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Labour Threatens to Shut Down Economy, Plans Strike
The Nigeria Labour Congress and its affiliate unions on Tuesday defied warnings by the Federal Government and took to the streets of major cities in the country to protest against the failure of the Federal Government to resolve the five-month strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
Specifically, the NLC said the money the two major political parties – the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party – generated from the sale of forms to aspirants could address ASUU’s demands.
In Akwa Ibom, Uche Nweke who represented the NLC National Chairman, Ayuba Wabba, faulted excuses that there were no funds to meet the demands of the university workers.
“The money the two major parties realised from the sale of nomination forms would be enough to put ASUU, universities on their feet. We the Nigerian workers are the most understanding people. We call on the national leadership to listen to voice of reason, whatever it takes they should send our children back to school” he said
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, last week had claimed that a security report also sent to his office by the Department of State Services, strongly warned against holding the protest.
Also, Ngige had in an interview with Channels Television in March said government did not have money to meet ASUU’s demands, which included revitalisation funds for universities.
He stated, “The N1.3trillion you are talking about was promised by the (Goodluck) Jonathan government. Oil was selling between $100 to $120 per barrel then and the revenue of the federation was rich.”
However, the unionists expressed their anger over the Federal Government’s inability to address their grievances, adding that it had become necessary for the current government to leave.
The university lecturers had shut down public institutions on February 14 over the inability of the Federal Government to implement the agreements it made with ASUU in 2009 as well as the refusal of the current administration to exempt lecturers from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System.
ASUU had also asked the government to increase funding of tertiary institutions and pay outstanding allowances.
The NLC president during a chat with journalists in Uyo, Akwa-Ibom, had earlier said the protest would be against government actions that led to the strike.
On Tuesday, labour union members, National Union of Air Transport Employees and Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals, civil society groups, and other affiliate unions gathered under the Ikeja Bridge in Lagos causing traffic congestion.
The teeming protesters expressed their concerns in songs and placards, some of which read; “Stop importation of petrol. Revive the refineries”; “IPPIS destroys our refineries. Adopt UTAS now”; “Reduce the cost of governance. Save the masses from poverty and hunger”; “Stop the looting”, “Tax the rich and subsidise the poor”; among others.
The Lagos NLC Chairman, Agnes Sessi, accused the Federal Government of neglecting education.
“It’s been almost a year. Our children are still at home. An idle hand is the devil’s workshop. Children who are not engaged will become internet fraudsters and prostitutes,” she added.
Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), who also took part in the protest, asked the Federal Government to invest the recovered loot in education.
“We are telling the government, enough is enough. Let them stop deceiving our people, they have money. Buhari should collect money from 10 looters to resolve this problem. Just last week, one of them stole N119bn and others have stolen more.
“In Abuja, they are using dollars to pay delegates and are distributing millions of dollars under the Central Bank of Nigeria’s watch.”
Falana said rather than stay at home to fix the country’s problems, the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), continued to engage in irrelevant travel like his recent trip to Liberia.
Also speaking, ASUU Zonal chairman, Dr Adelaja Odukoya, said Nigerians must join hands to force the government’s hand.
The protesters, who marched from the Ikeja Bridge to the Lagos State Governor’s office, submitted a letter – which contained all their demands – to the governor
The Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, Mrs Ponle Ajibola, received the letter from NLC Chairman, on behalf of the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Others who took part in the protest were: The Joint Action Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities and Non-Academic Staff Union of Allied and Educational Institutions, Nigeria Union of Teachers, The Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers’ Union of Nigeria and other affiliate unions of NLC were at the protest.
The Punch
The Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, has admitted under oath that the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) did not issue him a degree certificate.
This revelation, contained in court documents, followed an investigative report published by Premium Times on Sunday, which alleged that Nnaji forged the academic credentials he submitted to President Bola Tinubu and the Senate during his ministerial screening.
Nnaji, who has faced persistent allegations of certificate forgery since his nomination in July 2023, made the disclosure in a suit he filed before Justice Hauwa Yilwa of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The case was instituted against the Minister of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC), UNN, its Vice-Chancellor Professor Simon Ortuanya, its Registrar, former acting Vice-Chancellor Professor, Oguenjiofor Ujam, and the University Senate.
In the motion ex-parte, the minister sought leave of the court to issue prerogative writs prohibiting the university and its officials from “tampering with” his academic records.
He also sought an order of mandamus to compel the university to release his academic transcript, as well as directives to the Minister of Education and the NUC to enforce compliance.
Nnaji further requested an interim injunction restraining the university from altering his records pending the determination of the substantive suit.
In a ruling delivered on September 22, Justice Yilwa granted three of the minister’s prayers but declined to issue an injunctive order against the defendants.
The case was adjourned to October 6 for further hearing.
However, in his 34-paragraph verifying affidavit, Nnaji confirmed that he never obtained a degree certificate from UNN.
The minister claimed that the university’s officials had failed to cooperate with him.
