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Citizenship: Court Hears Suit Against Atiku, Sept 27

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4 years ago

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The Federal High Court, Abuja, yesterday, fixed September 27 to hear a suit filed by the Incorporated Trustees of Egalitarian Mission for Africa, a group, challenging the citizenship of former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
The plaintiff instituted the suit in 2019 challenging Abubakar’s eligibility to contest for president.
When the matter was called, counsel to the plaintiff, Mr Akinola Oladimeji told the court that he was not prepared to go on with the matter.
Oladimeji told the court that it was only on Wednesday that he got wind of the fact that the matter had been slated for hearing on Thursday since the next adjourn date known to him was September 20.
The judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, then sought to find out from the court registrar if parties had been informed of the date and the registrar responded in the affirmative.
The judge in a short ruling said that he was not happy that he gave a date for hearing which had become a subject of controversy.
He, however, adjourned the matter until September 27 and warned the plaintiff that it would be the last adjournment for his client.
The plaintiff, a civil society organisation in suit no. FHC/ABJ/CS/177/2019 is challenging the citizenship of Abubakar on the grounds that he was not born in Nigeria.
The plaintiff joined the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney-General of the Federation as co-defendants in the suit.
The plaintiff formulated the following questions for determination by the court:
“Whether Section 25 of the Constitution is the sole authority that spells out ways by which a person can become a Nigerian citizen by birth.
“Whether by the provisions of Section 131(a) of the Constitution, only a Nigerian citizen by birth can contest for the office of the president.
“Whether by the combined interpretation of Section 25(1) (2) and 131(a) of the Constitution and giving the circumstances surrounding the birth of Abubakar, he can be cleared by the PDP and INEC to contest for the office of the president.”
The plaintiff held that if the answers to the questions were resolved in its favour, it should be granted the following reliefs, “A declaration that by provisions of Section 131(a) of the constitution, only a Nigerian citizen by birth can contest for the office of president.
“A declaration that by the combined interpretation of Sections 25 (1) (2) and 131(a) of the Constitution, and giving the circumstances surrounding the birth of Abubakar, he cannot be cleared by PDP and INEC to contest for president”.
The plaintiff also asked the court for any order which it may seem fit to make in the circumstances of the application.
However, Abubakar and the PDP, on which platform he contested the last election asked the court to dismiss the suit for lacking in merit.
In their notice of objection filed jointly, they insisted that the former vice president was a bona-fide citizen of Nigeria.
Abubakar also said that besides serving as Nigeria’s vice president from 1999 to 2007, he held many public and private offices, including serving as governor of Adamawa and was a commissioned officer of the Nigerian Customs Service.
He said his parents, grandparents and great grandparents were born in Nigeria and they lived, died as Nigerians and were buried in Nigeria.
He told the court that the suit was filed in bad faith in an attempt to malign his person and integrity.
Abubakar also objected to the plaintiff’s right to challenge his nationality, arguing that it failed to show the interest it had above other citizens of Nigeria to be entitled to approach the court on the issue.

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RSG Ready For 2030 Digital Transformation

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6 days ago

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October 27, 2025

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The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State  Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Department, Mrs. Elizabeth Akani, has said the State Government was set to meet up the 2030 target of the Federal Government towards the actualization of digital economy.
Akani said this at the Rivers State Sensitization Workshops on The Adoption of Nigeria Start-up Act and National Digital Literacy framework (NDLF), in Port Harcourt, weekend.
She noted that the State was ready for both the adoption and domestication of the Act.
According to her, up to 90-95% preparation have been fully covered by the state in readiness to welcoming the digital economy Act.
“Stakeholders talked about adoption and domestication of the Act, it was fruitful. The draft has been sent to the government”, she said.
She also noted that the move was in line with the digital transformation plan of the state and the country at large.
The Convener, Start South, Mr. Uche Aniche, who made case for full ICT Ministry for the state, said such will command the needed growth in the system.
Aniche stated that until they attained the lofty height, all about Tech-knowledge and growth may not fall in place as expected.
Other tech-operators, such as the Code Garden Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Wilfred Wegwu, who welcomed the idea, said it must be done in the nearest future.
Wegwu noted that technology has taken over the world at present, adding that government at all levels needed to key into the system.
He also stated that the system play major roles in various spheres of life, including relationships and collaboration.
He also revealed that the system now was up to forth Industrial Revolution (4IR), according to global shift ranking.
It will be recalled that the State Government has recently ordered to construct ICT centres across the 23 Local Government Area of the state in order to meet up the yearnings of the technology world.
By: King Onunwor
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Industry Braces For Glut And Investor Demands

