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Palliative: NLC threatens indefinite strike, gives one-week notice

Barely one week after leading a two-day nationwide warning strike, the organised labour on Tuesday threatened to begin an indefinite strike should the Federal Government fail to meet its demands at the end of a 21-day ultimatum which will expire in approximately one week’s time.
The workers union said the proposed strike was necessary following the failure of the Federal Government to provide palliatives to assuage the Nigerians hardships as a result of the fuel subsidy removal.
The Nigeria Labour Congress said the industrial action which may commence any day from next week would lead to an indefinite shutdown of commercial and economic activities across the country.
Speaking with The PUNCH on Tuesday, the National Assistant General Secretary of the NLC, Mr Christopher Onyeka, said the FG was wrong to share a bag of rice to a dozen citizens while reportedly giving N100m palliative to each member of the National Assembly.
The union had on September 1 handed down a 21-day ultimatum to the FG over the delay in sharing of palliatives, saying it might be compelled to declare an indefinite labour action if its demands were not met.
“If the government fails to provide the appropriate responses to our demands, we encourage you to maintain your steadfast resolve. The same passion and determination that fuelled this warning strike will be crucial if we find ourselves compelled to embark on an indefinite nationwide strike,’’ the labour body said in a letter to the FG.
To demonstrate its seriousness, the NLC mobilised workers for a two-day warning strike on September 5 and 6, partially grounding social and economic activities in several states with banks, ministries, agencies and departments closed to the public in some states.
The NLC leadership had said the action was in preparation for a total shutdown which would start at the expiration of the ultimatum next week.
Among other demands, the NLC and the Trade Union Congress were asking for wage awards, implementation of palliatives, tax exemptions and allowances to the public sector workers and a review of the minimum wage.
Though the FG made a commitment to restructure the framework for engagement with organised Labour on palliatives, the eight-week timeframe set for the conclusion of the process expired in August with no action whatsoever.
The committees were given eight weeks to conclude their assignment and hasten the implementation of the framework in cushioning the effect of petrol subsidy removal on Nigerians but weeks after the timeframe expired, the sub-committees had yet to meet or actualise their mandates.
President Bola Tinubu had since June 19 set up the Presidential Steering Committee and various sub-committees to discuss the framework to be adopted on the palliatives.
The sub-committees had been created to implement FG’s palliative package in areas such as Cash Transfers, Social Investment Programme, Cost of Governance, Energy, and Mass Transit and Housing.
This was a fall-out of the President’s closed-door session with the leadership of the NLC and the TUC during a nationwide protest by the organised labour.
Giving an update on the planned walk out following the lukewarm attitude of the government, Onyeka insisted that the FG had absconded from the negotiation table, noting that it had also failed to meet the workers’ demands.
The union leader hinted that the strike would not notify the government before carrying out any action it deems fit.
He said, “We sent the letter to the Federal Government on September 1, 2023, so by September 22, 2023, the 21-day ultimatum will end.
“We have made it clear that the Federal Government has abandoned and absconded from the table for negotiation; that government is no longer negotiating with Nigerians and there is no good faith negotiation that is going on.’’
“President Bola Tinubu promised Nigerians on his own on the television with the President of NLC, Joe Ajaero, that he was going to restructure the committees, but he did not do that, and since then the committees have not met and there has been no negotiation that is on-going. As it is, NLC is not negotiating with the government,” Onyeka said.
The Assistant General Secretary said Nigerians were insulted by the inadequate palliative being given.
He lamented, “Can you see the insult that a ward would share a bag of rice and the government calls that a palliative? It is an insult to Nigerians, whereas the government gave legislators N70bn and each of the legislators gets over N100m in a country where Nigerians are suffering.
“The FG is buying cars and houses of over N100m for each person and Nigerians are keeping quiet as if what is going on is a normal thing. NLC calls Nigerians to join hands together because they cannot do it alone.
‘’When NLC calls for action, people should come out, they should because it is a collective effort to make the government yield to the desires and the interest of Nigerians.”
Workers who spoke to our correspondents said they have been badly affected by the withdrawal of the fuel subsidy, urging the government to quickly cushion the pains.
In order to beat the harsh economic situation, civil servants said they have been devising various survival strategies, including skipping work as well as engaging in farming and trading to augment their incomes.
They further noted that their organisations had also adopted the work-from-home model which became popular during the lockdown period following the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
An Abuja-based civil servant, Judith Obiora said, “Most of the offices at the Federal Secretariat are no longer filled up as they used to be before the fuel subsidy removal. Now, we only come to the office twice or thrice a week.”
A civil servant who is planning to relocate abroad said he could no longer cope with the high cost of living.
He said, “The situation in Nigeria is very terrible because the minimum wage no longer meets the cost of living. Civil servants are suffering because the prices of things have increased, and it is tough to cope these days.
“By the time you weigh everything, you will see that it is not worth it. Even as a businessman in this country, getting customers to patronise you is difficult, and getting your profit from the work you are doing is hard.”
A worker, who identified himself as Friday, said he had been going to work three times a week to cut costs.
He said, “It has greatly affected me because I can’t afford to go to work Monday through Friday anymore. I go three times a week. Even if the directors have their ways, they won’t show up.
‘’The junior staff members are left behind. I don’t even try boarding the bus because I don’t want any senior staff member to talk to me anyhow (disrespectfully).”
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Court Stops Police From Enforcing Tinted Glass Permit Policy

