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Labour Party, LP. Presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi (Nigeria) The British government has apologised to Labour Party, LP. Presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi after immigration officials admitted wrongly giving him a detention note. The officials had detained Obi for committing several alleged financial crimes only to find out that he was being impersonated. They also said the uncomplimentary treatment he received was “completely unacceptable,” and issued a personal apology. “Frankly, the Immigration Official’s action – has been appalling – and we are sorry,” Immigration authorities apologized. Obi, was unlawfully detained and interrogated for hours by immigration officials at Heathrow Airport in London on April 7, 2023. Recall that the Media Office of Obi-Datti, had raised the alarm over plots to implicate Peter Obi by an impersonator, who could be committing all kinds of weighty crimes and other dubious acts which would be recorded in Obi’s name. In a statement by Diran On...

*Mr. Peter Obi,  Labour Party Presidential candidate (Nigeria) Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, will not be deterred by his recent detention and harassment by British immigration officials at Heathrow Airport, London, says the Obi-Datti Media Office. The Media Office, meanwhile, raised the alarm over plots to implicate Peter Obi by an impersonator, who could be committing all kinds of weighty crimes and other dubious acts which would be recorded in Obi’s name. In a statement by Diran Onifade, Head of Obi-Datti Media Office , on Wednesday, said: “The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi just back from London, United Kingdom where he celebrated Easter, has confirmed that he was harassed by London immigration officials and placed for detention but for the spontaneous reaction of Nigerians at Heathrow Airport. “Obi-Datti Media office can confirm that the LP Presidential candidate in the February 25, Presidential poll arrived the Heathr...

* Femi Fani-Kayode (Nigeria) Britain on Sunday,  expressed displeasure over controversial comments credited to former Aviation Minister and chieftain of All Progressives Congress, APC, Femi Fani-Kayode, over which he was invited for questioning by the Department of State Service, DSS. It also condemned ethnic profiling in Lagos State, before the governorship and state House of Assembly elections, saying the strength and beauty of Lagos laid in its blend of culture and religion and should be recognised as a cosmopolitan city. British Deputy High Commissioner in Nigeria, Ben Llewellyn-Jones, in an interview with Nigeria Info FM yesterday, Ben Llewellyn-Jones, said some of the the former minister’s tweets in reference to the opposition contained words and phrases deemed derogatory, divisive and inciting. Asked if there were triggers of violence leading up from the campaign to the election, the UK envoy said he was puzzled as to why Fani-Kayode would make such statements, adding tha...

*Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola (Nigeria)Conference of Nigeria Political Parties, CNPP, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari and all relevant security agencies to immediately investigate and make public their findings on the rumoured visit of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Olukayode Ariwoola to the United Kingdom for medical reasons and the allegation that it was in disguise to meet with President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu in London. The CNPP, in a statement by its Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu, said this has become necessary to preserve the integrity of the Nigerian judiciary. The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Olukayode Ariwoola was reported to have been sighted in London, United Kingdom pretending to be a physically-challenged old man, for a secret meeting with the President-elect. According to the Peoples Gazette, an online news medium, Supreme Court sources said Ariwoola’s disguising was a clandestine preparation for a meeting with Tinubu. The CN...

(Nigeria) The Interim National Working Committee, NWC, of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the United Kingdom has inaugurated the UK Chapter of the Campaign Council for the 2023 elections in Nigeria. The event, held at the Methodist church Camberwell, United Kingdom was part of the move by the UK Chapter of the party spread its diaspora and grassroots mobilisation. Chairman of the Interim committee, Mr Tunde Doherty, said: “The reason for inaugurating the council is to bolster the activities of the APC both in United Kingdom and Nigeria saying notable party members and chieftains in the UK had laid a solid foundation that would lead to the success of the campaign council. “Prosecuting this agenda will require our time, skills, resources and loyalty. It is my conviction also that members of the campaign council will contribute to the success of this assignment.” Special Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, on Education, who is also the APC National Director Prof...

