• Fashola Denies Involvement in Drafting Presidential Election Tribunal Judgement
• Atiku Files Lawsuit Against Tinubu in US District Court
• Elevator Tragedy: Lagos Govt Sacks Facility Managers, Suspends LASIAMA GM
• Niger Coup: President Tinubu Meets Border States’ Governors
• Matawalle Accuses Successor of Political Vendetta Amid Rising Security Concerns

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

Fashola Denies Involvement in Drafting Presidential Election Tribunal Judgement

In a recent statement, Babatunde Fashola, the former Minister of Works and Housing, has vehemently denied the allegations made by Twitter user Jackson Ude. The user had claimed that Fashola, along with some lawyers from the All Progressives Congress (APC), were involved in drafting a judgement for the presidential election petition tribunal (PEPT). This judgement, according to Ude, was intended to be handed over to the judges by the ruling party.

Hakeem Bello, Fashola’s special adviser on media, refuted the allegations, dismissing them as “baseless and defamatory”. He went on to refer to the accusers as “agents of destabilisation”.

“Fashola expressed his disappointment with the spread of this false information on social media platforms and has called on security agencies to take action against those responsible for spreading fake news,” Bello stated.

Fashola clarified that he has been away from Abuja for an extended period, rendering the claims entirely unfounded. He suspects that these allegations might be part of a broader campaign to undermine the judiciary by those seeking to manipulate the institution for their own gain. Emphasizing the importance of identifying the perpetrators and their sponsors, Fashola insists that they must face appropriate legal consequences.

To address the offensive tweets and online reports, the former minister has initiated the process of filing formal petitions with the management of X (formerly known as Twitter) and the National Communications Commission (NCC). He urges relevant security agencies to treat the matter with the utmost seriousness, as it strikes at the heart of judicial independence.

Fashola calls on Nigerians to disregard the false allegations and encourages them to report any individuals “involved in spreading such dangerous fabrications to the relevant security agencies”.

Meanwhile, last Tuesday, the presidential election petition tribunal reserved judgement on the petition filed by Atiku Abubakar, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), against President Bola Tinubu. Atiku is challenging the outcome of the February 25 election and praying for the court to nullify Tinubu’s victory.

The tribunal also reserved judgement in the case filed by Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), against Tinubu’s election.

Atiku Files Lawsuit Against Tinubu in US District Court

In a significant development, Atiku Abubakar, the former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has taken President Bola Tinubu to court. Atiku’s Special Assistant on Public Communications, Mr. Phrank Shaibu, revealed that the lawsuit is now before the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, marked as No. 23-5099 (N. D. III.).

This fresh legal action prompted Atiku to withdraw an existing case before a Circuit Court in Illinois. Shaibu clarified that the decision was made to avoid any potential abuse of court processes, as the former vice president is now pursuing the matter in a higher court.

The lawsuit comes as Atiku challenges the declaration made by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that Bola Tinubu emerged as the winner of the presidential poll conducted on February 25.

Shaibu also raised questions about Tinubu’s academic records, suggesting that they remain questionable. He pointed out that the President has failed to identify a single former classmate, from primary school to university, which further raises suspicions about his educational history.

“In the past weeks, Nigerians have been watching the ongoing ministerial screening at the Senate where nominees have been made to reveal their primary, secondary, and university history. Some of the ministerial nominees were even classmates with the senators screening them,” Shaibu stated.

“However, the man who nominated them has no educational history. He has no primary school, secondary school, or university classmates. This is because he has no classmates. He actually fell from the sky,” he added.

Shaibu highlighted that past Presidents have invited their former classmates to the Aso Rock Villa, the official residence of the Nigerian President. Even President Muhammadu Buhari hosted his classmates from Katsina Middle School. However, he questioned the lack of such invitations by Tinubu, further accentuating the scrutiny on the President’s educational background.

As the legal battle unfolds in the US District Court, Nigerians are closely watching the proceedings, as this case has the potential to impact the country’s political landscape.

Elevator Tragedy: Lagos Govt Sacks Facility Managers, Suspends LASIAMA GM 

In response to the devastating elevator crash that resulted in the untimely death of Dr. Diaso Vwaere at General Hospital Odan, the Lagos State Government has taken swift and stern actions. Reports of the incident, which occurred last Tuesday, sparked outrage and concern about safety protocols and maintenance practices.

