 The breakfast candidate of the People's Democratic Party, Tico Aboca, has filed a petition to challenge the declaration of Ebola-tealable offing of the Congress as a winner of the 25 February 2023 presidential election. We'll look at the background and expectations of this petition. Also on the breakfast, the Central Bank of Nigeria has increased the interest rate by 50 basis points. What does this mean for Nigerians and the economy? Stay with us for more information. And of course we have our usual take and look at the stories on the front pages of today's National Dailies. We call it off the press. Stay with us. All right, it's a beautiful Thursday morning reaching your life from our studios right here on Victoria Island Lagos. My name is Kofi Bartels, you're welcome. My name is Messi Aboca and thank you for joining us this morning on the breakfast. Right, of course early advertised conversations will come your way and we can't wait to have our guests to justice to those very important topics. Well as usual, we'll start with a look at what's trending on the social space. The first one up, we have a look at protests around the country regarding the results of the governorship elections held on the 18th of March 2023. We've seen protests in Abia State, we've seen protests in Ogham State and of course the latest one to talk about is Nassarwa State where a group of women came out to protest the election result. In a show of discontent, we had a thousands, women numbering in their thousands dressed in black, took to the streets of Nassarwa to protest the declaration of Governor Abdul Lahi Suleh as winner of the March 18 governorship election and the protestors marched to the headquarters of the independent national electoral commission in Lafya, the Nassarwa state capital on Tuesday demanding that the commission reverse its earlier pronouncement and return their candidate. They alleged that the election results were manipulated by the independent national electoral commission in favor of incumbent governor with a margin of 62,000 votes separating him from his closest rival, David O'Boo, Ombugadu rather, of the People's Democratic Party. That's what they're saying. And the leader of the protestors, Honorable Stella Innocent, O'Boshi, emphasized that they will not rest until their mandate is returned to them, citing what they believe to be regularities in that election. The protest, however, was peaceful, with security personnel present to maintain order. So it's a bit different from what you saw in Oregon State where trigger happy civil defense officer, a gunshot, live fire, a live ammunition into the air in a bid to disperse the crowd. Well, it's quite unfortunate that we have this protest rocking some parts of the country as regards the outcome of the elections. But however, like I rightly mentioned, when we talked about this conversation, yes, the whether or not the people should engage in protests, I mean, engage in a protest is within, I mean, it's a tool that's been used to demand policy change, but this is an election. Results have been declared. I hear these women are not going to relent their hope to continue every day, go to the office, you know, off the, you know, the INEC office at the state level until they have an audience. But really, what can happen? Would there be a change of the figures? Will ANET just be working with this saying how our mandates have been stolen and what have you? I mean, these are real questions you need to ask. However, it was expected that, you know, within the period of elections that's been conducted, the procedure according to the electoral actors that they should be an administrative review of the result. I mean, within a certain period of seven days or thereabout, all of the complaints and challenges should have been taken into consideration and, you know, ANET should take a decision. And so, like it is now, I think that as much as we say it's fine to protest as long as you're not constituting a threat to national peace and security, but you also want to ask yourself how much of a result are you getting from the protests. So even if you say you will continue to stay at the office of INEC, it's not going to change anything. And that's a bitter truth because I don't think that INEC would begin to change the figures because of your protests. And so what are the means that you have to engage? Do you need to approach, you know, the tribunal? Is there a case that the evidence is to prove? Because that's what it is. And that's why people were bent on the fact that INEC shouldn't have gone ahead, especially when all of these complaints were being lodged at the coalition centre. If you lost it at the coalition centre, then I think that the audit term that you have is almost going to cut, you know, approaching the tribunal. But that's not something, not to say that, again, I mentioned that, not to say that it's not within the right of the people to protest, but you also need to ask several questions as to how much of a result this protest, you know, would yield. So there are other means that you can actually try to correct the wrongs if you have all of the evidence. And you know, everything is, it has to be proven by cut of competence, jurisdiction and what have you. So yes, it's OK to say this is what transpired. It's unfortunate. But the people have not relented. And I mean, I saw the videos I was thinking we could put up some of those videos where these women were actually almost half dressed. I mean, naked in its real sense. And these are older, you know, women in society. Yeah, it's quite interesting. I think the situation in Abya state, in Nogun state, in Adamawa state, and in Nogun state, we cannot add national state. What we are watching, you know, you accept people to come out and protest when they don't trust the process, you know, in football, especially with those who are national fans. We say trust the process. People don't trust the process anymore. And of