News

Vigeo Legal Advisers Write NERC, Caution Against ‘Illegal’ Takeover Of BEDC

Published

3 years ago

September 3, 2022

Editor

Legal advisers to Vigeo Power Limited, the core investors in Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC Plc have cautioned the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to refrain from “illegal means to alter the composition of the board of directors of the company (BEDC).”

INFO DAILY had reported that NERC, in a letter issued September 1, 2022, had said it had affirmed a new Board of Directors and Management of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC, headed by Henry Ajagbawa

The NERC in the said statement had reiterated that the BEDC “is a distribution licensee of NERC and by virtue of powers vested in the Commission by the Electric Power Sector Reform Act (“EPSRA”), regulatory instruments issued pursuant to EPSRA and the terms and conditions of the licence issued to BEDC; NERC is the primary authority that is vested with powers to statutorily recognise the board/management of BEDC as an operator in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI)”.

The Commission further stated that the BEDC is a jointly owned venture with Vigeo Power Ltd holding an equity of 60% and 40% being held by BPE on behalf of the Federal and State Governments.

The statement disclosed that “One of the shareholders in Vigeo Power Ltd, Vigeo Holdings Ltd, subscribed to its shares vide a loan from Fidelity Bank Ltd”, adding that “In the light of a default in servicing the said loan, the bank has exercised its rights to repossess these shares that were provided as security for the acquisition of the loan”.

But in a letter written to NERC and attention to Chairman of NERC, Engr. Sanusi Garba and Mr. Dafe Akpeneye, with the headline, “RE: NOTICE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC ON THE LEGITIMATE AND STATUTORILY RECOGNISED BOARD OF DIRECTORS /MANAGEMENT OF BEDC ELECTRICITY PLC,” a copy of which was made available to INFO DAILY, Kunle Adegoke, SAN, said though the letter said to have emanated from NERC was unsigned, it is contemptuous for the regulatory body to have done any publication when the matter is already in a court of competent jurisdiction.

Adegoke, SAN, noted in the letter: “Whilst we have assumed that the Contemptuous Publication did not emanate from NERC, not least because it is unsigned, and will amount to a direct affront to the court (for the reasons stated below), we are, out of abundance of caution, and for the avoidance of doubt, constrained to state as follows:

“We are aware that the Commission is conscious of the fact that NERC is the 2nd Defendant in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1113/2022 between Vigeo Power Limited v. Fidelity Bank Plc; National Electricity Regulatory Commission and 6 Ors. which is pending before the Honourable Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja (the FHC Action) and in which orders of injunction have been granted restraining your Commission from: altering or taking further steps towards altering the management and Board of BEDC; registering or recognising the appointment of Messrs K. C. Akuma, Adeola Ijose, Henry Ajagbawa and Yomi Adeyemi as directors of BEDC pending the determination of the Motion on Notice which is scheduled to be heard on the 5th day of October, 2022.”

Adegoke SAN further argued that, “It is self-evident that the said interim orders are extant and have continuous effect, and none of the acts restrained thereby can be said to have been completed, particularly in view of the present and futuristic effect of the orders.”

According to him, “As NERC is very well aware, the pendency of the FHC Action is sufficient to compel any law-abiding institution (particularly a public institution under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, who seeks to promote the primacy of Rule of Law) to act with restraint, and not to project an image of lawlessness to the general public by acting contrary to the orders of the court and violating the sanctity of pendency of proceedings which both amount to contempt of court.

“We also note the inaccurate analysis of the effect of the court order in the Contemptuous Publication. Being a party to the FHC Action, the appropriate step to be taken by NERC is to ventilate its grievance with the order before the court, and not denigrate it, as has been purportedly done in the Contemptuous Publication.

“It is on record that whilst NERC is represented by counsel in the FHC Action, it has not (at least as of the last sitting of the Court on the 22nd day of July, 2022) filed any process in the suit and neither has it filed any application to seek that the orders of court were wrongly procured or to have the Court set same aside.”

