On July 3, 2023, Senegal’s president, Macky Sall, in power since 2012, publicly renounced his aspiration for a constitutionally prohibited third term, sparking a synchronised outbreak of ostentatious back-slapping. Nigeria’s former president, Goodluck Jonathan, convener of the impressively-named West African Elders Forum (WAEF), fired off a letter describing Macky Sall as a paragon of “sacrificial leadership”. Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union, Moussa Faki Mahamat, was full of “admiration for statesmanship which privileged Senegal’s interests”.

Describing President Sall’s announcement as an act of “courage, humility, and deep faith in Senegalese democracy”, executive director of UNAIDS, Winnie Byanyima, claimed that he had told her in confidence two years ago that “he was not going to run for a third term but that he would announce this towards the end of his term”.

Byanyima did not say whether President Sall had also told her that he would wait for enough Senegalese to die on the altar of his presidential vanities before renouncing them. Her testimony had a tiresome Pentecostal whiff to it.

In announcing the renunciation of his ambitions, Macky Sall claimed that Senegal’s constitution, whose text is explicit to the contrary, would have permitted his violation of it. He sounded deflated and he was. President Sall’s hitherto undisguised ambitions had already killed “dozens” in popular resistance and protests. The latest, at the beginning of June 2023, led to the killing of between 16 to 30 protesters.

In the end, the people forced him to blink. In his campaign to succeed himself, Macky Sall’s party had procured paid demonstrations in support of his ill-fated ambition. But, ahead of his announcement, opposition leader, Ousmane Sonko, whom Sall seeks to preclude from next year’s ballot, had called out the country to mass action.

Senegal’s citizens were determined to make the price of Sall’s self-succession ambition impermissibly prohibitive. The Council on Foreign Relations rightly described Sall’s disavowal of his ambition as rather “belated”.

Macky Sall’s self-succession put Senegal’s proud record of democratic exceptionalism in West Africa to the test and is a rare instance of failure in Africa’s new brand of constitutional coups. In retrospect, events in Dakar this past week show that while the optics of the region’s democratic landscape may appear different, the narcissism of political power remains durable.

On May 28, 1975, the rulers of 15 countries in West Africa concluded a summit in Lagos, then the capital of Nigeria, with the adoption of the Treaty of the Economic Community of West African States, (ECOWAS). It established a regional economic community among the 15 countries, with an undertaking to shrink the zone of sovereign prerogative that they could claim at a time when relations among Africa’s rulers were defined by mutual suspicion and mutual trade in accusations of interference or subversion.

For proof of this then-existing trend, you only had to look at the composition of the rulers who established ECOWAS. Their host was Yakubu Gowon, Nigeria’s then head of state, a dashing four-star general since the age of 34, who was barely 40. Basking in the after-glow of the accomplishment that the establishment of ECOWAS clearly was, General Gowon travelled to Kampala, Uganda, two months later in July 1975 for the 12th summit of the Organization of African Unity (OAU). It was his last. Gowon’s host in Kampala was Idi Amin Dada, another soldier and Uganda’s then ruler, who had chosen to go one better than Gowon by gratifying his vanities with the epaulettes of a Field Marshall.

While he was in Kampala, soldiers back home in Nigeria, led by Murtala Mohammed, then a Brigadier-General in the Nigerian Army, decided to relieve Gowon of his command and overthrow him. Nanven Joseph Garba, the army colonel who announced the coup, was Gowon’s kinsman who also commanded the Brigade of Guards responsible for the protection of the head of state.

Yakubu Gowon was not the only soldier at the creation of ECOWAS in 1975 nor was he the only one overthrown by them. Six others among the 15 original signatories to the treaty were soldiers including Lt-Col Mathieu Kérékou (Benin); Gen. Ignatius Acheampong (Ghana, represented by Lt-Col RJA Falli, Minister for Economic Planning); Col. Moussa Traoré (Mali, represented by Major Baba Diarra, Vice-Chairman of the Military Committee of National Liberation); Lt-Col. Seyni Kountché (Niger); Gen. Gnassingbe Eyadema (Togo), and Gen. Aboubakar Sangoulé Lamizana (Upper Volta, now Burkina Faso)
Of the remaining eight, Presidents Dawda Jawara (Gambia); Sekou Toure (Guinea); Luiz Cabral (Guinea Bissau); William Tolbert (Liberia); Moktar Ould Daddah (Mauritania); and Siaka Stevens (Sierra Leone) were all succeeded by soldiers. President Felix Houphöuet-Boigny of Côte d’Ivoire was the only president as such among the original signatories who was neither a soldier nor directly succeeded by one. Abdou Diouf who represented Senegal at the adoption of the treaty was then prime minister to President Leopold Senghor, whom he later succeeded as president on April 1, 1981.

Looking back at that era from the vantage of nearly five decades later, the appearance of progress in the optics of government in West Africa looks assured. Mauritania is no longer part of ECOWAS but Cape Verde, which joined in 1976, ensures that the regional bloc remains comprised of 15 members. In the half-century to 2004, West African countries witnessed “169 military interventions of some sort”. The only countries spared this scourge were Cape Verde and Senegal.

Today, in 12 countries out of 15 among the member states of ECOWAS the head of state, by whatever name called, enjoys democratic legitimacy. The only countries that are presently exempt from this trend are Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Mali, where the military installed itself in power using coups organised within the past three years.

