People Who Are Happy Live Longer, Sadness Leads To Ageing – Expert

March 20, 2019

This file photo is just used to illustrate the story

Principal Clinical Psychologist with Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti, Adedotun Ajiboye, has said that happiness prolongs life while sadness can lead to premature ageing.

Ajiboye, who spoke in Abuja to commemorate the International Day of Happiness, said that from a mental health perspective, happiness could be classified as positive or healthy emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy.

“An individual will experience good mental and emotional wellbeing when happiness or joy is given a chance consistently. “Many studies have linked positive emotions like happiness with better health, longer life and better quality of life.

“On the other hand, negative emotions such as chronic anger, worry, and hostility increase the risk of developing heart disease, as people react to these feelings with raised blood pressure and stiffening of blood vessels.”

Ajiboye said that it is highly necessary for all individuals to priorities happiness above sadness or any negative or unhealthy emotions. Ajiboye however advised Nigerians to cultivate a life full of joy, adding that one should start every day with positive intention.

“Choose to be joyous despite all odds. Joy is a function of yourself not your environment. “Foster healthy living practices. Don’t eat or do or drink what will negatively impact on your health. When you are not healthy you become sad.

“Live a purpose driven life. Determine your character strength and explore ways to use them to help others.”

Ajiboye said that individuals should ventilate their feelings, saying one should get rid of what make you sad and share burden with someone that could help.

“Develop healthy financial activities. When you lack money, naturally happiness may leave you. Be creative and use your God given potential to make money.

“Create and maintain strong and supportive relationships in your home, school, workplace, religious settings and community, among others.

“Be connected to God, the real source of joy.”

International Happiness Day is celebrated worldwide every March 20 and conceptualized and founded by UN Special Advisor, Jayme Illien, to inspire, mobilize and advance the global happiness movement. This year’s theme is: “Happier Together: Focusing on what we have in common, rather than what divides us’’.

Source: NAN.

Senate: Okorocha Asks Court To Compel INEC To Issue Him Certificate Of Return

Editorial staff

March 20, 2019

Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, has applied at the Federal High Court Abuja, for an order compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue him with a Certificate of Return as the Senator- elect for Imo West Senatorial District.

In the suit where he listed the electoral body as the sole defendant, Okorocha contended that having declared him winner of the election, INEC had no power to withhold his Certificate of Return.

Okorocha, in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/296/2019, filed by his counsel, Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN) seeks the court order compelling the INEC to issue him a Certificate of Return as the validly elected senator for Imo West Senatorial District.

When the case came up today, Wednesday, the court by agreement of counsel, joined the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Jones Onyeriri and that of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA); Senator Osita Izunaso, as the 2nd and 3rd defendants in the suit.

Having joined the interested parties, Justice Taiwo .O. Taiwo adjourned hearing of the originating motion and all pending applications till April 5.

Though the Returning Officer for the Imo West Senatorial District election had declared Okorocha who contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the poll, he was however not presented with a Certificate of return by the electoral body as his name was

not listed among the senators-elect who were presented with their certificates of return by INEC.

The commission claimed the winner of the Imo West Senatorial District election was announced under duress and accordingly refused to list anyone as the winner.

The Returning Officer for the election, Prof Francis Ibeawuchi, declared Okorocha as the winner of the poll, having polled 97,762 votes ahead of his closest rival, Mr Jones Onyereri of the Peoples Democratic Party, who had 68,117 votes.

However, both the PDP and the All Progressives Grand Alliance protested against the declaration of Okorocha as the winner of the election.

Ibeawuchi later claimed he was forced to declare Okorocha as the winner to save his life even though the election, according to him, was inconclusive.

Presidency: Atiku May Be Fighting A Losing Legal Battle – Ex US Ambassador

Editorial staff

March 19, 2019

Former Ambassador of the United States of America to Nigeria, John Campbell, has said that the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the just concluded election, Atiku Abubakar may be fighting a losing legal battle in court.

Campbell is of the opinion that Atiku may not win because the margin between him and the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari is “so large.”

“It is unlikely courts will overturn the result.”

Campbell, who also served as US Department of State, foreign service officer from 1975 to 2007, said that the election was “marred by historically low turnout and credible allegations of rigging”.

