TOP STORIES: Real reason Naira redesign is failing – Emefiele opens up.

Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, on Friday blamed the unpleasant situation created by the Naira swap on the limited capacity to print enough new Naira notes. Emefiele said this factor led to supply constraints.

The CBN chief made this disclosure when he spoke at the National Council of State meeting in Abuja earlier today (Friday).
“The Mint has run out of papers to print N500 and 1,000 notes,” a source speaking on the supply constraints The Minit faces expatiated.
“They have placed orders with a German firm and De La Rue of the UK (for papers) but they have been placed on a long waiting list so their orders cannot be met now,”

Apart from supply constraint, Emefiele also lamented the activities of saboteurs in the banking sector, who he said, are hoarding the new notes.
Many Nigerians faulted the currency swap policy and the shortage of the new notes which have frustrated efforts by many citizens operating in the nation’s cash-dependent informal economy to do business, make payments, and enjoy certain services.
Millions are stranded due to the chaotic rollout of the naira redesign.
While Nigerians in some cities are allowed to withdraw a maximum of 20,000 naira, Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) are not dispensing cash in many parts of the country.
The cash crunch has also overwhelmed the digital payments system as customers opt for online transfers, with transactions taking hours to be completed or failing totally.

Police Boss Assured Nigerians on Smooth Electoral Process in the Next General Elections.

Alhaji Usman Alkali Baba the Inspector General of Police confirms viability of existing electoral offences desks in order for safe, secured, and credible elections as well as ensure adequate security coverage before, during and after the 2023 general elections, he approved the setting up of an Election Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Team for deployment across the states of the federation, to identify, analyze and mitigate threats, as well as carry out on-the-spot assessment and appraisal of the security emplacements ahead of the 2023 general elections.

The Police Boss has similarly appointed Mr. Garba Baba Umar an Assistant Inspector General of Police the Vice President (INTERPOL) and Head, National Crime Bureau as the National Coordinator of the team of experienced and seasoned Police Officers with vast knowledge in election security management, to be assisted by other team members including Mr. Habu Sani an Assistant Inspector General of Police the Force Secretary, Mr. Basil Idegwu a Commissioner of Police the Election Monitoring and Mr. Olumuyiwa Adejobi a Chief Superintendent of Police the Force Public Relations Officer.

The team also comprises seven other Commissioners of Police, fifteen Deputy Commissioners of Police, thirty Assistant Commissioners of Police, thirty Chief Superintendents of Police, and sixteen Strategic Officers of other ranks.

Baba charged the Police team to ensure that the elections are safe, secure, credible, and in line with global best practices, tasked the team to, amongst other things, ensure the propriety of deployments, give real-time coverage of the electoral process, and safeguard against hostile external and internal influence using INTERPOL, anti-cybercrime and intelligence tools and assets of the Nigeria Police Force.
In the same vein, the Inspector General of Police reaffirms the establishment and viability of the Electoral Offences Desks domiciled at the State Criminal Investigation Departments of all commands across the nation headed by the Assistant Commissioners of Police in charge of the SCID.

The Electoral Offences Desk is saddled with the responsibility of collating, investigating and prosecuting all matters relating to electoral offences nationwide. He then calls on well-meaning Nigerians, international communities, and all stakeholders to support the Nigeria Police Force teams in all areas, particularly on intelligence sharing and regular engagements, to achieve success in the 2023 General elections.

 

Naira Crisis; More Banks closing branches for lack of cash payments.

Due to non-availability of cash to pay their teeming customers, more commercial banks reportedly closed shop on Thursday.

The nation reports that banks such as Zenith, Sterling and Fidelity have had some of their branches in Lagos, Ibadan, Abeokuta and Benin shut for three days after being stormed by angry customers.
Two Tier-1 banks in Lagos left notes at their banking premises indicating they had server challenges.

Nigerians have for some days been restive due to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) naira redesign policy that has made both the old and new naira notes scarce.
The situation is made worse by severe challenges in carrying out transactions online due to poor connectivity.

In many of the banks’ branches on Victoria Island, Lekki and Folomo axis of Lagos, security men were given clear instructions not to allow any customer demanding cash transactions into the banking halls.