Impressive as this picture may look, it flatters the region in many ways. First, soldiers in military fatigues may no longer be fashionable in seats of power, but soldiers in many countries in the region are not far from power. Umaro Sissoco Embaló, the current president of Guinea Bissau and Julius Maada Bio, his peer in Sierra Leone, are both former army generals. Muhammadu Buhari, another general who led the military to overthrow Nigeria’s elected government on December 31, 1983, only recently completed another tour of duty on May 29, 2023, as head of state of his country. They may have shed their fatigues, but soldiers continue in many African countries to enjoy historical advantages in the contest for political and economic power.

Second, coups are no longer the monopoly of soldiers. Civilians or incumbents with the appearance of electoral legitimacy now also implement what has been called constitutional coups by manipulating constitutions, courts, and election management bodies to destroy constitutional guardrails and keep themselves in power for as long as they please. In West Africa, the rulers of Côte d’Ivoire and Togo, for instance, have changed their constitutions in this way. In Guinea, soldiers found their excuse to launch a bid for power in fatigues after Alpha Conde, a civilian president, overthrew the constitution in a bloody exercise in 2021 to extend his tenure as president.

Third, these efforts to subvert constitutional rule in the region, whether by the military or civilians, are often accompanied by foreign support. Around Africa, Russia is a rising new force for autocracy and coups. In West Africa, Russia’s footprint has been active in the overthrow of constitutional governments in Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Mali. Beyond the region, its friendly presence has also been reported in Burundi, Central African Republic, Comoros, Sudan, and Zimbabwe, among others.

In Senegal, Macky Sall’s ambitions stalled in the face of many factors. He could not rely on the army, he had no overwhelming foreign backers and Senegal’s fragility was becoming evident in the face of stout popular resistance. In the end, the people forced him to back down. The plaudits here clearly belong to the people of Senegal. For Macky Sall, he will spend the remainder of his presidency seeking post-presidential immunity. He will need it.

A lawyer and a teacher, Odinkalu can be reached at chidi.odinkalu@tufts.edu

Latest economic reality has forced many Nigerians to suspend their travel plans to the United States and Europe following the increase in fares which has tripled as a result of the high exchange rate for ticket pricing.

According to BusinessDay investigations, an economy class ticket from Lagos to London and Lagos to France and most European countries which cost around N1.5 million a month ago, now cost an average of N1.9million to N2.2million depending airline.

For instance a Lagos to France economy class ticket on British Airways cost about $2,500, using the N770 exchange rate to a dollar, this cost about N1.92million.

Lagos to London economy class ticket on British Airways cost about $2,800 which amounts to about N2.15million.

Lagos to London economy class ticket on Qatar Airways cost around $2,900, which amounts to about N2.23million

Also an economy class ticket from Lagos to the United States which cost about N1.7million a month ago is currently pricing between N2.2million and N2. 6million.

An economy class ticket from Lagos to the United States on Delta Airlines cost about N2.4m. The same ticket on Lufthansa and Qatar Airways cost around N2.6million.

A Business class ticket from Lagos to London, Lagos to France and most European countries which cost around N2 million, now cost an average about N2.9m to N3.4million.

A Business class ticket from Lagos to London on Lufthansa Airline cost about N2.9mIllion and N3.4million on Qatar Airways.

Also a Business class ticket from Lagos to the United States which cost an average of N2.4million a month ago now cost about N4.9 million on Qatar Airways and N6.9 million on Ethiopian airlines. Air Maroc appears to have the cheapest ticket on this route costing about N2.4million.

The cost of airfares from Nigeria to various destinations has seen a sharp rise since the exchange rate for ticket pricing hit over N760/$,

The development came a few days after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) floated the naira and directed commercial banks to sell foreign exchange at market-determined rates.

The CBN said all forex windows should be collapsed into the Investors &Exporters Window.

Days after the decision, the exchange rate has since fluctuated on the International Air Transport Association (IATA) platform from 663.04/$ to now N770/$.

Nigerian travellers have quickly had to respond to the increase by suspending their travel plans to Europe and the United States.

“Never have tickets been sold so expensive in Nigeria before. How can I buy a Lagos to London ticket for over N2 million? This is more than just a rise. It is exorbitant and I’m sure the average traveller can’t afford this at this time when we have an economic downturn,” Philip Onuh told BusinessDay.

Onuh said he had plans to visit his family next month in New York but he has had to suspend his travel plans as a result of the rise in tickets.

“I could not afford to pay tickets for my family to come over to Nigeria for summer because airlines had blocked all their low ticket prices on their websites, making the cost of fares high. So I planned to go and see them instead to reduce the expenditure on travel. However, to my greatest surprise, when I was ready to book my ticket, I found out tickets had again risen to N2.4 million in the United States. So I just have to suspend plans to travel for now,” he explained.

John Effiong, another traveller told BusinessDay that he had plans to travel to France with his family during his annual leave in two months’ time but had to cancel the plans because he could not afford the new cost for airfares.

Effiong however said he would now be travelling to Egypt as an alternative because the cost of travelling to Egypt is about three times lower than what he would have spent on the cost of travel to France.

“My travel agent had advised that Egypt can be another option instead of suspending our travel plans because there are still low fares to the North African country and its visa policy is quite flexible.