Read the full article below:

Nigeria’s latest presidential election cycle has been bad news for democracy in Africa’s most populous country and across the continent. Though President Muhammadu Buhari won the election, it was marred by historically low turnout and credible allegations of rigging.

Buhari and his main challenger, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, both Muslims from the Fulani ethnic group in the country’s north, are part of the political class that has dominated Nigeria since independence in 1960. Their contest meant there would be no generational leadership change in a country where the average age is eighteen and half of registered voters are under thirty-five. Buhari, who spent much of his last term abroad for medical treatment, hardly campaigned at all.

Buhari and Abubakar are the standard-bearers for two political parties descended from the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida: the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), respectively. Both parties are undemocratic in spirit and function primarily to contest elections rather than to promote legislation or policy. During their campaigns, the candidates and their parties offered little that was new to address security breakdowns caused by Boko Haram in the country’s northeast; conflict over land use, ethnicity, and religion in the Middle Belt; and the division of oil revenue in the Delta. Moreover, they were mute on climate change, urbanization, and a population boom that is expected to push Nigeria past 450 million people by the middle of the century.

A STEP IN THE WRONG DIRECTION

The Situation Room, an umbrella organization of Nigerian civil society groups, wrote that [PDF] the vote marked “a step back from the 2015 general election and actions should be taken to identify what has gone wrong and what can be corrected.” Just hours before polls were set to open on February 16, the election commission delayed the vote by a week. This was particularly disruptive for the many Nigerians who had travelled from one part of the country to another to vote. When voting finally took place, there were numerous irregularities, and many polling stations opened several hours late. There is also evidence that the security services at some stations prevented voters from casting ballots, particularly in opposition strongholds, and intimidated election commission staff.

Of the more than eighty million Nigerians registered to vote this year, just thirty-five million actually voted. In the north, where Buhari is popular among the poor, turnout was around 50 percent. But in the predominantly Christian south and east, where Abubakar was favored, turnout stood around 20 percent, a continuation of a long decline in voter participation.

Nigeria’s influence across sub-Saharan Africa is outsized. Its population and economy are Africa’s largest; its cultural influence, symbolized by the Nollywood film industry, is far-reaching; and its traditional diplomatic activism, through participation in peacekeeping missions and the regional economic bloc ECOWAS, is consequential. When Nigeria transitioned from military to civilian rule in 1999, the effects on West Africa were palpable: coups lost their legitimacy, and the region has pursued a positive democratic trajectory ever since. But the latest presidential election is far from an example for those African countries consolidating their democracies or emerging from quasi-authoritarian regimes to emulate.

Younger and aspiring politicians also ran for the Nigerian presidency: Oby Ezekwesili, leader of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign and cofounder of Transparency International; Donald Duke, a former governor of Cross River State known for his innovative business development initiatives; and Kingsley Moghalu, an economist and former UN official. But they were frozen out by a geriatric and unresponsive system whose patronage politics requires candidates to have vast sums of money and the ability to distribute them. These candidates failed to connect with voters, winning only a tiny percentage of the vote.

Abubakar says he will contest the election, but Buhari’s margin of victory—some four million votes—is so large that it is unlikely courts will overturn the result. Aside from some small pro-Abubakar demonstrations, Nigerians appear resigned to the outcome. The poor quality of this election cycle and the low and declining number of voters do not inspire confidence, and some Nigerians have begun to question whether democracy is right for their country.

This article was published by the Council on Foreign Relations.

Atiku Asks Court To Nullify Presidential Election And Order For Fresh Poll

Editorial staff

March 19, 2019

The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar has pleaded with the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja to nullify the Presidential election held on February 23 this year and a fresh election be ordered.

in his petition challenging the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC), insisted that Buhari was at the time of the election not qualified to contest and also that he submitted to the Commission, affidavit containing false information of a fundamental nature in aid of his qualification for the said election.”

Atiku vowed that he would adduce oral and documentary evidence to show that results of the election as announced by INEC, especially the votes credited to President Buhari, did not represent the lawful valid votes cast.

He alleged that in some states, INEC, deducted lawful votes that accrued to him, in its bid to ensure that Buhari was returned back to office.