*Late Queen Elizabeth II (Nigeria) The coming together of leaders from different parts of the globe to celebrate the live of late Queen Elizabeth II and attend her funeral is a show of solidarity and goodwill by people from around the world. It is also a testament to the brotherhood of nations, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.   Prof. Osinbajo stated this on Monday in London during a media chat with journalists after attending the State Funeral Service of the late Queen of England at Westminster Abbey. According to the Vice President, “for countries like ours, for Nigeria and for the Commonwealth, this has been very ennobling, very strengthening. “I am sure that King Charles felt not just the honour of having so many people come by, but also the reassurance that there is a brotherhood across the world and that the Commonwealth remains strong, a Commonwealth of free nations who willingly subscribe to coming together, to work together to achieve sometimes dispa...

*Late Queen Elizabeth II (Nigeria) The late Queen Elizabeth II was a monarch for all seasons who brought people together from all over the world, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN. Prof. Osinbajo stated this on Sunday in a short tribute at the Lancaster House. The Vice President also joined other world leaders to pay their last respect to the late British monarch at the Queen's lying in state at different times on Sunday. World leaders who visited the Westminster Hall to witness the lying in state alongside the VP included the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau; U.S. President Joe Biden and French President, Emmanuel Macron, among other royals and Heads of State and Government across the world. In the condolence register at Lancaster House, the Vice President noted that "Nigeria joins the government and people of the UK, the Commonwealth and rest of the world in expressing our sincere condolence to the royal family on the passing of a monarch for all s...

* Prof.  Epiphany Azinge , SAN (Nigeria) Former Director General of Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Prof. Epiphany Azinge , SAN, has been appointed President of President of Commonwealth Secretariat Arbitral Tribunal , CSAT . Commonwealth Secreta ry General, Patricia Scotland , QC , in a letter dated August 23, 2022, coveying the appointment to Prof. Azinge , said: “ Pursuant to your nomination to, and selection by, the Board of Governors of the Commonwealth Secretariat, and in accordance with the Statute of the Commonwealth Secretariat Arbitral Tribunal , CSAT, I write with pleasure to invite you to accept appointment as President of CSAT. “ If you are able to accept the terms set out below, your appointment as President will run concurrently with your second and final four-year term as a member of the Tribunal, taking immediate effect and expiring on May 31, 2023. “ As President of CSAT you are entrusted with the timely discharge of the functions and responsibi...

(Nigeria) The UK has announced that it will spend £15 million of emergency humanitarian funding to provide vital food and nutrition assistance for vulnerable people in North-East Nigerian states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe. The money will fund the United Nations Children’s Fund , UNICEF , and World Food Programme , WFP , to deliver life-saving activities to respond to crisis and emergency levels of food insecurity and malnutrition for vulnerable people, including malnourished women and children. This food assistance funding is part of the UK’s wider commitment to prioritise life-saving humanitarian aid to communities around the world who are most vulnerable due to the ongoing combination of crises. Acting British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Gill Atkinson said: “As conflict continues, 4.1 million people are facing a food crisis in North-East Nigeria. Through this emergency funding, the UK has allocated £15 million of humanitarian assistance to tackle food insecurity and malnut...

(Nigeria) The Federal Government on Tuesday, lost its $1.7 billion claim against JP Morgan Chase Bank over the transfer of proceeds from the sale of OPL 245 in 2011, operated by Malabu Oil and Gas Limited. In the judgment delivered by the Business and Property Courts of England and Wales Commercial Court, said there was no proof that Nigeria was defrauded in the deal. FG had sued JP Morgan on the grounds of “Quincecare duty,” alleging that the bank “ought to have known” that there was corruption and fraud in the transaction which saw Malabu Oil and Gas Limited sell its 100 per cent in OPL 245 to Shell and ENI for $1.1 billion. Nigeria argued that there were enough “red flags” for JP Morgan to have halted the transfers. However, the bank rejected Nigeria’s claims, maintaining that all due processes were followed and money laundering checks were done, arguing that allegations of fraud only came up after a new government took over in Nigeria. In the judgement, Sara Cockerill rul...