“With Schengen, UK, US or Canada visa, people can travel to Egypt and get their visa on arrival. My family members all have Schengen visas and this just makes things easy for us. We get to spend less on travel and ease of visa makes it more attractive,” he said.

Since last year, foreign airlines operating in Nigeria blocked low ticket inventories (cheap tickets), leaving high inventories (costly tickets) to be sold in naira only, while the low ticket inventories on most airlines’ websites could only be bought with dollar cards only.

This was in a bid to cushion the effect of their trapped funds in Nigeria which kept rising.

While airlines gradually opened up low ticket inventories which they had blocked, as the Central Bank of Nigeria released their trapped funds in trickles, BusinessDay’s investigations show that high ticket inventories were still more on the websites, making ticket prices high.

Susan Akporiaye, the President of the National Association of Travel Agents of Nigeria, (NANTA) told BusinessDay that the reduction in summer travels has been there since the restriction of inventories on the airlines’ website.

Akporiaye however noted that the new dollar rate policy has worsened the situation because ticket prices are very high that even corporate travels are now affected.

“This is not how summer usually is. We had this same experience last year summer because of the inventory restrictions. Already, the inventories have still not been released yet. So, even with the new dollar rate unification, there is no difference and it is even worse because the highest economy class ticket for Lagos to the United States when the exchange rate was about N460 to a dollar was N1.9million but now at over N760 to a dollar, ticket prices are between N2.5million to N3.2million.

“This is why we are talking to the airlines. The rate of exchange is very high now. What airlines can do so they don’t punish passengers is to release the lower fares. If the lower fares are released, at least people will be able to get tickets of N700,000,” the NANTA president said.

She said the new exchange rate policy has further reduced ticket sales.

“Before now, it was only on the naira platform that we had the highest fares but on the dollar platform, the lower fares were still there. So people could just go to the black market and buy dollars. But now, everyone is feeling it.

“So, there is not much difference between buying tickets in dollars and buying tickets in naira anymore. The policy has unified the whole system. So, whether you buy the tickets in dollars or in naira, there is no difference. The only thing that the airlines have done to help the travel agency community is that they have given us a dollar platform too. So people don’t have to go online anymore. We can also service them,” Akporiaye said.

She said the travel agents depended on corporates before now because they could afford the high ticket costs but now, the corporates are also cancelling their travel plans.

Speaking on travels to other African countries, the NANTA president said
Nigerians are now beginning to open their minds to exploring destinations in Africa.

“People are still travelling to South Africa despite the visa issues and the visa online platform that has been opened up is helping too so that people can just do their online applications and travel.

“Other African countries opening up are Namibia, Kenya and Botswana. Egypt had been open since Dubai suspended flights into Nigeria. The Egyptians were very smart. They introduced some new innovations in their visa policy which really helped because Egypt was an alternative for Nigerians but the visa was the problem because people had to wait for almost three months for their visas. But this is no longer the case anymore.

“Egypt now has visa on arrival for people that have either a Schengen, UK, US or Canada visa. If you have any of these visas, no need to go to the embassy. Just jump on the plane and you get your visa-on-arrival which is 50 dollars. This has helped a lot. Some travellers travelling to the US, now stop over at Cairo for a few days just to have fun, then proceed to the US because of the ease of visa on arrival,” she explained.

She also mentioned that Rwanda is also very easy for Nigerians because it doesn’t require a visa, adding that more Nigeria has seized this opportunity to do business and go on holidays in Rwanda.

She said most African airlines still sell lower ticket fares.

General Overseer of Omega Power Ministries, Apostle Chibuzor Chinyere has finally revealed the reason why he cursed viral security guards, Happie Boys.

Recall that some weeks back, Matthew Precious Kelechi and Amakor Johnson aka Happie boys had accused the man of God of using their destiny.

They also alleged that the man of God abandoned them in Cyprus.

The furious pastor in his response, placed a curse on the young men in a voice note which was shared by the boys on Instagram.

Addressing journalists at a Port Harcourt press conference, the man of God revealed why he cursed the young men.

He also reiterated that he did not abandon the boys.

According to him, he forgave Happie Boys despite what they did to him. He further made it clear that the curse he placed on them was done even before the boys went public with their grievances.

OPM Pastor said he felt sad and regretted sending the boys abroad after they called him out on Instagram, reason he placed a curse on them.

His words:

“Number one, I have forgiven them. Placing a curse is done out of anger. I have forgiven them because they are my children.”

The pastor added that it was wrong to say he abandoned the boys. He said his inability to continue sponsoring the boys abroad was due to the global rise in the dollar rate.

Both the Presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar and Presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP) Peter Obi have both closed their respective cases without proving how they won the election.

So, the idea of the court declaring any of them the winner of the election is out of the equation.

I don’t understand the strategy of not leading evidence that shows the number of votes that LP actually won in this election. Does LP and PDP want the judges to do calculations on its behalf?

At the very best, you can:

1. Remove all the blurred IREV or non-existent IREV documents and ask for cancelation for all parties.

2. Ask for cancelation, or choose one – with reasons – where substantial alterations are found between paper copy and IREV document.

Unless of course they have done this, and still see LP falling short…..

The second part of their plea is to get President Bola Tinubu disqualified on three grounds. Vice President, Kashim Shettima’s so called double nomination that has now been thrashed by the Supreme Court and 25% of FCT that the two parties seems to have abandoned as they didn’t push this argument seriously. Even if they’ve pushed it, section 299 already made it clear FCT should be treated like a state so it won’t even matter.

