• Aliko Dangote Predicts $21bn Revenue and 100,000 Jobs from Refinery
• President Buhari Expresses Confidence in Tinubu’s Ability to Sustain Administration’s Momentum
• PDP: Tribunal’s Refusal for Live Broadcast Not a Setback
• Supreme Court to Announce Ruling on PDP’s Lawsuit Against Tinubu and Shettima on May 26
• Buhari Officially Signs Social Investment Programmes Bill into Law

Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the five top Nigerian news stories you shouldn’t miss

Aliko Dangote Predicts $21bn Revenue and 100,000 Jobs from Refinery

In a grand ceremony attended by prominent figures, including President Muhammadu Buhari and several African heads of state, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the founder and President of Dangote Group, expressed his unwavering optimism about the potential of the newly commissioned refinery. He confidently stated that it would provide employment opportunities for over 100,000 Nigerian youths while generating an impressive $21 billion in revenue.

Dangote emphasized that the establishment of the refinery would significantly reduce Nigeria’s foreign exchange spending on fuel importation. The facility’s first products are expected to enter the market by the end of July this year. Currently, the refinery boasts a workforce of over 33,000 employees.

Read Also: All You Need to Know about the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemical Project

During the inauguration ceremony, held in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, Dangote stated, “Our first goal is to ramp up production of the various products to ensure that within this year, we’re able to fully satisfy our nation’s demand for higher quality products.” He stressed that the refinery’s success would enable Nigeria to overcome the burden of import dependency and put an end to the circulation of inferior petroleum products in the local market.

Dangote further outlined his ambitious vision, stating, “We intend to ensure that our plants are run at the highest capacity of utilization and the highest efficiency to enable us to export competitively to other markets, especially in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and wider regions.” He highlighted the dependence of 53 out of 55 countries in these regions on imports to meet their petroleum products’ demand, presenting a lucrative opportunity for Nigeria.

The refinery is expected to produce a range of refined products, including Premium Motor Spirit (petrol), diesel (Automotive Gas Oil), aviation jet fuel, and Dual-Purpose Kerosene (DPK). This significant milestone aligns with the African Union’s commitment to creating a unified African market through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

President Buhari Expresses Confidence in Tinubu’s Ability to Sustain Administration’s Momentum

During the Presidential Fleet Review held at the Naval Dockyard Limited in Victoria Island, Lagos, President Muhammadu Buhari conveyed his unwavering belief that the upcoming government, led by President-elect Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, would uphold the progress achieved during his administration.

President Buhari commended the military’s combat readiness, expressing his satisfaction with the state of preparedness displayed by the armed forces. He expressed confidence in President-elect Tinubu’s commitment to providing vital support to the Nigerian Navy, ensuring the continuation of the positive trajectory established during his tenure.

The Presidential Fleet Review served as a notable event, possibly marking President Buhari’s last participation as the President and Commander-in-Chief. He expressed immense satisfaction with the impressive naval assets showcased and praised the Nigerian military’s preparedness for action.

Recognizing the nation’s pride in the navy’s numerous accomplishments during his eight-year administration, President Buhari stated, “I have no doubt that the incoming administration of President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will sustain the current tempo of my administration in giving the Navy necessary support to effectively carry out its assigned tasks.”

As his term approaches its end on May 29, President Buhari extended his best wishes to the Nigerian Navy, emphasizing their crucial role in safeguarding the nation’s maritime domain and promoting economic prosperity. He concluded his remarks with the words, “As I leave office on May 29, I wish you all fair winds. ONWARD TOGETHER, and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

PDP: Tribunal’s Refusal for Live Broadcast Not a Setback

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed that the denial of their request for a live broadcast of the presidential election petition proceedings should not be considered a setback. The presidential election petition tribunal recently declined the application made by PDP candidate, Atiku Abubakar, for a live broadcast of the proceedings.

