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Gaming rights: CSO, lotto operators protest, demand justice for 22 companies

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A Civil Society Organisation on the platform of Conduct and Due Process Group (CDPG) in collaboration with some retail Lottery Operators have staged a protest at the premises of Federal High Court 7, in Ikoyi to demand justice for 22 lotto companies being sued by Western Lotto Nigeria Limited over their alleged infringement of proprietary gaming rights.

The protesters which on MondayJuly 20th began the protest and continued on Tuesday July 21st, over what they described as bias in the handling of a lawsuit filed by Western Lotto Limited, said they will not relent until justice is served.

Chanting solidarity songs, including “We no go gree oh, we want justice, we no go gree”, they marched around the court’s premises demanding justice on behalf of the 3rd to 25th defendants in the suit.

In the case being handled by Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, Western Lotto Limited sued 23 rival lottery firms over alleged infringement on its licence on “Ghana games.”

In a Motion on Notice brought pursuant to Section 6(6) of the 1999 Constitution, the 3rd defendant, Premier Lotto Ltd, is specifically seeking three reliefs, including “An order asking the court to decline jurisdiction to entertain, adopt or otherwise give effect to the Terms of Settlement executed between the Plaintiff, Western Lotto Ltd and the 1st Defendant, National Lottery Regulatory Commission.”

One of the defendants is Premier Lotto Limited, popularly known as Baba Ijebu Gaming Limited, which belongs to Chief Keshington Adebutu.

Western Lotto Limited belongs to businessman and politician, Senator Buruji Kashamu.

In Dec. 2019, Justice Aneke had granted an order authorising Western Lotto to enter into and search the offices of the defendants for evidence of the alleged infringement on its licence.

But in a statement made available to newsmen by the protesters’ spokesperson, Adeniran Raymond, said Conduct and Due Process Group in alliance with retail lotto operators will continue to occupy Federal High Court 7, Ikoyi until justice is served.

“Upon realizing that there was an impending conflict of interest which could lead to the impediment of justice we quickly wadded in and occupied the court to air our fears and demand for justice. The case was slated to be heard in court on the 20th of July, 2020 by Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, however, the protest lead to the adjournment of the case until Tuesday 21st of July, 2020 at 11:30.

We are unrelenting and we have strong believe that Justice Aneke will ensure that justice is served. If allowed Western Lotto would suffocate and oppress lotto companies. This would affect even the retail lottery operator who are already struggling to survive.

“It is unfair business practice to allow a company stifle the competition until there is none. That is tantamount to anti-competitive practice and it will not be tolerated.

“For those who do not understand, what the Kashamu owned Western Lotto is trying to do is equal to blocking all mobile telephone service providers from offering 4G services to its customers.

“It is an unfair business practice for competing companies and the impact and consequences would be unprecedented. For this reason, we shall be staging a second part of our peaceful protest at the Federal High Court 7, being presided on by Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke and we shall demand for justice,” Raymond stated.

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CBN Approves Merger of Unity and Providus Banks

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The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Tuesday announced the approval for a pivotal financial accommodation to support the proposed merger between Unity Bank Plc and the Providus Bank Limited.

The Apex Bank, in a statement by its acting Director of Corporate Communications, Hakama Sidi-Ali, said the move is designed to bolster the stability of the nation’s financial system and avert potential systemic risks.

“The merger is contingent upon the financial support from the CBN. The fund will be instrumental in addressing Unity Bank’s total obligations to the Central Bank and other stakeholders,” the statement read.

“It is unequivocal to state that the CBN’s action is under the provisions of Section 42 (2) of the CBN Act, 2007. This arrangement is crucial for the financial health and operational stability of the post-merger organisation.

“It is important to emphasise that no Nigerian bank currently faces a precarious situation comparable to that of Heritage Bank, which was recently liquidated.”

The CBN said it remains committed to safeguarding depositors’ interests and ensuring the smooth functioning of the banking sector through proactive measures and strategic interventions.

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Fuel Importers Will Frustrate Dangote Refinery — Obasanjo 

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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has stated that those benefiting from fuel importation will do all within their powers to frustrate the progress made by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Nigeria.