course, we can't, you know, divert the fact that there might be some protesters who come out to say, you know, if I can't be lost, I'm still protesting, you know, instead of going to court. But I see it happening in different democracies around the world. They declare the best in the United Nations. This one is going to protest and say he didn't win, you know. But as long as a peaceful protest, you know, for me, it's OK. There's nothing wrong. People can protest and say we are against it. It's part of democracy. But the thing about it is in the case of Ogun state, the governorship candidate of the PDP wrote a petition to INEC, you know, asking for a recount of some pause, you know, and complaining about one of the elections results in a particular local government area. And he had no, he got no reply. And because of that, he had to go present another petition, seeking to force INEC to do what the electoral access they should do, you know. I think parties allowed, you know, another count or some sort of remedy. And he went to the INEC headquarters and said he's here to present a petition because the first one he wrote to them, he did nothing about it. And he was demanding that what happened in Nabiya state and I think you said where they suspended or cancelled some results, suspended the coalition, rather, should be done. In Nabiya state, the thugs invaded a particular, what we call it, a local government coalition center, seeking to scuttle that. It was clear that some of one of the governorship candidates was in the lead, you know, and they invaded an INEC coalition center to try and scuttle everything. And this is what they've been doing. So in the case of Nabiya state, they said they want to present the petition. And the guy felt the best way to do that, since he had no reply from INEC was to go with the crowd. And a lot of people were with him and then to demand that they accept his petition. Despite the confusion that ensued, because this trigger-happy civil defense officer fired a shot into the air. The best way he thought to disperse the crowd. At the end of the day, INEC still called the PDP candidate into the office and then they negotiated with him the discourse. When he came out, he now told his supporters to go home and remain peaceful, you know, which is... So we just hope that people will be given more confidence in the electoral process. You know, when people say, go to court, go to court, I may see the court stone deliver justice. Unfortunately, that's what people are becoming used to, that in political cases in particular, that's what I'm referring to, there are cases that give you a cost to ask if the court is co-operable commandment. And we've seen very clear instances where the electoral act has been breached. We've seen clear instances of someone else being in an election and the court giving it to another person, you know, against the perceived will of the people, you know. So that's why people would say they want to go back and put it... But we'll leave it at that and move on to the next trending story. We'll see. I think that it's not about the elections, you know. I think that Nigerian judicial issue will rise to the occasion to fix some of the anomalies you've seen. You know, in some states, they've tried to, especially incumbent governors, have tried to use the power of incomming to drag an election. So let's see. We'll see a lot of court cases. We'll see a number of governors elected, declared by an act being obtained by the court. Fingers crossed. Let's see how all of that pans out. Now, what's also trending on social media space, of course, what people are talking about on and off air, like I like to say, is the issue of the United States. The United States is demanding the prosecution of perpetrators involved in electoral violence. And so they have expressed deep concern over the act of violence, according to, you know, the reports, violent voter intimidation and suppression that took place during the last Saturday governorship and state assembly elections in Lagos, canoe and other states in Nigeria. So in a statement that was released by the public affairs section of the United States diplomatic mission in the FCD, the United States is quoted to say that the use of ethnically charged rhetorics before, during and after the governorship elections in Lagos was particularly disturbing. And according to that statement, members of the US diplomatic missions have observed that the elections in Lagos and elsewhere and witnessed some of this incident firsthand. According to them, we say that they are calling on the government of Nigeria to hold accountable and bring to justice any individual found or individuals found to have ordered or carried out efforts to intimidate voters and suppressed voting during the election process. The United States, it will also consider available actions, including additional visa restriction on individuals believed to be responsible for or complicit in undermining the democratic process in the country. However, they say that Nigeria carried out the second round of its electoral process, talking about the governorship elections and state House of Assembly elections, and they were really not impressed with that. Do you know parallel to the 18th of March elections? We also had February elections. I'm not sure if the thoughts are also the same, but these are the thoughts of the United States. And some people are raising valid question as to, well, what does this really translate to anything? Does this really, really yield any result whatsoever? Very interesting that the elections, the statement is on the US Embassy website. And it's a three or four paragraph statement. And it's quite clear. You know, the Nigerian media, we have a responsibility not to lie to Nigerians, not to insult the intelligence of Nigerians. Really, it's offensive. I'm sorry I sound a bit hard, but you know, it's at this point in time, this critical point in time, where there are a