Foreign Investors: Indians Set To Invade Nigeria As Tinubu Assures Best Returns On Investment

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Ayodele Oni

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September 6, 2023

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By Ayodele Oni

Indian investors are set for investment in Nigeria amounting to nearly $14 billion U.S. dollars.

This was revealed during the Nigeria-India Presidential Roundtable and Conference in New Delhi, India.

A statement on Wednesday by presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale stated that President Bola Tinubu was happy saying “we are ready to give you the best returns for investment possible, there’s nowhere else like our country. Nigeria offers the best returns for investment today, so invest now.”

Among these many new investments, Indorama Petrochemical Limited has pledged a new investment of $8 billion U.S. dollars in the expansion of its fertilizer production and petrochemical facility in Eleme, Rivers State.

Jindal Steel and Power Limited, one of India’s largest private steel producers, has committed to investing $3 billion in Nigeria, following discussions with President Tinubu on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit in New Delhi, India.

Founding President of SkipperSeil Limited, Mr. Jitender Sachdeva announced that, following President Bola Tinubu’s personal intervention, he is investing $1.6 billion U.S. dollars in the establishment of twenty 100MW power generation plants across the states of Northern Nigeria, amounting to 2,000MW of new power within the next four years.

Additionally, the President has approved finalization on a new $1 billion U.S. dollar agreement to bring the Defense Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) to 40% self-sufficiency in local manufacturing and production of equipment in-country by 2027.

This would be achieved through a comprehensive new partnership with the Managing Arm of the Military-Industrial Complex of the Indian Government.

Another Indian firm, Bharti Enterprises, which is a major first-generation corporation in India with interests in telecom, space communications, digital solutions, insurance, processed foods, real estate, and hospitality, has expressed its commitment to invest an additional $700 million in Nigeria, with work set to begin immediately.

The president emphasized that under his leadership, agreements must now manifest in industries and jobs on the ground in Nigeria.

“Do not procrastinate. Don’t be frightened about investments in Nigeria. Bring it on. Ask your questions and make your requests.

“The trade and investment opportunities are enormous. I have a team, and I am the captain of that team, and I assure you that we solve problems.

“There are good economic policies for the investors as well as able men and women in leadership and on the ground, who can drive the goal of broad prosperity through investment and infrastructure.

“I will captain and lead the course of investment, development, and prosperity for the largest democracy in Africa and for investors from the rest of the world.”

PEPC Affirms Obi’s Membership Of LP, Says Membership Internal Affair Of Party

By

Ayodele Oni

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September 6, 2023

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By Ayodele Oni

The Presidential Election Petition Court, (PEPC) has settled two objections raised by Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima against the Labour Party, (LP) Presidential candidate, Peter Obi in his favour.

The tribunal declared APC’s petition challenging Obi’s membership of the LP, as incompetent.

Justice Abba says membership in a political party is an internal affair.

The second is on whether his petition was valid as he did not join the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar.

Justices Abba Mohammed, a member of the five-man panel who read the ruling on the case, faulted Tinubu and Shettima’s contention challenging Mr Obi’s membership of the Labour Party.

The judge said a petitioner is not under any obligation to join a candidate who lost the election like himself in his petition.

He said a petitioner is only obligated to join the person and the political party who won the election and the commission who conducted the election as parties to his petition.

Justice Mohammed highlighted a contention by the respondents that Mr Obi’s petition only alleged widespread irregularities without giving the particulars of the polling units.

He agreed that Peter Obi only made generic allegations. He said spreadsheets, inspection reports and forensic analysis filed with the petition during trial were not served on the respondents.

Justice Mohammed also said Obi and his Labour party failed to provide particulars of corrupt practices, suppression of votes, entry of fictitious results and other irregularities in their pleadings.

Meanwhile, it highlighted a claim by the respondents that Obi’s petition only alleged that there were widespread irregularities without giving the particulars and the polling units.