The Federal High Court sitting in Warri, Delta State, has issued an interim injunction restraining the Inspector General of Police and the Nigeria Police Force from implementing or enforcing the recently announced Tinted Glass Permit Policy slated to commence on Monday, October 6, 2025.
The order followed a motion filed by John Aikpokpo-Martins, who sought to stop the police from proceeding with the enforcement of the policy, which he described as unlawful and burdensome to citizens.
Delivering the ruling, Justice H.A. Nganjiwa granted an interim injunction restraining the defendants — the Inspector General of Police and the Nigeria Police Force — including their officers, agents, or contractors, from enforcing or further implementing the Tinted Glass Permit Policy pending the hearing and determination of the substantive motion before the court.
The court also restrained the police and their agents from harassing, stopping, arresting, detaining, or impounding the vehicles of the plaintiff or any other person under the guise of enforcing the said policy.
Furthermore, the court granted leave to the plaintiff to serve the originating summons and other court processes on the defendants through substituted means — specifically by FedEx courier service.
Justice Nganjiwa described the applicant’s move to seek judicial intervention as timely and proper, noting that the decision was made after hearing submissions from a legal team led by Kunle Edun, SAN, and several other counsel representing the plaintiff.
The case, John Aikpokpo-Martins v. Inspector General of Police & Anor (FHC/WR/CS/103/2025), has been adjourned for further hearing on the substantive motion.
The court order comes after the Nigeria Police Force on Saturday said it has not been officially served with the court order regarding the enforcement of tinted glass permits.
Human Rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, had posted on X, reports that the court had ordered the Police to maintain the status quo on the tinted glass permit case.
Responding, Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, said the Police had not received any official notification.
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Yakubu Steps Down as New Acting INEC Chair Takes Over

Professor Mahmood Yakubu has handed over to May Agbamuche as the Acting National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Agbamuche is the oldest serving National Commissioner in the electoral body.
Professor Yakubu announced this on Tuesday at the ongoing meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners at the INEC headquarters in Abuja.
He solicited the support of the commissioners and directors of the commission for Agbamuche, until the appointment of a substantive chairman.
Professor Mahmood Yakubu is leaving office as INEC chairman, having completed his two-term tenure of 10 years.
President Tinubu is expected to appoint his successor soon, subject to a Senate confirmation.
Yakubu was first appointed the INEC chairman by former President Muhammadu Buhari to oversee the activities of the electoral umpire in November 2015, six months after he assumed the office as the President.
He completed his first term in office as the electoral body’s chairman in 2020, and was reappointed for a second tenure by President Buhari.
Yakubu’s reappointment by President Buhari made him the first person to serve as INEC chairman for two terms.
He took over from Professor Attahiru Jega, with INEC conducting many elections, including the 2019 and 2023 general elections.
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Presidency Breaks Silence Nnaji’s on Certificate Scandal, Reveals next Move

