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Major news headlines in the papers today: FG deploys DSS, soldiers other security agencies to protect INEC offices

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1. In a move to protect the Independent National Electoral Commission assets ahead of the 2023 election, the Federal Government, yesterday, deployed the Department of State Services’ personnel, soldiers, civil defence corps operatives, as well as the Federal Fire Service personnel to INEC offices nationwide.

2. The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa, has said the number of governors being monitored by the agency for possible money laundering arising from the redesign of the naira is rising. He spoke yesterday after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja.

3. Christian Aburime, the Press Secretary to the Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has said his principal stands by his comments on a former governor of the State and the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi. Speaking on the criticisms generated by Soludo’s article, the aide maintained that Soludo had the right to his opinion.

4. National Security Adviser, Maj Gen Babagana Monguno (retd) on Thursday lamented the effect of insecurity on the nation. Speaking when he appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence for 2023 budget defence, Monguno said President Muhammadu Buhari’s desire is to hand over a safer and more secured country to his successor.

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5. Troops of the Nigerian military have killed no fewer than 13 commanders of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Eastern Security Network (ESN) over their ‘criminal’ activities in the South East zone. The troops also recovered a voter registration capturing machine belonging to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and some other items.

6. The federal government has disclosed that 63 percent of persons within Nigeria, 133 million, are living in poverty. The figure was presented during the launch of Nigeria’s Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) Survey in Abuja on Thursday.

7. Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State on Thursday promised to provide “logistics support” for Peter Obi, the Labour Party, LP, presidential candidate. He pledged his support to Obi at the venue of the Nkpolu-Oroworokwo Flyover inauguration in Port Harcourt.

8. The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, has blamed the increasing cases of political violence on some State governors. Baba, who spoke during a meeting with the leadership of political parties and other stakeholders on the increasing trend of political violence, stressed the need to present a common front in addressing the issues.

READ  Tinubu maintains lead in nine Borno LGAs with 70,892 votes

9. Thousands of Lagos Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members and loyalists, yesterday, staged a solidarity walk to mobilise votes for its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa and governorship candidate, Abdul-Azeez Adediran.

10. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on Nigerians to scrutinise and fish out ineligible persons wrongly included in the voters’ register displayed in its 8,809 registration areas (wards) and 774 local government area offices nationwide.

 

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Court restrains NERC from implementing tariff hike for Band A customers

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A federal high court in Kano has issued an order restraining the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) from implementing the new electricity tariff for Band A consumers.

Ruling on an ex parte motion on Thursday, Abdullahi Liman, presiding judge, made an interim order restraining NERC and KEDCO from going ahead with the impending tariff pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice before it.

The order also restrained the defendant from intimidating and threatening to disconnect the applicants’ electricity supply for non-acceptance of the new increased tariff.

 

The suit marked FHC/KN/CS/144/2024 was filed by Super Sack Company Limited and BBY Sacks Limited.

 

Others are Mama Sannu Industries Limited, Dala Foods Nigeria Limited, Tofa Textile Limited and Manufacturers Association of Nigeria Limited (MAN).

The motion ex-parte was moved by Abubakar Mahmoud, counsel to the plaintiffs.

 

On April 3, NERC approved an increase in electricity tariff for customers under the Band A classification.

READ  2023: INEC moves PVC collection to wards, sets up collation centre committee for presidential poll

 

The commission said customers under the category, who receive 20 hours of electricity supply daily, would begin to pay N225 per kilowatt (kW) from April 3 — up from N66.

The sudden hike has been criticised by the house of representatives and other stakeholders who have asked NERC to suspend the implementation of the new tariff.

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UK local election: Boris Johnson turned away from polling station after forgetting valid ID

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Former prime minister of the UK, Boris Johnson, was turned away from his local polling station after forgetting to bring the required photo identity.

 

Johnson had joined locals in South Oxfordshire on Thursday to vote in the police and crime commissioner election.

Polling officials however told him he would not be allowed to vote without providing his identity.

There are 22 acceptable forms of ID in the UK including passports, driving licences, blue badges, and certain local travel cards.

 

As prime minister in 2022, Johnson introduced the Elections Act which requires photo ID — a development that sparked intense criticisms from Britons.

Last year, the Electoral Commission warned that the new law could exclude hundreds of thousands of people, including minorities and those with disabilities.

A spokesperson for Johnson confirmed he had forgotten the photo ID, but that he was able to cast his ballot after he returned with a valid ID.

READ  Nigeria on verge of collapse, 2023 elections threatened – Falana

 

“Mr Johnson voted Conservative,” Sky News quoted the spokesperson as saying.

Downing Street said it would “look into” changing the controversial rules which require photo ID in order to vote, so that ID cards of veterans can be added to the list of valid identification.

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Governors can pay N615k minimum wage if they get priorities right – NLC

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President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, says state governors can afford to pay the proposed N615,000 minimum wage if they get their priorities right.

Ajaero spoke on Thursday during an interview with Channels Television.

 

Recently, organised labour announced that the new minimum wage should be pegged at N615,000.

The proposal came amid ongoing minimum wage negotiations between federal and state governments on one hand, and organised labour on the other.

 

In 2019, the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari pegged the national minimum wage at N30,000.

After the new minimum wage was announced at the time, it took some states forever to implement the increment.

 

Asked during the interview if organised labour’s proposal of N615,000 is realistic, Ajaero said the amount is the “most realistic” given the galloping inflation in the country.

 

The NLC president said organised labour considered factors like transportation, housing, and feeding before arriving at the sum.

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“If you are talking about being realistic, the N615,000 demand is the most realistic. Being realistic is not about slave wage,” Ajaero said.

 

“However, N30,000 is big money if inflation is brought down, and at a single digit.

“Look at the indices that create inflation. If you check them, you can talk about being realistic. All other factors in the country are going high and wages remain constant.”

 

Asked if states can afford the N615,000 proposal, the NLC president averred that it is not about ability to pay but the priorities of states.

“I think we need to understand the issues of ability to pay and not getting the priority right,” he added.

 

“Most of the states that have shown willingness to pay the current minimum wage are not among those getting the highest revenue.

“During the time of Muhammadu Buhari, some states were declared not having enough money to pay and he released funds for them to pay.

READ  Tinubu maintains lead in nine Borno LGAs with 70,892 votes

 

“Those states still refused to pay. It is not the question of either the quantum of money that they have or not, it is what they decide to do with such money.

 

“If they get their priorities right, then a lot can happen.”

 

Organised labour has also threatened to embark on a strike if a new minimum wage is not announced before May 31, 2024.

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