“We further note the assertion in the Contemptuous Publication that the security created over the shares of one of our client’s shareholders had been enforced, and that the Commission acted in accordance with its business continuity rules.

“In connection with the issue of the security over the shares, we wish to reiterate that the matter is currently the subject of an action before The Hon. Justice Bogoro in FHC Lagos, and the Commission will do well not to comment on an issue that is sub judice. And with respect to the putative powers of NERC to remove directors of licensees, the Commission should be reminded that the power was struck down and declared unlawful in the case of FHC/ABJ/653/2018 – Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company v Minister of Power & NERC.

“As previously mentioned, we feel certain that no law-abiding public officer or public institution could have authorised the issuance of unsigned Contemptuous Publication. If the Contemptuous Publication is being wrongly attributed to the Commission, we urge the Commission to publicly disassociate itself from the publication.”

“However, in the unlikely event that the Contemptuous Publication was authorised by NERC, the Commission should be reminded of the grave consequences that follow disobedience of court orders.

“In this regard, the Commission should also be reminded of the contempt proceedings that are currently pending against it in the FHC Action for gross violation of the orders of court and your counsel was in court when the court directed all defendants in the suit to first comply with the orders of court on the 22nd day of July, 2022.”

The lawyer noted that, “We should mention that we are not unaware of the Commission’s plan to collaborate with some elements to invade the premises of BEDC and forcefully impose the illegal directors on the company notwithstanding the absence of authority to impose directors on a company regulated by law. We will urge the Commission to refrain from such action.”

News

Edo To Immortalise Late IGP Solomon Arase

Published

13 hours ago

September 27, 2025

Editor

The Edo State Government is set to immortalise the late Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, who is an indigene of the state.

Governor of the state, Monday Okpebhole, disclosed this on Saturday while receiving the body of the late Arase at the Benin Airport.

Represented by his Chief of Staff, Gani Audu, Okpebholo described late Arase as “one of the finesse police officers and lawyers we have in Edo State,’ adding that “losing him at this time that the Nigeria Police Force and the country in general need him is not good for us”.

“As a State Government, we will work with the family to see how we can Immortalize him. He was a great son of Edo State.

“It is very painful to the government and people of Edo State but we are consoled with the good life he lived”.

Okpebholo described Arase as a team player and a man that was always willing to help.

“It is painful that we lost somebody who always listens to every complaint and tries as much as possible to solve them”.

He, however, prayed to God to give the family the fortitude to bear the loss, assuring that the government will do all that it can to support his family.

News

Edo Activist In Police Net Over Alleged Assault On Abure

Published

15 hours ago

September 27, 2025

Editor

Edo-based activist, Precious Oruche, popularly known as “Mama Pee”, has been detained following a heated confrontation with the factional National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Julius Abure, at the Abuja Airport.

The incident, which had since gone viral, had sparked controversy and conflicting accounts from both parties.

According to reports, the saga began at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, where Mama Pee allegedly confronted Abure as he prepared to board a Max Air flight to Benin.

Eyewitness accounts said the activist approached Abure and accused him of being responsible for the hardships Nigerians are currently facing.

“Is this not Julius Abure? You’re the one frustrating Nigerians,” she reportedly told Abure in a confrontational manner.

Abure was responding by saying ‘how can…’ when Mama Pee interjected, saying, “In case nobody has told you, you’re the one frustrating Nigerians. Are you not Julius Abure? What are you now doing with Labour Party? Police are looking for you. You’ve destroyed the Labour Party, and you’re entering an aeroplane? May God punish all of you.”

Arriving at the Benin Airport, things took a more violent dimension as Mama Pee was allegedly attacked by a group of young men believed to be thugs loyal to Abure.

A video circulating online shows a scuffle at the airport’s exit, with several individuals attempting to drag the activist, before security and immigration officials stepped in.

Speaking in one of the video recordings, Mama Pee claimed she was assaulted by the group.

“Look at them oh!!! See them oh!!! They want to beat me after I told Julius Abure that he is the one frustrating the lives of Nigerians, and then he brought thugs. He brought thugs to harass me. Look at them, can you see them,” she exclaimed.