Both Atiku and the PDP said they would call evidence of statisticians, forensic examiners and finger-print experts at the hearing of the petition to establish that the scores credited to Buhari were not the product of actual votes validly cast at the polling units.

“The Petitioners plead and shall rely on electronic video recordings, newspaper reports, photographs and photographic images of several infractions of the electoral process by the Respondents.”

The petitioners serialised results that were recorded from each state of the federation in order to prove that the alleged fraudulent allocation of votes to Buhari and the APC, took place at the polling units, the ward collating centres, local government collating centres and the State collating centres.

Atiku contended that proper collation and summation of the presidential election results would show that contrary to what INEC declared, he garnered a total of 18,356,732 votes, ahead of Buhari who he said got a total of 16,741,430 votes.

“The Petitioners shall rely on the evidence of Statisticians, Forensic Examiners and other Experts, detailing the data analysis on the votes at all levels of collation, from the polling units to the final return.

“The Petitioners state that Smart Card Readers deployed by the 1st Respondent, in addition to accreditation, equally transmitted electronically the results of voting from polling units directly to the server of the 1st Respondent.

The Presiding Officers of the 1st Respondent directly inputted the results from the polling units at the end of voting and transmitted directly to the server, in addition to manually taking the Form EC8As to the Wards for collation.

The 1st Respondent is hereby given notice to produce the records of results from each polling unit uploaded and transmitted electronically by officials of the 1st Respondent through smart card readers to the 1st Respondent’s Servers.

Election at six polling units in Ambode’s home town cancelled “The Petitioners plead and rely on the 1st Respondent’s Manual Technologies 2019, and notice is hereby given to the 1st Respondent to produce same at the trial.

The 1st Respondent’s agents at the polling units used the Smart Card Reader for electronic collation and transmission of results.

The Petitioners plead and shall rely on and play at the trial, the video demonstration by the 1st Respondent of the deployment of Smart Card Reader for authentication of accreditation and for transmission of data.

“The Petitioners hereby plead and rely upon the extract of data as contained on the 1st Respondent’s servers as at 25th February 2019, notice to produce whereof is hereby given to the 1st Respondent. The Petitioners also will rely on the data on the 1st Respondent’s central server between 25th February 2019 and 8th March 2019 and hereby also give notice to produce same before this Honourable Court.

“The Petitioners hereby plead the electronic data on the servers of the 1st Respondent and shall at the trial give evidence of the source of the data analysis and data material, including the website: www.factsdontlieng.com.

“The 1st Respondent had on the day of election published the total number of registered voters in the entire Country as 84,004,084. Subsequently, the same 1st Respondent published a different figure of 82,344,107 as registered voters, leading to an unexplained difference of 1,659,977 registered voters.

The 1st Respondent equally published the number of permanent voter’s cards (PVC) collected for the purpose of the presidential election as 72,775,502.

“The Petitioners state that whereas the actual number of voters accredited at the election was 35,098,162, the 1st Respondent wrongly suppressed and/or reduced the number of accredited voters to 29,394,209 to the detriment of the Petitioners.

“The 1st Respondent had by its Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2019 made pursuant to the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) provided for the mandatory use of card readers for the said election.

The 1st Respondent by its press release on smart card readers issued in February 2019 and signed by its National Commissioner, Barrister Festus Okoye, emphasised and reiterated that “The use of the Smart Card Reader is NOT ONLY MANDATORY but its deliberate non-use attracts the sanction of possible prosecution of erring officials in accordance with the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the conduct of elections.

“This is in addition to the voiding of any result emanating from such units or areas as was done in the Presidential and National Assembly elections of February 23, 2019.” By this stated position of the 1st Respondent, all accreditation not done by smart card reader in the presidential election was and remain void.

“The Petitioners state and contend that the 2nd Respondent was not duly elected by majority of lawful votes cast at the election; and that from the data on each State of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, in the 1st Respondent’s server, the 1st Petitioner, as opposed to the 2nd Respondent, scored majority of lawful votes cast at the election.