lot of freedoms. The least that the media can do is to be honest and to be truthful and to be fair. And if you read the entire statement, it's just simply saying in the thesis of it is that they observed violence and voter suppression, and they're calling on those who committed it to be held accountable. Of course, in the opening statement, they commended Nigerian political actors, religious and community leaders, youth and citizens. But this statement is just basically condemnation of the election. Now while in newspaper, some newspapers now write a headline, INEC commends. US Commence. US, sorry, US Commence, INEC. You know, it's just misleading. Misleading. I mean, look at the first paragraph. It says Nigeria carried out the second round of its electoral process with gubernatorial and state assembly elections, March 18. The United States is deeply troubled by the disturbing acts of voter intimidation and suppression that took place during those polls in Lagos, Kanu and other states. Okay, that's the first sentence. The first assessment, they wrote there, that they are deeply troubled. And this, you know, English is a very beautiful language, because there's a way you can put it for poll to do that you are, and you're worried. You know, just like how the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos yesterday put out a statement and, you know, he said, he also said something, just one sentence, we showed he was really, really worried. You know, reverend, most reverend Adiwali. But that's what it says. They said they are deeply troubled by the disturbing acts of violent voter, not just voter intimidation. Violent voter intimidation and suppression that took place during those polls in Lagos, Kanu and other states. Okay. It says, members of the U.S. Obamatic Mission observed the elections in Lagos and elsewhere and witnessed this in some of these incidents firsthand. They went out to observe and saw it with their korokoro eyes. Now, you both talk this one, no? And it says, the use of ethnically charged rhetoric before, during and after the gubernatorial election Lagos was particularly concerning. It says we commend all actors, youth citizens who have chosen to reject and speak out against such violence and inflammatory language affirming Nigeria's commitment to and respect for democratic process. And you see, the president elected yesterday put out a statement which was, you know, commented by some, but I think it's disturbing because the president elected failed to mention the word Lagos from, if I get it correct, he did not directly address the issues and people all over the place are saying they don't believe he's sincere when he says he's calling for healing because he's his foot soldiers, but he wants to commit all these acts of atrocities in Lagos. And his presidential campaign members are continuing to tell ebos in Lagos to go back that they don't belong in Lagos. They have no place in Lagos politics. Now, these are crimes. Hate speech and xenophobic comments are crimes. It's the APC government that introduced the law in Nigeria against hate speech, which some of us commended because hate speech is, it goes against all conventions, international conventions and local conventions and even moral codes and ethics known to man hate speech. So the president elected not call out the problem as it were and he's saying that he wants national language. I tell you what, a lot of people are rejecting it because they're saying that you are not sincere. And I like the, what I'm saying is I like the Americans were specific. They talked about Lagos, Canada and other states. And the particular about Lagos, the particular about Lagos and see, if you want your one piece, you have to start by addressing the situation honestly. When you address a situation honestly, then people will come out and actually say, okay, you've come out to actually call it as it is and then we believe you. Address it. We believe you. Okay. So that's that. Merci. And I think they are the last, the last paragraph is that they are also, I mean, they are also saying that they are calling on everybody who has an agreement to go through, you know, the established legal processes, which is good, you know. And but it may be, there's a caveat that they're saying that these legal processes must not be interfered with. It is so sad that even the United States of America knows that our judiciary is harbors interference. I mean, the fact that we even have to- It is so sad. They have to even tell you that the judicial process must not be interfered with. What a shame. So I hope the Nigerian judiciary, sorry, I just learned, will look at the fact that America is saying, we know that that politicians interfere with your process and then sit up and say, this time we refuse to allow ourselves to be interfered with. You know, so I mean, some of the things that you have raised as a point of, you know, as a point at to response to the question or some of the things that we're talking about, the demands of or the concerns of the United States. It would actually also lead to another conversation. So, but it's also not interesting. It's saddening and very, for the lack of words now to say, it's just really shameful that we probably have to wait on the United States. I mean, for those, is it that we really don't understand that, you know, we had all of this in the electoral process that this election was characterized by a lot? And how come we're asking for peace without justice? How can that be? Do we also need an external body as a Supreme Nation? Do we need the United States to, you know, begin to tell us that, hey, those who have truncated the process should be arrested and should be made to face the wrath of the law because the law is very explicit about some of these issues. It's not rocket science. It's not anything that just fell from the sky. These things are already there. And so that's on the one hand. Then secondly, when you talked about the