General
Court Verdict on Labour Party Leadership Excites CNPP
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The judgement of Justice Peter Odo Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, affirming Ms Esther Nenadi Usman as the authentic chairman of the Labour Party, has been applauded by the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP).
The verdict, delivered on Wednesday, comes after the Supreme Court had earlier ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Ms Usman as the leader of the opposition party, and not Mr Julius Abure.
In a statement today, CNPP described the lower court judgment as “a clear victory for constitutionalism, internal party democracy, and the supremacy of the rule of law.”
According to the group, the judgment, which it noted was “firmly anchored on the binding decision of the Supreme Court,” sends “an unmistakable signal that no individual ambition, factional interest, or political manipulation can lawfully override the authority of party constitutions and established democratic procedures.”
“The CNPP warmly welcomes and commends the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which affirmed Senator Esther Nenadi Usman as the valid National Chairman of the Labour Party and ordered INEC to recognise the Nenadi Usman–led Caretaker Committee as the legitimate authority of the party pending the conduct of a national convention,” the statement, signed by the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the association, Mr James Ezema, stated.
The group further praised the judiciary for what it described as courage and integrity in handling the matter, stressing that the ruling stands out in a challenging political climate.
“The CNPP particularly salutes the courage, clarity, and integrity displayed by the judiciary in this matter,” the statement read. “In a political environment where undue influence, intimidation, and coercion are often deployed to bend institutions to partisan interests, this judgment stands out as a reassuring testament to judicial independence.”
The CNPP warned that Nigeria’s democracy would remain endangered if the judiciary failed to act boldly in the face of pressure. “Unless the judiciary continues to act with boldness and fearlessness—resisting political pressure and vested interests—Nigeria’s democracy will regrettably continue to suffer stagnation and retardation,” it stated.
Addressing the broader implications of the ruling, the organisation stressed that democracy cannot thrive where court orders are ignored or selectively obeyed.
“Democracy cannot deepen where court orders are treated with contempt or subjected to selective obedience,” the statement said, adding that it also “cannot flourish where party constitutions are trivialised and internal democracy sacrificed on the altar of personal control and selfish ambition.”
It said the Labour Party leadership crisis, now resolved by the courts, should serve as a warning to all political actors.
“The leadership crisis in the Labour Party, now decisively addressed by the courts, must serve as a lesson to all political parties and actors that impunity is incompatible with democratic governance,” it declared.
The CNPP also issued a broader call to political parties and leaders across the country to recommit to democratic principles. “The CNPP therefore calls on all political parties and political leaders in Nigeria to shun selfish interests and recommit themselves to politics guided strictly by rules, principles, and respect for party constitutions,” the statement said.
It emphasised that political parties must respect internal structures and collective decisions. “Political parties must uphold their internal organs, respect collective decisions, and recognise that the supremacy of the party is superior to the ambitions of any individual or group,” the CNPP noted, stressing that “only in this way can parties earn public trust and contribute meaningfully to democratic consolidation.”
Turning to implementation of the judgment, the CNPP urged the electoral body and other authorities to act without delay. “We also urge INEC and all relevant authorities to give full, immediate, and unambiguous effect to the judgment of the court,” it said, warning that “the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral and democratic system depends not only on sound judicial pronouncements but also on their faithful and timely implementation.”
It congratulated Ms Usman and members of the Labour Party Caretaker Committee, while urging restraint and inclusiveness in the discharge of their duties.
“The CNPP congratulates Senator Esther Nenadi Usman and members of the Caretaker Committee of the Labour Party and urges them to discharge their mandate with restraint, inclusiveness, and strict adherence to the party constitution, as they work towards a credible, transparent, and unifying national convention,” the statement added.
Concluding, the CNPP reaffirmed its belief that strong institutions and principled leadership are essential to national progress. “Nigeria’s democracy can only be strengthened through strong institutions, respect for the rule of law, and principled political leadership,” it said, describing the court judgment as “a step in the right direction” that “must be defended by all democrats.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has sealed two fuel stations in Ogun State engaging in under-dispensing of petroleum products and non-compliance with the Petroleum Industry Act of 2021.
Leading the enforcement team around the Akute-Ajuwon axis of the state, the Head of Distribution Systems Storage and Retailing Infrastructure, Mr Olufemi Adebowale, said the move became imperative in view of repeated breaches of regulatory requirements by the affected stations and the need to protect the rights of consumers from sharp practices.
According to him, the development is part of its ongoing efforts to enforce compliance with industry regulations, protect consumers from sharp practices, and ensure that petroleum marketers dispense the correct quantity of products across the state.
He explained that records available to the authority showed that the fuel stations have consistently violated regulatory compliance by under-dispensing petroleum products, illegally breaking official seals placed on the facility, and resuming operations without authorisation.
According to him, such actions amount to a violation of the Petroleum Industry Act 2023 and undermine efforts to protect consumers from exploitation.
“The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority is carrying out a lawful enforcement on this facility. Our records have consistently shown that this company has been violating regulatory compliance.”
“It is high time we made it clear that they cannot continue to under-dispense products, deliberately remove our seals, and believe that nothing will happen; that is why we are here to enforce the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act 2023 he said.
“When it comes to under-dispensing, they are cheating members of the public by not selling the correct quantity of fuel. Also, once a station is sealed, it has no authorisation to operate. But this station deliberately removed our seal and continued operations, which is against the law.”
Mr Adebowale disclosed that the authority has been monitoring the station’s activities since 2025, describing the violations as persistent despite several enforcement actions.