“Wherefore, the Petitioners pray jointly and severally against the Respondents as follows:- “That it may be determined that the 2nd Respondent (Buhari) was not duly elected by a majority of lawful votes cast in the said election and therefore the declaration and return of the 2nd Respondent by the 1st Respondent as the President of Nigeria is unlawful, undue, null, void and of no effect.

“That it may be determined that the 1st Petitioner (Atiku) was duly and validly elected and ought to be returned as President of Nigeria, having polled the highest number of lawful votes cast at the election to the office of the President of Nigeria held on 23rd February 2019 and having satisfied the constitutional requirements for the said election. 2019: INEC will use smart card readers – Chairman “An order directing the 1st Respondent to issue Certificate of Return to the 1st Petitioner as the duly elected President of Nigeria.”

We’re Ready To Give Bandits Bloody Nose; No More Dialogue – Zamfara Governor

Editorial staff

March 19, 2019

The governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, has made it clear that the combined forces of federal and State governments as well as the sister countries are determined to clean up bandits that have ravaged Northeastern part of Nigeria, vowing that there will be no more dialogue with them.

The governor, who spoke to news men today, Tuesday, shortly after an audience with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, stressed that dialogue with the bandits will no longer take place during his second term, “because, I have done that three times but it did not work.”

He said that his State had resolved to collaborate with Katsina, and part of Niger Republic to curb banditry, adding that the problem has become a regional problem.

“Because, we are surrounded by forests. We have Kuyambana to Rugu down to Maradi Republic. The bandits are taking advantage of the fact that we are living like an Island because we a surrounded by forests from Sokoto we have Basuguma around, in Kaduna, Birnin Gwari, Niger, we have Kuyambana Dansado forest there, in Katsina, we have Rugu and at South East of Zamfara where we have Maradi, we have forest there.”

The governor suggested that the military operations to flush out bandits should be carried out simultaneously because the affected areas are surrounded by a forest.

“The point is, when Katsina puts pressure on the bandits they will run into the forest in Zamfara, if Zamfara puts pressure on them, then to move to Minna or Birnin Gwari. So this is the issue, so there is need for collaboration.”

Governor Yari stressed the urgent need and importance of properly arming the soldiers fighting the bandits, adding: “we are definitely going to collaborate, especially since I am running on the last lap of my full tenure, I will ensure that in these months that is left, we will leave behind a peaceful state for the new administration that is coming in.

“The federal government has already given procurement contracts, inter-government transaction to the United States, China and other European countries. Recall that in 2017, the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), approved $1 billion to support the federal government’s effort in equipping the security agencies. We believe the equipment will soon come into the country and it is our hope that the equipment will be used so that this worrying situation that we are will become history.

The governor insisted that dialogue with the bandits cannot longer work, saying that during the first dialogue, some of the team from the State: army, DSS, police and his chief security officer as well as some traditional rulers representatives were invited for dialogue.

According to him, during the dialogue, the government team discovered that the bandits were well armed.

“They are in control of the kind of weapons that the Command In Zamfara State does not have. “In one armory alone, they have over 500 AK47, we saw it. Our people were even given chance to take pictures. But when we said we will dialogue, offer amnesty, that they should surrender their arms, I can tell you till date we did not get up to 90 AK47. So, it is a deceit.

“That is why I said no more dialogue during my tenure. During dry season they will look for dialogue because they know the security can get access to anywhere in the forest and they have no place to hide. But when the rainy season comes and the forest becomes thicker, they will return to their normal practice.

“That is why I said there has to be show of force before anything else. I know that in any war, eventually you have to come to the table and dialogue but the situation we are right now sincerely speaking, dialogue is not needed at this point in time.”

I’ve Fulfilled 70 Percent Of My Campaign Promises To Katsina People – Gov Masari

Editorial staff

March 19, 2019

Governor of Katsina State, Alhaji Aminu Masari has said that he has achieved 70 percent of his campaign promises to the people of the State from 2015 to 2019.

“We promised them that we will continue the agenda on education, health, agriculture, infrastructure and security. Because of what we have done in the last four years, they believed us and massively voted for us.”

Masari, who spoke to news men shortly after a brief meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja today, Tuesday, emphasized that the electorate voted for him back for a second term on the basis of the fulfillment of those promises “and we are happy to say that we have done more than 70 per cent of what we promised the people of Kastina.”

