A Yacht for the President? & more – 9th Nov 2023

Kedu from BA! This is the Rorshok Nigeria Update from the 9th of November twenty twenty-three A quick summary of what's going down in Nigeria.

We begin today's episode with some political news.

President Tinubu asked the House of Representatives to pass a bill on a supplementary budget to allow the government to roll out palliatives and other essential services to Nigerians.

However, Tinubu also submitted a request for six million dollars to buy a presidential yacht. This sum was part of the two-billion-dollar supplementary budget for the twenty twenty-three fiscal year. Still, the House of Representatives turned down his request. Besides, his move was called into question, as his proposal might have been insensitive considering the harsh economic situation in Nigeria.

On Thursday, the 2nd, the lawmakers said that the sum requested by Tinubu should be used for student loans. Since the budget already stipulated an amount for student loans, now the money allocated has reached twelve million dollars.

However, on Saturday, the 4th, the Nigerian Navy confirmed the delivery of the yacht, saying that Muhammadu Buhari, the former President of Nigeria, had ordered the yacht. It said that the funds for its payment were unavailable during Buhari's tenure and that the new government was only making provisions for its payment in the supplementary budget. Consequently, the House of Representatives said it would investigate the Navy over the yacht's purchase.

On Friday, the 3rd, the French Government announced that it would return one hundred and fifty million dollars to Nigeria, which Sani Abacha, a late military General, stole. Abacha was Nigeria's military head of state between nineteen ninety-three and nineteen ninety-eight. The dictator stole the country's funds and stacked them abroad. Since his death, Nigeria has been receiving millions of dollars from foreign countries where Abacha hid the money. Catherine Colonna, France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, said they would return the money as grants. Reportedly, the French Government will also discuss with the Nigerian executive about how the returned funds will be used. Since two thousand five, Nigeria has recovered over five billion dollars.

Moving on, Hilda Baci, the Nigerian Chef, no longer holds the world record for the longest cooking marathon, as Alan Fisher, an Irish Chef, has displaced her. On Tuesday, the 7th, Guinness World Records announced on their social media handle that Alan Fisher broke the record by cooking for one hundred and nineteen hours and fifty-seven minutes. This beats Hilda's eighty-nine-hour record.

The Peoples Democratic Party (or PDP) in Akwa Ibom State has sued President Tinubu for allegedly appointing a member of his party, the All Progressives Congress (or APC), as Resident Electoral Commissioner (or REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (or INEC) for the state. Some people believe that an electoral officer should not belong to any party, as it might compromise the election process.

On Friday, the 3rd, The PDP challenged Umoren as the REC for the state, and listed Tinubu, the Senate, and Umoren as defendants in the suit. The PDP attached colored photographs and clips of Umoren on campaign grounds wearing the APC clothes to their lawsuit. The opposition party leaders are requesting the court to rule that Tinubu cannot nominate Umoren as the REC for Akwa Ibom State. They are also seeking a court declaration that Umoren's appointment is unlawful, illegal, and unconstitutional.

Meanwhile, on Friday, the 3rd, The United States told its citizens in Nigeria to avoid major hotels in the country. Reportedly, the US got intel that terrorists may begin targeting big hotels. However, Ime Udo, the National President of the Nigerian Association of Tour Operators, has assured foreigners that Nigeria is a safe place to visit. There are security threats only in the North East.

In other news, recall that last week policemen reportedly beat up Joe Ajaero, the chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (or NLC) in a protest against the Imo State government. In protest, on Tuesday, the 7th, the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (or TUC) announced that they would go on an indefinite strike starting next week, on Tuesday, the 14th. The TUC and NLC also gave the Federal Government a five-day ultimatum to remove the Imo State Police Commissioner for his suspected involvement in the attack.

Olaf Scholz, the German Chancellor, has said that fourteen thousand illegal immigrants from Nigeria reside in Germany. He also stated that Germany is finding it difficult to deport them to Nigeria as they lack proper identification. While discussing with President Tinubu on Wednesday, the 7th, Scholz also noted that the Nigerian government has made it difficult to deport immigrants because Nigeria’s executive will only accept citizens with proper documents. However, Tinubu has said that Nigeria is willing to accept any of the illegal immigrants in Germany if they have been identified as Nigerians and have shown good behavior.

On Tuesday, the 7th, The Lagos State University (or LASU) removed Tajudeen Olumoko, a professor of the school who is the Dean of Students Affairs, over allegations of certificate racketeering in the school. His removal has to do with an online news report published on Monday, the 6th, which stated that some syndicates in LASU sold certificates to individuals for amounts between two thousand five hundred and four thousand dollars. The report prompted the Lagos State House of Assembly to launch an investigation into the school. However, the House has called the Lagos State Commissioner for Education, the school's Vice Chancellor, and other top staff of the school for questioning. The events have received heavy criticism from the public as LASU is one of the most prestigious universities in Nigeria.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (or CBN) has affirmed that old and new naira notes are still legal tender. Reportedly, the public has become concerned about the December deadline set by the Supreme Court back in March after the CBN under Godwin Emefiele, former CBN governor, had decided to phase out old notes. However, the apex bank advised the public on its social media handle on Wednesday, the 8th, to accept all banknotes currently in circulation and guard against panic withdrawals. It also said that branches of the CBN across the country have been directed to continue to issue different denominations of old and redesigned banknotes. It warned commercial banks and traders against refusing the old naira notes.

Still on politics, the Federal Government of Nigeria has launched e-Passport facilities in Europe. The facilities were unveiled at some designated Nigerian Embassies in Europe, with the first phase capturing Spain, Greece, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Minister of Interior, said that the e-Passport complies with all standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. Once fully operational, Nigeria will become the first country in Africa and the fifth worldwide to embrace the new initiative. The enhanced e-Passport is expected to reduce processing delays in Europe significantly.

The Federal Government said that the country has lost over three billion dollars to oil theft in the last five years. Orji Ogbonnaya, The Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (or NEITI), has revealed that the criminal activities take place because several communities assist the oil vandals. Orji also stated that many members of the pipelines association provide the skills and knowledge needed to carry out oil theft to illegal miners. The NEITI boss has called on the government to tackle oil theft as it costs the country billions of dollars annually.

We end with a follow-up of a story we covered in previous shows: the Magistrate's Court in Lagos State granted bail to Nigerian singer Naira Marley and his associate, Sam Larry. The bail was set at twenty-four thousand dollars, and the defendants had to provide three sureties to ensure their release. Recall that the court had initially ordered the detention of Naira Marley and Sam Larry and ordered them to remain under police custody for twenty-one days over the death of singer Mohbad, who passed away in September. As part of the bail conditions, the defendants had to submit their international passports and report weekly to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Lagos. Don't forget that Naira Marley and Sam Larry still have a suit in court against the police. They are both demanding compensation of around fifty thousand dollars for staying in police custody beyond the number of days the Magistrate had approved.

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Ka o di!