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Nasir El-Rufai, has accused his fellow governors of abandoning his administration in its face-off with the NLC

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Nasir El-Rufai, has accused his fellow governors of abandoning his administration in its face-off with the NLC

Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has accused his fellow governors of abandoning his administration in its face-off with the Nigeria Labour Congress.

Punch Newspaper reports that, Governor El-Rufai said this during a virtual meeting of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum on Wednesday.

Also at the meeting,  a committee set up by the NGF recommended a petrol price of between N408.5 per litre and N380 per litre. It called for immediate removal of fuel subsidy.

Before the committee submitted its report, El-Rufai had berated the forum.

He also accused an unnamed governor of providing mobilisation funds for the NLC to destabilise Kaduna  State.

Workers in the state workers had on Monday begun a five-day strike over  El-Rufai administration’s retrenchment of 45,000 workers and the alleged anti-labour policies.

There was confusion in the state on Tuesday as thugs attacked workers at a rally organised by the NLC prompting the congress to issue a statement, where it threatened to declare a nationwide strike.

El-Rufai had earlier on Tuesday declared the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, wanted for allegedly sabotaging the economy of the state.

Baring his mind at the NGF meeting on Wednesday, El-Rufai said he did not get the required support from his colleagues.

He stated, “I am a governor.  I am one of you.  The least I expect from the Nigeria Governors Forum is unequivocal and unqualified support. I didn’t see that in that statement.

“I am being very blunt. I could pretend and be political and just smile and say it was alright but it is not. But I am used to fighting my own battles.”

The NGF, in a statement by its Chairman, Dr Kayode Fayemi, on Monday had urged the NLC to exercise restraint in its engagement with the Kaduna State Government.

It stated, “The NGF calls for cautious introspection on the part of Labour as no meaningful progress of any kind has ever been achieved in an atmosphere of conflict and chaos.”

Besides criticising the NGF, the Kaduna State governor described labour unions as the greatest threat to Nigeria. He stated that  governors must come together to tackle their menace to prevent the country from degenerating further.

The governor further said, “We will fight this.  We are breaking them and they will leave town ashamed. I will not give them one inch because this is not about unionism.

“If it is about rights of workers, Kaduna is not the only state that has retrenched workers. Kaduna is not a state owing salaries. Kaduna is not a state failing to pay minimum wage.  Kaduna is not a state owing years of pension arrears. Why didn’t they go there? Kaduna was targeted for political reasons; and they are being financed by certain political interests. But we will fight them, we will defeat them but as the Governor of Bayelsa said, and since he has brought that subject, I have a responsibility to put it through, unless we collectively address this monster, it will consume all of us.

“After this, they (NLC) will never come back to Kaduna. They will never come back, you will see. They will go to other states.  It is up to the forum to decide on what to do, but we are here, we are ready, we will end this by the grace of God.

“I would like to inform the forum that one of our colleagues, a state governor actually gave the NLC money to come to Kaduna to do this because people think everything is politics. This is not politics. This is a monster that will consume all of us. It will not consume Kaduna I’m confident of that.”

When reminded that the NGF issued a statement from the office of the chairman on the subject, El-Rufai replied, “That press release with the greatest respect was unhelpful. It was unhelpful. It said nothing. It  was trying to play both sides.”

El-Rufai spoke after the Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, expressed displeasure over the lack of support for El-Rufai.

He explained that what the Kaduna State governor was dealing with would soon catch up with other states if the situation was not properly managed.

Just In: An explosion at the Olúségun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta

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Just In: An explosion at the Olúségun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta

There’s been an explosion at the Olúségun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta on Thursday, leaving two persons feared dead.

The explosion occurred around 11 am at the Marcque event centre within the Presidential Library.

Multiple accounts say, routine cleaning was being done while one of the gas cylinders in the event centre exploded – Some dead bodies have been taken by a rescue team that arrived at the scene shortly after the incident .

The Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library is a library owned by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, a former President of Nigeria.

