• Labour Party reduces price of governorship nomination forms
• Lagos to discontinue 50% slash in bus fares by April 1
• Fani-Kayode urges UK to recall Llewellyn-Jones for meddling in Nigerian politics
• PDP appoints acting chair, Ayu takes legal action
• Kogi House of Assembly in Crisis following suspension of 9 members

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

Labour Party reduces price of governorship nomination forms

Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP)’s presidential nominee in the recently completed election, has praised the party for lowering the cost of its governorship nomination form.

The LP has announced a reduction in the cost of candidacy forms for governor in off-cycle elections in the states of Bayelsa, Kogi, and Imo from N25 million to N15 million.

To make it more competitive with the People’s Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress, Obi claimed he suggested lowering the price.

He praised the party’s leadership for returning the N25 million he had requested to the family of the deceased Imo gubernatorial candidate.

National head of the LP Julius Abure told reporters in Abuja on Tuesday that the party would reimburse the N25 million nomination fee made by the late Imo State gubernatorial aspirant, Humphrey Anumudu, after speaking with members of the party’s National Assembly-Elect.

“I thank the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Barr. Julius Abure, and the NWC for heeding to my appeal, and reviewing the nomination fee for the governorship form downwards to N15m.

“I applaud them for also agreeing to refund the cost of the form to the family of a deceased aspirant Chief Humphrey Anumudu from Imo State, and agreeing to refund N10m to each of those that had paid,” Obi tweeted.

Lagos to discontinue 50% slash in bus fares by April 1

The state of Lagos no longer offers a 50% discount on its state-owned transport rates.

On Tuesday, the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) issued a communiqué announcing the order.

On February 8, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu declared a price cut of 50 percent across the board for all state-operated modes of transportation.

Sanwo-Olu also declared that food banks would be established in particularly precarious areas of the province.

The governor of Lagos explained that the measures were implemented because of the hardships people were experiencing due to a lack of gasoline and currency.

LAMATA announced in a statement that effective April 1, rates on state-owned buses would once again be set at 100 percent.

“With effect from Saturday, April 1, bus fare on all regulated buses — BRT, standard and FLM — shall revert to 100 percent rate,” the agency said.

“Lagos state governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, had on Wednesday, February 8, 2023, approved a 50% slash in bus fares following the cash crunch brought about by the recent currency swap.

“Following the supreme court and federal government’s pronouncements on the use of old notes alongside the new notes and return of stability to the system, the 50% rebate is hereby discontinued.”

Fani-Kayode urges UK to recall Llewellyn-Jones for meddling in Nigerian politics

For “attempting to involve himself in our politics,” British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria Ben Llewellyn-Jones has been called out by All Progressives Congress (APC) leader Femi Fani-Kayode, who has asked the UK to recall him.

On Tuesday, Fani-Kayode tweeted about the UK envoy’s diplomacy skills, saying, “we deserve far better.”

Llewellyn-Jones had criticized the APC chieftain’s remarks about the opposition on Sunday, saying that they often used words and phrases that were derogatory, dividing, and inciting.

According to the deputy high commissioner, the list of individuals the United Kingdom is keeping an eye on for a possible visa prohibition has grown by ten.

On the same day, in response to the ambassador’s comments, Fani-Kayode said he would not be deterred by the “veiled threat of a visa ban.”

The ex-minister continued, saying that he would not learn “what to say or how to speak” from the British representative.

Fani-Kayode added to the pile of responses by accusing Llewellyn-Jones of “interfering in our internal affairs” and saying he has yet to see “evidence of my so-called ‘hate speech’ against the Igbo from him.”

“I call on the British Govt. to recall Benedict Llewellyn-Jones, the Dep. British High Commissioner, from our country for interfering in our internal affairs and attempting to involve himself in our politics,” the tweet reads.

“Someone, please tell him that there is absolutely nothing wrong with being an ethnic nationalist and seeking to preserve your identity, land, culture, values, and ways as a people whilst at the same time opening your doors to others from your nation and welcoming them with open arms.