How Saraki, Gbenga, Galadima Betrayed Atiku – Fani-Kayode

Editorial staff

March 19, 2019

Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode has accused the Director General of the Atiku Campaign Organisation ahead of the recently concluded Presidential election, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, one of the spokesmen of Atiku campaign organization, Buba Galadima and Senate President, Bukola Saraki for the electoral failure of Atiku on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Fani-Kayodes in a series of tweets referred particularly to Gbenga Daniel who muted the idea of joining the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) barely a month after the presidential election.

He said that Senator Bukola Saraki, who was the second Director General of the Atiku Campaign Organisation, should be ashamed of himself for losing every local government in his native Kwara State to the APC.

In the same vein, Fani-Kayode lamented that Buba Galadima admitted just before the Presidential election of being a member of the APC despite working for the PDP presidential candidate.

The ex-minister described their contributions to Atiku’s presidential ambition as “sad” and “tragic.”

“For the 1st DG of Atiku‘s Presidential Campaign Organisation and his closest confidante in South West to dump PDP and join APC before the conclusion of Atiku’s election petition is sad.

“For a man that was gunning to be Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) in an Atiku government to join Buhari after Atiku was rigged out is tragic!”

“For a man that was Atiku‘s spokesman to say he was not a member of PDP but still a member of APC three days before the presidential election was sad.

“For that man to have won only 2 votes for Atiku in his polling booth and lost his ward/LGA to Buhari is tragic.”

“For the 2nd DG of Atiku‘s Presidential Campaign Organisation and his closest confidante in the North Central to lose every single LGA in his state to Buhari during the presidential election is sad.

“For that same man to win only 2 wards in his entire state for PDP and Atiku during that same presidential election is tragic.”

Asiwaju Tinubu Laughs At Weak, Mean Politicians Thriving On Rumour

Editorial staff

March 19, 2019

The National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said that weak and mean politicians have turned to rumour and fear mongering because their true appeal to the people is limited and uncertain.

“These desperate operatives stir resentment of others as a way to get the support of the people. Politicians of this ilk are afraid to stand before the people on their own two feet. They use lies and deception as their crutch.”

Asiwaju Tinubu, in a statement by his media office, was reacting to what he called ‘rumour going round that he is at present in Kano and meddling in the Kano elections.’

He said: “for the record, Asiwaju is not in Kano and has not been in Kano at any point during the conduct of these elections. The picture that these liars are circulating of Asiwaju and Governor Ganduje is one that was taken last year when the governor visited Lagos. The fear-mongers know the picture is old and was taken in Lagos. They still use it because their relationship to the truth is an adversarial one. Scratch a liar and you will find a hypocrite as well.

“These people encouraged and cheered when former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and outgoing Senate President Bukola Saraki led a posse of Peoples Democratic Party figures into Lagos, boasting they were going to “capture Lagos” during the governorship elections.

“These people did not call Atiku and others to order for interfering in Lagos. Instead, they urged Atiku and others to undertake this misadventure. The All Progressives Congress did not cry and lament that Atiku came to Lagos to swing an election that did not concern him. Instead, we rose to the occasion and relied on our organic and positive relationship to the people. With regard to the impact these PDP operatives had in the Lagos election, let it be said that they came, they saw, they lost and they left with nothing in hand but another defeat.

“Regarding the people of Kano, Asiwaju has nothing but the utmost respect and admiration. Kano has historically stood as a bastion of progressive politics. Its brand of politics helped inspire the establishment of the APC. Kano has an enlightened electorate that will vote as they believe. Asiwaju hopes that they will disregard the lies and rumors about him and remain faithful to their progressive tradition.

“If the people do so, then they would have voted in their best interests and that is for the APC, the party of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Let us all join in making an important observation. It is curious that these fear-mongers devote so much attention trying to disparage one man who is not even a candidate, holds no public office and who has not even set foot on Kano’s soil during this election. These politicians are so shameless that they must demonize Asiwaju Tinubu to attract support. Theirs is but a blatant attempt to stoke regional and ethnic resentment and division to accomplish their selfish aims. Such tactics are harmful to the democracy Nigeria seeks to enshrine and goes against the progressive tradition that describes Kano’s politics and that has made Kano a beacon of hope and advancement in our nation.