Only customers needing interbank or intra-bank transfers, ATM activation, new account opening, and forex transactions, among others, were allowed into the halls.
An official of FirstBank Lekki Phase 1 said: “We do not have the cash to pay anyone. We were told not to dispense cash at all. That’s the instruction the bank gave us”.

But the official did not say if it was the CBN or First Bank authorities that gave the instruction
Inside the banking halls, many customers queued to activate their ATM cards and also carry out e-payment transactions.
One of the customers in her early 60s, of the First Bank Lekki Phase 1 branch, who was turned back, said: “We are now prisoners in our own country. I cannot believe that a bank I have been its customer for over 40 years is denying me entry. It is very sad.”

At the Awolowo Road branch of GTBank, Lotus Bank, and Standard Chartered Bank, which had one ATM point dispensing cash, there were over 4,000 customers in line to make cash withdrawals.
A customer, Michael Otu, said he lives at Obalande, but was told that the three banks’ ATMs were dispensing cash.
“I was told by one of my friends that the three banks’ ATMs were dispensing cash. I had to rush to see if I can get cash to settle some obligations,” he said.

Aside from no cash transactions in many of the banks’ branches, several other branches were not open for business.
Fidelity Bank Ibeju-Lekki branch has not opened for the past two days. A customer told The Nation yesterday that she nearly slept there on Wednesday.

“The ATMs are not dispensing cash; the banks are also not open for business. How can I access my funds to meet my obligations to my family?” she asked.
When contacted, the security man at the bank said the branch did not open because of server issues.
The Dopemu Branch of Sterling Bank near Iyana Ipaja was shut to customers, some of who turned up as early as 7am.

The customers, who were given numbers, waited in vain for the ATM to be loaded with cash. As of 2pm when our reporter left the branch, none of the two ATMs was dispensing cash.
Some of the customers, who had already waited for over seven hours despite the scorching sun, said they had no choice and would continue waiting.

Although the banks, especially along Oba Adesida Road and at Alagbaka, were shut, many customers waited beyond 6pm in the hope that luck might still smile on them.
One of the customers, who gave his name as Jimoh, said he was at one of the banks as early as 7:30 am.
Jimoh said security personnel informed him that the banks were shut due to fear of attacks.

In Ikare-Akoko, Akoko Northeast Local Government area, the situation was the same.
Ikare-Akoko serves as the commercial nerve of the four local government areas in Akokoland.
Farmers and traders who were in Ikare for banking transactions from distant places like Ikakumo Afin Ipesi Igasi and Eriall were disappointed.
A businessman, Sunday Omogboye, who came from Ikakumo to withdraw money, said many people were suffering in the villages due to a lack of cash.

The situation was a little different in Abuja where most banks opened their branches to customers. Only Zenith had many branches still locked.
Three things were, however, common among the bank branches: They paid out mostly mutilated old notes in the banking halls and closed before the official time.

When The Nation visited the Wema Bank branch in the Central Business District, a large but orderly crowd was seen making withdrawals of old notes from its ATMs.

In the banking hall, customers were paid N3,000 only over the counter in dirty N50 denominations.
At the Stanbic IBTC branch in the area, the ATMs were down but customers were allowed freely in the banking hall where they had a rare opportunity to withdraw as much as N25,000 in mutilated N50 notes.

At Garki Areas 7 and 8, the banks all had their fair share of crowds at the ATMs while the banking halls had few crowds transacting over the counter.
In Ibadan, Oyo State, banks did not work to their full capacity due to the scarcity of the new naira notes.

At the Sterling Bank branch in Agodi, Ibadan, all customers were allowed into the banking hall where the tellers rationed the amounts paid to them.
But at the Access Bank branch in Bodija, customers that wanted to withdraw were not allowed into the banking ball.

