Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic (PDP) Atiku Abubakar has donated the sum of N50 million to victims of flood at the popular textile market in Kano, Kantin Kwari. Flood due to heavy down pour, had destroyed over N200 million worth of materials and about 200 shops were equally affected according to SEMA. Delivering a speech at the residence of Malam Ibrahim Shekarau who recently dumped the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), Atiku announced his donation to the victims, describing Kano as a renown commercial centre. “Kano is a renown commercial centre that has its marks in the economy. “I wish to use this opportunity to console victims of the unfortunate flood that was necessitated by heavy down pour. “I also wish to use this opportunity to donate the sum of N50 million to those affected by the unfortunate situation” he stated.

  Commercial motorcyclists, popularly called ‘Okada’ riders, numbering thousands, stormed Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, office of Governor Bababjide Sanwo-Olu, with a plea to suspend the ban on their activities in six Local Government Areas, LGAs, scheduled to commence on September 1, 2022, on Thursday, precisely. Recall as part of the on-going phase clampdown, Sanwo-Olu, had on August 18, 2022, announced total ban on activities of Okada riders in additional four Local Government Areas and their respective Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs of the state, commencing from September 1, 2022. Earlier, traditional rulers, religious leaders, residents, Community Development Associations, among others called on Lagos State Government to consider a total ban on the operations of Okada riders across the state to end menace and security threat posed by the group. It is instructive to note on May 18, 2022, Sanwo-Olu made a pronouncement on the total ban on Okada operations in six LGAs, and the respective nine Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs, under them including all major bridges and highways of the State and the subsequent inauguration of the Lagos State Anti-Okada Squad saddled with the responsibility to aid the police and taskforce to implement and enforce total compliance with respect to the law to curtail the unruly activities of the riders. Sanwo-Olu had on May 10, 2021, reviewed the 2012 Lagos Traffic Law guiding the Okada operations, after his predecessors, Babatunde Fashola and Akinwunmi Ambode’s administrations banned their activities. The initial six LGAs and nine LCDAs are: Apapa, Apapa-Iganmu LCDA, Ikeja, Ojodu, Onigbongbo, Lagos Island, Lagos Island West, Lagos Island East LCDAs, Lagos Mainland, Yaba LCDA, Surulere, Coker Aguda, Itire-Ikate LCDA. Others include: Eti-Osa, Eti-Osa East, Eti-Osa West, Iru Victoria Island and Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA. The additional four councils affected by the pronouncement, include: Kosofe, Ikosi-Isheri, Agboyi-Ketu LCDAs, Oshodi-Isolo, Isolo, Ejigbo LCDAs, Shomolu, Bariga LCDA and Mushin, Odi-Olowo LCDA. The protesting Okada riders were led by chairman of Motorcycle Operators Association of Lagos State, MOALS), Ramoni Eleniyan and few other union leaders. As if press time, 3.30pm, the leadership of Okada association were in a emergency meeting with government officials led by Deputy Governor, Dr. obafemi Hsmzat to find an amicable resolution to the issue.