The Presidency has declared that it will refrain from taking any steps concerning the serious allegations of certificate forgery involving the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Uche Nnaji.
Instead, it will patiently await the court’s ruling on this pressing issue before deciding on any course of action.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, made this position clear while addressing journalists on Monday. He explained that since the controversy is already a subject of litigation, the Federal Government will allow the judicial process to run its course before deciding on the next steps.
The clarification follows reports that the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), has distanced itself from the academic certificate allegedly presented by the minister.
In a letter dated October 2, 2025, and signed by Vice-Chancellor Prof. Simon Ortuanya, the university stated that available records show Nnaji was admitted to study Microbiology/Biochemistry in 1981 but did not complete the programme.
“From every available record and information from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, we are unable to confirm that Mr. Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji graduated from the University of Nigeria in July 1985. There are no records of his completion of study. Consequently, the University DID NOT and COULD NOT have issued the purported certificate,” the letter read in part.
The minister has, however, strongly denied the allegations, describing them as politically motivated. Speaking in Abuja on Monday, he accused the university authorities of issuing contradictory reports about his academic records to serve the interests of a state governor who, according to him, wants him removed from office for political reasons.
Nnaji also faulted the university’s refusal to release his academic transcript despite a court order. In September, the Federal High Court in Abuja had restrained UNN from tampering with his records and directed the institution to issue the transcript.
“It is increasingly clear that this entire episode is not about education or integrity; it is about political desperation, disguised as academic inquiry,” Nnaji said. “The timing, the sources, the false documents and the paid narratives all point to a coordinated campaign to drag a reputable public servant into the mud of partisan politics.”
The case has been scheduled for hearing on November 10, 2025, at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
News
Redeemer’s University Breaks Record with 185 First-Class Graduates

Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, has recorded its highest number of First-Class graduates since inception, with 185 students attaining the top academic honour in the 2025 graduating set.
Also in a major development for Nigeria’s private education sector, the Vice – Chancellor, Professor Shadrach Olufemi Akindele announced that Redeemer’s University has been selected by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) as one of the only eight private universities in the country approved to train government-sponsored postgraduate students.
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Shadrach Olufemi Akindele, made this know yesterday during a press briefing to mark the university’s 17th convocation ceremony and 20th anniversary celebration.
Akindele described the milestone as “a reflection of the institution’ s commitment to academic excellence and character development,” adding that the 2025 convocation represents a season of “double honour” for the faith-based institution.
According to him, “We are not only graduating from another distinguished class, the indomitable Set of 2025, but we are also celebrating 20 years of Redeemer’s University. Indeed, this is a season of double honour,” he said.
“This is a remarkable feat, especially considering that there are 168 private universities in Nigeria as at today.
The Vice-Chancellor noted: “It affirms the credibility and standard of our postgraduate programmes,” the Vice-Chancellor stated. A total of 1,341 students are graduating this year, comprising 1,003 undergraduates and 338 postgraduates.”
Among them, Mr. Joel Durugbo, from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, emerged as the overall best graduating student with a perfect 5.0 CGPA, another first in the university’s history.
Akindele also highlighted the institution’s growing international profile, noting that Redeemer’s University ranked number two in Nigeria in the 2025 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings and emerged No. 1 in several Sustainable Development Goals categories.
The university’s African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), led by Professor Christian Happi, has also continued to earn global acclaim.
Happi was recently listed among TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2025 for his pioneering work in genomics and public health.
“These milestones confirm Redeemer’s University as a place where faith, knowledge, and innovation converge for global impact,” Akindele said.
The Vice-Chancellor recounted highlights of the university’s 20th anniversary, including new infrastructure projects commissioned by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, the university’s Visitor, and Pastor (Mrs.) Folu Adeboye.
Among the commissioned projects were the Faculty of Law building, the Josephus Institute of Earth Sciences, and the Redeemer’s University Staff School.
Pastor Adeboye also performed the sod-turning of a proposed 10,000-seater university chapel auditorium.
Three prominent Nigerians, Evangelist Omolewa Yetunde Ahmed, Evangelist Mike Bamiloye, and Mr. Kola Adesina, are to receive honorary doctorate degrees during the convocation ceremonies later this week.
Akindele concluded the briefing with optimism about the university’s future.
“As we celebrate 20 years of God’s faithfulness and the release of the Indomitable Set, I declare that the best days of Redeemer’s University are still ahead,” he noted.
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Speaker Abbas Swears in Three New House Members