“There is a great difference between peaceful co-existence based on love and mutual respect for your fellow compatriots and a total and complete capitulation and rejection of who we are and where we are coming from as a people.

“We espouse the former and reject the latter.

“He needs to know before he makes any more embarrassing blunders about our people and country and before he attempts to lecture us or involve himself in our politics again.”

PDP appoints acting chair, Ayu takes legal action

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, who stepped aside from his position on Tuesday, is set to fight his suspension by a Benue State High Court, Makurdi on Monday.

Ayu’s Special Assistant on Communication, Simon Imobo-tswam, disclosed this shortly after the party announced the appointment of the Deputy National Chairman, (North), Umar Damagum Ayu as the acting national chairman.

He said Ayu would challenge the suspension order in court.

The Igorov ward executive committee in the Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State had on Sunday suspended Ayu for alleged anti-party activities and for failing to pay his membership dues.

In the aftermath of the suspension, the Benue State court restrained Ayu from parading himself as the chairman of the party following a suit filed by a former aide to the state governor, Conrad Utaan.

Ayu and the PDP were listed as the first and second respondents, respectively.

The case has been adjourned till April 17 for a hearing.

When asked if his embattled principal would challenge the court order barring him from parading himself as the PDP national chairman, Imobo-tswam simply said “yes” without entertaining further questions.

He however added that the PDP “has said everything concerning the issue. So, there is no need to say more.”

Kogi House of Assembly in Crisis following suspension of 9 members

The Kogi State House of Assembly is in crisis following the suspension of nine members of the house over alleged terrorism and anti-party activities. The suspended lawmakers have vowed to fight back to reclaim their seats. The Kogi House of Assembly has had previous issues with crisis. This latest crisis began when the Speaker of the House, Prince Mathew Kolawol, announced the impeachment of the then Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon. Ahmed Muhammed. The suspension of the number two Citizen of the house was in response to a motion of urgent public importance read by Hon. Enema Paul, member representing (Dekina/Okura) State Constituency. The House thereafter announced Alfa Momoh Rabiu, a lawmaker representing Ankpa II, as the new Deputy Speaker.

This is not the first time that the Kogi State House of Assembly has experienced such a crisis. In February 2016, five lawmakers out of a 20-member House sat and purportedly removed the then Speaker, Honourable Momoh Jimoh Lawal, who was said not to be in the good books of the State Government.

The current crisis rocking the seventh Kogi State House of Assembly could be traced back to June 17, 2023, when the Speaker of the House, Prince Mathew Kolawol, announced the impeachment of the then Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon. Ahmed Muhammed, member representing Ankpa I state constituency.

The suspension of the number two Citizen of the house is sequel to a motion of urgent public importance read by Hon. Enema Paul, member representing (Dekina/Okura) State Constituency.

The lawmaker said 17 lawmakers signed the impeachment of the then deputy speaker and the suspension of the three principal officers of the House.

The three principal officers removed from office and later suspended from the House are Bello Hassan Balogun (Majority Leader), representing Ajaokuta State Constituency, Idris Ndako (Deputy Majority Leader), representing Lokoja II and Hon. Edoko Moses Ododo (Chief Whip).

The House, thereafter, announced Alfa Momoh Rabiu, a lawmaker representing Ankpa II, as the new Deputy Speaker.

Other new principal officers elected are Hon. Muktar Bajeh (Majority Leader), Umar Isah Tanimu (Deputy Majority Leader), Enema Paul (Deputy Chief Whip), and Ahmed Dahiru (Chief Whip).

Following their suspension and removal from office, the aggrieved lawmakers fought back immediately, announcing the removal of Prince Mathew Kolawole as the Speaker of the House.

They accused Prince Kolawole of misconduct and money laundering running into millions of naira.

The House, thereafter, announced Alfa Momoh Rabiu, a lawmaker representing Ankpa II, as the new Deputy Speaker.

Other new principal officers elected are Hon. Muktar Bajeh (Majority Leader), Umar Isah Tanimu (Deputy Majority Leader), Enema Paul (Deputy Chief Whip), and Ahmed Dahiru (Chief Whip).