling of March 3 which said the old N1,000, N500 and N200 remain legal tender until December 31.

The CBN’s statement came a few hours after a statement from Aso Villa quoting President Muhammadu Buhari as saying he did not direct the CBN and the Attorney-General of the Federation not to comply with the Supreme Court judgement.


Same old problem 

Checks by our reporters yesterday indicated that the CBN was not releasing the old notes it has already mopped out of circulation.

A senior management staff of Guarantee Trust Bank said: “We are not receiving any old cash from the CBN. I have a substantial stock of the old notes and that is what we are recirculating as of today.”

The source explained that most commercial banks had retained the old notes in the days leading up to the February 10 deadline, before the Supreme Court order truncated the initial timeline by the CBN.

“We had that cash with us, and when the CBN became overwhelmed with those rushing to beat the deadline, they also directed them to the commercial banks, so we have that stock too. That is the reserve that we have built up.”

Also, a management staff of Polaris Bank who spoke to our reporter on condition of anonymity said, “We have not received the old notes largely because we have not finished dispensing our old naira stock.

“The instruction we have is to dispense every note at our disposal. We will get a clear understanding of things when we exhaust what we have.”


Banks comply with directive to disburse old N1000, N500 

In Kaduna, Abuja, and Kano, our correspondents report that some banks, including Sterling, GTB, First Bank, United Bank of Africa (UBA) and Access Bank were yesterday dispensing the old N500 notes to their customers following the directive by the CBN.

A customer at Sterling Bank who simply identified herself as Mrs Gabriel, said, “I collected N20,000 old N500 notes from my bank today. I am so happy because I have not seen this kind of money for weeks.”

The automated teller machines of most banks in Lagos were seen dispensing cash.

Although most of the banks were still rationing the available cash in order to meet the needs of their customers, there was a clear improvement from the chaos of previous weeks.

At Polaris Bank, Iju, customers were given N10, 000 each instead of the stipulated N20,000.

Our correspondents, who visited two branches of Unity Bank in Bwari and the Central Business District in Abuja, confirmed that they withdrew N5,000 and N10,000, respectively.

The Head of Corporate Communication at Unity Bank, Matthew Obiazikwor, confirmed that the bank had fully complied with the directive of the CBN.

“We are giving out cash to our customers. We have fully complied with the directive. Our ATMs are also loaded. However, there is still the limitation of daily withdrawal,” he said.


Nigerians decry rejection of old notes by traders, transporters 

Some transporters and traders yesterday rejected the old N500 and N1,000 bank notes despite the directive from the CBN that the old notes remain legal tender till December 31 in accordance with the judgment of the Supreme Court.

In Kaduna, many traders were still sceptical of collecting the old notes. Most of them said they were studying the situation to see if the policy will be reversed.  

“I cannot collect it until Buhari (President) tells us to start collecting it,” a yam seller, Muhammad Isah, said.

However, Daily Trust learned that market leaders in Lagos have started sensitizing their members to collect the old notes in line with the directives of the CBN. Leaders from major markets were at Alausa yesterday.

“I have informed my people, and I will repeat the same tomorrow. We have told them to accept the old notes from customers,” the Iyaloja of Asejere Market, Makoko, Alhaja Kasarat Adebayo, said.


State gov’t urges residents to accept old notes 

The Delta State government yesterday called on residents of the state to comply with the CBN’s directive that the old N1,000, N500, and N200 notes remain legal tender until December 31. 

The Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu, made the call in a statement in Asaba, urging people in the state to accept the notes as legal tender in view of the Supreme Court ruling of March 3 and the central bank’s direction to continue recognition of the old bills as legal tender. 

Similar calls have been made by Ogun, Kogi, Lagos, Kano and Jigawa, among others.


Inject old notes to ease cash scarcity, Experts tell CBN 

Experts have urged the CBN to make available the old notes, particularly the N500 and N1000, to ease the current cash crunch.

Daily Trust reports that before the enforcement of the cashless policy, the CBN said N3.2 trillion was in circulation, but during the last briefing by Emefiele, he said N2.3 trillion had been mopped up.

Speaking to Daily Trust, a financial analyst, Prof. Uche Uwaleke, said the directive by the Supreme Court will be futile if the old notes are not injected into the system. 

“My concern is that except a substantial quantity of already withdrawn notes is re-injected and the cash withdrawal limit eased, the cash scarcity is most likely to persist,” he said. 

He added that, “It is one thing for the CBN to obey the Supreme Court order by recognizing the old notes as legal order and another for it to make the cash available for transactions.”

Also speaking, a development expert, Joseph Momoh, said: “Although some banks have complied with the directive by the CBN following the Supreme Court judgment, the amount they are dispensing is quite small.

“The CBN should make available the old notes that it earlier mopped up so that the hardship that micro, small and medium enterprises are currently undergoing can gradually ease off.”

On his part, a chartered accountant, Umar Mohammed, who consults for some banks said it will require political will to solve the problem of the cash crunch.

“Nobody is saying the whole N2.3 trillion mopped up must be brought back. What is clear is that Nigeria is not fully ready for the cashless policy.

“We have learnt many lessons that the banks do not have the requisite infrastructure. There are millions of Nigerians that are unbanked. And the citizens also need more sensitization.

“Therefore, I want to appeal that the president and the CBN swallow their pride and appreciate these facts. Of course, some people have already keyed into the cashless policy which is to their credit.