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Address issue of Naira scarcity across the Country urgently –NLC tells Fed Govt
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the Federal Government to immediately intervene in the issue of cash scarcity across the country.
Mr Joe Ajaero, NLC President said this in a communique he jointly signed with Mr Emmanuel Ugboaja, General Secretary of NLC on Thursday in Abuja.
The communique was issued at the end of the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Owerri.
Ajaero said that the NEC in-session had expressed concern over the persistent cash scarcity in Nigeria, describing it as an unfortunate and exploitative burden on the already struggling populace.
According to him, NEC noted that Nigerians are being forced to forfeit five per cent of their funds each time they access cash, an unacceptable situation that exacerbates the economic woes faced by millions.
“The impact of this on small businesses and other informal economy operatives is huge as the situation poses serious disproportionate challenge to the poor and struggling workers and masses.
“The NLC demands immediate government intervention to rectify this systemic failure and protect citizens’ financial rights.
“We expect the Central Bank Governor to take steps to ensure that cash is made available to the citizenry to enable small business transactions and stimulate Economic growth,”he said.
Ajaero also demanded that the tax bill currently before the National Assembly be halted for broader consultation and meaningful engagement with Nigerian workers.
He said that the politicisation of the bill and alienation of key stakeholders was worrisome and robbed it of its capacity as an effective tool to revamp the economy.
“Only through inclusive dialogue can we ensure a just and equitable tax system that benefits all citizens,” he said.
On insecurity, Ajaero said that the NEC also raised alarm over the worsening insecurity in the country.
He citeed media reports that Nigerians said N2.23 trillion in ransom this year alone across 51.8 million recorded crime incidents.
“This appalling state of insecurity underscores the urgent need for the government to take decisive action to safeguard lives and property, restore public confidence, and ensure the rule of law prevails.
“Majority of the citizens who either lost their lives or are maimed as a result are workers,”he said.
Also, on the unvasion and ransacking of NLC Edo state Council Secretariat, NEC strongly condemned the actions of the Police and the state governor in orchestrating an invasion.
“This brazen act of impunity included the ransacking of properties and the unlawful removal of items, all in a bid to impose an illegitimate leadership on the workers.
“The NEC, therefore, resolved to give the Edo State government and the Police a deadline of 14 working days, up to January 8, 2025 to vacate the secretariat.
“They should return all confiscated properties to the congress, and commit to refraining from further interference in trade union activities,” he said.
He said that failure to comply would compel the congress to initiate unprecedented measures in defense of workers’ and trade union rights,.
“The NEC, therefore reaffirms its unwavering commitment to defending the rights and welfare of workers and the broader Nigerian populace,” Ajaero said. .
“He urged citizens to find moments of hope, resilience, and togetherness during the festive season. (NAN)
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Suspension looms as Senate refers Akpoti-Uduaghan outbursts to Ethics Committee
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The Senate on Tuesday referred Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP-Kogi) to its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions over alleged disorderly conduct during a recent plenary session.
The committee, chaired by Sen. Neda Imaseun (LP, Edo), was mandated to turn in its findings in two weeks.
The upper chamber’s resolution was sequel to a voice vote after the lawmakers had revisited the controversy surrounding the recent altercation between Akpoti-Uduaghan and the senate leadership over seat allocation.
Coming under Order 1(b) and 10, the senate’s Spokesperson, Sen. Yemi Adaramodu, condemned what he described as Akpoti-Uduaghan’s “extreme intransigence” during the senate session on Feb. 20.
“From that Thursday, the media was awash with this issue and I had to work on mending the perception of the 10th senate.
“The senate is not a platform for content creation but a place for lawmaking and oversight functions,” he said.
Adaramodu urged the senate leadership to enforce discipline, warning that ‘where there is sin, there must be penalty’.
“This chamber is not a place for theatrics or social media content creation. We are here to legislate, advocate for our constituents and provide oversight over MDAs, not to engage in media dramatisation,” he said.
Sen. Jimoh Ibrahim (APC-Ondo) also supported the motion, emphasising the importance of maintaining order and decorum in the senate.
Ibrahim urged all senators to respect the institution’s guiding rules, comparing the Standing Orders to the Bible and Quran for lawmakers.
Also, the Senate Leader, Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele, moved a motion for the disciplinary review, affirming the senate’s commitment to its rules and internal order.
According to him, there is no one who does not have an opinion on this issue, but we are unified by our rules.
“Under our watch, we will not allow this institution to be discredited beyond what we inherited. Our integrity is non-negotiable,” he said.
Bamidele dismissed claims that the dispute was rooted in gender bias or discrimination, citing examples of senior senators who had accepted seat changes without protest.
Contributing, the Senate Minority Leader, Sen. Abba Moro, described the incident as “an avoidable drama” and apologised on behalf of Akpoti-Uduaghan.
He urged the senate to focus on its legislative responsibilities, while allowing the ethics committee to handle the matter.
Responding, President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, directed the committee on ethics and privileges to review the entire incident and report back to the chamber in two weeks.
According to Akpabio, the senate rules allow members to sit anywhere, but that contributions must be made from their designated seats.
He said that lack of familiarity with the senate procedures might have contributed to the altercation.
“The first day she (Akpoti-Uduaghan) was sworn in, she stood up to contribute and I was worried if she had even read the rule book.