In a statement issued by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Strategy, Olumide Sogunle, the initial findings of the panel of inquiry shed light on the steps taken by the government to address the situation and prevent similar occurrences in the future.

As a direct consequence of the incident, the facility managers responsible for the maintenance and oversight of the hospital’s elevators have been dismissed from their positions and blacklisted. This action sends a strong message about the importance of ensuring the safety and well-being of individuals utilizing such facilities.

Additionally, the General Manager of the Lagos State Infrastructure and Asset Management Agency (LASIAMA) has been suspended pending further investigations. This measure demonstrates the government’s commitment to holding accountable those responsible for overseeing maintenance operations.

To further enhance safety measures, the operations and reporting structure of the facility managers have been restructured to involve the hospital management directly. This move aims to ensure closer supervision and accountability for the maintenance and functioning of critical equipment within the hospital premises.

The Lagos State Government has not stopped at these internal actions. The installation and maintenance contractors involved in the elevator’s upkeep have been handed over to the police for further investigation. If found culpable, they may face prosecution for their alleged negligence. The government has also emphasized that anyone else found to be negligent in this tragic incident will be subject to police investigation.

Niger Coup: President Tinubu Meets Border States’ Governors

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently convened a crucial meeting with governors representing Nigerian states that share boundaries with the Niger Republic. The meeting, held at the presidential villa on Sunday, aimed to address the ongoing political instability in Niger. As of this report, the specific topics discussed during the meeting have not been disclosed.

The meeting comes as part of broader consultations by the Nigerian President on the evolving situation in Niger. The country has been facing a political crisis since the ousting of President Mohamed Bazoum, prompting regional concerns.

Notably, this meeting coincided with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) deadline given to the Nigerien military to reinstate the deposed President Bazoum. As ECOWAS chairperson, Tinubu had previously stated that the regional organization would consider using force as a last resort if the coup leaders in Niger did not comply with its demands within the specified timeframe.

The Northern Senators Forum (NSF) had urged President Tinubu to exhaust all diplomatic avenues to resolve the crisis in Niger, expressing concerns about the potential implications of deploying Nigerian troops to the neighboring country. Several Nigerian states—Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, Zamfara, Jigawa, Yobe, and Borno—share borders with Niger and could be impacted by any escalation in the region.

As the deadline draws nearer, stakeholders have called for a diplomatic resolution to the political impasse in Niger. However, the exact steps to be taken by ECOWAS remain uncertain.

Recently, Niger’s military government reopened the country’s land borders and airspace to Mali, Burkina Faso, Algeria, Libya, and Chad while excluding other ECOWAS member states. In response, the Nigerian government closed all its land borders with Niger and suspended electricity supply to the country. Niger’s military also recalled its ambassadors from Nigeria, France, the United States, and Togo in reaction to these actions.

Matawalle Accuses Successor of Political Vendetta Amid Rising Security Concerns

Bello Matawalle, the former governor of Zamfara, has raised serious concerns about the actions of his successor, Daudu Lawal, since taking office.

Speaking during a meeting with members of the Zamfara chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) at his Abuja residence, Matawalle accused Lawal of engaging in a “political vendetta” against him instead of prioritizing the state’s pressing security challenges.

According to Yusuf Idris, Matawalle’s spokesperson, the former governor questioned whether Lawal has the interests of the masses at heart, given his actions since assuming office. Matawalle urged his successor to involve major stakeholders in finding lasting solutions to the security issues plaguing the state.

Matawalle highlighted his approach to addressing insecurity during his tenure, stating that he maintained communication with his predecessor, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, and other critical stakeholders to tackle the security situation in the state.

He expressed concern about the lack of a security adviser appointed by Lawal, questioning whether the current governor is genuinely committed to the well-being of the citizens who voted him into office.

The ex-governor emphasized that the state government must take serious action to confront the security crisis effectively, warning that the situation may continue to worsen if prompt and decisive measures are not taken.

In response to Matawalle’s accusations, Mustapha Jafaru, Lawal’s spokesperson, dismissed the former governor’s concerns as a “fallacy.”

Jafaru contended that Matawalle had not been able to halt the killings by bandits during his four-year tenure as governor. He defended Lawal’s approach to tackling the security challenges, noting that in less than 100 days in office, the current governor has engaged with relevant security experts to discuss the way forward and has recorded some successes.

As the security situation in Zamfara remains a critical concern, the tensions between the former and current governors add complexity to the ongoing efforts to address the pressing security challenges in the state.