Alhassan Bawu, the Bauchi State campaign director of the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has dumped the party for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He said he was switching camp to the PDP alongside other officials of the party in the North-East.
Mr Bawu stated at a news conference in Bauchi on Tuesday that all the chairmen of the party, state and zonal officers, and national officers from the zone have also defected to support the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
He said the defection was informed by the lack of structure of the LP at state, local and ward levels, adding that “the LP is not strong and won’t be able to win a single seat in the region.
“We are officially declaring that all the North-East executives of the Labour Party are defecting to PDP to support Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
“We don’t want to waste our votes, and we want to use this time to mobilise votes to who has the capacity to win the election,” he said.
He said the decampees preferred the PDP above other political parties because they believed the party and its presidential candidate could handle the country.
“If we support Atiku, we know that our votes will help him in becoming the president of this country,” he said.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has clarified the position of the apex bank chief, Godwin Emefiele, that old N200, N500 and N1,000 will be accepted after the February 10, 2023 fresh deadline.
Speaking with newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday, the Director of the Corporate Communications Department at the CBN, Osita Nwanisobi, explained that the old notes would cease to be legal tender after the February 10, 2023, and can no longer be used for any form of transaction afterward.
‘Only CBN Will Accept Old Notes After Deadline’ Nwanisobi said after the deadline, Nigerians will be able to redeem the face value of the Naira only at the CBN and not at commercial banks. He also added that the acceptance will be subject to meeting certain conditions.
The apex bank’s spokesman emphasised that in line with the provision of Section 20 (3) of the CBN Act, Nigerians would have the opportunity to “redeem the face value of the Naira only at the Central Bank after the currency had lost its legal tender status, subject to meeting certain conditions”.
The duration for the acceptance of the old notes after the expiration of the deadline was, however, not stated.
Citing instances in other climes, Nwanisobi explained that banknotes that cease to be legal tender are only redeemable by the monetary authorities of such jurisdiction upon demand subject to conditions and processes as may be prescribed by that Central Bank.
Earlier on Tuesday, Emefiele appeared before the House of Representatives Adhoc Committee on naira swap months after the invitation by lower chamber and days after the Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila threatened to issue an arrest warrant on the apex bank chief.
The CBN had on October 26, 2022, announced its plan to redesign the three banknotes. President Muhammadu Buhari subsequently unveiled the redesigned N200, N500 and N1,000 notes on November 23, 2022, while the apex bank fixed January 31 deadline for the validity of the old notes.
The CBN also pegged its weekly cash withdrawal limits to N500,000 for individuals and N5m for corporate firms.
Many Nigerians have lamented the scarcity of new notes as the January 31 deadline approached while the National Assembly demanded a six-month extension.
However, emerging from a meeting with the President on Sunday, the apex bank chief said Buhari gave permission for the deadline to be extended to February 10.
The governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele has assured Nigerians that banks will continue to accept old naira notes after the stipulated deadline.
Emefiele spoke on Tuesday when he appeared at an interactive session with the house of representatives ad hoc committee on the currency redesign and naira swap policy.
He said the CBN will also accept the old naira from banks after the February 10 deadline.
Emefiele made reference to the CBN act mandates the apex bank to continue to accept old notes after it’s expiration.
Section 20 (3) of the CBN act states: “Notwithstanding sub-sections (1) and (2) of this section, the bank shall have power, if directed to do so by the president and after giving reasonable notice in that behalf, to call in any of its notes or coins on payment of the face value thereof and any note or coin with respect to which a notice has been given under this sub-section, shall, on the expiration of the notice, cease to be legal tender, but, subject to section 22 of this act, shall be redeemed by the bank upon demand”.
The Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele has finally succumbed to pressure as he is set to physically appear before the House of Representatives’ Ad-hoc Committee investigating the new cash withdrawal limit and cash swap policy.
Emefiele who was sighted at the National Assembly complex, was accompanied by top CBN management team.
Following his appearance in response to the House summon, the House is expected to reverse its resolution to issue a warrant of arrest through the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Alkali Baba to compel the CBN Governor’s appearance.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in Bauchi says it allocates N30 million new naira notes daily to each branch of commercial banks in the state to increase customers’ access to the new notes.
CBN official Abdulkadir Jibrin said this while monitoring banks in Bauchi on Monday to ensure residents have access to the new banknotes. He said the exercise aimed to make the banknotes available in banks and to exchange old notes easily.
“Only N10,000 and below could be exchanged per person, and if the amount is more than that, one should open a bank wallet. Daily each branch across the state receives N30 million to ensure their automated teller machines (ATMs) are stocked with cash for individuals to withdraw,” he said.
