October/November2020 Nigeria Office Nigeria Press Review 30.10. – 6.11.2020 Welcome to Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung’s Nigeria Weekly Press Review The weekly press review seeks to explore and keep you informed on selected issues relating to politics, business and economy, insecurity, infrastructure and development, health related issues, new trends and matters bothering on COVID-19 and the situation in Nigeria. Content Outcry over Social Media Bill, SERAP Threatens to Sue National Assembly and Northern Governors FG to Obtain N6tn Loan in 2021 as Nigeria’s Debt Projected to Hit N38.6tn in December 2021 President Buhari to Assist DisCos with Funds for Nationwide Metering as Consumers Kick over the Resumption of Tariff Hike, Senate Rejects Bailout Funds for Airlines, Others Jegede Moves for the Nullification of the Ondo State Gubernatorial Election Result, PDP Faults APC over the Nation’s Restructuring, APC Resolves Internal Disputes #EndSARS Protest: UN Human Rights Experts Demand Release of Findings, ICC Assesses Opening of Investigation, FG Moves Against Protesters, Northern Leaders Condemn Protests as Anti-Regime Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e. V. N igeria Office October/November 2020 2 Outcry over Social Media Bill, SERAP Threat- added that the social media was “the greatest ens to Sue National Assembly and Northern weapon used to escalate the #EndSARS protest Governors across Nigeria”. Premium Times (6th November) reports. Following the proposal by the northern gover- nors to regulate social media due to the alleged On another note, the National Broadcasting Com- uncontrolled content and fake news reports of mission (NBC) has reiterated its stance on the the #EndSARS protests the Socio-Economic sanctions imposed on Channels TV, AIT, and Arise Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has TV over their coverage on the nationwide #End- threatened a law suit against the National Assem- SARS protest. Disclosing this during a meeting bly and the Northern Governors’ Forum if any so- with the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations cial media bill is passed and signed by President (NIPR), the Director General of the NBC, Arm- Muhammadu Buhari. SERAP issued the threat in strong Idachaba, added that the stations were yet a tweet on Tuesday saying, “we’ll sue the North- to pay the fines. Michael Eboh, Vanguard News ern Governors’ Forum and the National Assembly (2nd November) writes. if any social media bill is passed and signed by President Buhari. Nigerians have a right to free- dom of expression online. We won’t accept any il- FG to Obtain N6tn Loan in 2021 as Nigeria’s legal attempts to interfere with that right #NoTo- Debt Projected to Hit N38.6tn in December SocialMediaBill.” Eniola Akinkuotu, Punch News 2021 (3rd November) and Nasir Ayitogo, Premium Times (3rd November) report. The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed has revealed that Nige- Still on the bill, citizens have condemned the ria will borrow N6.17tn in 2021. She stated this in planned regulation of social media, as a bill on a presentation to the Senate Committee on Local regulation of social media has scaled second and Foreign Debts. Zainab advised that any pro- reading in the Senate. Citizens expressed their ject embarked on should be completed before dismay via tweeter in the trending hashtag under embarking on another. Sunday Aborisade, Punch #SayNoToSocialMediaBill, describing it as an at- News (4th November) explains. tempt to stifle the voice of Nigerians. Recently, there are agitations for regulation of social media Zainab also expressed concerns over the coun- as the government is blaming the use of social try’s rising debt profile. She stated that the total media for spread of fake news and inciting com- public debt stock including external and home ments during the #EndSARS protests. The said debts of the federal and state governments and bill titled “Protection from Internet Falsehood and also the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) stood at Manipulations Bill 2019” was sponsored by Sena- N31.01trn as of June 30. She added that it is pro- tor Mohammed Sani Musa on November 5, 2019. jected “to rise to N32.51tn by December 31, 2020 Alao Abiodun, The Nation News (3rd November) and N38.68tn by December 31, 2021”. QueenEs- explains. ther Iroanusi, Premium Times (4th November) de- tails. On the same note, the CSL Stockbrokers in On the same note, the Peoples Democratic Party Nairametrics News (5th November) expressed (PDP) has rejected moves to regulate social me- concerns over the government’s rising deficit and dia in Nigeria. This was contained in a statement unsustainable service costs. They acknowledged issued by the National Publicity Secretary, Kola the need to “pursue an expansionary fiscal policy Ologbondiyan. He described it as “unconstitu- under current economic conditions, as it comes tional, anti-people and an attempt to silence Ni- at the detriment of long term fiscal sustainabil- geria”. He also alleged that it is a plan, mapped ity”. out to silence citizens from exposing