It is a historic, tourist and academic centre established as a national archive for the preservation of documents and materials used by the president during his tenure as the president of Nigeria. The library is located at Abeokuta, Ogun State in Nigeria.

The Presidential Library complex comprises 32 hectares. The archives proper house 15 million documents, two million books and 4,000 artifacts relating to Obasanjo’s two stints in power, and contemporary Nigerian and African history more generally.

The complex also includes an open air amphitheater, a 1000-seat auditorium, a 153-room hotel, several restaurants and bars, a small amusement park, a wildlife park, and an observation point.

Kaduna Strike: Electricity restored after 3 day blackout

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Kaduna Strike: Electricity restored after 3 day blackout

Electricity was restored to Kaduna State on Wednesday night after three days of blackout due to the strike of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state.

This is coming hours after the NLC suspended its five-day warning strike in the state.

Spokesperson of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) in the state Abdulazeez Abdullahi announced in a statement on Wednesday that power was restored by 10:30pm.

“We are happy to report that power supply has been restored to many parts of Kaduna State after the suspension of the strike action by the Nigerian Labour Congress this evening.

“As at 10:30 pm, we were able to pick load on most of our 11KV feeders hence many parts of the metropolis including Zaria and environs have had their supply restored. This was possible after restoration of the 33KV feeders by the Transmission Company of Nigeria.

“We once again thank all our esteemed customers and other stakeholders for bearing with us in the past four days. We also appreciate the efforts of the TCN team for supporting us in restoring supply back,” he said.

Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai had earlier said his government was yet to see the evidence that the NLC was backing off from what it described as a campaign of economic and social sabotage against the people of the state.

A statement signed by El-Rufai’s Special Adviser on Media and Communication, Muyiwa Adekeye, stressed the need for prompt restoration of electricity in the state and warned that Labour should not expect that it would be a matter for negotiation, much less being viewed as a precondition.

Breaking: Why Cross River Governor Ben Ayade dumped PDP For APC

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Breaking: Why Cross River Governor Ben Ayade dumped PDP For APC

Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State has defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Top members of the ruling party, including governors and senators are currently at Government House, Calabar, where the defection was finalised.

Sources within the state Government tell NewsWireNGR, “the governor is looking for political survival at the end of his tenure and he has figured that the only way to stay relevant is to join the ruling party, it is not personal but politics”.

“It is however not clear if the people of the state will join him in this decision, only a 2023 general elections will tell”.

Governor Ayade announced his decision on Thursday morning in a meeting with six APC governors who visited him at the Government House.

Some of the governors arrived in Calabar on Wednesday evening ahead of their meeting on Thursday with Governor Ayade.

The APC governors at the meeting are Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodima, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State among others, according to Government House sources.

It was, however, gathered that Jigawa State Governor, Mr. Abubakar Badaru, and his Kebbi State counterpart, Mr. Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, could not make it to Calabar as bad weather conditions did not allow their aircraft to land.

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr. Timipre Sylva, was also said to be in the APC team.

A source at the Cross River State Government House last night said, that the delegation was led by Buni.

The Cross River State governor is having problems with the PDP over the conduct of the last state congress in the state where he lost control of the structures in the state.

He was absent at the last PDP governors’ meeting in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Following speculations that he might defect to the APC, the Chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum and Sokoto State Governor, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal; Governor

Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta and Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State recently visited him to persuade him not to leave the opposition party.

Igbo people have been brainwashed about Biafra – Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi

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Igbo people have been brainwashed about Biafra – Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi

Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, says the South-East geopolitical zone does not want war, adding that the region also does not want to leave Nigeria.

Umahi, who is also the Chairman of the South-East Governors’ Forum, stated this on Thursday at Aso Villa in Abuja during the weekly State House Briefing noted that the Igbo people have been brainwashed.

“A lot of people have been brainwashed about Biafra; that there will be no elections in the region in 2023. INEC offices are not being burnt in other parts of the country. It’s a terrible mindset for anybody to be doing this. They are criminals” the governor stated.

He lamented that “the situation in the South-East is a mixture of reality, fake news and war propaganda”.