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, on Tuesday swore in three members following their victory in the August 16, 2025, bye-elections.
The three new lawmakers are among the five elected to fill the vacant seats following the death of four members and the choice of Dennis Idahosa as the running mate of Senator Monday Okpebholo in the 2024 Edo governorship.
Recall that the Green Chamber lost four members due to illness in 2024, including Ekene Adams (Kaduna), Isa Dogonyaro (Jigawa) and Olaide Akinremi (Oyo), while Oriyomi Onanuga died in 2025.
In August, the Independent National Electoral Commission conducted bye-elections in the respective states to fill the vacant seats.
While the All Progressives Congress won four out of the five vacant seats, the Peoples Democratic Party won one seat.
Those sworn in on Tuesday are Omosede Igbinedion (Ovia South/Ovia West/Ovia North-East Federal Constituency, Edo State), Joseph Bagudu (Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency, Kaduna State) and Mukhtar Rabiu of Garki/Babura Federal Constituency, Jigawa State.
No reason was given for the absence of Elegbeji Ayola, who won the Sagamu/Ikenne/Remo North Federal Constituency, Ogun State seat and Oyekunle Sunday, who won the Ibadan North seat.
Of the five, Mr Sunday is the only lawmaker produced by the PDP.
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Senate Backs to Plenary with Packed agenda

After weeks of legislative lull, the Senate will on Tuesday reconvene plenary with a packed agenda led by long-delayed security and electoral reform debates—issues Nigerians have anxiously awaited action on.
The upper chamber had earlier shifted its resumption from September 23 to October 7, 2025, extending its annual recess by two weeks and halting deliberations on several key national priorities.
Among the bills and motions now awaiting urgent attention are the proposed National Security Summit, Electoral Act amendments, Constitution Alteration Bill (2025), and the National Assembly Budget and Research Office Bill—a 20-year-old proposal aimed at strengthening fiscal oversight through independent budget analysis.
In an internal memo signed by Chinedu Akubueze, Chief of Staff to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the leadership said, “This is to respectfully inform Distinguished Senators that the resumption of plenary sitting of the Senate, earlier scheduled for Tuesday, September 23, 2025, has been shifted to Tuesday, October 7, 2025. Any inconvenience this short notice may cause is deeply regretted.”
Although no formal reason was given, insiders told The PUNCH the postponement was to allow lawmakers to participate fully in activities marking the October 1 Independence Day celebrations.
The delay, however, has fueled public unease as critical national debates remain stalled—particularly the Security Summit expected to chart a new strategy against rising insecurity nationwide.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, who chairs the 20-member ad hoc committee on the summit, had earlier promised a new, grassroots-driven approach to security policymaking.
“No amount of investment in infrastructure will yield meaningful results without peace and stability,” Bamidele said at the committee’s inaugural meeting in June.
Also pending is the Constitution Alteration Bill (SB. 855) sponsored by Senator Sunday Karimi (Kogi West), which seeks to amend sections of the 1999 Constitution widely criticised as inadequate for Nigeria’s evolving democracy.
Senate President Akpabio has often touted the chamber’s productivity, boasting in June that the 10th Senate had already considered 844 pieces of legislation—including 26 executive bills—with another 499 awaiting second reading.
“It is a record that has not been held by any Nigerian Senate in two years,” he said at the Democracy Day joint session attended by President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
Yet critics argue that frequent adjournments and prolonged recesses have stalled momentum on the most pressing national challenges—security breakdown, electoral credibility, and economic recovery—raising doubts about the Senate’s capacity to match its rhetoric with action.
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