He urged the public to extend the deadline to February 10 to deposit their old currencies with banks to avoid financial loss.
“It’s just a window for the citizens that are yet to take their money into their accounts to do that and then those that have N10,000 or less. Our committee would continue to reach out to localities to ask them to bring out their old notes and exchange them with the new ones,” he said.
He explained that the monitoring exercise entailed checking ATMs to ensure that the new naira notes were loaded for customers to withdraw.
According to him, the ATMs will give people the opportunity to have access to money, adding that the officials of the apex bank track the volume of disbursement through the ATMs.
He urged the public to report to the CBN if any bank refused to open for operations or failed to disburse the new notes through their ATMs.
A Bauchi resident, Mr Aliyu Zarami, commended President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime for extension of the deadline to February 10. He urged the apex bank to sanction banks or agents violating any rule or directive of issuing new notes.
Another resident, Nafisa Mohammed, lauded the extension and said it would reduce tension and allow people to deposit their old notes and have new ones for transactions.
“The banks should do something about the long queue of depositors of the old naira notes,” she said.
A cleric, Ustaz Saminu Ahmed, also commended the regime for extending the deadline.
“But the rural communities need more than one month. The date should be extended to two months to enable those in the grassroots to deposit their old notes,” Mr Ahmed said.
The management of the Federal Polytechnic Nekede in Imo state has reacted to a viral video of a female student who claimed she graduated from the school with the assistance of her private parts.
In the video uploaded on TikTok, the yet-to-be-identified student made the shocking revelation after the completion of her project defence.
According to the lady in an exhilarating mood displayed in the video, her graduation from the institution was made possible with the help of God as well as her private parts.
“Omo, today is the final day. Nekede bye-bye, this stress ends today. Finally, I’m now a graduate of Federal Polytechnic, Nekede. It can only be God and my p**sy,” she said.
However, the institution in a statement signed by its registrar, Eucharia Anuna on Monday, totally condemned the act describing it as “despicable.”
The institution said the “despicable act does not represent the standard of our institution”.
“This is to inform the general public that the Management of Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri, has begun full investigations into the identity of the student who gloated on Tiktok about how she graduated with the help of God and her private organ,” the statement reads.
“It is most blasphemous and antithetical that the said student peddled the name of God in her deleterious act.
“Management considers the action of the student as most unacceptable and preposterous. The Federal Polytechnic Nekede prides itself as an institution with high academic and moral standards.
“Both staff and students are quite aware of the consequences of any misconduct. In an unprecedented move, the management, through the various disciplinary committees, had released hotlines through which the students can report any act of exploitation or corruption. These committees are diligent in ensuring that any staff or student found culpable is meted with appropriate punishment.
“The despicable post of this supposed student does not, therefore, represent the standard of our institution. The Rector of the institution, being a clergyman, has been very committed and consistent in instilling discipline in our students through seminars, solemn assemblies, sensitisation outreaches and publications.
“When our investigations are over, we shall make our findings and pronouncements public. It is in our purvey to ensure that only students found worthy in learning and character are certified. This is a commitment to which we shall remain consistently resolute.”
The newly appointed director-general of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier-General YD Ahmed assumed office on Monday.
Ahmed, took over from the acting director-general, Christy Uba, at a handover ceremony in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city.
Speaking on Monday during the ceremony, he promised to take the Scheme to greater heights.
He said: “I assure you that I will not only sustain the high tempo but collectively, we will take the Scheme to greater heights.
“This administration will be open and pay special attention to strategies that will bring the desired improvement in the general operations of the Scheme.”
To this end, he unveil a 5-point policy thrust that will drive his administration.
He listed them as, “Improving security, welfare of Corps members and Staff to engender optimal service delivery to the nation;
“Providing enabling environment for Research and Development for the advancement of the Scheme;
“Strengthening stakeholders’ engagement for the promotion of the frontiers of the Scheme;
“Enhancement of capacity building to stimulate efficiency and higher corporate performance; and
“Deepening the impact of the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) Programme.”
Ahmed advised the staff of the scheme to cooperate with him to move the NYSC to higher levels of achievements.
On her part, Uba assured that the management team and the entire Staff will give the new director-general the necessary cooperation to enable him succeed.
“We are conscious of the tasking nature of the NYSC operations. However, our experiences, loyalty and love for the job will always be brought to bear in surmounting challenges as well as ensuring success in all undertakings,” she stated.
The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Sunday, said “our wives” selling garden eggs, carrots, roasted corn were most affected by the need to change to the new Naira notes.