The third argument is to get him disqualified by a combination of certificate forgery, dual citizenship and drug conviction.

The certificate forgery is of two nature. Chicago state university and NYSC. As regards Chicago state university, the University already issued a public statement that Bola Tinubu graduated from the University. That alone is enough to settle the matter. All the gymnastic about the color or font of certificate is nonsense.

On NYSC, I would have expected Atiku’s legal team to subpoena NYSC to prove the authenticity of the certificate submitted by Tinubu but they failed to do that. So, how did they arrive at the conclusion that the certificate was forged? NYSC is the only authority that can confirm the authenticity or otherwise of an NYSC certificate.

On the drug conviction issue, it is as empty as the lawyer PDP brought to as witness to prove the case. The witness simply helped PDP to ruin a case that was faulty right from the start. There was no criminal conviction or indictment in the forfeiture. The communication from the US government to the IGP already cleared him of all allegation.

Overall, Atiku and Peter Obi simply wasted everyone’s time. They had no case of rigging so they had to throw in a lot of allegations hoping one will stick. Now it appears they proved none. The two cases will be dismissed with heavy cost to the petitioners.

In one week time, President Tinubu will open his defence before the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal (PEPT) concerning the consolidated Petitions filed by Atiku and Peter Obi, against his declaration as the winner of the 25 February 2023 presidential election.

Atiku’ and Peter Obi closed their case after calling 35 witnesses even though initially they had given an indication they will call 150 witnesses.

In civil cases, the plaintiff has the burden of proving their case by a preponderance of the evidence, which means the plaintiff merely needs to show that the fact in dispute is more likely than not.
In other words, the burden of proof in a civil matter lies upon the Plaintiff.

In the case before PEPT, the burden of proof lies therefore upon Atiku Abubakar, PDP, Peter Obi, and the Labour Party (Petitioners).

In law, as a defendant (Respondent in the case under reference), you are not required to make out a case for yourself before the court. All that a defendant is required to do is rebut answer the allegations made by a Plaintiff in his pleadings against him.

The Defence for a Respondent in an election petition is provided by section 134 (2) of the Electoral Act which provides that an election cannot be invalidated on the ground of noncompliance with the provisions of the Act where it appears to the Tribunal that its conduct was in substantial compliance with the Electoral Act.

In other words all the Respondent to an election petition needs to establish is that the election was conducted substantially with the provisions of the Electoral Act.

Finally, it is a fundamental principle of law laid down in a plethora of decided cases that the result of an election declared by the Electoral body entrusted with the conduct of an election is presumed correct until the contrary is proven.

It is the Petitioner that has a burden to prove that an election was conducted contrary to law.

One of the most telling exchange in one of the cross-examinations went like this:

O: You want the court to determine that the 1st petitioner scored the most votes cast. Can you tell my lords the number of valid votes scores by Peter Obi. Assist us

W: Our expert on oath has answered that

O: Where you here when the expert gave his witness

SAN Livy stands up, your time is up and you’ve asked over 4 more questions and the judges are letting it

O: Why are you jittery, let him answer

Justice Tsammani: Witness answer, how ma y votes did Peter Obi win do you know

W: If INEC did well, then I will.

O: That’s all thank you and good evening.

Look at Justice Tsammami question. That is what I am saying. You should show that you won.

Too late now!

A reliable source revealed the real reason President Bola Ahmed Adekunle Tinubu suspended and arrested the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa.

According to the document, the feud dated as far back as 2020 when, at the behest of the suspended EFCC Acting Executive Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, Mr. Bawa, who was then the EFCC Zonal Head in Lagos, initiated a secret investigation into the affairs of Tinubu.

Although details of the investigation were not contained in the document with file number: CR: 3000/EECC/LS/CMU/TAF/VOL. 4/322, it showed, however, that the leadership of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission investigated Tinubu, albeit discreetly.

In a letter dated 6th November 2020, and addressed to the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB),, Bawa had requested the Bureau to furnish the Commission with certain requested information about one “Bola Ahmed Adekunle Tinubu”.

The letter was entitled “RE: Investigation Activities 1. Bola Ahmed Adekunle Tinubu” (and one other individual).

Bawa wrote:

“This Commission’s letter CR: 3000/EECC/LS/CMU/TAF/VOL.3/337 dated 4th September 2020 (copy attached) and your response CCB/HQ/FPOD/WF/12021/11/265 dated 9th October 2o20 on the above subject refers.

“In view of the above, you are kindly requested to furnish the Commission with the outstanding requested information of Bola Ahmed Adekunle Tinubu.

“This request is made pursuant to Section 38 (1) and (2) 0f the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004.

“While treating as very urgent, accept the assurances at Ihe Acting Executive Chairman’s highest regards, please.”

Since assuming office some two weeks ago, President Tinubu has launched a perceived vindictive battle against some political enemies.

First to go down was the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, who was behind the Naira redesign policy during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

It is believed by some political pundits that the policy was formulated to scuttle the practice of vote-buying, which Tinubu was heavily accused of during the 2019 general election when bullion vans delivered cash for same at his Ikoyi residence in Lagos.

Following the fall of Emefieleand Bawa, who are presently cooling off in the detention facility of the Department of State Security (DSS), observers are of the opinion that the former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, SAN, may be next.