  Some groups from Southern and Middle Belt of Nigeria have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to suspend plan to officially count Nigerians next year. The groups said some Nigerian villages are under the control of bandits and terrorists while some citizens have been displaced. They said the displacement is a threat to accurate census figures. This was according to the open letter to Buhari signed by the Prof Anthony Ejiofor, World Igbo Congress; Prince Adedokun Ademiluyi, Yoruba One Voice Worldwide; Annkio Briggs, Niger Delta Self Determination Movement (NDSDM) and Austin Okeke Esq, Igbo Board of Deputies. Others are Inalegwu John Inalegwu, Mayor of Kwararafa Kingdom; Fr Emeka Nwachukwu, Ekwenche Organization; Ene Orgah Esq, Public Interest Lawyer and Chief Malcolm Omirhobo Esq, Public Interest Lawyer. It was titled ‘Dangerous and Dysfunctional Timing of the Planned 2023 National Population Census in Nigeria’ and date August 26, 2022. It read, “Like all patriotic stakeholders, we agree on the critical need for a well-timed, positively-motivated and rigorously-conducted national population census “However, we have grave reservations and concerns about the timing of the planned National Census in 2023 “census” as follows: “The occupation of many parts of the country by terrorists and self-identified Jihadists; apart from the States of the North East, Kaduna State and Niger State are other States whose many local governments are effectively under the control and governance of the terrorists and Jihadists, while many forests in almost all States of the Southern and Middle Belt of Nigeria are occupied by these displace-and-replace invaders. “The fear and indications that under the recent National Identification Number (NIN) exercise, non-Nigerians were issued with the NIN; thus, pre-toxifying the census outcome. “The current state of flux, crisis, fear and uncertainty of the Nigerian population in that there is massive displacements and whole communities are living in improvised refugee camps scattered around the country, which are not easily accessible to the census personnel. “The contra common-sense in conducting a National Census during the period of General Elections; the juxtaposition increases the chances of igniting social combustion in a society already tensed up with security, political, social and economic failures. “That the census would be executed between the Presidential and other elections and the swearing in of the new government in 2023, compromises, at least the perception if not the reality, of the integrity of the census, as it introduces a dangerous and avoidable interdependence and correlation between the two delicate national exercises. “Why would the outgoing government conduct the Census at the last quarter of its 8-year tenure, only to jam it with the elections for a new administration? “In any case, there is no doubt that each of the two exercises, the General Elections – including the election of the President of the Country – and the National Census deserves full and undivided attention of the country and can ill afford divided attention. “It is understood that for inexplicable reasons, Biometric Technology will not be utilized for the proposed Census 2023. This is absurd to say the least, in that the very best practice in the world as would prevent manipulations and fraud was ignored in such archaic manner by the National Population Commission. “This is definitely a drawback and an effort to foist lies on Nigerians in the age of Digital Technology that is now applied in all spheres of human life and endeavors, including the elections before the proposed Census. “In view of the fact that the challenges outlined above, which have grave implications for the survival, unity, and progress of the country have largely been unaddressed or unresolved, it would be absurd and even capable of generating a suspicion of deliberate mischief, for the Federal Government to pretend that it can carry out a credible national population census under the intensely fragile condition of the polity. Rather than serve the national interest, such an exercise would be dysfunctional. “We, therefore, strongly advise the Federal Government to quickly do an orderly suspension of the National Census planned for 2023, in such a way that the exercise can be reactivated at an appropriate later time. “We also request all patriotic stakeholders and citizens to lend voice to this call for a reasoned adjustment in the National Census plan, and for all to support the Government to implement the critically-needed adjustment. “Nigeria must be RESTRUCTURED very urgently. It should be restructuring FIRST: before anything else. “Ethnic Nationalities and or clusters thereof voluntarily composed ought to be the basis of the restructuring to Regions, with focus on viability and sustainability. Each Region, so composed and constituted by the consent of the peoples of the designated territory (confirmed vide plebiscite) must have their own Constitutions separately designed to suit their aspirations as distinct peoples respectively. “The regions are to solely handle their respective issues of territorial governance independent of the Federal Government, an aspect of which would include but not limited to census data, amongst others “Fundamentally, we are of the view and believe it to be true that Census belongs to the RESIDUAL LIST OF FUNCTIONS of a truly Federal Nigeria.”

