News
Tanker drivers’ strike won’t affect our operations, says Major marketers
By Francesca Hangeior
Members of the Major Energies Marketers of Nigeria said it would be illegal to negotiate and fix the cost of lifting fuel with members of the National Association of Transport Owners.
Reports had it that the tanker drivers on Monday parked their trucks, refusing to lift fuel over high cost of operations.
The NARTO President, Yusuf Othman, had in a letter to truck drivers who are members of other unions and associations, said NARTO had made several efforts to secure negotiations for appropriate and commensurate freight rates for its operations from all authorities concerned in the industry, especially the major marketers, without any positive result.
However, the major marketers said the decision of NARTO to stop transporting fuel may not have much effect on its members, some of whom now have separate transporters.
The Executive Secretary of the MEMAN, Clement Isong, said the association does not have the power to negotiate the cost of transporting fuel, adding that the law does not permit that.
Isong stated that members of MEMAN have negotiated the cost of lifting products with transporters of choice, saying that is what the law allowed.
Reacting to the claim that NARTO had tried to negotiate with MEMAN, he replied: “That is not exactly true, the law does not permit us, NARTO and MEMAN, to negotiate transport rates.
“All my members negotiated with all their transporters and arrived at different rates based on their strength and capacity. That is what the Petroleum Industry Act wants; it wants us to compete. So, in a world in which my transporters have found a way of transporting at a lower cost, for example by using CNG as their fuel, I have an advantage over the other marketer, because my transporter is cheaper, that’s what the law envisages. It envisages competition to bring down prices.
“If what I demand from my transporter are brand new trucks of certain category, then I should expect I will not pay the same thing with a marketer who doesn’t demand brand new trucks from his transporters. It just depends on your business model. We are all competing in the market.”
Isong added, “We are not expected to sit down with NARTO to negotiate and agree prices. If we do that, we’ve broken the law. My members have negotiated with their transporters and have agreed with their transporters.
“In fact, some of my members even own their own trucks. They don’t need to negotiate. They run their own transport. that’s what competition does”.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has affirmed the November 14 judgment by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, restraining the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from proceeding with its November 15–16 national convention in Ibadan without giving former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, the opportunity to participate as a chairmanship candidate.
In a unanimous judgment, a three-member panel held that the PDP’s convention, held in defiance of a valid subsisting Federal High Court order, was contemptuous and showed disrespect to the court.
The court noted that it was undisputed that the PDP conducted the convention despite an existing order directing it to allow Lamido’s participation.
It rejected the party’s argument that it acted in compliance with a judgment from another court of coordinate jurisdiction, emphasizing that “it is not for any party in a case to decide which order to obey or ignore.”
The court stated that the PDP should have either applied for a stay of execution of the judgment or filed an appeal against it before proceeding.
Condemning the party’s contemptuous conduct, the appellate court held that the trial court acted correctly in assuming jurisdiction over Lamido’s case and granting the reliefs he sought.
The court dismissed the PDP’s appeal for lacking merit and awarded N2 million in costs against the party.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Finally, Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal has defected from PDP to ruling APC.
The announcement was made by his Deputy, Mani Malam Mumuni today in Gusau.
Lawal is reportedly in Saudi Arabia.
Details shortly…
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which on October 31, 2025 restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from recognizing the outcome of the 2025 National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
The National Convention was conducted between November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.
Delivering judgment in an appeal against the Federal High Court decision, Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam held that PDP violated Constitutional provisions required before such convention can become valid.
Among others, Justice Onyemenam said no valid convention notice was served on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC as required by law.
The appellate Court also held that valid congresses were not held in more than 14 states as provideded by law before 2025 convention was put in place.
Justice Onyemenam held that the case of the aggrieved PDP members who instituted the case against the party was not an internal affairs of the party as erroneously held but the desire to force INEC to comply with its statutory functions in relation to party conventions.
Having failed to comply with the relevant laws, the Court of Appeal held that the Federal High Court was right in assuming jurisdiction and granting restraining order against INEC from accepting or recognising the outcome of the PDP 2025 national convention.
“Non compliance with the 1999 Constitution, Electoral Act 2022 and party Constitution and Guidelines are at the hearts of democratic governance and compliance must be strictly enforced in the interest of democracy”
Justice James Omotosho had on October 31, 2025 issued the order that restrained INEC from recognizing the outcome of the Ibadan convention until all provisions of the laws are complied with.
The judge predicated the decision on the grounds that the PDP failed to comply with relevant conditions and laws for the conduct of such conventions.
The judge had held that evidence provided by the electoral umpire and some of the aggrieved PDP members showed that congresses were not held in some states of the federation in breach of the law.
In addition, the lower court had also held that the signing of notices and correspondence of the PDP by its National Chairman without the National Secretary violated the law and consequently made such notices and correspondences a nullity.
Besides, Justice Omotosho held that the PDP failed to issue the mandatory 21 days notice of meetings and congresses to enable INEC carry out its mandatory duty of monitoring such meetings and congresses.
Justice Omotosho held that the failure of the PDP to comply with the law has put the then planned convention in jeopardy, and subsequently advised the PDP to do the necessary before going ahead with the election.
He therefore restrained INEC from receiving, publishing or recognizing the outcome of the convention slated for Ibadan, until the law has been complied with.
Three aggrieved members of the party who instituted the case are Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP chairman), Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia PDP chairman) and Turnah Alabh George (PDP Secretary, South-South).
The suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025 was instituted on their behalf by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN, Joseph Daudu.
The plaintiffs had asked the court to stop the planned November 15 and 16, 2025 National Convention of PDP, scheduled for Ibadan in Oyo State, where new national officers are expected to be elected.
The nine defendants are Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), PDP, Samuel Anyanwu, National Secretary of the party, Umar Baturrle, National Organizing Secretary of the party, NWC and NEC of the party, Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum, Ali Odefa and Emmanuel Ogidi.
Appeal Court affirms judgement against PDP over Lamido’s Ibadan convention exclusion
BREAKING! Finally, Zamfara gov, Lawal defects from PDP to APC
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