Category Nigeria News

The House of Representatives reversed its position on two bills that had just passed its second reading in a stunning U-turn.

These bills sought to reform the death penalty and remove high-ranking officials’ immunity, including those of the Vice President, governors, and deputy governors.

House Leader, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere (Edo), made the disclosure during a plenary session on Thursday.

Both bills, which were included in the 42 proposed legislations that were discussed in the plenary, passed through a second reading process on Wednesday, according to Persecondnews.

In contrast to Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, the decision to the bills was made in order for a more in-depth discussion among lawmakers, according to Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the plenary session.

He stated, “We regret to the bill sponsors, but this is to allow the House to hold a second discussion given the seriousness of the subject matters.”

In an effort to combat corruption, end impunity, and promote accountability among public officials, the House on Wednesday passed a bill that sought to strip public officials of immunity. It also went through a second reading.

Additionally, 39 bills requiring constitutional amendments passed successfully during the second reading process.

The Federal Republic of Nigeria’s Constitution, 1999, has a bill to amend the Constitution to allow the president to exercise his immunity, remove the vice president’s immunity, and their deputies, in order to combat corruption, end impunity, and promote accountability in public office.

The bill to change the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to set aside the minister of justice of a state from the commissioner for justice of a state, is also slated for second reading.

The Bill to amend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to give citizenship to Nigerian spouses, and to establish the minimum number of women and youths eligible to hold positions in a particular office, is another notable bill.

Just one day after rejecting a similar proposal, the Senate rejected a proposal to rename the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in Abuja in honor of late Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, a former head of the defunct National Electoral Commission (NEC).

Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe re-sponsored the motion on Thursday, just as lawmakers on Wednesday rejected it.

Nwosu presided over the infamously annulled presidential election on June 12, 1993, which was hailed as the freest and fairest in Nigeria.

In recognition of his contribution to Nigeria’s democratic development, Abaribe demanded that Nwosu receive posthumous national honors on Thursday during the plenary session.

The proposal again sparked heated debates among lawmakers, exposing deep rifts regarding Nwosu’s impact on history.

Sen. Osita Ngwu acknowledged that the military regime under which he ran his business limited his ability to release the election results.

He claimed that “there was no way he would have made the announcement with a gun in his head.” That does not alter the fact that some of us regard him as a hero.

Sen. Austin Akobundu vehemently opposed Nwosu’s dismissal of contributions, calling it unfair and arguing that his contributions were merited recognition in Nigeria’s Hall of Fame.

Sen. Jimoh Ibrahim and a number of other senators vehemently opposed the idea, questioning the logic of honoring a person who didn’t release the election results, with Ibrahim emphatically saying that “nothing should be named after him.”

Sen. Cyril Fasuyi argued in his address that history only acknowledges accomplishments and not attempts, reiterating that “history does not reward efforts, but only results.”

I oppose naming INEC’s headquarters after him, as long as he did not announce the outcome, whether or not under duress.

Sen. Afolabi Salisu reacted with caution, saying Nwosu had no courage to speak out, while Sen. Sunday Karimi criticized him for his silence, suggesting that honoring him would harm MKO Abiola’s legacy.

He remarked, “Any attempt to do anything after one minute silence is considered to be a legacy of Abiola.”

The majority of senators ultimately rejected the motion via voice votes after much discussion.

In the end, the senators decided to observe a one-minute silence and express condolences to Nwosu’s family.

According to Persecondnews, Babangida appointed Humphrey Nwosu to the National Electoral Commission in 1989, and he continued to do so until 1993.

He introduced the popularly acclaimed “Option A4” Voting System and Modified Open Ballot System while leading the June 12, 1993 presidential election.

Before being ordered to stop by the military regime, he released many of the election results despite facing opposition.

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) lawsuit brought by MultiChoice Nigeria Limited against the Federal High Court in Abuja has been ordered to hear on May 8th.

Justice Omotosho set the date after the parties’ written arguments were accepted and rejected.

Following an increase in the service costs for DStv and GOtv, the court had previously restrained the Commission from pursuing “any administrative steps” against the plaintiff.

The restraining order was a response to a formal request made by MultiChoice to the court to protect itself from the FCCPC’s planned sanction for the price increases of DStv and GOtv.