He revealed that the affected station had been sealed no fewer than six times within the period, but continued to remove the authority’s seals and ignore invitations extended by the regulator.
“From our records, this has been happening since last year. The station has also refused to honour our invitations. It has been sealed not less than six times, yet it keeps removing our seals and resuming operations.”
On the sanctions awaiting the operators, Adebowale said the authority had served the stations with enforcement notices, while the facilities would remain shut until all stipulated conditions are met.
He added that the NMDPRA management would also consider suspending the operating licence of the affected stations, while also sending a strong warning to any fuel station intending to go against the rules of PIA.
“That is against the rules. They do not have any right to operate until we authorise them to do so. This is a clear deviation from regulatory compliance. According to the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), when this happens, we must carry out enforcement, and that is why we are here today.
Beyond conducting this exercise, we are also using this opportunity to address the public through the media. As long as operators are doing the right thing, they have nothing to fear. However, for those going against compliance levels—whether through under-dispensing or direct violation of our seal—all necessary enforcement, penalties, and sanctions will be strictly applied against such offenders.”
“A letter has been served, the station has been completely shut down, and they must meet all the conditions, including payment of the applicable penalties. We are also looking at suspending the operating licence, subject to management’s approval,” he said, warning that any further attempt to tamper with the seals or resume operations illegally would attract criminal prosecution.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) says it has moved to reduce port gridlock by releasing trucks into Apapa and Tin Can ports in scheduled batches based on terminal demand, while enforcing strict rules against indiscriminate parking on port access roads.
The General Manager, Lagos Port Complex, Mr Debo Lawal, said the NPA management, led by Managing Director, Mr Abubakar Dantsoho, was committed to ending indiscriminate truck parking around the ports and aligning operations with global best practices.
He said the authority was working with Truck Transit Parks Limited (TTP) to regulate truck movement into terminals through a phased release system.
According to him, trucks will now be released in scheduled batches based on terminal demand, instead of allowing all approved trucks to enter the port corridor simultaneously.
“If a terminal requires 100 trucks, they will not all be released at once. They will come in batches to reduce pressure on the port access roads,” he said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos.
Mr Lawal said a joint task force had been clearing Apapa and Tin Can port access roads since June 26, 2026, operating until about 8 pm daily to prevent indiscriminate parking.
He added that another clearance exercise would soon be conducted to sustain the gains and prevent a return to the persistent gridlock that previously characterised the port corridors.
The port manager, however, urged truck operators to support the initiative by exiting the port environment immediately after loading or offloading cargo.
He noted that some truck drivers still parked along access roads after completing port operations, despite repeated engagements by the authority.
“We engage truckers and their leadership every day, but enforcement will continue alongside sensitisation to ensure compliance,” he said.
On infrastructure, Mr Lawal said the federal government, through the NPA, had begun payment of the five per cent counterpart funding required for the 726 million dollar port rehabilitation project.
He disclosed that preliminary activities, including borehole drilling and site investigations, had been completed, while contractors were expected to mobilise to the site before the end of July.
According to him, a technical stakeholders’ meeting was held on July 7, while a broader stakeholders’ review was scheduled for July 13 to assess progress and address implementation gaps.
Mr Lawal said the rehabilitation project, alongside ongoing reforms, was aimed at reducing cargo clearance time, eliminating documentation bottlenecks and improving operational efficiency at the nation’s seaports.
He added that the National Single Window project was about 80 per cent completed, with a dedicated office already established near the port to improve inter-agency coordination.
According to him, the digital platform will integrate banks, the Nigeria Customs Service, shipping companies and other government agencies to improve efficiency, plug revenue leakages and enhance revenue collection.
Mr Lawal expressed confidence that improved digitisation, reduced human interference and more efficient truck management would strengthen Nigeria’s trade competitiveness and enhance operations at the Apapa and Tin Can ports.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) has said the implementation of the Defined Benefit Scheme Pension Harmonisation is a reform meant to advance and enhance pension payment equity in the country.
The chief executive of PTAD, Mrs Tolulope Abiodun Odunaiya, said this initiative was a landmark reform designed to restore fairness, improve retirees’ welfare and strengthen confidence in the administration of the country’s legacy pension system.
The harmonisation exercise marks one of the most significant policy interventions in the Defined Benefit Scheme since PTAD was established in 2013 to take over the management of pensions under the old federal pension arrangement.
Unlike periodic pension increases that merely raise existing benefits by a percentage, she stressed that pension harmonisation was further than that by recomputing pensions using the latest approved salary structures that existed before the closure of the Defined Benefit Scheme.
She noted that the objective is to ensure that retirees who held similar positions and rendered comparable years of service receive equitable pension benefits regardless of their retirement dates.
The initiative comes against the backdrop of years of agitation by pensioners over historical disparities in pension computation.
She added that the PTAD’s harmonisation programme seeks to resolve that challenge by restoring parity within the system. According to her, pension harmonisation is the formal recomputation of pensions using approved salary structures applicable before the DBS cut-off date.
In practical terms, it ensures that pension outcomes are determined by rank, grade level and years of service rather than the year of retirement.
The Directorate believes the exercise will significantly improve social justice by correcting historical inequities that disadvantaged thousands of retirees.
The harmonisation applies primarily to pure Federal Government pensioners as well as eligible retirees under the Parastatals Pension Department (PaPD), Defunct and Transferred Agencies Pension Department (DTAPD), and the Education and Health Pension Department (TEHPD), particularly those who initially served under the Federal Government before their agencies were transferred to state governments.