Justice Abba Mohammed holds that in a presidential election held in 176,866 polling units in 774 Local Government Areas, it would be improper not to specify where there were irregularities.

According to him, the petitioners only made generic allegations.

“Pleading must set out material facts and particulars. In the instant petition, there was no effort to prove specific allegations, particulars of complaints.

“The law is clear that where someone alleges irregularities in a particular polling unit, such person must prove the particular irregularities in that polling unit before that petition can succeed.”

The court said the petitioners did not prove the particular polling unit where the election did not take place nor did they specify particulars of polling units where there are alleged complainants of irregularities.

“It was only in one instance that figures were given of alleged suppressed votes and we all know that elections are about figures.

“LP alleged that INEC reduced their scores and added it to APC votes but failed to supply particulars of what they actually scored before the said reductions, neither did they supply the polling units where it happened.”

Tribunal Sacks Two APC Senators In Kogi; Natasha Wins

By

Ayodele Oni

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September 6, 2023

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By Ayodele Oni

Within 24 hours, two Senators of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi state have been sacked by the Election Petition Tribunal.

First to be sacked was the Senator representing Kogi East, Jibrin Isah, on the grounds that elections were cancelled in 94 polling units.

The Tribunal also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a supplementary election in the affected 94 polling units.

The Tribunal Chairman, K.A. Orjiako, who delivered the judgment on the petition brought before it by Victor Adoji, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 25 February election, agreed with the prayers of Mr Adoji.

Mr Adoji, had through his Counsel, Johnson Usman (SAN), challenged the return of Mr Isah of the APC on the ground that elections were cancelled in some polling units where the PVCs collected were more than the margin of his win.

The petitioner had pleaded with the tribunal to anul the election of Mr Isah, who is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Customs Excise and Tarriffs, on the ground that elections were cancelled in 94 polling units and ordered for a supplementary election in the affected 94 polling units in the senatorial district.

Also on Wednesday, the Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Lokoja declared Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as the winner of the February 25 Kogi Central Senatorial election.

The Tribunal Chairman, Justice K.A. Orjiakor in his ruling on Wednesday said Uduaghan scored 54,064 votes to defeat his closest rival Sadiku-Ohere who polled 51,291 votes.

He urged Ohere to pay Akpoti-Uduaghan N500,000 for the cost of the petition. Ohere is of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Kogi: Tribunal Declares PDP Akpoti-Uduaghan Senator-Elect

By

James Orji

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September 6, 2023

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The Kogi State Election Petition Tribunal declared Natasha Akpoti-Uduagan as the actual winner of the February senatorial election in Kogi Central.

Justice K. A. Orjiako, the Tribunal Chairman who read the unanimous judgment of the three-man panel, said results were inflated in nine polling units of Ajaokuta Local Government Area (LGA) in favour of the APC Candidate who was declared winner of the election by INEC

After correcting the inflated votes of the APC Candidate , the Tribunal said Natasha of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, won the election with 54,074 while the APC Candidate polled 51,291.

The tribunal is the first court of jurisdiction in this case, the APC candidate can still challenge the judgment in the court of Appeal.

PEPC Dismisses Evidences From Obi/LP’s 13 Witnesses

By

Adesina Soyooye

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September 6, 2023

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Presidential Election Petition Tribunal 2023

By Adesina Soyooye

For the second time at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, on Wednesday, September 6, 2023, Obi and the Labour Party have lost.

On the heels of PEPC’s dismissal of their case of alleged massive rigging because they, according to PEPC, failed to list the specific polling units where rigging took place, PEPC has also dismissed the evidence of 10 out of the 13 witnesses called Obi and LP to support of their petition against the declaration of President Bola Tinubu as winner.

In one of the judgments, the Court said that the witnesses, subpoenaed at the instance of Obi/LP had their written statements, which contained their evidence, not filed along or frontloaded with the petition within the 21 days allowed by the Electoral Act 2022.

