News
Over 130 CSOs and lawyers resume ‘Bawa must go campaign’

No fewer than 130 frontline anti-corruption Civil Society Organisations, CSOs have resumed their campaign for the sack of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa, over alleged politicisation of the commission, disobedience of Court orders and infringement on human rights of Nigerians, among others.
Joined by 20 Constitutional lawyers led by Mogbojuri Kayode of the Citizens Rights Advocacy Group, CRAG, the CSOs claimed the desperation of the EFCC chairman to remain in office had taken a laughable turn, insisting that no amount of “purchased CSOs’ vote of confidence” would cover the truth about the abnormalities being condoned in EFCC under its current leadership.
At a joint press conference in Lagos yesterday, they alleged that the EFCC had become so desperate to launder what they called a rapidly diminishing image of Bawa, to the extent that the Commission recently issued a press release, informing Nigerians that a CSO had passed a vote of confidence in its chairman.
“Is not the job of the media to see that and independently report?” they asked.
The Anti-corruption activists, however, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for bailing the country out of what they described as a Judicial quagmire “by dissociating the Presidency from any act of disobedience to court orders and making the Central Bank of Nigeria comply with a Supreme Court order that extended the validity of old naira notes till December 31, 2023.”
“As this is expected to ease the pain of the masses, we hereby call on the President to also wade into the seeming fixation of the EFCC on certain individuals and the desperation of the Chairman of the Commission to score cheap political goals through unwarranted media trials of non-convicted individuals in the country. He should direct Mr. Bawa to step aside until he purges himself of contempt as ruled by a High Court,” Spokesperson for the Coalition, Olufemi Lawson, said in a speech delivered on behalf of the activists.
Chairman, Centre for Anti-corruption and Open Leadership, CACOL, Debo Adeniran, noted that his organisation had, from the outset, alerted the National Assembly to the fact that Bawa was unfit for the post of EFCC chairman, over alleged corrupt practices and his rumoured relationship with the Attorney-General of the Federation who was believed to have masterminded the travails and eventually removal of Bawa’s predecessor, Ibrahim Magu.
According to him, Bawa’s alleged misconduct in office is a confirmation of CACOL’s fears of his being a misfit for the position.
News
JUST IN: NLC To Embark On Nationwide Strike Over Naira Scarcity

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has directed public sector workers in the country to embark on strike beginning from Wednesday next week.
Joe Ajaero, NLC president, gave the directive at an ongoing media briefing at Labour House in Abuja on Wednesday.
He also directed that affiliate unions constituting the Nigeria Labour Congress should also be on standby for picketing exercise across all branches of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) nationwide.
He said the directive became imperative following the expiration of a one-week ultimatum given to the apex bank to make cash available for Nigerians.
News
Lagos Airport Hotel assures customers of safety after fire incident

The Management of the Lagos Airport Hotel Limited has allayed the fears of customers after the fire incident in one of the layover rooms in its administrative section.
The hotel’s Acting General Manager, Mrs Folashade Awe, in a statement, assured customers of their safety, as the fire incident was far from the customers’ service blocks
According to her, no life was lost as it was quickly brought under control.
“Although the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained at the time of this report, it might likely be as a result of an electric spark,” Awe remarked.
The acting general manager claimed that the hotel operated on a high level of general safety and discipline “and wishes to correct the impression that the whole hotel was on fire”.
She reiterated that only a tiny portion of the staff layover that was isolated from the hotel service rooms was affected and the incident did not in any way affect the hotel’s daily operations.
News
INEC to resume collation of results in Abia, Enugu today

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will resume the collation of election results in three LGAs in Enugu and Abia states today.
The electoral body had on Monday suspended the collation of results from Obingwa LGA in Abia as well as Nsukka and Nkanu East LGAs in Enugu.
Festus Okoye, INEC national commissioner and chairman, information and voter education committee, announced the resumption of the exercise in a statement on Wednesday.
“It will be recalled that the Commission met on Monday 20th March 2023 and reviewed the conduct of the Governorship and State Assembly elections held nationwide on Saturday 18th March 2023,” the statement reads.
“Arising from the meeting, the Commission took the decision to suspend further collation of the Governorship election results in some parts of Abia and Enugu States in order to carry out a review of the collation processes in both States.
“The Commission has concluded the review. Consequently, the collation of results for the Governorship election in both Abia and Enugu States will continue today 22nd March 2023.
“The Commission appreciates the patience and understanding of the people of both states as we conclude the collation processes.”
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