The court granted the plaintiff’s request for an extension of time during the proceeding to regularize its procedures, and it also granted her request to renounce its interlocutory injunction application, which had already been overturned.

Through its lead counsel, MultiChoice asserted that the key issue is “whether the defendant has the right to control the price at which the plaintiff offers its services to the public.”

READ MORE: Zenith Bank Posts N1tn Profit After Tax For FY 2024.

The senior attorney argued that the Act establishing the FCCPC did not give the Commission the authority to regulate prices or stop anyone, including the plaintiff, from raising its prices, while acknowledging the Commission’s regulatory authority.

Onigbanjo added that the Tribunal had previously litigated whether the defendant had any authority to control the price of goods and services in the nation, aside from the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s President.

The attorney for the plaintiff also argued that even the president, who has the authority to regulate prices, maintains that “his government does not believe in price control” but that prices are influenced by market forces of demands and supplies.

The plaintiff added that if the FCCPC lacks authority to regulate prices, where does he have authority to stop the plaintiff from raising prices?

After that, MultiChoice charged the Commission with discrimination, claiming that no one else raised a complaint about the Commission’s continued increase in prices in line with the country’s economic conditions and inflation, claiming only the plaintiff.

Therefore, he demanded that the court grant the defendants’ requests for all remedies.

Lead counsel for the defendant, Professor Joe Agbugu, SAN, urged the court to first address the cause of action, which is the increase in the cost of DStv and GOtv, while adopting his counteraffidavit in opposition to the lawsuit.

Agbugu made it known that the Commission had written to the plaintiff on February 25th following its price increase announcement effective March 1, 2025.

The senior attorney claimed that it was inappropriate and suggested March 6 because MultiChoice was scheduled to appear before the Commission on February 27. Then, we said, “They should hold on with the price increase in the interim.”

Agbugu added that, as at the time the action commenced, there was no issue with price regulation or fixing.

Additionally, he claimed that the FCCPC had the authority to “regulate” excessive pricing and to “regulate” consumer-transfers and the passing of costs.

Agbugu claimed that the plaintiff “occurs a dominant position in television and entertainment,” not because of price regulation, but because the Commission has the authority to look into prices that are deemed to be abusive and abusive.

They fled to be investigated over their planned action, according to the Commission, who is not going to advise you to use price A or B but instead decides that the price is exploitative.

The Commission’s job is to protect the consumer, not to fix prices; the issue is whether the price is exorbitant.

The defendant’s attorney responded to the claim of discrimination by arguing that “abuse of dominant position qualified them to be targeted for exorbitant pricing.”

Agbugu then demanded that the lawsuit be dismissed and dismissed because it violated the Commission’s main goal, which is to protect consumers.

He further stated that the plaintiff’s lawsuit should be dropped and that an investigation should be conducted there.

Second reading of a bill that would give the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the power to hold general elections on the same day has taken place in the Senate.

The bill’s intention is to amend the Electoral Act 2022 to lower rising election costs, shorten campaign terms, and allow elected officials to serve as ad-hoc delegates at party congresses.

Senator Saliu Mustapha led the discussion on the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and spoke out about the outrageous costs of elections, which jumped from $1. 5 billion in 1999 to $ 350 billion in 2023.

He emphasized the cost, inefficiency, and reliance on staggered elections.

READ ALSO: Reps Use U-Turn On Bill To Remove VP, Governor, and Deputies’ Immunity.

The current stumbling election process is a significant financial burden. He claimed that holding all elections on the same day would lower political tension, reduce costs, and increase voter turnout.

Some lawmakers expressed concern about INEC’s ability to conduct nationwide elections in a single day, despite the proposal’s strong support from several senators.

Senator Adams Oshiomhole urged people to start the reform process without checking INEC’s readiness.

He remarked that the “bill has good intentions, but we must ask: Is INEC prepared to hold all elections in a single day”? We must also take into account the confusion that multiple ballot papers might cause, particularly for those who don’t know how to vote.

A security official of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) was ordered to shoot a member of the government’s outrage over an incident involving a Chinese expatriate working for a Chinese company in Niger State.

The government also issued a warning that any foreigner who threatens national security will be swiftly blacklisted from its immigration lists, which are white, grey, and black.

At a stakeholder gathering workshop on the implementation of the Nigerian Visa Policy 2025, the Interior Minister, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made this disclosure.