The few ATMs that worked in most parts of the city had hundreds of forlorn-looking customers in queues for hours.
Some of the customers lamented the hardship the scarcity of the naira had caused them.
Abimbola Onalaja said she arrived at the First Bank branch at Agodi, at 6:30 am and left around 4 pm without making a withdrawal through the ATM.
“I got here at 6.30 am, yet, I couldn’t collect a dime. Look at the time now. It’s 4 pm and I’m yet to eat anything.
“The last money on me was what I used to come here, this hardship is getting too much.”

Residents of Osogbo, the Osun State capital, were stranded as banks failed to load their ATMs.
ATM stands at Ogo-Oluwa, Station road, Fakunle, Igbonna, Power Line and Aregbe were deserted as they are not dispensing cash.
Customers who came from distant locations could also not make withdrawals over the counter.

In Owerri, Imo State, many people waited for hours outside the banks’ premises for officials to open the doors to their banking halls.
At Douglas Road, some of them complained that they were “tired of suffering”Another was overheard in front of one of the banks threatening to burn it down if the officials did not allow him into the premises. At Shoprite along Egbu Road, all UBA ATMs did not work.
But Benin, Edo State residents had a breather as the CBN made available new notes to banks to dispense through their counters and ATMs.
Point of Sale (PoS) operators also started reducing their charges and paying new naira.

Naira Crisis: We don’t have capacity to print new notes – CBN cries out.

The governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele said the apex bank does not have the capacity to print adequate new naira notes.

Emefiele stated this while briefing the emergency meeting of the National Council of State on Friday.
According to sources, the CBN governor told the leaders that the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc (The Mint), suffers capacity constraints, resulting in the failure to print adequate new notes to replace the old N200, N500 and 1,000 notes.

“The Mint has run out of papers to print N500 and 1,000 notes. They have placed orders with a German firm and De La Rue of the UK (for papers) but they have been placed on a long waiting list, so their orders cannot be met now.

“The Mint had received CBN’s request to print 70million copies of the new notes, totalling N126billion to be pumped into circulation by today (yesterday), The Mint doesn’t have the capacity.”

The source said Buhari was non-committal at the meeting and barely spoke, before leaving the meeting for the Muslim’s Jummah prayer.
But, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who took over, said the president would take a decision.
Meanwhile, seven days after President Muhammadu Buhari promised to address the cash crisis that hit the country following the naira redesign and old notes swap policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the new and old naira notes have remained elusive.

Recall that last December, the CBN introduced the new notes amid efforts to fight corruption, terrorism, counterfeiting and related crimes, with a January 31, 2023 deadline.
However, Nigerians have had difficulty getting the new notes amid scarcity and rising tension across the country, forcing the apex bank to extend the deadline by 10 days, which was due yesterday, February 10.

President Buhari had on February 3 implored Nigerians to give him seven days to resolve the cash crunch that has become a problem across the country from the policy of the CBN.
The president made the call while speaking to the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) who paid him a visit to seek solutions to the cash crunch, which they said was threatening the good records of the administration in transforming the economy.

In a statement by his spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, Buhari noted that he had seen television reports on cash shortages and hardship to local businesses and ordinary people and gave assurances that the balance of seven of the 10-day extension would be used to crack down on whatever stood in the way of its successful implementation.
There has been a flurry of suits at the Supreme Court by some state governors, challenging the apex bank’s policy over the hardship the policy has brought on the people.
The apex court had issued an order asking the CBN and the federal government not to go ahead with the implementation of the policy pending the determination of substantive suits before it.

Extend Usage Of Old Naira Notes By One Year – APC PCC Begs Buhari.

The Agro commodities Directorate of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council (APC PCC) has appealed for an extension of the deadline for the use of old naira notes by at least one year.

The appeal was made to President Muhammadu Buhari in a statement on Thursday by the Director and Secretary of the directorate, Alhaji Abubakar Udulu Bello and Comrade Retson Tedheke respectively.
The directorate explained that farmers in the country are negatively affected by the policy but an extension will help them survive the hard times.
The statement lamented that the naira redesign policy “is killing the fortune of farmers in rural Nigeria” as they are forced to sell off their produce below production cost due to naira scarcity.
The statement urged the President to consider a gradual withdrawal of the old notes and replacement with new ones so as to avoid a looming food crisis as the farmers may not be able to plant next season if they don’t recoup their investment this season.