A United States-based newspaper, Breitbart News Network has described Nigeria Air as a “fake airline” created by President Muhammadu Buhari as his ‘parting gift’ to Nigerians.

The report entitled “Departing Nigerian President Apparently Created Fake Airline as Final Act in Office“, is reproduced below:

~~~~~

“According to the Nigerian legislature, departing President Muhammadu Buhari created a fake airline as his final act in office. Buhari even managed to arrange the flight of a lone aircraft bearing the livery of the nonexistent Nigeria Air before taking his final bow.

Buhari took office in 2015, returning to power after presiding over a junta government in the 1980s. His election over incumbent Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 was the first electoral defeat of an incumbent president in Nigerian history.

The 80-year-old president’s two four-year terms were declared a comprehensive disaster by the BBC in May, as he left Nigerians “less secure, poorer, and more in debt,” and failed to keep his promises to “curtail the rampaging Islamist insurgency in the north-east and tackle widespread corruption.”

Buhari will be replaced by 71-year-old President Bola Tinubu, who is a member of Buhari’s All Progressives Congress (APC) party. Tinubu won a contentious election in February criticized by international observers and unsuccessfully contested by the other leading candidates. Tinubu was sworn in on May 29.

Buhari and his Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, announced in 2018 they would establish a national air carrier in partnership with Ethiopian Airlines, which would have a 49-percent stake in the new operation.

Sirika constantly promised the launch of Nigeria Air was imminent, pending the resolution of a few legal obstacles that were somehow never cleared away.

VIDEO: Nigerian Air Flight Getting Set For Abuja Journey
——
A flight belonging to Nigeria Air has reportedly embarked on a journey to the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja, the nation's capital city. pic.twitter.com/SVvnegrZBL

— Nigerian Tribune (@nigeriantribune) May 26, 2023

Sirika met in February with Ethiopian Airlines chairman Girma Wake to discuss the much-delayed launch of Nigerian Air. The Nigerian aviation minister emerged from that meeting with promises that the airline would fly before Buhari left office.

“Regarding Nigeria Air, yes, we are on course; and by the Grace of God, before President Muhammadu Buhari leaves office, it will fly. We are on course; before May 29, Nigeria Air will fly,” Sirika said two weeks before Tinubu was sworn in.

On May 26, a Boeing 737-800 bearing the livery of Nigeria Air did indeed appear on a runway in South Africa and later flew to Nigeria. Lawmakers cried foul, insisting the airline still had not commenced operations, and the plane unveiled just before Buhari left office was a fraud.

Nigeria Air to start operations in 3rd quarter.

*Recruiting pilots, cabin crew, etc
*Up to 30 Boeing 737MAXs & 787s
*Local & int’l flights to New York, London, Dubai, etc.
*Aviation academy & MRO center
*$1.0 billion revenue

Source: https://t.co/n6US1QNlrZ#Nigeria #Ethiopia pic.twitter.com/036zjhySgR

— Zemedeneh Negatu (@Zemedeneh) June 6, 2023

African journalists did some digging and discovered the 737 was in fact a ten-year-old Ethiopian Airlines plane chartered for the “unveiling” flight and repainted with the colors of the non-existent Nigerian Air. Reporters who reviewed the plane’s registration paperwork said there was no change of ownership for the plane, a detail confirmed by Capt. Dapo Olumide, the acting managing director for Nigeria Air installed by the departing Buhari.

Olumide told a Nigerian Senate aviation committee on Tuesday that Nigeria Air still does not have a license for full flight operations, and the process to obtain them is still in the “early stages.” Olumide said one of the obstacles is that Nigeria Air is presently three planes short of the three planes it needs to own to secure a license.

“The aircraft that came in and left was a legitimate charter flight. Anyone of us here if we have a destination wedding in Senegal, we can charter an aircraft,” the captain explained.

“You don’t need to have a license to do that, you just charter an aircraft, an aircraft you paid for it, it will be brought here, take your passengers and off you go, and that is what we did. but in this case, it was to unveil the logo of Nigeria Air,” he said.

“Ever since 2018, all you have ever seen about Nigeria Air were pictures, drawings not the real aircraft, and we thought it was time to show what the real aircraft will look like, also to let shareholders see,” he said.

Olumide insisted the Boeing 737 stunt was not intended to deceive the public, but the “social media dimension” came into play, and for some reason “learned people in the aviation industry” did not counter the rapidly spreading disinformation that portrayed the plane as property of a fully operational Nigeria Air.

Lawmakers castigated Olumide for failing to inform the aviation committee about the plan to charter an Ethiopian plane and paint it with Nigeria Air’s logo, even though Olumide gave frequent testimony to the Senate and was always greeted with “respect.”

Nigeria’s Point Blank News on Wednesday quoted reports that passengers actually bought tickets for the first Nigeria Air flight, but in fact they were merely Ethiopian Airline staff whose job was to bring the 737 home after Olumide was finished showing it off. Point Blank News was among the Nigerian media outlets that regarded all of this as a deliberate “scam” rather than a misunderstanding.

The waters were further muddied by a letter sent by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Nureni Jimoh to Buhari two weeks before he left office, insisting the outgoing president halt a plan by Aviation Minister Sirika to violate court orders by flying two unlicensed planes under the Nigeria Air banner. Sirkia was allegedly planning to pretend Nigeria Air was up and running so he could claim he and Buhari had fulfilled their promises to launch the airline before the president left office.

Nigerian House Committee on Aviation chair Nnolim Nnaji called the Nigeria Air launch a “fraud” on Tuesday, pointing out that major stakeholders in the long-gestating deal between the Nigerian government and Ethiopian Airlines have denied all knowledge of the liveried aircraft demonstration flight. This would seem to contradict Olumide’s assertion that the liveried plane was mocked up to keep the stakeholders interested.