“Are there rightful agitations in the South-East. Yes. Has it turned violent? Yes. It’s been hijacked,” he said.

The governor also added, “In the South-East, we don’t want war, we don’t want to secede, we want to be a part of a fair Nigeria where justice, equity and freedom exist.

“I believe in dialogue, and that we can sit down to know and resolve our differences and strengthen our cooperation as a people.”

The South-East region has been in the eye of the storm of late as rampaging gunmen suspected to be members of the Indigenous People of Biafra burn down police stations, prisons, offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission, while they also attack other public and private facilities.

Gov Umahi endorsed ban on open grazing, says it’s the right decision, especially in Southeast which does not have historical grazing routes/reserves. Called on the Federal Government to do more to enforce implement ranching and business-led models for livestock management.

Federal Government in 2017 proscribed the secessionist group, IPOB, led by Nnamdi Kanu, and declared the group’s activities as illegal but Kanu, who leads an army of youths, has been agitating for a Biafra Nation, citing perceived injustice and ill-treatment of Igbos in Nigeria.

‘I have respect for Nigerians’ – Buhari says

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‘I have respect for Nigerians’ – Buhari says

President Muhammadu Buhari has assured Nigerians that the government’s commitment to free and fair elections will be followed through in every future election.

The President also said the bedrock of democracy remained sustenance of the multi-party structure, with trust from citizens.

He was speaking at an interactive session with some Nigerians in Paris, France, on Wednesday.

Buhari noted that results from elections since he assumed office had been a mixed bag, with the people’s choice playing out, promising to keep the template that had brought more credibility to the electoral process.

“Free and fair election is a great concern. In the last elections, our party lost in some elections and it reflects our position of non-interference.

“Normally those in power will win by hook or by crook. We believe in free and fair elections. I have respect for Nigerians to choose their leaders. We have shown we respect our citizens by allowing them to choose their leaders.

“We gave instructions to security to deal with anyone who uses thugs to disrupt electoral processes. What I can assure you is that you can walk about and around with your head raised high that this administration is committed to multi-party system,’’ President Buhari explained.


The President said he had watched Nigerians spend long hours in campaigns listening to candidates since 2003, 2007, 2011, when he contested elections and lost, and 2015 and 2019 presidential elections, which he won.

“Nigerians deserve respect. I have suffered before, so I know what it means. My duty is to serve Nigeria and Nigerians with all my heart. I assure that in spite of the ill luck, with drop in resources, we will do our best,’’ he stressed.


The President said investments had been channeled into the Agriculture Sector, with visible results, explaining that the policy on border closure to neighbouring countries was to protect the economy and improve security.

“The future of Nigeria is in agriculture,’’ he noted.

On security, President Buhari said all the service chiefs were changed to inject new energy and ideas into protecting the country, stating that the security chiefs were also given clear targets and time lines.

“We will educate people to develop our country. Our greatest resources are our people and educating them is a priority,’’ he added.

In his remarks, the Nigerian Ambassador to France, Kayode Laro, appreciated the President for always creating time to interact with Nigerians, describing him as the ‘most friendly President to Nigerians in diaspora.’

At the meeting, Nigerians in Paris raised issues with the President on security, voting in elections, economy and education.

“They’re trying to get revenge” – Pandemonium in Oshodi as eyewitness say military personnel are shooting

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“They’re trying to get revenge” – Pandemonium in Oshodi as eyewitness say military personnel are shooting

Many residents and passengers are currently stranded in Oshodi, Lagos State, as soldiers have taken over major places in the area.

Eyewitness accounts say, the military personnel stormed the area on Thursday morning to avenge the death of an officer of the Nigerian Air Force, who was allegedly mobbed to death by hoodlums.

“It is happening live now in Oshodi, the military personnel are shooting, based on the reports we are getting, they say someone was actually killed so they’re coming back for revenge” – an eyewitness accounts says.

He continued, “Everyone is running for their life now, we need immediate response, cars are turning back now and everyone is running, a lot of people have been injured”.

Many vehicles, especially commercial buses have been destroyed, while some persons were assaulted by the aggrieved security operatives.

