1. Buhari To Officially Inaugurate Zuba Estate On Tuesday
President Muhammadu Buhari will on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, inaugurate the Zuba Housing Estate.
Naija News learnt that Buhari will perform the official opening by 10 am while the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola is the chief host.
The Zuba Mass Housing Estate built by the Federal Housing Authority sits on 18 hectares of land consisting of 746 housing units and would be replicated across the country.
The housing of 764 units gives a total of 16 blocks of 3-bedroom flats in a block of 8 flats; 32 blocks of 2-bedroom flats in a block of 8 flats; 14 blocks of 1-bedroom flats in a block of 16 flats and 5 blocks of terrace duplexes in 4 rows.
The estate is already serviced with completed standard infrastructure such as roads and drains, external water distribution network, electricity external reticulation, perimeter fence work, 3 water stations, injector transformers, civil works, and servicing of blocks with underground cables.
2. Kano New Emirates Will Remain Permanent – Ganduje Replies Kwankwaso
The outgoing Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje on Monday insisted that the four new emirates created by his administration will remain permanent.
Naija News learnt that Ganduje stated this while speaking at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano.
Ganduje prayed to God to protect the emirates from all evils, even if they are not in government again.
The Kano State Governor had split the state emirates into five after the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi was dethroned.
The presidential candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso in a video last week had said the governor-elect in the state, Abba Kabir Yusuf, would review the dethronement and creation of the emirate.
Ganduje, however, on Monday said God will not bring people that would destroy the emirates of the state.
3. Workers Are Hurting Over Outcome Of Presidential Election – PDP
The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said Nigerian workers are hurting over the outcome of the February 25 Presidential election.
In a statement issued on Monday to mark International Workers Day, PDP spokesperson, Debo Ologunagba, commended the workforce for their loyalty and patriotism in serving the country.
The PDP commended Nigerian workers for resilience despite the anti-people economic policies of the Muhammadu Buhari administration in the last eight years.
It also asked the workers to resist anti-democratic forces seeking to take control of the country and dash the hope of Nigerians for a credible democratic leadership.
4. Organized Labour Seeks Public Servants Retirement Age Review
On Monday, May 1, the Organised Labour pushed for reviewing the retirement age for all public servants in Nigeria.
Candidate of the Labour Party in the just concluded presidential election, Peter Obi, was present at the Eagles Square Abuja today as the union raised their concerns.
Naija News reports that Nigeria marks the Workers’ Day Celebration today with the theme, ‘Workers’ Rights and Socioeconomic Justice’.
Past and present leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), as well as those of other affiliate unions, were also present at the occasion today in Abuja.
In his remark at the event, the President of the NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, said equity, fairness and justice underpin the survival of societies and creates resilience for nations amid upheavals and turbulence, noting that Nigeria needs the presence of this mass to jump-start the process of development.
5. Stop Bullying Judiciary, Focus On Redeeming Disastrous Eight Years – Atiku Fires Buhari
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to stop bullying the judiciary.
In a statement to Naija News on Monday by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, Atiku asked the President to focus on redeeming his disastrous eight years of misgovernance.
The former Vice President was reacting to a statement credited to the Minister of Information Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed.
Recall that the Minister had berated the Labour Party and the Peoples Democratic Party over their reaction to President Muhammadu Buhari’s analysis of the 2023 presidential election.
While speaking last Thursday during a meeting with APC governors in Abuja, Buhari said while the All Progressives Congress (APC) was working hard to retain the presidency, opposition parties were basking in the euphoria of false hope.
Lai Mohammed had also advised the aggrieved political parties to stop their endless complaint over the polls.
Speaking via a statement issued on Sunday, Mohammed argued that the analysis of the president on the reason for the opposition’s loss in the 2023 elections was incontrovertible.
Reacting, Atiku described Buhari statement as disgusting and shameful, accusing the president of playing the role of chief marketing officer of the electoral heist deliberately orchestrated to keep the ruling APC against the wishes of Nigerians.
6. President-Elect Tinubu Pledges Living Wage For Nigerian Workers
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Nigeria’s President-elect, pledges to provide more than a minimum wage to Nigerian workers, offering a “living wage” to improve their quality of life. He made this promise in a statement issued in Abuja during this year’s Workers’ Day celebration.
Tinubu stated, “In the Nigeria I shall have the honour and privilege to lead from May 29, workers will have more than a minimum wage. You will have a living wage to have a decent life and provide for your families.”
