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Ararume Sues Buhari, Demands N100bn For Removing Him As NNPC Board Chairman

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Ifeanyi Ararume, a former senator representing Imo north district has dragged President Muhammadu Buhari to court for allegedly removing him wrongfully as board chairman of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited.

Recall that Buhari had appointed Ararume as board chairman of the corporation in September 2021 but he was replaced by Margaret Chuba Okadigbo in January.

Margaret is the widow of the late Chub Okadigbo, a former president of the senate.

Ararume, in the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1621/2022 and filed at the Abuja federal high court, is seeking to be reinstated as the board chairman and be paid N100 billion in damages.

In the suit, the former senator asked the court to determine the following questions;

“Whether by a proper construction and interpretation by this Honourable Court of the provisions of the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the 2nd defendant, the Companies and Allied matters Act, 2020 and the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, the office and position of the plaintiff as non-executive chairman of the 2nd defendant are not exclusively governed and regulated by the Companies and Allied matters Act, 2020, the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021 and the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the 2nd defendant.

“Whether by a proper construction and interpretation of the provisions of Section 63(3) of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021, the 1st defendant can lawfully remove the plaintiff as the non-executive chairman of the 2nd defendant for any reason(s) outside the conditions specifically listed in the said Section 63(3) of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021.

“Whether the plaintiff as the non-executive chairman of the 2nd defendant for a fixed term of 5 (five) years with effect from the 21st Day of September 2021, can be lawfully removed from office by the 1st defendant at will and without compliance with the strict provisions of Articles 21.3, 21.4, and 24 of the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the 2nd defendant, Section 63(3) of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021 and Section 288 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2020.

“Whether the purported removal of the plaintiff as a non-executive chairman of the 2nd defendant vide the letter dated the 17th Day of January 2022 without compliance with the strict provisions of Articles 21.3, 21.4 and 24 of the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the 2nd defendant, Section 63(3) of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021 and Section 288 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2020 is not wrongful, illegal, null and void and of no legal consequence whatsoever.”

The former senator sought the following reliefs;

“A declaration of this Honourable Court that by the provisions of Section 63(3) of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021, the 1st defendant cannot lawfully remove the plaintiff as the non-executive chairman of the 2nd defendant for any reason(s) whatsoever outside the conditions specifically listed in the said Section 63(3) of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021.

“An order of this Honourable Court setting aside the removal of the plaintiff as the non-executive chairman of the 2nd defendant vide the 1st defendant’s letter dated the 17th Day of January 2022 with reference no: SGF.3/VIII/86.

“An order of this Honourable Court reinstating the plaintiff forthwith and restoring him to his office with all the appurtenant rights and privileges of his office as the non-executive chairman of the 2nd defendant.

“The sum of N100,000,000,000 (One Hundred Billion Naira) being damages for the wrongful removal, disruption, and interruption of the term of office of the plaintiff as the non-executive chairman of the 2nd defendant.”

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Inside Jigawa: One Dead, Groom Hospitalised As Bride Allegedly Poisons Wedding Guests

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A wedding in Jigawa State has turned tragic after a bride allegedly poisoned food served at the reception.

The incident reportedly left the groom critically ill and one of the wedding guests dead.

The incident occurred in the Jahun Local Government Area of the state.

Eyewitnesses suggested that the bride’s actions may have been driven by a personal vendetta.

Speaking on Friday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Shi’isu Adam, confirmed the incident and stated that an investigation was underway.

“We received a report that the bride had tainted the food served at the wedding reception, leaving the groom critically ill.

“Police have arrested two suspects in connection with the alleged food poisoning incident that occurred during a wedding ceremony in the state,” Adam said.

He revealed that the two suspects are the bride and another female, adding that they are in custody and being interrogated by the Criminal Investigation Department of the command.

The police spokesperson added, “We will do everything in our power to ensure that justice is served.”

According to the police spokesman, all the wedding attendants who consumed the poisoned food have been discharged from the hospital, except for the one person who was confirmed dead.

“The command is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, and we will provide more details as soon as possible.

“For now, we can confirm that the incident occurred, and we are working tirelessly to unravel the facts. We urge the public to remain calm and assured that justice will be served,” he concluded.