He stated that he was admitted to the university in 1981 to study Microbiology/Biochemistry and completed the program in 1985. In paragraph 13 of his affidavit, he wrote:
“Even though I am yet to collect my certificate from the 3rd Defendant (UNN), due largely to the non-cooperative attitude of the 3rd–5th Defendants (UNN, its Vice-Chancellor, and Registrar), the 3rd Defendant issued a letter dated 21st December 2023 to People’s Gazette (attention: Samuel Ogundipe) which stated amongst other things as follows:
“This is to confirm that Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, with registration number 1981/30725, was admitted in 1981 to study Microbiology/Biochemistry at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Mr. Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji graduated from the University of Nigeria in July 1985 with a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology/Biochemistry, Second Class (Hons.) Lower Division.’”
Despite this acknowledgment, questions persist about the authenticity of the academic documents Nnaji submitted to the Presidency and Senate.
Nnaji was among the first batch of 28 ministerial nominees President Tinubu forwarded to the Senate in July 2023, shortly after assuming office.
The leader of UK’s Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, has unveiled a new immigration plan aimed at deporting 150,000 illegal migrants every year, describing it as the “toughest reforms Britain has ever seen.”
In a video message posted on her X (formerly Twitter) account on Sunday, Badenoch said the Radical Borders Plan would introduce a new Removals Force, modelled after the United States’ Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), to overhaul the UK’s border enforcement system.
As a caption to the video, she wrote: “My message is clear: if you’re here illegally, you will be detained and deported. Our new Removals Force, modelled on US ICE, will deport 150,000 illegal migrants each year.”
Badenoch, who has consistently positioned herself as a hardliner on immigration, criticised both Conservative and Labour governments for their handling of the migration crisis.
“Today, I’m launching our Radical Borders Plan, the toughest reforms Britain has ever seen to border laws and operations.
Successive governments have failed on immigration. Labour promised to smash the gangs.
Instead, in just a year, they delivered record small boat crossings, over 50,000 illegal arrivals, 32,000 people in asylum hotels, billions wasted.
It’s pure weakness. Britain needs a serious, credible plan and the backbone to deliver it,” Badenoch said.
According to the proposed plan, asylum claims from illegal entrants will be banned, the Human Rights Act repealed, and the UK will withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
Badenoch said all illegal arrivals would be deported within a week, with legal barriers to mass deportations removed and visa sanctions imposed on countries that refuse to repatriate their citizens.
She added that the new enforcement agency would also “shut down the asylum hotel racket,” save taxpayers billions of pounds, and restore public trust in Britain’s borders.
“Only the Conservatives have a serious, credible plan to deliver stronger borders. If you come here illegally, you will be deported,” Badenoch concluded.
Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has intensified efforts to sustain the peace recently restored in after over two years of political tension.
As part of measures to consolidate the calm atmosphere in the oil-rich State, Governor Fubara, on Saturday night, met again with his predecessor and now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike — this time alongside a larger group of political leaders loyal to the FCT Minister.
The closed-door meeting held at the Port Harcourt residence of elder statesman, Chief Ferdinand Alabraba till the early hours of Sunday. It followed a valedictory on Wednesday between the governor and members of his cabinet.
During the session, Fubara directed commissioners affected by the Supreme Court judgment on the Rivers political crisis to step aside, while eight others unaffected by the ruling have since resumed official duties.
Although details of the governor’s meeting with Wike and his allies were not disclosed, it is believed that both leaders are aligning efforts to uphold the peace accord reached under President Bola Tinubu during the six-month emergency rule in the State.
The renewed engagement also comes shortly after Governor Fubara’s visit to President Tinubu, where he reaffirmed his commitment to maintaining peace and sought presidential counsel on avoiding a relapse into political crisis.
Similarly, the FCT Minister, during a recent appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, restated his commitment to the peace process, noting that he had no intention of influencing the selection of new commissioners – a departure from the 2023 scenario when most of the cabinet members were inherited from his administration.
Those present at Saturday’s meeting included the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule; Senators Barinada Mpigi, Magnus Abe, Wilson Ake, George Sekibo, and Olaka Nwogu; Hon. Felix Nwaeke (Tai/Oyigbo Federal Constituency); Hon. Kelechi Nwogu (Etche/Omuma Federal Constituency); Deputy Speaker, Hon. Dumle Maol; and House Leader, Hon. Major Jack.
Others in attendance were Chief Ferdinand Alabraba, HRM Sergeant Awuse, Chief OCJ Okocha (SAN), four former Attorneys-General — Frank Owhor, Ken Chikere, Worgu Boms, and Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor (SAN); APC South-South Vice Chairman, Victor Giadom; PDP State Chairman, Chukwuemeka Aaron; and Port Harcourt City Mayor, Alwell Ihunda.
Also present were former Minister of Environment, Udi Odom; HYPRP Board Chairman, Emma Deeyah; former federal lawmakers Chidi Wihioka and Chinyere Igwe; former Speaker Rivers State House of Assembly, Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani; Boma Iyaye (EDFA, NDDC); Marcus Nle Eji (ED Works/Projects, South South Development Commission); Prof. Henry Ogiri (Federal Commissioner, NPC); Emeka Woke (DG, NOSDRA); Dr. Sampson Parker (Chairman, Rivers State Hospital Management Board); Fred Kpakol (Member, HYPREP Board); former PDP Chairman, Felix Obuah; and Chidi Amadi, Chief of Staff to the FCT Minister.