(Nigeria) The House Representatives said on Monday that it would give every needed support to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to begin the evacuation of Nigerians back from Ukraine. The Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, again re-enforced the position of the legislature when he invited the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Godfrey Onyeama, to his office in Abuja on Monday for a meeting on the plight of Nigerians caught in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The first batch of the air-lifting is now scheduled to take place on Wednesday this week, according to the minister. The evacuation, earlier planned for Monday, was rescheduled for Wednesday to give enough room for the ministry, the House and the Nigerian foreign missions in Ukraine, Poland and Russia to complete the formalities of moving Nigerians from inside Ukraine to safe borders with neighbouring countries. Gbajabiamila, while commending the ministry for the steps taken so far to ensure the safety of Nigerians, th...

*Nigerian Senate (Nigeria) The Nigerian Senate has condemned the United Kingdom’s inclusion of Nigeria in their COVID-19 red list without justification. The chamber, accordingly, called on the British authorities to consider removing Nigeria from the red list. It advised the UK government to be sensitive to the diplomatic relationship between both countries when taking decision that affect Nigerian citizens. The Senate urged the Federal Government to engage the British authorities to reverse Nigeria’s inclusion on the red list. It also charged the administration to remain firm in the enforcement of necessary protocols in the containment of every COVID-19 variant in Nigeria. It further called on major vaccines powers, namely, Britain, Canada, America, and the European Inion, among others, to take urgent and bold steps to ensure vaccine equity in the interest of the entire human race.    These were resolutions reached by the chamber following the consideration of a motion o...

Nigeria's Ambassador to Spain, Chief Demola Seriki and Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa (Nigeria) The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, on Wednesday evening met with Nigeria's Ambassador to Spain, Chief Demola Seriki. The Speaker's visit to Seriki comes few days after the king of Spain, Felipe the sixth received a letter of credence from the ambassador. A statement by Obasa's media office quotes the Speaker as saying that the meeting with the ambassador was partly to congratulate him and to discuss issues that would be beneficial to Lagos and Nigeria. "Ambassador Seriki is one person that can never be wished away in the scheme of the progress of Nigeria. He remains a team player and always ready to contribute to the advancement of Lagos and the country. "Remember he is a respected political leader in Lagos State. "His appointment as ambassador, therefore, did not come as a surprise to many of us and we a...

*Former Edo State Commissioner for Arts, Culture, Tourism and Diaspora Affairs, Osaze Osemwengie-Ero (middle), addressing journalists after his arrival in Benin City on Monday (Nigeria) Former Edo State Commissioner for Arts, Culture, Tourism and Diaspora Affairs, Osaze Osemwengie-Ero, has disclosed plans to lead a protest to the Italian Embassy within the next four weeks to demand the release of over 300 Nigerian youths illegally detained in Italian prisons for trumped-up charges on mafia-related offences. Osemwengie-Ero, who returned to Benin City on Monday after over a year of wrongful detention in Italy, said he was a victim of racial discrimination and manipulation of a very corrupt prosecutor of the Italian Justice system as he was on an official trip to Germany, in 2019, to have a meeting on the Benin artifact restitution campaign when he was arrested in Amsterdam and illegally detained by the Italian government. According to him, “We have over 300 Nigerian youths in Italian...

(Nigeria) Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has sent an Urgent Appeal to Patricia Scotland QC, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, urging her to “apply the Commonwealth Charter to hold the Nigerian government to account over the unlawful suspension of Twitter in Nigeria, and the resulting repression of human rights particularly the rights to freedom of expression, access to information and media freedom, as well as flagrant disregard for the rule of law.” The organisation asked Ms Scotland to “urgently consider recommending the suspension of Nigeria from the Commonwealth to the Heads of Government, the Commonwealth Chair-in-office, and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, as Head of the Commonwealth to push the government to take concrete measures to respect and promote the Commonwealth’s values of human rights, transparency, accountability and the rule of law.” In the urgent appeal dated June 5, 2021,   by SERAP deputy director,   Kolawole Oluwadare, ...