cases of cor- ruption, injustice among others. Premium Times Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) (5th November) details. has faulted the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the federal government’s proposal of Meanwhile, the governor of Imo State, Hope Uzo- N6.17tn loans. Disclosing this, the spokesperson dinma has also pledged his support to the regula- of the PDP, Kola Ologbodiyan, alleged that Presi- tion of social media. Uzodinma who stated this dent Muhammadu Buhari has an “insatiable ap- during a visit from the Inspector General of Po- petite for loans”. Responding, the Deputy Na- lice, Mohammed Adamu, in Owerri, Imo State Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e. V. N igeria Office October/November 2020 3 tional Publicity Secretary of the APC, Yekini Na- Permanent Secretary, Tijani Umar. Umar pre- bena, stated that the PDP is confused. John sented a budget N19.7bn for 2021, out of which Alechenu et al, Punch News (5th November) re- N1.3bn was proposed for the State House clinic. ports. The Chairman of the Senate panel, Senator Danjuma La’ah, noted that the budget would be approved but medical trips abroad for President President Buhari to Assist DisCos with Funds Buhari and other top government officials should for Nationwide Metering as Consumers Kick be discontinued. Azimazi Momoh Jimoh, Guard- over the Resumption of Tariff Hike, Senate Re- ian News (5th November) reports. jects Bailout Funds for Airlines, Others President Muhammadu Buhari has revealed that Jegede Moves for the Nullification of the Ondo funds will be made available to the Electricity Dis- State Gubernatorial Election Result, PDP tribution Companies (DisCos) to assist in the na- Faults APC over the Nation’s Restructuring, tionwide 1,000,000 metering planned program to APC Resolves Internal Disputes end the estimated billing policy in Nigeria. Presi- dent Buhari stated that the mass metering pro- The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate gram will add gains to the past meter distribution for the past Ondo State gubernatorial election of and will support the government in covering 6.5 October 10, Eyitayo Jegede has challenged the re- million deficits of meters nationwide. Omokolade sults of the election calling for the nullification of Ajayi, Nairametrics (4th November) explains. the result. Jegede filed a litigation with the Ondo State election tribunal. It is believed that his litiga- Meanwhile, consumers have raised alarm over tion has stirred up suspense in Ondo State. the resumption of the tariff hike by DisCos which Jegede cited irregularities, pockets of violence came into effect on November 3. They stressed and intimidation among others as grounds for his that the meeting after the suspension of the tariff litigation. Oluwaseun Akingboye writes in Guard- yielded no result as they were pleased with the ian News (3rd November). The Ondo State tribu- measures taken by the federal government and nal has commenced sitting and also granted the DisCos to control the effect of the tariff hike. Jegede permission to inspect materials used for The tariff which came into effect on September 1 voting during the October 10 Ondo State gover- but was later suspended has received several norship election. The head of the tribunal, Justice backlash and criticism from citizens. The Nigeria Umar Abubakar, also “granted an order for sub- Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Con- stituted service to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, gress (TUC) had threatened an indefinite strike who was declared winner of the governorship describing the tariff increase as anti-people. Si- election”. Sahara Reporters (3rd November) ex- mon E Sunday et al, Daily Trust News (2nd Novem- plains. ber) writes. Meanwhile, the PDP has criticized the All Progres- In developing news, the Senate Committee on sives Congress (APC), over alleged attempts to Aviation has rejected the N5bn bailout fund for frustrate “genuine efforts aimed at restructuring airline operators and businesses in the aviation Nigeria”. This was contained in a statement sector citing that it is “grossly inadequate to make signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the any meaningful impact or relieve the impact of PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan. The statement alleged COVID-19 on the industry”. The Chairman of the plans by the APC to exploit the system and thwart Committee, Smart Adeyemi, stated that the efforts by individuals striving for genuine restruc- amount would not be enough to support the sec- turing. The statement further alleged that the tor and called for the federal government’s full APC is to “smuggle the partisan report of its com- support to the sector. QueenEsther Iroanusi, Pre- mittee on restructuring into the National Assem- mium Times (2nd November) explains. bly to replace the 2014 National Conference Re- port, as an unpardonable assault on the sensibil- On another note, the Senate has criticized the ris- ity of over 200 million Nigerians, whose collective ing cost of President Buhari’s medical trips.