Tinubu said this when he took his campaign to Benin City, Edo State, where he held a town hall meeting with political leaders, social groups and professionals from various sectors.
He presented his programmes and called for support for his party in all the elections beginning from February 25.
At the palace of the Oba of Benin where His Majesty, Oba Ewuare II in the company of traditional rulers from Edo Central and Edo North senatorial districts, Tinubu commended President Muhammadu Buhari for agreeing to the extension of the deadline for the changing into the redesigned naira notes.
He said appeals for the extension contributed to his coming late for the meeting.
He also said he would fight for restitution on the artefacts taken away from the City and that part of his programmes, if he wins, is to explore the rich mineral resources in Edo state, particularly gas, to be exported to Europe.
According to him, “My coming late is not intentional, it is because of the national politics.
“Some of our cousins, our wives selling garden eggs, carrots, roasted corn, they need money and they need Naira.
“In the process, if Naira is cancelled the way it is and we fail to intervene, we have failed in our duties.
“We have been on this for three to four days and suddenly today, when the President said okay out of great respect he will consider our request for an extension, we were happy.
“I was running back and forth on this and calling him, so that is what we have been doing.
“Hopefully, even though we didn’t get all that we wanted, we got an extension by a number of days.”
On his ambition, Tinubu said “You have been a great ruler, I saw you spoke your mind about unemployment of youths.
“Your Majesty, count on me, bless me. We will be able to achieve great employment for our youths.
“You talked about the education of our children, it is in our work plan and I can tell you as I am standing here the programme is there; education reform will happen.
“We will establish students’ loans and we will minimise the interest rate and we stagger their payments and give parents relief; they don’t have to be slaves to the circumstances.”
Speaking about his development plans, he said: “Benin is the economic centre of this region rich in resources, rich in gas.
“We are working on West Africa gas that will sell in Europe. We would have been making money in this country today if those who said they want power and ruled for 16 years; if they had thought about this, we would have been better
“Nigeria would have been selling gas and the development for Edo would have been different.
“I assure you we are going to mend all those anomalies and Edo will be a centre of economic activities for all.”
For the artefacts, Tinubu said he would support the construction of a museum to house them and would continue to call for restitution from those who have housed them all these years.
“I am here to seek your prayers, I fought for and suffered for democracy in this country, I made sacrifices.
“When we started these eight years, it is only normal to look forward to succession and I told President Buhari that I am running and I am running nowhere.
“I am running for the Villa. When you move out, I want to occupy the place. Therefore I need your blessings, that blessing is important to me.”
On his part, Oba Ewuare II appreciated Tinubu’s planned support for the Museum, which he said would help tourism and research and said the federal government has taken over the building of the museum through the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM).
He also commended the state government for its support for the museum project.
At the town hall meeting, Tinubu said he would ensure total deregulation of the oil sector so market forces would determine the price of oil products depending on the location.
He said his administration would ensure all the refineries work and should not allow other parties like the PDP to power.
The House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee on new naira re-design and naira swap policy has rejected the 10-day extension granted by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, for the exchange of old notes.
The CBN had fixed January 31 as the deadline for the exchange of the old naira notes – N200, N500 and N1,000.
The CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, on Sunday, said President Muhammadu Buhari gave permission for the deadline to be extended to February 10.
In its swift reaction, the Ad Hoc Committee, chaired by the leader of the House, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, rejected the extension, insisting that the CBN must comply with sections 20 sub 3, 4, and 5 of the CBN act.
Recall the House, during its sitting on Tuesday, following the outcry by Nigerians, constituted the ad hoc committee to look into the issue.
Doguwa said that, ” The 10-day extension for the exchange of the old naira notes is not the solution.
“We as a legislative committee with a constitutional mandate of the House, would only accept clear compliance with section 20 sub 3, 4, and 5 of the CBN act and nothing more.
“Nigeria as a developing economy and a nascent democracy must respect the principle of the rule of law.
“And the House would go ahead to sign arrest warrant to compel the CBN Governor to appear before the ad hoc committee.”
He said under his chairmanship, the committee would continue its work until it gets the demands of Nigerians addressed in accordance with the laws of the land.
Describing the extension as a mere political gimmick to further deceive Nigerians and worsen their economic and social livelihood, Doguwa said the CBN governor must appear before or stand the risk of being arrested on the strength of legislative writs signed by the Speaker on Monday.
He also said the policy is capable of frustrating the forthcoming general elections.
“Security agencies and their operations, especially at the state level, are generally funded through cash advances and direct table payments of allowances to operatives during elections,” he said.