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1 month ago

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September 29, 2025

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The oil and gas industry is in for a tough year ahead, as it must balance financial discipline, shareholder returns, and long-term investments in the sustainability of the business—while navigating a hypothetical glut.
The warning comes from Wood Mackenzie, which said in a new report that the industry was faced with conflicting trends over the next year that would make decision-making challenging. Among these is an expectation that the market would tip into an oversupply, pressuring prices, while the demand outlook for oil over the long term brightens up, motivating more investments.
“Oil and gas companies are caught between competing pressures as they plan for 2026. Near-term price downside risks clash with the need to extend hydrocarbon portfolios into the next decade. Meanwhile, shareholder return of capital and balance sheet discipline will constrain reinvestment rates,” Wood Mackenzie’s senior vice president of corporate research, Tom Ellacott, said.
The executive added that investors would also influence decisions, as they continue to prioritize short-term returns over long-term investments. This last part, at least, is not unusual in the current investment environment across industries. It could, however, make life even more difficult for oil and gas companies for a while.
The glut that Wood Mackenzie analysts expect is the same glut that the International Energy Agency has been expecting for a while now. Yet that very same International Energy Agency earlier this month issued a warning on the longer-term security of global oil supply, saying the industry needed to step up investment in new production because natural depletion at mature fields was progressing faster than previously assumed.
Per the report, if the industry has to maintain current levels of oil and gas production, more than 45 million barrels per day of oil and around 2,000 billion cu m of natural gas would be needed in 2050 from new conventional fields. It’s worth noting that this is maintenance of current production levels, assuming demand will not rise, which is a risky assumption.
Even with projects ramping up and new ones approved for development and not yet in production, a large gap still exists “that would need to be filled by new conventional oil and gas projects to maintain production at current levels, although the amounts needed could be reduced if oil and gas demand were to come down,” the IEA said.
However, demand could just as well increase, heightening the degree of uncertainty in the industry and making long-term planning even more challenging—especially for companies with higher debt-to-equity ratios. Wood Mackenzie expects those with gearing of above 35% would prioritise resilience over long-term growth, while those with better debt positions would turn to divestments and asset acquisitions to improve the quality of their portfolio.
Share buybacks will also remain on the oil industry’s table as a favorite tool for making shareholders happy, although, Wood Mac notes, these tend to dry up when oil slips below $50 per barrel. Interestingly, the analytics company does not seem to factor into its analysis a scenario where prices might go up instead of down, especially now that President Trump has signaled he would be willing to step up pressure on Russia to bring a swifter end to the war in Ukraine.
If prices do rise, for whatever reason, including failure of the massive 3-million-bpd glut that the IEA predicted to materialize, then the immediate outlook for the oil and gas industry becomes different—but not too different. Companies have already demonstrated they would not return to their old ways of splurging when times were good and tightening belts when times were bad. They would likely stick to spending caution and shareholder return prioritization, regardless of prices.
By Irina Slav
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ECN Commences 7MW Solar Power Project In AKTH

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1 month ago

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September 22, 2025

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As a landmark intervention designed to guarantee uninterrupted electricity supply, the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), has commenced a 7MW solar power project at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH)
The project is the outcome of ECN’s comprehensive energy audit and strategic planning, which exposed the unsustainable cost of diesel and the risks associated with AKTH’s dependence on the national grid.
Working in close collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology under the coordinating leadership of Chief Uche Nnaji, the ECN planned and executed this critical project to secure the hospital’s energy future.
The Director – General, ECN, Dr. Mustapha Abullahi, said “the timing of this intervention could not be more crucial” recalling that only days ago, AKTH suffered prolonged power outages that tragically claimed lives in its Intensive Care Unit.
“That painful incident has strengthened our resolve. With this solar installation, we are ensuring that such tragedies are prevented in the future and that critical medical services can operate without fear of disruption”.
Abdullahi stated that the project is a clear demonstration of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in action and reflects ECN’s commitment to making Nigeria’s energy transition people-centered, where hospitals, schools, and other essential institutions thrive on reliable, clean, and sustainable power.
The ECN boss further reaffirmed ECN’s commitment to continued deployment of innovative energy solutions across the nation.
“This is not just about powering institutions; it is about saving lives, restoring confidence, and securing a brighter future for Nigerians”, he stated.
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