News

JUST IN: Parties Threaten Election Withdrawal If CBN Shifts New Naira Deadline

Published

3 years ago

February 6, 2023

Thirteen political parties out of the 18 political parties in Nigeria on Monday threatened to withdraw from participating in the 2023 general elections slated for February 25 and March 11, if the Central Bank of Nigeria extends the deadline of February 10 for naira swap.

The parties have declared that they won’t be participating in the elections if the new deadline of February 10, 2023 is shifted again.

The coalition of chairmen of the political parties, who commended the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), on the redesign of the N200, N500 and N1,000 banknotes, insisted that the policy must stand.

The parties also knocked the Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara state governments for heading to the Supreme Court to get court injunction to extend the deadline for the validity of three old notes.

The National Chairman of the Action Alliance, Kenneth Udeze, who briefed pressmen, said, “We hereby announce that at least 13 out of the 18 political parties in Nigeria will not be interested in the 2023 general elections and indeed we shall withdraw our participation from the electoral process if this currency policies are suspended or cancelled or if the deadline is further shifted.”

The PUNCH reported on January 29, two days to the former January 31 deadline, that the CBN extended the deadline for the swapping of old naira notes with the redesigned notes till February 10, 2023, after bowing to pressure last Sunday following many pleas from Nigerians across different walks of life.

However, the governments of Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara state have dragged the Federal Government to the Supreme Court, seeking a restraining order to stop the full implementation of the naira redesign policy initiated by the Central Bank.

In the suits as plaintiffs are the three attorney generals and commissioners of justice for the three states, while the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, is the sole respondent.

The three northern states in a motion ex-parte are urging the court to grant them an interim injunction stopping the Federal Government either by itself or acting through the CBN, the commercial banks or its agents from carrying out its plan of terminating the February 10 timeframe within which the now older versions of the 200, 500 and 1000 denominations of the naira would cease to be legal tender.

The CBN on October 26, 2022 had announced its plan to redesign the three banknotes. The president subsequently unveiled the redesigned N200, N500 and N1,000 notes on November 23, 2022, while the apex bank fixed January 31 deadline for the validity of the old notes.

President Muhammadu Buhari had assured Nigerians on Friday that in seven days time from then, he would address the woes associated with accessing the redesigned notes, promising to resolve the crisis within the stimulated time.

This is as protests have broken out in various cities across the country, with many angry about the pains and hardship citizens are being subjected to in order to have access to the new notes.

News

BREAKING: Rev Uma Ukpai Is Dead

Published

35 minutes ago

October 13, 2025

Editor

Rev. Uma Ukpai, an international evangelist who is the founder and president of Uma Ukpai Evangelistic Association, is dead.

Rev. Uma died at the age of 80.

News

ASUU Declares Two-week Strike, Orders Members To Down Tools On Monday

Published

13 hours ago

October 12, 2025

Editor

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has announced the commencement of a two-week ‘total strike’ and ordered its members to withdraw their services across the country, effective 12:01 a.m. on Monday.

ASUU President, Prof. Christopher Piwuna, disclosed this at a press conference in Abuja on Sunday.

The development comes after the two-week ultimatum issued to the Federal Government to address their long-standing demands expired.

Prof. Piwuna expressed dismay that nothing significant had happened since it issued the two-week ultimatum. “Government has been asking for time with nothing concrete on the ground to resolve it,” he said.

According to him, the decision to embark on the total strike was reached after several rounds of meetings with government representatives ended without any tangible commitment.

He noted that the union had exhausted all avenues for dialogue and patience, emphasising that the strike action was the last resort to compel the government to fulfil its promises.

He further explained that the union had consistently shown restraint in order not to disrupt the academic calendar, but the government’s insensitivity had left them with no alternative.

“Consequently, all branches of ASUU are hereby directed to withdraw their services with effect from midnight (12:01 a.m.) on Monday, 13 October 2025. The warning strike shall be total and comprehensive as agreed at the last NEC meeting,” he said.

He also called on well-meaning Nigerians, civil society organisations, and the media to prevail on the Federal Government to address the lingering issues once and for all. The union warned that unless concrete steps are taken within the two-week period, it will not hesitate to extend the strike indefinitely. “This struggle is not just for university lecturers; it is for the soul of public education in Nigeria,” Prof. Piwuna declared.

The seven-point demands include: re-negotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement; sustainable funding of universities; revitalisation of universities; victimisation of ASUU members in Lagos State University (LASU), KSU (now Prince Abubakar Audu University), and Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO).

Others are outstanding 25–35 per cent salary arrears; promotion arrears for over four years; as well as third-party deductions.

News

Nigerian Engineers applaud Gov. Mohammed’s $5bn Investment Deals

Published

14 hours ago

October 12, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Bauchi state chapter has commended Gov. Bala Mohammed for organising the maiden international investment summit that recorded a 5 billion Dollars investment deal in the state.

It could be recalled that Prof. Murtala Sagagi, Chairman of the Summit Planning Committee, disclosed at the end of the summit that it recorded over 5 billion Dollars investment deals and 47 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) signed.

He said that the agreements signed covered agriculture, solid minerals, power, infrastructure, and ICT sectors, adding that one of the MoUs translated into a concrete investment deal worth 1 billion dollars, which would become operational before the end of 2025.

Speaking with newsmen on Sunday, Engr. Abdulkarim Hassan, Chairman, NSE, Bauchi state chapter, congratulated the state government for organizing and the successful completion of the economic and investment summit.

According to him, the summit has also showcased Nigerian engineers’ professional prowess to the world as the newly constructed International Conference Centre (ICC) where the summit was held was built by a Nigerian construction company.

He expressed confidence in the governor for engaging Nigerian engineers to do the job, saying “the feeling is mutual because if he didn’t have confidence in us, he would have engaged foreign engineers to do the work.

“We extend our profound
congratulations to the governor on the successful completion of the Bauchi
Investment Summit.

“This summit was not merely an event, it was a clear demonstration of his visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to transforming Bauchi State into a prime destination for investment.

“The quality of delegates, the insightful discussions, and the tangible commitments secured during the summit have set a new benchmark for economic engagement in the North-East and other
regions in Nigeria.

“As professional engineers, we were particularly encouraged by the strong emphasis placed on infrastructure, industrialisation, and technological development, which are key pillars that will
drive sustainable growth,” he said.

Hassan added that the success of the summit has laid a robust foundation for attracting the capital necessary to execute the ambitious infrastructural projects required for the state’s development.

He expressed the readiness of the NSE, Bauchi branch to partner with the state government by offering its professional expertise and technical support to ensure that the outcomes and MoUs from the summit translated into sustainable reality for the people of Bauchi State.