  The Federal High Court in Lagos has stopped President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) from revoking the licenses of 53 broadcast stations in the country, and shutting down the stations for allegedly failing to renew their licenses. Honourable Justice Akintayo Aluko (Court 8) today granted an order of interim injunction following the hearing of an argument on motion exparte by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE). SERAP and NGE had last week filed a lawsuit against Buhari and NBC, asking the court for “a declaration that section 10(a) of the Third Schedule to the NBC Act used by NBC to threaten to revoke the licenses of 53 broadcast stations and to shut down the stations is unconstitutional and unlawful, as it violates freedom of expression.” In the suit, SERAP and NGE had asked the court for “an order of interim injunction restraining Buhari and NBC, their agents from revoking the licenses of 53 broadcast stations in the country and shutting their down operations, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed contemporaneously in this suit.”   The suit is adjourned to 8th September, 2022 for the hearing of the Motion on Notice for interlocutory injunction. The suit followed the decision by the NBC to revoke the licenses of the 53 broadcast stations and shut down their operations within 24 hours over alleged N2.6 billion debt. In the suit number FHC/L/CS/1582/2022, SERAP and NGE are asking the court to determine “whether section 10(a) of the Third Schedule to the NBC Act used by NBC to threaten revoke the licenses of 53 broadcast stations and shut them down is not in inconsistent with freedom of expression and access to information.” SERAP and NGE are also seeking “a declaration that section 10(a) of the National Broadcasting Act used by NBC to unilaterally revoke the licenses of the broadcast stations and shutdown the stations is a violation of the constitutionally and internationally guaranteed right to fair hearing.” The suit, read in part: “The provisions of the Nigerian Constitution and human rights treaties on freedom of expression indicate that this right can be exercised through any medium.” “Effectively, these provisions recognize that every individual has the right to an equal opportunity to receive, seek and impart information through any communication medium without discrimination.” “The use of NBC Act and Code in this case would inadmissibly open the door to arbitrariness and would fundamentally restrict the freedom of expression that is an integral part of the public order protected the Nigerian Constitution and human rights treaties to which Nigeria is a state party.” “The media plays an essential role as a vehicle or instrument for the exercise of freedom of expression and information – in its individual and collective aspects – in a democratic society.” “Indeed, the media has the task of distributing all varieties of information and opinion on matters of general interest.” “The public has a right to receive and assess this information and opinion independently. Therefore, the existence of a free, independent, vigorous, pluralistic, and diverse media is essential for the proper functioning of a democratic society.” “According to the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression in Africa adopted by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, ‘licensing processes shall seek to promote diversity in broadcasting. Any registration system for the media shall not impose substantive restrictions on the right to freedom of expression.’” “Revoking the licenses of 53 broadcast stations and shutting down their operations because they have not renewed their licenses would both seriously undermine the rights of millions of Nigerians to express their thoughts, and their right to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas of all kinds, in any medium they choose.” “Freedom of expression includes the public’s right to receive, and the right of those who express themselves through a medium of communication, to impart the greatest possible diversity of information and ideas.” “The right to freedom of expression is based on the right to establish or use a media outlet to exercise freedom of expression and on society’s right to have access to a free, independent, and pluralistic media that allows for the most and most diverse information.” “The media, including the affected 53 broadcast stations, serve to distribute Nigerians’ thoughts and information while at the same time allowing them access to the ideas, information, opinions, and cultural expressions of other individuals.” “The exercise of the right to freedom of expression through the media is a guarantee that is fundamental for advancing the collective deliberative process on public and democratic issues.” “Therefore, the strengthening of the guarantee of freedom of expression is a precondition for the exercise of other human rights, as well as a precondition to the right to participation to be informed and reasoned.” “The media including the affected 53 broadcast stations play an essential role, as they allow millions of Nigerians to access both the relevant information and a variety of perspectives that are necessary for reaching reasonable and informed conclusions on matters of public interest.” “The Plaintiffs recognize the mandates of NBC to regulate broadcasting. However, the exercise of such mandates including renewals or revocation of licenses must follow the thresholds and guidelines set by the right to freedom of expression.” “The free circulation of ideas and news is not possible except in the context of a plurality of sources of information and media outlets. The lack of plurality in sources of information is a serious obstacle for the functioning of democracy.” “The NBC Act and Broadcasting Code cannot and should not be used in a manner that is inconsistent and incompatible with plurality of voices, diversity of voices, non-discrimination, and just demands of a democratic society, as well as the public interest.” “Broadcasting is a means of exercising freedom of expression. Any restrictions on freedom of expression must meet the requirements of legality, necessity, and proportionality.” “The regulation of broadcasting must aspire to promote and expand