Threatening Us With Breakup Of Nigeria If Peter Obi Doesn’t Win Is Unbecoming- Shehu Sani Fires Adebanjo.

Human rights activist and former lawmaker, Shehu Sani, has condemned the statement of the leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, Pa Ayo Adebanjo urging Nigerians to be prepared for a post-election crisis if the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi does not win the 2023 election.

Adebanjo while speaking at the celebration of the life and times of the late President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Prof. George Obiozor, in Lagos on Wednesday, said there will be nothing like united Nigeria if Obi’s presidential bid fails this year.
Adebanjo, who adopted Obi as his preferred presidential candidate in 2022, maintained that Obi remains the best candidate.

He insisted that Obi is not only competent but should be voted by Nigerians as their next president for the sake of equity and fairness, and to keep Nigeria united.
Reacting to the statement, Shehu Sani, in a post, shared on Twitter on Thursday said that pan-Yoruba leader can market his candidate without threatening a breakup of the country.
He further maintained that even the former Anambra State governor will not subscribe to such a narrative.

Plot To Humiliate Buhari Exposed As APC Govs, Tinubu Allegedly Angry With President.

Some governors and chieftains in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are allegedly plotting to go against President Muhammadu Buhari over current policies that they perceive to be targeted against the party. The Buhari-led Federal Government had backed the Naira redesign and cash swap policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The deadline set by the apex bank for the cash swap has resulted in panic among Nigerians as they scramble to get the new notes before the old ones cease to be legal tender.
The scarcity of the naira notes and fuel has led to widespread protests, with government properties and banks being attacked by angry Nigerians.
The presidential candidate of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has been highly condemned by Nigerians over the crisis caused by his party.

Following the hardship caused by the scarcities, many believe that Tinubu’s presidential bid is at risk of failure.
According to The Whistler, there is a plan among elements within the ruling party to undermine the authority of the president following what is perceived as Buhari’s lack of enthusiasm and cold attitude toward the presidential campaign of the party.

Sokoto Deputy Governor Speaks On Dumping PDP.

The Deputy Governor of Sokoto State, Manir Muhammad Dan Iya has denied dumping the ruling party in the state, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
This is coming after a viral letter was spotted online on Thursday which Iya allegedly addressed to his ward chairperson that he has resigned from the PDP.

In the letter, Iya appreciated the PDP for the opportunities given to him while in the ruling party.
The resignation letter reads, “I write to notify you of the withdrawal of my membership from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with effect from 8th February 2023.
“I appreciate the opportunities given to me, which made me serve in various capacities under the PDP.

“Accept my best regards.”
However, hours after the letter was spotted online, the director of the press to the Sokoto State Deputy Governor, Aminu Abubakar in a chat with TheCable claimed that his principal is still a member of the PDP.

 

Drama As Atiku Avoids Endorsing PDP Governorship Candidate In Kano.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar was in Kano State on Thursday for his campaign rally.
Atiku during the rally reiterated his plans to reopen the borders, restore peace, ensure agriculture and industrial revolutions if elected president in the February 25th, 2023 election.

During the event on Thursday Atiku and the leadership of the party failed to endorse either of party’s two parallel gubernatorial candidates.
PDP in Kano State has been battling with leadership crisis which has seen the party produce two governorship candidates, Mohammad Abacha and Sadiq Wali.

The electoral umpire acknowledged Wali, the son of former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aminu Wali, while a court recognised the son of former Head of State, General Sani Abacha.

Atiku during the presidential campaign rally of PDP at the Sani Abacha stadium failed to recognise either of the candidates who were together with him on the stage.

The former vice president also did not raise the hand of either of them while addressing the crowd.
A source among the party’s hierarchy, who spoke with DailyTrust said the party is being careful with the Supreme Court expected to rule on the issue on Friday.