Bashir Ahmad, a former special communications assistant to President Buhari, insisted on Wednesday that the airline project is not a “fraud” because “the Aviation Ministry has made significant progress towards its realization.”

“Branding unveiled, partnerships and agreements signed, most of the operational certificates issued, and operational offices opened. Nigeria Air will fly to make Nigeria proud,” Ahmad said in response to Nnaji’s criticism.” END.

Breitbart News Network is an American far-right syndicated news, opinion, and commentary website founded in mid-2007 by American conservative commentator Andrew Breitbart. Breitbart News’s content has been described as misogynistic, xenophobic, and racist by academics and journalists.

The Lagos State Government led by Babajide Sanwo-Olu has disclosed moves to make laws ‘to protect indigenes’, which has been adjudged as targetted against non-indigenes.

According to multiple sources, the Lagos State House of Assembly is poised to pass “an obnoxious indigenous business and property law”.

Mudashiru Obasa, the Speaker of the Lagos House of Assembly, said earlier in the week that the state would pass laws to safeguard its indigenes.

According to him, the 10th Assembly’s legislative agenda would include laws and resolutions in the areas of economy and commerce, property and titles, and reversal of “all that are reversible to protect the interest of the indigenes.”

Obasa, who was elected speaker of the assembly for a third consecutive term, referred to some controversies that arose in the build-up to the 2023 elections claiming that non-indigenes wanted to take over the state.

He said that “Lagos is Yoruba land as against the assertions of some people that it is a no man’s land.

“Therefore, part of our legislative agenda is to ensure the translation of laws passed by this House to the Yoruba language.

“We also aim at achieving our collective goals of creating a robust legislative framework that protects the interest of our people.

“Going forward in this wise, we are going to employ all legislative instruments for the support of the indigenes of Lagos.

“There would be laws and resolutions in the areas of economy and commerce, property and titles and we will reverse all that are reversible to protect the interest of the indigenes,” he said in his acceptance speech after he was unanimously elected as speaker of the assembly.

Reacting to the development, an observer, who spoke to Tori Media on condition of anonymity, noted that other states in Nigeria may respond harshly and replicate same to Yorubas in their various states.

The result, he said, will be that other states may return all the Yorubas in Nigeria back to Lagos state, the result of which is that tribalism will continue to fester.

He warned non-Yoruba residents in Lagos to stop investing hard-earned monies in Lagos and to stop building houses in the state.

According to him, things might get worse in the future, hence the imperative to sell off their properties while they can.

He noted that the plan includes using obnoxious laws to reclaim lands already sold out to non-indigenes in Lagos

Barely five days to the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly, President Ahmed Bola Tinubu has finally endorsed the Joint ticket of the Senate Chief Whip and former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and a former Governor of Zamfara State, Senator Abdul’aziz Yari for the President and Deputy President of the Senate.

Sources from the official staff of the President revealed on Thursday Morning that Tinubu has buried the idea of imposing the leadership of the 10th senate on the lawmakers elect and is already warming up to work with Yari and Kalu as President and Deputy President of the Senate

One of the sources who maintained anonymity said the President was advised by Yoruba elders and international community to withdraw from interfering in the legislative arm of the government as it would backfire after the inauguration.

He was said to be convinced that the All Progressives Congress (APC) anointed candidates for Senate President and Deputy Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio and Senator Jubril Barau has been unable to secure the numbers needed to win the election despite having the support of the party.

The two camps have earlier laid claim to having the majority numbers. While Akpabio/Barau camp claimed to have 75 senators, Yari/Kalu camp claimed to have 69 senators. The president was said to have received confirmed intelligence of the real figures of each camp. He was disappointed on finding out that Akpabio/Barau camp had only 32 Senators while Yari/Kalu camp has 68 senators with about 9 undecided senators

The President was also said to be very uncomfortable with having a Muslim senate President considering he is Muslim and his Vice is a Muslim.

He was said to have told an influential member of his cabinet of his preference in having Yari as Deputy Senate President while Kalu runs as Senate President. He believes such arrangement will bring balancing and peace among Nigerians

Another source in the villa corroborated the President’s acceptance of the Yari/Kalu ticket. The source said it was the sole reason the President did not endorse anyone during the meeting with the legislators on Wednesday night.

According to the Source, “the president’s recent concern is to have APC members as leadership of the National Assembly. He has accepted Abdul’aziz Yari and Orji Kalu as presiding officers because they have the supports of their colleagues. The president also believe in the capacity of the two senators because he has personal relationship with them.

Our reporter present at last night’s meeting of the President with Lawmakers-elect revealed that about 34 Senators of the APC shunned the meeting with the president. It was discovered that majority of the Senators elect already made up their minds against Akpabio/Barau ticket and have decided to support Orji Kalu and Abulaziz Yari.

Meanwhile, Yari and Kalu were conspicuously absent during the meeting. Against the impression that the two aspirants also shunned the meeting, investigation by News Band Newspaper revealed that Yari and Kalu’s absence were mere coincidence. While Yari was not in the country yesterday, Kalu was indisposed and was advised by his doctor to have 48 hours bed rest. Kalu was also said to be absent during yesterday’s Wednesday plenary in National Assembly.

”My Fellow Citizens,

I stand before you honoured to assume the sacred mandate you have given me. My love for this nation is abiding. My confidence in its people, unwavering. And my faith in God Almighty, absolute. I know that His hand shall provide the needed moral strength and clarity of purpose in those instances when we seem to have reached the limits of our human capacity.