The identities of the deceased, the groom, and other victims have not been disclosed by the authorities.

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BIG STORY

Peter Obi Hellbent On Inciting Nigerians Against President Tinubu, He’s A Doomsayer — APC

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) has described Peter Obi’s New Year message as “misleading and an attempt to score cheap political points.”

Obi, who was the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, used his New Year message to criticize President Bola Tinubu, expressing grave concerns over institutional corruption, mismanagement, poverty, hardship, and an escalating debt profile.

The former governor of Anambra stated that corruption has been deeply entrenched in government and nepotism has become the norm under Tinubu’s leadership.

He also demanded “vigorous, positive actions” from the administration to bring succour to Nigerians.

However, in a counter-statement on Thursday, Felix Morka, APC spokesperson, stated that Obi’s assessment contradicted all indicators showing that the nation’s economy is rebounding across various sectors.

Morka accused Obi and members of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of relentlessly trying to incite public outrage against the Tinubu administration.

The APC further accused Obi of portraying himself as “a leading doomsayer, omniscient and philosopher’s stone” while failing to deliver “meaningful achievements during his eight-year tenure as governor in Anambra state.”

“In reality, 18 months later, the economy, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has shown a steady record of progress,” the statement reads.

“Despite these and other initial beneficial outcomes of ongoing reforms, the administration is doubling its effort to ensure their fullest benefits for the transformation of our country.

“It is a thing of irony that Obi, who now arrogates to himself to be omniscient and philosopher’s stone, when it comes to our nation’s challenges, left no record of significant achievement, let alone transformation of any kind, in his eight-year tenure as Governor of Anambra State.”

“Like his co-travellers in the PDP, Obi’s obsessive pessimism and endless but futile effort to incite public outrage against the administration is borne out of the realization that Tinubu is unwittingly cementing their political irrelevance by his visionary and full-throttle reform.”

“Under the banner of the Renewed Hope Agenda, President Tinubu is dutifully turning our nation’s fortunes around. We urge Nigerians to remain confident of better days ahead.”

The ruling party added that Tinubu’s goal is to reduce inflation from 34 percent to 15 percent in 2025.

“With the vigour in the administration’s war on corruption, evidenced by ongoing investigations and trial of well-heeled Nigerians, Obi’s pontification on the urgent need to tame corruption is a clear case of carrying coal to Newcastle,” the party added.

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Five Arrested As Police Bust Female-Led ‘Phone-snatching Syndicate’ In Kano

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The Kano state police command has announced the arrest of members of a female-led phone-snatching syndicate operating within the Kano metropolis.

In a statement released on Thursday by Haruna Kiyawa, the police spokesperson in Kano, five members of the group, including its leader, 19-year-old Shamsiyya Adamu, were apprehended.

Kiyawa stated that Adamu was arrested on December 21, 2024, following reports of stolen mobile phones in Unguwa Uku Quarters, Kano.

He named the other suspects as “23-year-old Idris Yusuf, a tricycle rider who aided in transporting the principal suspect to commit crimes; Al’asan Dahiru, 24, who specialised in disposing of stolen items for the principal suspect; Abdulmajid Haruna, 27, who was buying stolen properties; and Salim Auwalu, 21, who was in charge of swindling money from victims’ bank accounts.”

“In the year 2024, the Kano State Police Command received numerous reports from residents of Kano Metropolis about a young lady who steals mobile phones from residential houses,” the statement reads.

“The reports indicated that the suspect was using a tricyclist and a cybercriminal to aid in her operations. The State Commissioner of Police, CP Salman Dogo Garba, raised a special intervention squad, and the principal suspect was arrested on December 21, 2024.

“The syndicate, led by Shamsiyya, specialised in stealing mobile phones from residential houses, using a tricyclist and a cybercriminal to aid in their operations. The suspects would deceive housewives, steal their mobile phones, and swindle money from their victims’ bank accounts.”

“Six mobile phones have been recovered so far, and efforts are ongoing to recover more stolen phones. Thirty complainants, including 29 females and 1 male, have lodged complaints against Shamsiyya, who confessed to stealing their mobile phones on various occasions in 2024.

“Anyone with a complaint against the suspects can contact the investigation team at 08032617800.”

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