 

INEC Speaks On Extending PVC Collection.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday stated that the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) will not be extended.
The electoral body dismissed the possibility of extending the date of PVC collection with the presidential election coming up in 15 days.
The INEC National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye speaking on Channels TV said while the commission does not want to disenfranchise any Nigerian, it is impossible to extend the period for PVC collection.
Okoye said with the presidential election in sight, INEC has to move its staff from the responsibility of PVC distribution to focus on preparations for the election.

2023: NUC Gives New Directives To Nigerian Universities Over Elections.

Ahead of the 2023 elections, the National Universities Commission has ordered the closure of universities across the country to enable students to participate in the poll.
The regulatory agency for universities in Nigeria made the disclosure on Thursday in a letter addressed to vice-chancellors of all universities and directors of inter-university centers.
Recall that there have been calls from the public for the closure of tertiary institutions to enable students to vote during the 2023 elections, especially as data from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reveals that over 26 million students are currently registered.

The NUC in the letter to various institutions noted that the order was based on the directive of the minister of education, Adamu Adamu, stating that all schools and academic activities be suspended between February 22 and March 14, 2023.
NUC added that the closer was also necessary for the security of staff, students, and properties of various institutions.

IGP Redeploys Senior Police Officers.

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba has ordered the posting/redeployment of some senior police officers.
The action which is coming just about fifteen days before the 2023 presidential election in Nigeria is targeted at achieving the maximum impact of community-based and strategic policing.
This development was made known in a statement made available on Friday by the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi.

According to the statement, the IG has “ordered the provisional posting of CP Afolabi Babatola Adeniyi to the Adamawa State Police Command as its new Commissioner of Police pending approval of the Police Service Commission while the posting of CP Adebola A. Hamzat, fdc, has been varied to Commissioner of Police in charge of the Border Patrol Force, Force Headquarters, Abuja.

“Similarly, CP Lanre Bankole Sikiru, the former CP Ogun State, has been posted to head the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID) X-Squad at its Annex in Lagos State. The IGP has tasked the new CP X-Squad to deploy all requisite assets in ensuring sanity, professional standards and discipline in all ramifications.”

New Naira: Akeredolu Drags Buhari Govt, CBN To Supreme Court.

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has dragged the Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government to the Supreme Court over the limitation on daily cash withdrawals from banks introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

CBN places the maximum weekly withdrawal for individuals and corporate organizations at N500,000 and N5 million, respectively.
Akeredolu, in an originating, summon filed by Ondo Attorney-General Charles Titiloye, asked the Supreme Court to declare that the federal government cannot, by a directive issued through CBN, amend or vary an existing act of the National Assembly, particularly section 2 of the Money Laundering Act, which relates specifically to limitations on cash withdrawals for individuals and corporate organizations to N5 million and N10 million, respectively.

The Governor also prayed the apex court to decide whether the guidelines issued by the federal government on maximum daily cash withdrawal and the hardship caused by the implementation of the policy were not in conflict with the provision of section 2 of the Money Laundering Act, sections 20, 39 and 42 of the CBN Act.

He contended that the guideline on daily maximum cash withdrawal made by Buhari administration was an infraction on the legal rights of the Ondo government and its citizens “to access funds for execution of developmental projects, small credit facilities to petty traders (who have no account in banks) and highly detrimental to daily commercial activities in the state.”

 

APC Has Delivered Change To Nigerians – Buhari.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday said his administration has delivered the promise of change made to Nigerians when it was coming to power in 2015.
The President made the submission at Ugwuogo Nike in Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State at the commissioning and handing over of the Federal Government Housing Estate in the State.
Represented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, the President said the housing scheme is one of the examples of change promised to Nigerians by his administration.

He said: “When our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) sought your mandate to form the Government in 2015, one of the things we promised was change.
“This housing estate is an example of the fulfillment of that promise of change.”
President Buhari while commending the Enugu State government for providing land space for the project, said the housing scheme is an example of what can be achieved through inter-governmental collaborations.

PDP Expels Chimaroke Nnamani, Fayose’s Son, Five Others.

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) on Friday expelled the former governor of Enugu State, Chimaroke Nnamani and 6 others.