issue of, you know, the president-elect asking for healing and not addressing certain issues as he should. Head on. Head on. You also want to look at the controversies or the conversations that are happening, whether or not the president-elect is in Nigeria. If it's a certain cabal who's been, I mean, we constantly talk about the cabal or a set of people, proxies who are in control, who are speaking on behalf of the president-elect. And then of course, he probably might not just be the one making this sentence or making this statement. However, it is so much. But I think that for the sake of governance and for the sake of the people, the people that we are called to, because that's the essence of governance, you are there because of the people. And the people have decided to get into a contract that they would do XYZ, pay their taxes, obey the laws. And in turn, you will protect them, license properties. You will be there for everybody, not for a certain set of people or group of persons. But we need to move away, Kofi. But just to add, you know, that you can see the difference between the Americans and the British, my friends, where the British High Commissioner, Katrina, who is also my friend as well, is said to have commended the election process and commended Nigerians. And Aisha Isufu rejected it, came out on Twitter to say, I know she's partisan anyway, Aisha, but came out to say, what are you commending? And of course, some Nigerians have also, those who feel aggrieved. I've pointed to the fact that the British Prime Minister was so quick to congratulate the president-elect, while Joe Biden has not congratulated the president-elect. In other words, for me, it's neither here nor there. But a point to note is that even the Americans are calling on Nigerian authorities to hold accountable and bring to justice any individuals found to have ordered and carried out efforts to intimidate voters and suppress voting during the election. Okay? Now, they are saying that if you, as Nigerian government, do not do this, that there, as an American government, will consider all available actions, including visa restrictions on individuals believed to be responsible or complicit, you know, undermining democratic process in Niger. See, these guys, you don't mess with them. I love them. I love, this is what you call government. You know, the gentleman who was pictured in a video telling him he was to stay at home and not come out of the wood. He has an American passport. M. C. O'Loughmore is said to be an American citizen. Okay? And then his kids are there. And you watch out, watch the Americans act. See, these guys don't mean words. You know what I'm saying? We were here dealing with Darlene with some of these... He was a joke. Yeah, he was a joke. Yeah, he was a joke. Yeah, he was a joke. Yeah, he was a joke. Yeah, he was a joke. Yeah, he was a joke. And fraudsters like Hosh Popian, when they come to Nigeria, they are hailed. The Americans said, no, we want him. We want to prosecute him. We're here dealing with Abba Kerry, right? The Super Cup. All right? The Americans said that we want him. We want to prosecute him. So let's keep joking with these things, okay? And people will never, never accept any call for re-healing because they don't feel that there's justice in the system. Okay? That's it. Let's move on to the next one very quickly. The Niger Labor Congress declaring nationwide strike, regarding the Naira's scarcity and all that. They said, told their members to pick it. All the CBN offices in the country yesterday, Wednesday, was when the Nigeria Labor Congress, which is the apex of the leading, one of the two leading labor unions in the country, declared a nationwide strike over a cash scarcity in the country. I have a new national president, Joe Agero, gave a directive during a media briefing in Abuja, also directing all the affiliate unions of the NLC to be on standby for picketing exercises across all branches of the Central Bank of Nigeria nationwide. Don't forget, before now, the NLC had issued a seven-day ultimatum to the federal government to end the petrol and cash scarcity being experienced in the country. And they've said, saying that this industrial action has become a last resort because the ultimatum that gave to the federal government had expired. Well, the question on the leaps of a lot of Nigerians is why is Agero taking the decision on what happened prior to this time? But he has stated clearly that there were other means and that has actually expired. But prior to this time, what was the Nigerian Labor Congress? Up until this moment, don't forget that the cash crunch actually started prior to a match, already a match. And so it's been like, we've been grappling with petrol scarcity from November, December, what a view. And then you get into January, the cash scarcity. I mean, there's a lot of economic downturn. The hardship is nothing to write them about. But several questions one would like to ask is, what exactly is going on? So first we said, there's been a discrepancy with the ruling of the Supreme Court. And then the directive from the Central Bank of Nigeria and the federal government or the president, even when the president had said, we needed 200 Naira to be in circulation. How much of 200 Naira did we see now? Even up until today, what date is this again? Today is the 23rd of March. And we're still talking about non-availability of cash. And so it calls for too many questions. Even the old cash. Even the old cash. I mean, it's not really available. And then you go, you want to talk about the fact that we are saying, let's go cashless. And so online transactions. I know how many persons have been frustrated, even up until this time. So several banks are planning to have outings. And I know that disgruntled customers of this bank will still go out. Of course, the civilian governor had apologized to Nigerians for the failed transaction and the issues trying to use your mobile app