In the lead judgment delivered by Justice Haruna Tsammani, PEPC rejected the documents, including the report of analysis, tendered by the petitioners through the affected 10 witnesses.

It held that “some of the witnesses are not only persons with interest in the outcome of the case, the reports they tendered were made during the pendency of the case.”

Details later.

Fashola: Nigeria Police To Arraign Chike Ibezim

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Adesina Soyooye

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September 6, 2023

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By Adesina Soyooye

The Nigeria Police Force has concluded arrangements to arraign Mr Chika Ibezim in Court.

He is to be arraigned on charges bordering on alleged conspiracy, criminal intimidation, cyberstalking and cyberbullying.

This follows a petition from Priory Terrace Solicitors on behalf of the immediate past Minister of Works, Babatunde Fashola, SAN.

According to the complaint to the Pilice, Ibezim made a false publication on his X (Former Twitter) platform on Saturday, August 5, 2023, to the effect that Fashola was drafting a controversial verdict for the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal Court to be delivered in favour of President Bola Tinubu.

A statement issued on September 5, 2023, by the Police, signed by Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa, reads:

CASE OF CONSPIRACY, CRIMINAL INTIMIDATION, CYBERSTALKING, CYBERBULLYING: CHIKE IBEZIM COMPLICIT, TO BE ARRAIGNED ONCE COURT RESUMES

“Following a report from Priory Terrace Solicitors on behalf of Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, CON, against one Nnamdi Emmanuel Ibezim, Police Investigators from the Force Intelligence Bureau carried out intensive investigations into the complaint and discovered that the suspect made a false publication on his handle – @ReporteraNews on the social media platform ‘X’, formerly known as Twitter on Saturday 5th August, 2023, alleging that the complainant was involved in the drafting of a controversial verdict in the ongoing Presidential Election Petition Tribunal and that the military have been deployed to his residence to restrict movement thereby intending to cast aspersion on the person of the former Minister, contrary to Section 24 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention) Act, 2015, which has the potential to cause harm, distress, and damage to his reputation, as well as posing great threats to national security and stability of our dear country.

“Further investigations to wit technical and tactical analysis into the phone number used for making the publication in question, it was discovered that it is registered to one Chike Ibezim. Armed with this intelligence, police investigators proceeded to the office address of the suspect in Maitama, Abuja, where Chike Ibezim was arrested, while Nnamdi Emmanuel Ibezim, and one Tope who it was alleged handles all social media correspondences are currently at large and have not honoured all invitations by the Nigeria Police Force.

“In this wise, the Nigeria Police Force wishes to state clearly that our radar is on other individuals who are involved in this case and others alike for possible arrest and prosecution. The NPF thereby warns that cyberstalking and other cyber-related unguarded utterances are criminal and capable of heating up the polity and causing chaos.

“This new trend of cyberstalking, and a massive spread of fake news should be discouraged in all manners for our collective sake, and the sake of our dear country.”

For Second Time, NPFL Shifts Date For Commencement Of League Season

By

Ayodele Oni

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September 6, 2023

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By Ayodele Oni

Again for the second time, the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Board has postponed the kick-off of the 2023/2024 NPFL league season

This was contained in a letter on Wednesday, signed by the board COO Davidson Owumi, to all the club chairmen.

The news of the postponement was conveyed to all the clubs while citing the exigencies connected to the sponsorship of the league as the reason for the latest postponement.

The new league season was initially proposed by the NPFL board to kick-off on August 26, a date ratified by the Club Owners Association on August 4 after a consultative meeting between the board and the Association in Abuja.

No new date for the start of the season has been fixed as this was not contained in the letter sent to the clubs.

Peter Obi Loses; PEPT Says No Evidence Of Mass Rigging

By

Adesina Soyooye

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September 6, 2023

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By Adesina Soyooye

Peter Obi, the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, has been knocked out by the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal Court.