“It is expected that a party leader of Asiwaju Tinubu’s standing will encourage his party’s candidates. PDP’s attempt to make something nefarious of this normal pattern is disingenuous. If they truly believed what they were saying they would discourage PDP members from other states from visiting Kano or offering any form of support. Of course, they do no such thing. But what is proper for the PDP to do, they say it is a dangerous affront for the APC’s Tinubu to do. We believe their attack against Tinubu is not so much that they fear what he might do but that they fear they lack the support of the people. Thus, they try to portray Tinubu as an interloper as the best way to gain support.

“Asiwaju will not play this game with them. He believes in a free and fair electoral process, a project to which he has devoted the majority of his adult life to achieve. Let this election be decided on the relative merits of the competing candidates. Do not cast Asiwaju Tinubu as some villain in a plot you have contrived in a feeble attempt to cloak your political weaknesses and uncertainties.

“Asiwaju is a committed democrat and advocate of free and fair electoral processes. He will neither support nor work to promote anything that will undermine or weaken the electoral system. He has been at the forefront of the struggle for electoral reforms, justice and equality over the years. He will never do anything that will detract from these fine ideals for which he has strenuously worked. Any reports to the contrary are just the lies and mongering of those whose love and support for democracy are much less than his.”

Buhari Sympathizes With Victims Of Cyclone Idai In South Africa, Others

Editorial staff

March 19, 2019

People carry their personal effects through a flooded section of Praia Nova, Beira | photo credit : BBC

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed sympathy to families who have lost loved ones, homes and means of livelihood in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi as Tropical Cyclone Idai takes a toll on Southern Africa.

The President, in a statement by his spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, said that he shared in the pain and struggle of the governments and people in the region who have been working hard to ensure safety of citizens and minimize the devastating effect of the cyclone.

He assured the governments and people of Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi of the prayers and support of Nigeria as they pass through the trying period, while commending all the humanitarian organisations for their interventions.

The Tropical Cyclone Idai, according to reports, cut off Beira, in South Africa, with a population of more than 500,000 people. The city’s infrastructure has been severely damaged.

According to the leader of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) team, Jamie LeSueur: “the scale of devastation (in Beira) is enormous. It seems that 90 per cent of the area is completely destroyed.”

In all, about 215 people have been killed in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe. More than 1.5 million people in Southern African countries are affected. The Mozambican government fears the death toll could reach even 1 000.

In Zimbabwe, Reuters reports that the Chimanimani district has been cut off from the rest of the country by torrential rains and winds of up to 170 km per hour that swept away roads, homes and bridges and knocked out power and communication lines.

The Malawi government declared a state of emergency after more than 50 people died and hundreds of thousands were displaced by flooding according to local media. Both the Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi and the Zimbabwean president Emmerson Mnangagwa cut short foreign trips and returned home to to deal with emergencies.

Senate Okays N30,000 As New Minimum Wage For Nigerian Workers

Editorial staff

March 19, 2019

The Nigerian Senate has finally approved N30,000 as the new minimum wage for workers.

The approval came after the presentation of a report by the ad hoc committee, presented by Senator Francis Alimikhena as National Minimum Wage Act CAP N61 LFN (repeal and re-enactment) Bill, 2019. The bill went through three readings.

Reacting to the report of the committee, senate leader, Senator Ahmed Lawal said the government need not wait till it workers threaten strike action before the needful is done.

“The Ad-hoc Committee promised to give a new minimum wage to Nigerians and they have fulfilled the promise. This gesture should be appreciated. We do not have to wait until we are threatened with strike action before we take action. The Nigerian workers must show that the government is paying them and they are paying the government in service.”

The Senate president, Dr. Bukola Saraki acknowledged the resilience of Nigerian workers.

“I want to commend the leaders of the organisations of the union. Let me also state that as government, we should ensure that at times like these, we should not wait for there to be strikes to do what is truly deserving for our workers.

“Let me join our colleagues to commend the efforts of the committee. More importantly, let me commend the patience of Nigerian workers and the leadership of the Labour Union, who have over the years been calling for this minimum wage and have carried their efforts responsibly.”

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