This day is bold and majestic yet bright and full of spirit, as is our precious nation.

As a nation, we have long ago decided to march beyond the dimness of night into the open day of renewed national hope.

The question we now ask ourselves is whether to remain faithful to the work inherent in building a better society or retreat into the shadows of our unmet potential.

For me, there is but one answer. We are too great a nation and too grounded as a people to rob ourselves of our finest destiny.

This nation’s journey has been shaped by the prayers of millions, and the collective sacrifices of us all.

We have endured hardships that would have made other societies crumble.

Yet, we have shouldered the heavy burden to arrive at this SUBLIME moment where the prospect of a better future merges with our improved capacity to create that future.

To the surprise of many but not to ourselves, we have more firmly established this land as a democracy in both word and deed.

The peaceful transition from one government to another is now our political tradition. This handover symbolizes our trust in God, our enduring faith in representative governance and our belief in our ability to reshape this nation into the society it was always meant to be.

Here, permit me to say a few words to my predecessor, President Muhammadu Buhari. Mr President, you have been an honest, patriotic leader who has done his best for the nation you love. On a more personal note, you are a worthy partner and friend. May History be kind to you.

For many years, Nigeria’s critics have trafficked the rumour that our nation will break apart, even perish.

Yet here we are. We have stumbled at times, but our resilience and diversity have kept us going.

Our burdens may make us bend at times, but they shall never break us.

Instead, we stand forth as Africa’s most populous nation and as the best hope and strongest champion of the Black Race.

As citizens, we declare as one unified people devoted to one unified national cause, that as long as this world exists, NIGERIA SHALL EXIST.

Today, Fate and Destiny join together to place the torch of human progress in our very hands. We dare not let it slip.

We lift high this torch so that it might shine on every household and in every heart that calls itself Nigerian. We hold this beam aloft because it lights our path with compassion, brotherhood, and peace. May this great light never EXTINGUISH.    

Our administration shall govern on your behalf but never rule over you. We shall consult and dialogue but never dictate. We shall reach out to all but never put down a single person for holding views contrary to our own.

We are here to further mend and heal this nation, not tear and injure it.

In this vein, may I offer a few comments regarding the election that brought us to this juncture. It was a hard fought contest. And it was also fairly won. Since the advent of the Fourth Republic, Nigeria has not held an election of better quality.

The outcome reflected the will of the people. However, my victory does not render me any more Nigerian than my opponents. Nor does it render them any less patriotic.

They shall forever be my fellow compatriots. And I will treat them as such. They represent important constituencies and concerns that wisdom dare not ignore.

They have taken their concerns to court. Seeking legal redress is their right and I fully defend their exercise of this right. This is the essence of the rule of law.

Over six decades ago, our founding fathers gave bravely of themselves to place Nigeria on the map as an independent nation.

We must never allow the labor of those who came before us to wither in vain but to blossom and bring forth a better reality.

Let us take the next great step in the journey they began and believed in.

Today, let us recommit our very selves to placing Nigeria in our hearts as the indispensable home for each and every one of us regardless of creed, ethnicity, or place of birth.

My supporters, I thank you. To those who voted otherwise, I extend my hand across the political divide. I ask you to grasp it in national affinity and brotherhood. For me, political coloration has faded away. All I see are Nigerians.

May we uphold these fitting and excellent notions as the new Nigerian ideal.

My fellow compatriots,

The Nigerian ideal which I speak of is more than just an improvement in economic and other statistics. These things are important; but they can never convey the fullness of our story.

Our mission is to improve our way of life in a manner that nurtures our humanity, encourages compassion toward one another, and duly rewards our collective effort to resolve the social ills that seek to divide us.

Our constitution and laws give us a nation on paper. We must work harder at bringing these noble documents to life by strengthening the bonds of economic collaboration, social cohesion, and cultural understanding. Let us develop a shared sense of fairness and equity.

The South must not only seek good for itself but must understand that its interests are served when good comes to the North. The North must see the South likewise.

Whether from the winding creeks of the Niger Delta, the vastness of the northern savannah, the boardrooms of Lagos, the bustling capital of Abuja, or the busy markets of Onitsha, you are all my people. As your president, I shall serve with prejudice toward none but compassion and amity towards all.

In the coming days and weeks, my team will publicly detail key aspects of our programme. Today, permit me to outline in broad terms a few initiatives that define our concept of progressive good governance in furtherance of the Nigerian ideal:

The principles that will guide our administration are simple:

1. Nigeria will be impartially governed according to the constitution and the rule of law.

2. We shall defend the nation from terror and all forms of criminality that threaten the peace and stability of our country and our subregion.

3. We shall remodel our economy to bring about growth and development through job creation, food security and an end of extreme poverty.

4. In our administration, Women and youth will feature prominently.

5. Our government will continue to take proactive steps such as championing a credit culture to discourage corruption while strengthening the effectiveness and efficiency of the various anti-corruption agencies.

SECURITY

Security shall be the top priority of our administration because neither prosperity nor justice can prevail amidst insecurity and violence.