“There is nothing wrong with being vibrant but everything is wrong with disobeying procedures,” he said.
Citing Order 66(2) and Section 55 of Senate rules, he underscored the need for senators to conduct themselves with decorum, including prohibitions on chewing gum, drinking water or being disruptive during sittings.
“The rules empower the senate president to suspend a senator for infractions for, at least, 14 days. It’s not me who made the rules; it’s in the rule book,” Akpabio said. (NAN)
(www.nannews.ng
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Senator files N100.3bn lawsuit against Godswill Akpabio
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Senator files N100.3bn lawsuit against Godswill Akpabio
Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, a federal lawmaker representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, has filed a N100.3 billion defamation lawsuit against Senate President Godswill Akpabio in the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja.
Akpoti-Uduaghan claims that Akpabio defamed her through a damaging post shared on his official Facebook page.
The post, allegedly published by Akpabio’s aide, carried the headline “Is Local Content Committee of the Senate NATASHA’s BIRTHRIGHT?”
The lawmaker asserts that the publication made derogatory remarks about her, suggesting that she believed being a lawmaker was merely about “pancaking her face” and “wearing transparent outfits” to Senate sessions.
In addition to Akpabio, the lawsuit also names Mr. Mfon Patrick, a Senior Legislative Aide to the Senate President, as a defendant.
The legal action, which is marked as suit CV/737/25, seeks to address the damage caused to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s reputation.
The Kogi lawmaker contends that the post severely tarnished her image, portraying her in a negative light and diminishing her standing both among her fellow lawmakers and the public.
She further argues that the post was not only defamatory but also provocative and disparaging.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, represented by a legal team led by Mr. Victor Giwa, is requesting that the court order the immediate retraction of the post and a public apology from the defendants. The apology, according to the claim, must be published in a widely circulated national newspaper.
Other reliefs, include: “A declaration that the words ‘it is a bottled anger by the Kogi Lawmaker, who knows nothing about legislative rules. She thinks being a lawmaker is all about pancaking her face and wearing transparent outfits to the Chambers,’ used and written by the 3rd defendant at the prompting of the 1st and 2nd defendants, is defamatory and intended to cause public opprobrium and disaffection towards the Claimant by members of the public.
“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, whether acting by themselves or through their agents, privies, assigns or associates, from further publishing or caused to be published the said defamatory words herein stated or any other similar publications about the Claimant on the social media platform or in any other manner, which is capable of defaming the Claimant.”
In addition to her demands for the retraction and apology, Akpoti-Uduaghan is seeking N100 billion in general damages and an additional N300 million to cover legal expenses.
At present, the court has yet to set a date for hearing the case.
This legal action comes on the heels of a recent confrontation between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Akpabio over a controversial seat change in the Senate.
The lawmaker had strongly objected to the unauthorized alteration of her seat, which she believed was linked to the defection of opposition lawmakers to the ruling party.
The dispute escalated when Akpabio ordered the Senate’s Aide-de-camp to escort Akpoti-Uduaghan out of the chamber, a move that sparked widespread public debate across Nigeria.
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Two teachers sentenced to 44 years jail term for r*p* of Students
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Two teachers sentenced to 44 years jail term for r*p* of Students
An Ekiti High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday, sentenced two teachers to 44 years imprisonment for offence of rape without an option of fine.
The Prosecution, Mr Kunle-Shina Adeyemi told the court that the defendants, Gbenga Ajibola (43) and Olaofe Ayodele (52) were arraigned before Justice Adeniyi Familoni on March 2, 2022 on a three count charge bordering on rape and abuse of office.
He said that the defendants sometimes in Nov, 2019 in Ado-Ekiti raped two female students of 17 and 15 years respectively names withheld.
According to him, the offence contravened Section 31(2) of the Childs Right Law, Cap. C7, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.
In her testimony before the Court, one of the victims said that one of the convicts, Ajibola was her Computer teacher, and always disturbing her while in class.
“On this fateful day, he told me to be in mufti and gave me N200 to go and wait for him in front of a filling station along Bank Road.
“He later came there alongside Mr Olaofe, but before they came, one of my classmates also met me there, he told me that Mr Olaofe asked her to wait here for him.
“When they came, we all left for a hotel, around Oke-Ila area of Ado Ekiti, on getting there, we were taken to different rooms where Mr Ajibola had sexual intercourse with me.
“After that day, he continued to disturb me, when I could no more bear it, I narrated what happened to my mother who later took the matter up,” she narrated.
To prove his case, the prosecutor called four witnesses and tendered statements of the victims and defendants, medical reports, as well as report of the Panel of enquiry among others as exhibits.
Also, Counsel to the defendants, Mr Lawrence Fasanmi called six witnesses to prove his case.
In his judgement, Justice Familoni said, the defendants shared their minds and mulled the voice of conscience as they took advantage of the victims with reckless abandonment.
“They deserved severe panel sanction for their misdeeds to serve as a warning and deterrent to others who may want to follow their footsteps,”.
Justice Familoni thereby sentenced the defendants, Ajibola Gbenga and Olaofe Ayodele to 20 years imprisonment each without an option of fine on count one and two years each on count two without option of fine, making 44 years imprisonment, saying that it should run concurrently. (NAN)
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