It was gathered that Nnamani was expelled from the party over alleged anti-party activities.
Their expulsion was announced by the spokesperson of the party, Debo Ologunagba at end of the PDP NWC 566th meeting on Friday.
Ologunagba disclosed that the party approved their expulsion from the PDP owing to anti-party activities and other grave offences in violation of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017).
Others expelled from the Party include: Hon. Chris Ogbu (Imo State), Ajijola Lateef Oladimeji (Ekiti Central), Olayinka James Olalere (Ekiti Central II), Fayose Oluwajomiloju John (Ekiti Central I), Akerele Oluyinka (Ekiti North I) and Emiola Adenike Jennifer -(Ekiti South II).

2023; Bwacha Wins Rerun Primary, Emerges Taraba APC Gov Candidate.

Emmanuel Bwacha has been declared the winner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship rerun primary in Taraba State.
Bwacha emerged winner of the rerun election when he polled 778 votes out of total valid votes of 783 to defeat five other aspirants.
It was gathered that the Chairman of, the Taraba governorship primary election Committee, General Yusuf Buratai (Rtd) announced him as the APC governorship candidate after the landslide victory.
Breaking down the votes, Buratai said Yusuf A. Yusuf had five votes. David Kente scored 0 votes, Engineer Saleh Mamman scored 9 votes, Danladi Kifasi scored 0, and Anthony Manzo also scored 0.

The total number of voters was said to be 835, and the number of accredited voters was 796, while the total votes cast were 791 and valid votes stood at 783.
Buratai described the election as “free, fair and transparent, as the audience was said to have chorused in the affirmative.

Gunmen Attack Atiku’s Campaign DG In Rivers.

Unknown gunmen have allegedly attempted to assassinate the Director-General of the Atiku Abubakar presidential campaign council in Rivers, Abiye Sekibo, in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Sekibo was reportedly attacked on Thursday night when he went to inspect the venue of a proposed presidential rally of the Peoples Democratic Party.
According to the former Minister of Transportation in the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, the assailants were allegedly sponsored by the state Governor, Nyesom Wike.
“It is Wike and his people,” the former minister told The Whistler in a phone interview when asked who the attackers were.
It was learnt that gunmen dressed in police uniform opened fire on Sekibo’s vehicle, a Land Cruiser bulletproof jeep at Rainbow Town.

Council Of State Takes Stand On Cashless Policy, Gives CBN Marching Orders.

The Council of State meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, has on Friday given their support to the Naira redesign policy with the condition that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Godwin Emefiele prints new Naira notes or recirculate the ones so as to bring respite to the suffering in the nation.

The meeting, which lasted for more than four hours at the Council Chambers, Presidential Villa, Abuja, had in attendance former heads of state and president Gen. Yakubu Gowon (retd), Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd) and Goodluck Jonathan, while former President, Olusegun Obasanjo joined the meeting online.

Two former Chief Justice of the Federation, Alfa Belgore and Mahmud Muhammad, were also in attendance.
Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, Governors of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku; Lagos, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, AGF Abubakar Malami, said generally the policy was accepted by members but raised concerns about the implementations.

Ishaku said: “The CBN was advised to make money available in quantum. The old money can also be recirculated to ease the suffering of the poorest of the poor.”
Sanwo-Olu, on his part, said that Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, and Inspector General of Police (IGP), briefed the council on a state of preparedness for the 2023 general elections, and assured that they were fully prepared.

2023: Appeal Court Affirms Wali As PDP Guber Candidate.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Kano on Friday affirmed Sadiq Wali as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
The appellate court set aside the judgment of a High Court which recognized Muhammad Abacha as the governorship candidate of the party.
The three-man panel in the ruling read by Justice Usman Musale directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to recognize Wali as the gubernatorial candidate of the PDP for Kano state.

The panel held that the law is clear that only the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party can conduct the gubernatorial primary elections of a party and since Abacha did not participate in the primary election conducted by NEC that produced Wali and thus had no locus standing to challenge the said primary.
The court judgement is coming after the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar during his campaign rally in Kano on Thursday failed to endorse either of the parallel governorship candidates.
Despite the candidates being on the podium, Atiku and the leadership of the party failed to recognise either of the candidates pending the court ruling.