Some residents heading to work were trapped in the ensuing violence while students have fled back home – Traders cleaning up their stores on the day of the weekly sanitation also fled just as some transporters abandoned their vehicles.

The situation has compounded the traffic woe in the cosmopolitan city as there is currently no movement in and out the part of Oshodi where the rampaging soldiers are.

Oshodi links other major parts of Lagos and a major bus terminal is in that part of the state.

Judiciary workers ignore CJN; insists strike will continue

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Judiciary workers ignore CJN; insists strike will continue

Members of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria have have insisted that the ongoing strike will continue in spite of the plea by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Ibrahim Muhammad, for them to call off the strike.

The leadership of the union made their position known in a communique signed by the National Deputy President, Emmanuel Abioye, and the General Secretary, Isaiah Adetola, after its National Executive Council meeting on Wednesday in Abuja.

Recall that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, had met with the CJN on Tuesday.

Consequently, the CJN had urged the striking union to call off the strike.

While the union commended the efforts of the CJN, the minister, and others in bringing an end to the strike, it however insisted that the strike would continue.

According to the communique, the union stated that it would “continue with the ongoing industrial action until the provision of the constitution in contention is fully complied with as the provisions of the constitution are non-negotiable.”

JUSUN also resolved to “deal with any state found not fully complying with its directive on the ongoing strike action while commending members to remain resolute.”

The Union also warned that its members should not be victimized as a result of the ongoing strike action and expressed displeasure with some of the Chief Judges for working against the fight for financial autonomy.

“NEC-in-session frowns at the attitude of some state Chief Judges on their anti-constitutional disposition on the full implementation of the financial autonomy of the Judiciary,” it said.

It also condemned the decision of the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai in declaring the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba, wanted.

In the same vein, JUSUN also expressed its displeasure with the Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi and called for the immediate payment of the withheld salary and dues accruing to the union.

Breaking: Buhari approves four airports in Nigeria as Special Economic Zones

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Breaking: Buhari approves four airports in Nigeria as Special Economic Zones

Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has approved four airports in Nigeria as Special Economic Zones.

The approved airports are Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos; Port Harcourt International Airport, Rivers; Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

This was disclosed on Thursday by the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika.

“I am very glad to announce that Mr President has Approved our four International Airports as Special Economic Zones. These are Lagos, Kano, Abuja & Port Harcourt. Our roadmap working,” he tweeted.

A special economic zone is an area in which the business and trade laws are different from the rest of the country.

SEZs as mostly abbreviated, are located within a country’s national borders, and their aims include increasing trade balance, employment, increased investment, job creation and effective administration.

To encourage businesses to set up in the zone, financial policies are introduced. These policies typically encompass investing, taxation, trading, quotas, customs and labour regulations. Additionally, companies may be offered tax holidays, where upon establishing themselves in a zone, they are granted a period of lower taxation.

The creation of special economic zones by the host country may be motivated by the desire to attract foreign direct investment (FDI).

The benefits a company gains by being in a special economic zone may mean that it can produce and trade goods at a lower price, aimed at being globally competitive.

In some countries, the zones have been criticized for being little more than labor camps, with workers denied fundamental labor rights.

Kaduna Strike: El-Rufai has backed out of the reconciliation meeting with NLC

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Kaduna Strike: El-Rufai has backed out of the reconciliation meeting with NLC

Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has backed out of a scheduled meeting between the federal government, state officials as well as officials of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) saying none of the state officials will attend the meeting.

The governor said he is yet to see evidence that the NLC is backing off from its campaign of economic and social sabotage against the people of the State.

Governor El-Rufai stated this on Wednesday in a statement signed by his media adviser Muyiwa Adekeye.

NewsWireNGR had reported how the Nigerian Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige stepped into the ongoing face-off between the Kaduna State government and labour unions by inviting both parties to a reconciliation meeting.

However the Kaduna Governor’s response was that: “The Kaduna State Government is yet to see evidence that the NLC is backing off from its campaign of economic and social sabotage against the people of the State”.