Following the tribunal’s decision, Eyitayo Jegede, counsel to the PDP, addressed journalists and stated that the party and its candidate were prepared to proceed with the pre-hearing report, without dwelling on the refusal of the live streaming request. Jegede emphasized that the court deemed the subject of their application unrelated to the merits of their petition.

Read Also: Presidential Election Petition Court Denies LP and PDP’s Live Coverage Request

“We see no setback here. The court, in its wisdom, decided that the subject of our application on the live streaming and open telecast did not, in any way, connect with the merit of our petition,” said Jegede.

He further added, “The petition is separate; it is ongoing. The application did not succeed to have the televised version of the proceedings. As far as we are concerned, we are now set for hearing. Tomorrow, we will be here by God’s grace for the pre-hearing report that will determine the progress of the petition and the time the petition will be heard and concluded.”

When asked about the party’s confidence in the court, Jegede responded, “For us, we are prepared for hearing.”

Regarding the merging of all the petitions challenging the election of President-elect Bola Tinubu, Jegede acknowledged that the issue was compelled by statute and stated that they had no objections to it.

Supreme Court to Announce Ruling on PDP’s Lawsuit Against Tinubu and Shettima on May 26

The Supreme Court has announced that it will deliver its judgment on May 26, 2023, regarding a lawsuit seeking the disqualification of Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima as the presidential and vice-presidential candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), respectively.

The suit, filed on July 28, 2022, by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), alleges that Shettima’s nomination as Tinubu’s running mate violated several provisions of the Electoral Act 2022, including sections 29(1), 33, 35, and 84(1)(2). The PDP argues that Shettima’s simultaneous nomination for the positions of Vice-President and Borno Central Senatorial District contravenes the law.

In addition to seeking the disqualification of the APC, Tinubu, and Shettima from the presidential election, the PDP also requests the nullification of their candidacies.

However, the Federal High Court, presided over by Justice Inyang Ekwo, dismissed the suit on the grounds that the PDP lacked the legal standing (locus standi) to initiate the case.

Unsatisfied with the ruling, the PDP filed an appeal.

In the appellate court, a three-member panel led by Justice James Abundaga upheld the dismissal, stating that the PDP failed to establish its legal standing. Abundaga characterized the PDP as a mere busybody, involving itself in internal matters of the APC.

Consequently, the appeal was dismissed due to the PDP’s failure to establish its locus standi. The Supreme Court’s upcoming ruling will provide the final decision on the matter.

Buhari Officially Signs Social Investment Programmes Bill into Law

President Muhammadu Buhari has officially signed the national social investment programme agency bill into law, as confirmed by his aide, Bashir Ahmad. The bill was signed on Monday after the President had requested its passage from the national assembly in November 2022.

The national social investment programme (NSIP) was established in 2015 with the objective of ensuring fair distribution of resources to vulnerable segments of the population, including children, youth, and women. The NSIP encompasses various initiatives, including the N-Power programme, which aims to enhance the skills of youth and foster entrepreneurship.

Additionally, the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) provides soft loans to Nigerians through initiatives such as Trader Moni, Market Moni, and Farmer Moni, addressing the challenges of accessing credit facilities.

The National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) ensures that public primary school pupils receive one nutritious meal a day, promoting school enrollment and reducing malnutrition. The Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programme provides cash transfers to vulnerable households as grants.

In addition to the NSIP bill, President Buhari also signed seven other proposed legislations into law. These include the National Senior Secondary Education Bill, which establishes a commission to set minimum standards for senior secondary education and manage the national senior secondary education fund. The Chartered Institute of Power Engineers of Nigeria Bill establishes the institute responsible for determining the required knowledge and skills for becoming a chartered power engineer.

The remaining bills signed into law by President Buhari encompass various sectors and institutions. They are the Federal University of Health Sciences Ila-Orangun (Establishment) Bill, the Federal University of Health Sciences, Azare (Establishment) Bill, the Chartered Institute of Development Studies and Administration of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, the Federal Institute of Industrial Research (Establishment) Bill, and the Institute of Strategic Management of Nigeria Bill.