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State (Nigeria) The administration of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, through the State Scholarship and Education Loans Board, ESSELB, in partnership with Oxford University (African Society), has unveiled an innovative platform, known as The Coal City Fellowship, to enable desirable young minds in the state to harness their intellectual potentials and achieve their life aspirations. Unveiling the flagship edition of the Coal City Fellowship, the Executive Secretary of ESSELB, Uche Abonyi, in a joint statement with Nwangele Chukwuemeka of Oxford University (African Society), disclosed that the novel mentorship programme in Enugu State, was as a result of the premium the state government placed on quality education. They explained that the programme “is an exclusive student fellowship that will absorb and work with the most driven young minds from the South-Eastern region of Nigeria, providing them with information, mentorship, financial a...

  (Nigeria) Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, has commended the decision of the United Kingdom  to grant asylum to persecuted members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and Movement for the Survival of Biafra, MASSOB, saying it was s a welcome development. National Publicity Secretary of PANDEF, Ken Robinson, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Tuesday, said "That signals the mindset or feelings of the international community towards what is happening in the country. It clearly indicates how they feel about what is going on and that they are not comfortable about what is happening. That is an acknowledgement of the bias and the discrimination with the way the government has been handling some of these issues in the country. "We have a situation in the North West where bandits have been terrorizing communities and kidnapping people at   random. Boko Haram is doing their thing in the North East. And we have situations where communities have been invaded and helicopter...

(Nigeria) The Federal Republic of Nigeria  appeared in the English High Court last week for a scheduled case management conference, CMC. The CMC was held for the Court to decide certain procedural issues relating to the FRN’s ongoing challenge against the enforcement of a $10 billion arbitration award obtained by BVI-based shell company, Process and Industrial Developments Limited, P&ID. The fraud trial will now follow, and a timetable will be fixed in the coming weeks. Last week’s hearing follows the FRN’s major victory in September last year, when the English Court ruled that the FRN had “established a strong prima facie case” of fraud against P&ID and granted an unprecedented extension of time for the FRN to challenge the award. The judgment was delivered in the wake of new and substantive evidence uncovered by the FRN, which exposed the fraudulent and corrupt nature of activities undertaken by P&ID and its affiliates. It is the FRN’s case that P&ID use...

*Tony Blair (Nigeria) A coalition of Nigerian civil society groups, has called on  Chairman, Technical Committee on Conference Planning, TCCP, of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Prof Koyinsola Ajayi, SAN, to withdraw the invitation extended to former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, to speak at the annual lawyers gathering. The coalition in a statement on Tuesday,   said, “We are a network of advocates and non-profit organisations, committed to promoting international criminal justice across Africa. We hereby, request that the NBA withdraws the invitation it extended to Mr Tony Blair, the former British Prime Minister, to speak at its 60th Annual Conference taking place between August 26 and 28, 2020, because Mr Blair has been widely accused to have committed war crimes and crimes of aggression in Iraq along with former US President, George W Bush. Both crimes are international crimes under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, ICC. “Mr Blair has been...

  (Nigeria) The European Union, EU, has awarded scholarships to over 90 young Nigerians for various master degree programmes in universities across Europe under its Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees programme.  This prestigious international study programme is  part of the EU’s flagship educational and training programme, Erasmus+, which supports education, training, youth and sport in Europe. The latest number of beneficiaries is the highest to receive the scholarship in a single year, and represents a 125 per cent increase from the number that benefited from the programme last year. Each of the over 90 students will study for and earn a masters degree to be jointly awarded by a consortium of top grade European universities. “The number of students selected for the programme this year is record high and reflects the EU’s strong commitment to expanding opportunities for Nigerians, especially the youth. There can be no better way of investing in, and creating develop...