The minister said that Nigeria would not tolerate any acts of disrespect toward foreigners conducting business in the nation.

He continued, “One thing I must mention is that some foreign companies who refuse to do their job intimidate the immigration service officers from carrying out their duties of supervision.” That won’t continue.

I’ve got a company I’m starting and say I’ll never go there. No, I won’t do that. I took a very personally incident that occurred. The owner of the business, who requested a security officer shoot one of our immigration personnel, did it, and he succeeded. In Niger State, that happened about a week ago. And we’ll discuss it with the Chinese Embassy. That business is located in China. I’m not going to China and opening a business and telling my security to shoot a government official in uniform. Nowhere in the world does it ever take place. That is an attack on Nigeria by itself, and it will never occur.

“These officers put their lives in danger,” they said. You won’t ask these officers to shoot them in their homeland unless they serve this country with all of their might. It won’t continue to exist. We’ll discuss it with you. It won’t continue to exist. I have no idea what it would be. To protect Nigeria, a father must go to a company and say, “I need to see your expatriates.” Please show us your list. I’m here to do the job, so I just have to ask questions, and when you say that, the gate should be locked. The immigration officer was shot, and you said, “If you don’t do it, I’ll say they should shoot you.” That is a diplomatic concern. We will handle it.

It won’t occur again, they say. We will work very hard, then. We won’t let go of your business. We won’t burden your company with extra work. But in our own country, don’t treat us like we’re inferior. Please, no.

“And we’re going to be very tough with this,” he continued. I’m not just talking passionately. Because the officer who was shot is a Nigerian, I’m talking with a lot of anger about this. A terrorist did not shoot the man, but his son did. Someone has a son named him. He and someone else are married. That is unavoidable anywhere in the world. It won’t be tolerated by us. No agent or business is above the law, please. We are all within the law.

We’re trying our hardest to make things simple, so please. Although we’re trying our hardest to work with you, we ask that you refrain from insulting us. We won’t treat you disrespectfully. Nobody in Nigeria will treat you disrespectfully as long as the president is in office.

“But we only ask for reciprocity in respect.” He continued, “That is not too much,” he said.

The ambassador-led Chinese delegation had earlier met him to complain that they were being blacklisted, but the minister claimed Nigeria wasn’t blacklisting China.

“And I do so in full force here. Nigeria has a significant trade relationship with China. And I repeat this throughout.

Under the direction of His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we will never be able to paint a single brush across a street. There are Nigerians present. Chinese people are performing exceptionally well in our economy here. Indians are investing a lot of money in our economy. Americans are present. There are Europeans, and some of them are questionable, just like there are many good Nigerians. Same for each and every country.

“We won’t paint a single brush across the entire street,” he said. We will not allow the abuse of our immigration protocols, as we have already stated, and I want to reiterate because we are going to work very hard on this. That is not what we will accept. By the first of May, there will be an “expatriate administration system” for all foreigners in Nigeria and those who work there, as a matter of fact.

We want to be held accountable for everyone in Nigeria, regardless of where you are or what you’re doing. A three-month window will be provided. I call for regularization of immigration protocols in accordance with our laws from May 1 through August 1 to allow for an asylum window.

“We will move on to the era of enforcement, prosecution, and deportation after that.” For those who don’t, we want to give you an opportunity before we act because we know there are currently many violations of our immigration policies. Anyone who doesn’t meet that criteria obviously has other reasons to reside in Nigeria. We want you in Nigeria, but only if you are willing to abide by the country’s laws, he declared.

The Nigerian Visa Policy 2024 underwent a comprehensive review earlier than the Comptroller General of the NIS, Kemi Nana Nandap, which led to a significant reduction in the visa classifications from 79 to 44.

To simplify procedures, lessen complexity, and significantly improve the user experience, these categories have been logically grouped. Importantly, throughout this reform, we have kept the original goals and objectives of each visa class. With the introduction of e-visa classes, for the first time, applications for visas to Nigeria can now be submitted online and verified, avoiding the need for in-person consulate or embassie visits.

The process is now simpler, faster, and more accessible whether you are a tourist, business traveler, academic, or dual national. 13 distinct e-visa classes are included in this robust e-visa framework. The business visa and the tourist visa were the only classes that the visa on arrival (VOA) had prior to now.