The President-elect highlighted the significant role played by the Nigerian labor movement throughout history, particularly in the struggle for independence and the restoration of democracy. Tinubu emphasized the importance of this collaboration between workers, nationalists, and pro-democracy activists in Nigeria’s progress.
Tinubu reassured workers that they would find a dependable ally in him in the fight for social and economic justice for all Nigerians, including working people. He extended a hand of friendship to Nigerian workers through the two central labor unions – Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress.
The President-elect emphasized, “In me you will find a dependable ally and co-labourer in the fight for social and economic justice for all Nigerians, including all the working people.”
7. Reject Last-Minute Pressure To Pass Grazing Reserve Bill – Ortom To Lawmakers
The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has warned lawmakers to be vigilant to resist dying minute pressure to pass a bill that seeks to deprive Nigerians of their God-given lands in favour of pastoralists across the country.
Naija News reports that Ortom made this known in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Terver Akase, and made available to pressmen in Makurdi.
According to the governor, the National Grazing Reserves Council Bill is not only a violation of the Constitution and the Land Use Act but is also a fang of impunity, subjugation and a deeply rooted conquest agenda against Nigerians.
He said he finds it curious that since 2016, the Presidency has sent the grazing reserves bill to the National Assembly bearing different names, and despite the public outcry, it is not giving up the idea of having the bill passed.
He however urged the federal lawmakers to remain dogged in their rejection of the bill and any other surreptitious attempt to mock millions of innocent Nigerians who have fallen victim to the occupation agenda.
8. Soludo Threatens To Cut Anambra Workers’ Salary Over Sit-At-Home
The Governor of Anambra State, Charles Soludo has threatened not to fully pay state workers who use the excuse of the Monday sit-at-home to be absent from work.
According to Governor Soludo, some workers in the state have turned the sit-at-home into an excuse to stop coming to work on Mondays.
The Governor, therefore, warned that those who don’t come to work fully should also not expect their total pay. He added that if the workers don’t turn up on Monday, then they should be ready to come to work on Saturdays.
He stated this during his speech to the workers on the occasion of the 2023 May Day celebration held at the Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka on Monday.
Although the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), which introduced the Monday sit-at-home in the South-East in 2021, to call for the release of its arrested leader, Nnamdi Kanu, had continuously said it has suspended the order, but the people have continued to observe it for fear of attack.
Speaking on the development, Soludo again called on the people to ignore the Monday sit-at-home and resumed normal activities.
9. Ngige Slams Resident Doctors Over Plan To Embark On Strike
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has slammed the National Association of Resident Doctors, (NARD) for planning to embark on strike if their demands are not met within the next two weeks.
Naija News reported that the resident doctors had on Saturday given the federal government two weeks to meet its demands or face industrial disharmony.
The resident doctors made this known in a communiqué issued on Saturday at the end of its Extraordinary National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The doctors listed some of their demands to include the welfare of the doctors, the alarming rate of their flight to other countries, poor remuneration, inadequate funding of the health sector, and the attendant negative effect on the citizens and the health workers.
Other demands are the immediate increment in the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) to the tune of 200 percent of the current gross salaries of doctors in addition to the new allowances on the review of the CONMESS.
The NARD also demanded the immediate withdrawal and jettisoning of the bill seeking to compel medical and dental graduates to render five-year compulsory services in Nigeria before being granted full licenses to practice.
Speaking in an interview on Arise Television on Monday, Ngige said the doctors cannot embark on strike over a bill seeking to compel them to stay in the country for five years before being granted full licenses to practice.
The minister stated that the doctors with their demands demonstrate an “entitlement syndrome” while adding that the government has given resident doctors “everything they want”.
He added that the bill seeking to limit the migration of health workers is a “private member bill” and is beyond the authority of the executive.
10. JAMB Reveals When 2023 UTME Results Would Be Released
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has disclosed that it would start releasing results for candidates who sat for the 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) as from Tuesday, May 2.
The update was given in a statement on Monday by the JAMB spokesperson, Dr. Fabian Benjamin.
The statement added that all candidates who sat the examination so far would be able to check their results on or before Thursday, May 4.
Dr. Benjamin said the release of the results was deliberately delayed to ensure that all necessary screening is concluded, besides ensuring that the mean and standard deviation are reasonably obtained before releasing the results.
However, the JAMB spokesperson noted that some candidates who had sat for the examination would not see their results, but would instead, see their notification for rescheduled examination because they had challenges during the exercise without being aware.