Obi had petitioned against the declaration of Bola Tinubu, then candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as winner of the February 25, 2023 General Elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission, Commission. Among other things, Obi and INEC had alleged mass rigging.

But on Wednesday, September 6, 2023, the Honourable Justice Abba Mohammed who read the lead judgement dismissed the allegations of mass rigging.

He said the petitioners made “generic accusations of irregularities” but failed to specify the anomaly, the places where it occurred and those affected.

He said: “They failed to state the number of votes affected and the number of people disenfranchise.”

PEPT said that Peter Obi and LP claimed to have scored the majority of lawful votes cast, but failed to state the number of lawful votes they scored.

“The determination of election is about figures,” the court held.

…Details, later.

On Shettima, Tinubu, APC Are Right – PEPT

By

Ayodele Oni

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September 6, 2023

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By Ayodele Oni

The Justice Haruna Tsammani-led five-member panel of the Presidential Petition Election Tribunal on Wednesday said the Allied Peoples Movement’s petition challenging the qualification of Vice President, Kashim Shettima, was a pre-election matter.

The Allied Peoples Movement, (APM), petition seeking to disqualify Vice President Kashim Shettima has thus been rejected by the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.

The party had maintained that Tinubu’s selection of Kashim Shettima as his vice-presidential candidate for the election was an improper use of Tinubu’s sponsorship by the All Progressives Congress, (APC).

When Shettima accepted the nomination for vice president on July 14, the opposition party asserted that he was still the APC candidate for the Borno Central Senatorial District.

The PEPT, in its decision on the issue concluded that it was a pre-election matter and that it lacked jurisdiction to consider it.

The court also held that APM lacked locus standi to institute matters bothering on nomination and sponsorship of Shettima.

Reading his verdict, Tsammani said the matter ought to have been challenged before the conduct of the presidential election.

“The issue of qualification or disqualification is a constitutional one. The issue of disqualification or qualification is a pre-election matter, must be determined before the conduct of the election.

“This court has no jurisdiction to hear the matter and even if it does it is status-barred because it is a pre-election matter.”

Hike In School Fees: Crisis At UNILAG As Security Operatives Shoot Sporadically, Arrest Protesting Student

By

Akinwale Kasali

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September 6, 2023

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By Akinwale Kasali

There is pandemonium at the University of Lagos, UNILAG, as protesting Students are chased, arrested and forcefully dispersed by Security Operatives who are alleged to have shot sporadically into the air.

The unrest at the Federal Institution was as a result of the increment in the Tuition Fee, which didn’t augur well with the Students who resorted to staging a protest at the school premises.

In a Live Video on Social Media, the protesting students could be seen running helter skelter as gunshots are heard.

The Students could also be heard shouting on top of their voices against the arrests by Security Operatives.

It would be recalled that the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, vowed to go on with their planned massive protest Wednesday, September 6, against the recent increment in school fees by some federal universities in the country, insisting that the increment will never come to stay.

The students’ body asked the institutions which had already started implementing their own increment to be ready for them or stop the policy forthwith and refund any student who might have paid the new fees.

In a statement on Monday, Temitope Giwa, a final Year Student of UNILAG, NANS’ Public Relations Officer, said nothing would stop them from protesting as planned.

Giwa insisted that the entire UNILAG and other Nigerian students reject any fee hike by any public tertiary school be it university or polytechnic in the country.

He explained again that they had made this position with genuine reasons known repeatedly not only to the public but also to President Bola Tinubu by officially communicating their objection to the fee hike to him.

According to NANS, “We have let the president Know that our parents are going through very difficult times, the experience of which they have never had in Nigeria’s history.

“That the recent removal of subsidy on fuel in particular has brought untold hardship on them and also on us. Our parents have suffered enough hardship and to add fee hike to their struggles is to suffocate them.

“So, we have not shifted our ground on this matter as the economy rather bites harder each day in the land.“