Today Headlines:ECOWAS May No Longer Exist If It Fails To Restore Dem To Niger–Expert, Falana sues CBN, says floating of naira ‘illegal’

ECOWAS may no longer exist if it fails to restore democracy to Niger – Experts

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Academics and stakeholders have warned that the Economic Community of West African States may cease to exist as a body if it fails to restore democratic rule in the Republic of Niger.

This is as they drummed support for the decision of ECOWAS to explore military options in its effort to displace the junta that seized power in Niger.

The speakers took turns to make the submissions on Friday at a symposium organised by the Department of History and International Relations of Lagos State University.

Speaking on the theme: “Coup D’etat in Niger Republic: National, Regional and Global Ramifications”, they explained that it was time for the sub-regional body to put a stop to what may become a trend of military junta in West Africa.

A lecturer in the department, Dr Olawale Lawal, said the military option is better, while adding that the military of the ECOWAS member states is up to the task.

He added that the situation in Niger is the first classic example of what ECOWAS wants to use its newly formed joint army for.

“We all have international organisations and in building them, there are diplomatic tools and that is when you have the military option. All of them are engaged in diplomatic relations. They talk when they have issues. That is why they have conventions, protocols and declarations. But once you run counter to some of these conventions, there will be a communication of intentions and your failure to abide by some of the conventions will result in the use of military practice yet diplomatic.

Falana sues CBN, says floating of naira ‘illegal’

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Human rights lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, has slammed the floating of the naira by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Falana also disclosed that he is challenging the decision to float the naira in court, noting that it is ‘illegal’.

On June 14, when the naira was trading at a range of 730 to 755 against the dollar at the Investors and Exporters window, the CBN allegedly instructed Deposit Money Banks to allow the naira to float freely against international currencies. Currently, according to the CBN website, the exchange rate is listed as N744 to N746.

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However, speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, on Friday, Falana argued that according to the CBN Act, the central bank is obligated to set the exchange rate.

We Are Here To Shape Our Tomorrow Today — Tinubu

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said his administration will leverage digital technology to create Nigeria’s desired socio-economic progress that is necessary to transform society.

He stated this while receiving in audience a delegation from Google (West Africa) led by its Director, Olumide Balogun, at the State House, Abuja.

The president, who said his administration was determined to use education and technology to improve the lives of its citizens, added that education was central to uplifting Nigerians.

Current pension scheme parasitic, unattractive, says NLC

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The Nigeria Labour Congress, on Thursday, declared that the pension system in the country had failed to address the fears of Nigerian workers.

In buttressing its claim, the NLC revealed that the inefficiencies in the system recently made the police to lobby the labour congress to speak for the exit of policemen from the country’s pension scheme.

The NLC President, Joe Ajaero, disclosed this in Abuja at the pension industry roundtable, which had the theme, ‘Strategic Dialogue to Enhance Private Sector Participation in Pension Scheme.’

The roundtable was organised by the National Policy Advocacy Centre of the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, in collaboration with the National Pension Commission.

ECOWAS begins ‘activation’ of standby force in Niger Republic

Photo Credit: The Cable

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) says it has begun the activation of its standby force in Niger Republic to restore constitutional order.

ECOWAS said this after a meeting of the bloc’s defence chiefs in Accra, Ghana’s capital city, on Wednesday.

Although the defence chiefs had backed the calls for dialogue as a mediation tactic in Niger, the group said all elements that would go into any military intervention had been worked out and were being refined.

This included the timing, resources needed and how, where and when to deploy such force.

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