She further alleged, “I saw Julius Abure of Labour Party inside the Max Air, and I told him that you are the one frustrating the lives of Nigerians. You sold Labour Party, and then he called his thugs to wait for me at the airport in Benin.”

Another activist, Peter Akah—widely known as ‘Peter for Nigeria’—released a video calling for Mama Pee’s immediate release.

He appealed to Edo State governor, Monday Okpebholo, and the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika to intervene.

Akah argued that the activist, who he described as a victim of political violence, had been wrongly turned into a suspect by the police.

Meanwhile, the Abure-led faction of the Labour Party has issued its own version of events, condemning what it termed an “unwarranted attack” on their chairman.

In a statement released by the National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, the party claimed Mama Pee accosted Abure at the Abuja airport in an unprovoked manner while he was boarding his flight to Benin.

“The assault, which attracted a large population of onlookers, continued unabated on disembarkment at the Benin Airport while she continued recording the scene,” Ifoh stated.

He added that Abure had to be quickly escorted to safety by security agents, while the activist was handed over to police for questioning.

The statement further alleged that Mama Pee, who is described as a known figure in the ‘Obidient’ Movement, bragged in one of her videos about her connections to top police officers.

“She vowed that she will not stop attacking Abure or any member of the Labour Party executive because according to her, ‘you have killed Labour Party and you are the reason why Obi is no longer in the Labour Party,’” Ifoh said.

He called for a thorough probe, just as he urged the Inspector General of Police to look into what they termed cyberbullying and political provocation.

As of the time of filing this report, attempts to get a comment from the Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Moses Yamu, were unsuccessful as calls were neither answered nor returned.

News

Educationist Gets Guinness World Record For Largest Teachers’ Gathering

Published

16 hours ago

September 27, 2025

Editor

Nigerian teacher and education advocate, Mr Seyi Anifowose, has officially entered the Guinness World Records for convening the largest gathering of teachers in history, a feat achieved at the “Let There Be Teachers Conference 2025” held on September 20 at Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos.

A statement by 1 Million Teachers on Friday said the confirmation was announced via a Zoom call on Wednesday, September 23, by Rishi Nath, a representative of Guinness World Records.

Nath commended Anifowose and his team for drawing global attention to an issue that, according to him, “should be on the front burner of policy and dialogue nationally.”

The record-setting event, powered by 1 Million Teachers, drew an unprecedented number of educators from across Nigeria.

Organisers had projected attendance of 60,000 teachers, underscoring both the scale of the mobilisation and the urgency of the message: that Nigerian teachers deserve greater recognition, welfare, and policy support.

“This is more than a number. It is proof that teachers matter. It is a victory for education, and it is a victory for Nigeria,” said Anifowose.

He explained that the choice of Tafawa Balewa Square carried symbolic weight. He said, “It was the same ground where Nigeria declared independence in 1960, and its use for the conference marks another proud national moment—this time celebrating those who build nations in classrooms.”

Anifowose admitted that achieving the milestone was not without challenges.

“This is not just about breaking a record. It is about resilience. Teachers stood in the rain, braved the sun, and endured long verification lines but refused to back down just to achieve this record,” he noted.

He expressed gratitude to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State for hosting the event and to his home-state governor, Abiodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State, for his encouragement.

He also thanked teacher unions and education agencies at both state and federal levels for their support in ensuring the conference’s success.

Beyond the record, Anifowose emphasised that the next phase would focus on policy advocacy. He revealed plans to engage the National Assembly on reforms aimed at improving Nigeria’s education system and boosting teachers’ welfare.

Nigeria’s education sector has long grappled with underfunding, poor infrastructure, and low teacher morale.

According to UNESCO, the country faces one of the world’s most severe teacher shortages, with many classrooms overcrowded and educators underpaid.

Stakeholders have repeatedly called for reforms to strengthen the sector, improve teacher training, and make the profession attractive to younger generations.

By securing this world record, Anifowose hopes to transform symbolic recognition into tangible change for teachers nationwide.

(PUNCH)