To effectively tackle this menace, we shall reform both our security DOCTRINE and its ARCHITECTURE.

We shall invest more in our security personnel, and this means more than an increase in number. We shall provide, better training, equipment, pay and firepower.

THE ECONOMY

On the economy, we target a higher GDP growth and to significantly reduce unemployment.

We intend to accomplish this by taking the following steps:

First, budgetary reform stimulating the economy without engendering inflation will be instituted.

Second, industrial policy will utilize the full range of fiscal measures to promote domestic manufacturing and lessen import dependency.

Third, electricity will become more accessible and affordable to businesses and homes alike. Power generation should nearly double and transmission and distribution networks improved. We will encourage states to develop local sources as well.

I have a message for our investors, local and foreign: our government shall review all their complaints about multiple taxation and various anti-investment inhibitions.

We shall ensure that investors and foreign businesses repatriate their hard earned dividends and profits home.

JOBS

My administration must create meaningful opportunities for our youth. We shall honour our campaign commitment of one million new jobs in the digital economy.

Our government also shall work with the National Assembly to fashion an omnibus Jobs and Prosperity bill. This bill will give our administration the policy space to embark on labour-intensive infrastructural improvements, encourage light industry and provide improved social services for the poor, elderly and vulnerable.

Agriculture

Rural incomes shall be secured by commodity exchange boards guaranteeing minimal prices for certain crops and animal products. A nationwide programme for storage and other facilities to reduce spoilage and waste will be undertaken.

Agricultural hubs will be created throughout the nation to increase production and engage in value-added processing. The livestock sector will be introduced to best modern practices and steps taken to minimize the perennial conflict over land and water resources in this sector.

Through these actions, food shall be made more abundant yet less costly. Farmers shall earn more while the average Nigerian pays less.

INFRASTRUCTURE

We shall continue the efforts of the Buhari administration on infrastructure. Progress toward national networks of roads, rail and ports shall get priority attention.

FUEL SUBSIDY

We commend the decision of the outgoing administration in phasing out the petrol subsidy regime which has increasingly favoured the rich more than the poor. Subsidy can no longer justify its ever-increasing costs in the wake of drying resources. We shall instead re-channel the funds into better investment in public infrastructure, education, health care and jobs that will materially improve the lives of millions.

MONETARY POLICY

Monetary policy needs thorough housecleaning. The Central Bank must work towards a unified exchange rate. This will direct funds away from arbitrage into meaningful investment in the plant, equipment and jobs that power the real economy.

Interest rates need to be reduced to increase investment and consumer purchasing in ways that sustain the economy at a higher level.

Whatever merits it had in concept, the currency swap was too harshly applied by the CBN given the number of unbanked Nigerians. The policy shall be reviewed. In the meantime, my administration will treat both currencies as legal tender.

FOREIGN POLICY

Given the world in which we reside, please permit a few comments regarding foreign policy.

The crisis in Sudan and the turn from democracy by several nations in our immediate neighbourhood are of pressing concern.

As such, my primary foreign policy objective must be the peace and stability of the West African subregion and the African continent. We shall work with ECOWAS, the AU and willing partners in the international community to end extant conflicts and to resolve new ones.

As we contain threats to peace, we shall also retool our foreign policy to more actively lead the regional and continental quest for collective prosperity.

Conclusion

This is the proudest day of my life. But this day does not belong to me. It belongs to you, the people of Nigeria.

On this day, Nigeria affirms its rightful place among the world’s great democracies. There, Nigeria shall reside forever.

The course of our past and the promise of the future have brought us to this exceptional moment.

In this spirit, I ask you to join me in making Nigeria a more perfect nation and democracy such that the Nigerian ideal becomes and forever remains the Nigerian reality.  

With full confidence in our ability, I declare that these things are within our proximate reach because my name is Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and I am the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

May God bless you and May He bless our beloved land.”

The National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration Control (NAFDAC) has sealed off an illegal and unapproved herbal mix factory while the suspected owner was arrested in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The illegal factory which is sited around Adedola area of Ibadan was uncovered by NAFDAC operatives at weekend.

The herbal Concoction, according to the suspect, is meant for the treatment of Malaria, body ache, hypertension among others.

The herbal mix, as reliably informed is being distributed across major cities in Nigeria but without formal approval from the regulatory agency.

The suspect revealed that he had been into the production of the products for over five years before the long arm of the law caught up with him.

On whether the herbal product has the mandate and approval of NAFDAC, he declared that he’s yet to perfect all necessary documents with the Agency.

The Zonal Director, National Agency for Food, Drugs and Administration Control, Roseline Ajayi, in an interview with newsmen expressed deep concern regarding the discovery, stating that some concerned members of the public hinted her organization about the illegal operation.

She declared that the suspect has no pending application before the Agency, noting that his operation has no backing of NAFDAC in any way.

The premises of the unauthorized factory have been sealed by officials of the National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control while the suspect has been handed over to the Police for prosecution.