and what have you. But does that sorry really change anything really in its real sense? Why is the cash not available? What exactly is going on? The elections are over. So we had, if the cash was kept away because we wanted to cut the issue of vote buying, now the elections are over. What exactly is going on? What can people have access to their own money? Why don't we have seamlessness and smooth transaction via mobile apps? And what have you. People take your money, they debit you for months. I have several debits and up until this moment I have to be visiting the bank every other time like I'm a jobless person. To grapple with the crash. And I'm asking, so where exactly is this money? You take the money, you don't credit the other party. So where exactly is the money? It's I think because of the surge in users on the internet platform. That means we're not ready. You know, so we're never ready for this. Yeah, but you know, it's sad that the central bank governor who is basically meant to be manager of the macro economy, you know, and looking at macro economic policies, monetary policies, has now started talking about what do you call it, mobile apps of commercial banks, you know, because so this is what the central bank has been really used to. Well, the NLC have come out. A lot of people don't trust their motives because they've not proven over time that they are always ready to act in the interest of Nigerians. Maybe when their workers have issues and, you know, some payment of senior staff. So let's see what happens. And the Supreme Court ruling, like I said, so cops some weeks ago was neither here nor there. It won't change anything because it talked about using the old NARA side by side in Unara and never talked about availability or the amount of money in circulation. That's a technical, that's a technical thing you're raising. Yeah, which is, yeah, which is said being CBN, actually it's aim has been to mop up the cash in circulation. They've not released excess cash into the system. And it's just the mockery of the whole thing. The mockery of the whole thing is that the NARA is struggling against the U.S. dollar. It's just struggling. You know, inflation is increasing. Maybe in the next month we shall see reduction, I don't know. Right now inflation is increasing. NARA is, and they're increasing interest rates, trying everything possible. You see, someone said that the fiscal and the monetary aspects of government are going to need to work in tandem. You know, when government is spending, when government is borrowing, when government is not prudent, when people are being friglit, what's happening to me? Sorry. And you know, there is no probability accountability and control on the financial aspect of things. What you do on the monetary aspect of things may not yield results. So we're just distinguishing ourselves and trying to just move. See, this country is only surviving by the grace of God and through the hard work and perseverance of the normal Nigerians out there, not because of government policies. So let's continue. You know, when it comes to policies, forget about these guys. They have nothing to offer. Just keep doing your work, think about your family and work hard and just to survive and to make it. It just reminds me of the very street psalons, the street word they say, they play, just they play. Right now, that is what it's really, they play. They play, continue they play. Ah, they play. That's your way. You know, Nigerians are surviving and even maybe thriving in some sectors, not because of government policies, in spite of government, because government will actually put blocks. Look at this central bank of Nigeria that harassed and government that harassed the FinTech space and these crypto guys, now politicians are making campaign videos saying that if you elect them, they want to promote it in the, but when they harassed the blocked accounts, they please, see, guys, let's forget about government can't improve their life. Just try and do the best for it. I think a little bit of hope would just be there, but you see, that's why every other time, just as we coast it down, I think that, I don't think Nigerians are resilient people. Nigerians are, I used to think that every Nigerian should be on salary. Like you should just be getting some allowance just because you're a Nigerian, because in the midst of all of this, we go through, we survive, we thrive, we continue to push. We even saw that the elections, people still came out despite the pains and the challenges and everything. People still came out to cast their votes and what other energy do you need on planet Earth, rather than asking for good leadership just to provide the basic things? I admit that, yes. You know, it just breaks me that the basic things might go through. I remember the woman who gave birth at an ATM point in Podhakot. This one is not somebody I know saw it. You know, government put stumbling blocks on the roads of night. They are trying to get to this point, from this my mug here, to that your beautiful mug, okay? And government who puts a stumbling block. You jump it, go and put another one. We don't even want to go through policies. I've lost a colleague because of government policy. You see, when in other countries, government will build a bridge for you to get from here to here. So I'm saying to people, leave Central Bank alone and just try nothing. For now, for now, it's just a really a policy. You know, you have a policy and nothing is getting better. You can't even see that you've missed it. You know, today you start something, you change it the next day, bring it. I don't know. This is because of politics and we want to fight for it. Well, we need to. That's the size of it. This morning on the top trend, they would definitely, you know, return with more interesting lineup. And when we come back, as Zika and I took all things, we will be joining us for off the press. Please stay with us. Good morning.