“Electric power is yet to be restored, after it was shutdown at dawn on Sunday, 16th May 2021, in brazen violation of the laws protecting essential services and infrastructure. The statement read.

“That action removed any basis for state government officials to meet the NLC last Sunday. Denying our people electricity about 18 hours to the advertised commencement of their organised sabotage was akin to putting a gun on the government’s head. Government has a lawful duty not to indulge blackmail.

“Restoring electricity is vital to relieving some of the pain that needless acts of lawlessness have inflicted on our people. The unimpeded provision of essential services is vital to civilised order.

“Those who have disrupted it should promptly reverse themselves, not expect that it will be a matter for negotiation, much less being viewed as a precondition. KDSG will not participate in such a negotiation or countenance one whilst our people are still being denied their right to electricity.” ge further stated.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress has suspended its five days warning strike in the state.


While announcing the suspension, the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba said the decision is to honour the invitation of the labour minister to attend the mediation meeting.

The NLC started a demonstration on Monday to protest the disengagement of more than seven thousand civil servants by the Kaduna State government.

Several sectors of the state’s critical economy have been paralysed following the protests with governor El-Rufai in reaction declaring the NLC president and other leaders wanted for economic sabotage and attacks on public infrastructure.

‘Open grazing ban in the south is like preventing spare parts sales in the north’ – AGF Malami says

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‘Open grazing ban in the south is like preventing spare parts sales in the north’ – AGF Malami says

The Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has compared the ban on open grazing by southern governors to preventing the sale of spare parts in the north.

Malami said this in an interview with Channels Television on Wednesday.

Recall that last Tuesday, southern governors met in Asaba, Delta State and resolved to ban open grazing and the movement of cattle by foot.

He claimed that the resolution on open grazing by Southern governors does not align with the constitution, adding that the decision “does not hold water”.

Malami said, “It is about constitutionality within the context of the freedoms expressed in our constitution. Can you deny the rights of a Nigerian?

“For example: it is as good as saying, perhaps, maybe, the northern governors coming together to say they prohibit spare parts trading in the north.

“Does it hold water? Does it hold water for a northern governor to come and state expressly that he now prohibits spare parts trading in the north?

“If you are talking of constitutionally guaranteed rights, the better approach to it is to perhaps go back to ensure the constitution is amended

“Freedom and liberty of movement among others established by the constitution, if by an inch you want to have any compromise over it, the better approach is to go back to the national assembly to say open grazing should be prohibited and see whether you can have the desired support for the constitutional amendment.

“It is a dangerous provision for any governor in Nigeria to think he can bring any compromise on the freedom and liberty of individuals to move around.” he said.

Malami’s comments have been met with outrage and backlash on social media, with several public policy analysts saying the AGF should never have said what he said.

According to them, comparing the spare parts business to open Grazing by Fulani herdsmen is a false equivalent.

Oyo APC sues Seyi Makinde, Electoral Commission

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Oyo APC sues Seyi Makinde, Electoral Commission

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State to court over its exclusion from the forthcoming local government elections in the state.

Also joined in the suit was the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC).

The Oyo State Caretaker Chairman of APC, Akin Oke, confirmed the development in a statement on Wednesday in Ibadan.

Mr Oke said the APC, through its lawyers, had prepared the originating processes and forwarded same to the state’s Chief Judge.

He expressed the hope that the case would be attended to timeously by accepting it for filing and assigning it to a judge for hearing.

Mr Makinde had on assumption of office in 2019 sacked the elected local government chairmen and councillors on the platform of APC, a year into their tenure.

The sacked chairmen and councillors had approached the court to challenge the dissolution, which the Supreme Court ruled in their favour on May 7, 2021

NAN recalled that the OYSIEC had before the judgment commenced electoral processes for the conduct of local government elections for May 22, in which APC did not participate on account of the pending judgment.

Mr Oke said the courts were imbued with extensive powers under the High Court Laws of Oyo State, Nigerian Constitution and High Court Civil Procedure Rules of Oyo State.

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