Obasanjo stated this in an interview with the Financial Times where he described the Dangote refinery as a project that should encourage both Nigerians and non-Nigerians.

“Aliko’s investment in a refinery, if it goes well, should encourage both Nigerians and non-Nigerians to invest in Nigeria.

“If those who are selling or supplying refined products for Nigeria feel that they will lose the lucrative opportunity, they will also make every effort to get him frustrated,” he stated.

The former Nigerian leader shared his opinion on the heels of recent allegations by the President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, that some government and non-government officials were trying to frustrate the $20bn refinery.

It’d be recalled that Officials of the Dangote Group recently cried out that international oil companies were frustrating the refinery by refusing to sell crude or by selling to them at a premium up to $4 above the normal price.

The outcry prompted the Federal Executive Council’s directive to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to sell crude oil to Dangote Refinery and other local refineries in the Nigerian currency – naira against United States’ dollars.

The refinery also accused the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) of deliberately granting licenses to individuals to import dirty fuel.

In its response, the regulator denied this, alleging that Dangote diesel was inferior when compared to the imported ones.

The NMDPRA’s Chief Executive, Farouk Ahmed then declared that the country would not stop fuel importation to avoid a monopoly by the Dangote Group.

Dangote Refinery commenced operations at the facility located in Lagos last December with 350,000 barrels a day.

The refinery hopes to achieve its full capacity of 650,000 barrels per day by the end of the year.

It has however commenced the supply of diesel and aviation fuel to marketers in the country, while petrol supply is expected to commence in August amid regulatory resistance.

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Port Harcourt Refinery to Resume Operations in December, Tinubu Assures Labour Leaders

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*We”Ll Take Decision On Suspension Of Strike At NEC Meeting Today-Ajaero

President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday night, assured the leaders of the organised labour that the Port Harcourt refinery will commence operations by December 2023.

The organised labour revealed this in a statement on Wednesday night.

The labour centers also noted that the president made a series of promises following which they agreed to return to the negotiations table.

The national presidents of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero and Trade Union Congress, Festus Osifo in the statement also hailed Nigerians for supporting the nationwide protest.

Tinubu with labour leaders


“It is pertinent to inform Nigerians that the extent of the success of the protest is underlined by the request of the President of the federal republic of Nigeria; Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu to meet with the leadership of the NLC and TUC in a closed-door session.

“The engagement was fruitful that immense mileage was obtained with regards to the issues that bogged down the work of the Presidential Committee on Subsidy removal and necessitated the protest viz; He committed to an immediate restructuring of the framework for engagement in line with the input of the Labour leaders.

“He let out a certainty that the Port Harcourt Refinery will commence production by December this year. He pledged to ensure that Agreement is reached on the Wage Award for Nigerian workers immediately.

“He promised to unveil a workable roadmap to the CNG alternative next week. On the strength of the president’s pledge and commitment, we have decided to return to a new and reinvigorated dialogue process to allow for full implementation.

“Once again, we thank Nigerians while we wait for the Government to fulfill its own part of the understanding as agreed with His Excellency; the President.”

Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the brief meeting with the President, the President of the NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, said they deepened their discussions with the President on palliatives for workers.

He disclosed that the President explained certain things hitherto not in his nationwide broadcast to them at the meeting.

On whether the President urged them to call off the strike, Ajaero said no one person could do that disclosing however that the National Executive Council (NEC) of the NLC would meet today (Thursday) to decide on the next line.of action.

He said, “We met with him (President Tinubu). The issues we discussed are the same issues that led to the protest today.

“He has expressed his position, made some commitments, which were taken side-by-side with what the Senate said, and we’re taking it back to the office with our colleagues to review it and release a document on our next line of action.”

Asked whether the commitments were different from the one he did during the broadcast, Ajaero, flanked by the TUC President, Comrade Festus Osifo said, “We have gone deeper into them. The broadcast has broader issues, but there are one or two things that need immediate attention.”

Further asked whether the organised labour will call off the peaceful protest, he said, “No one person can call it off. That’s why I said we’ll have to go back to the office. So that they will look at it, the Exco looks at it before they come up. And by tomorrow, the NLC will equally have their NEC meeting, to look at the bigger picture.”

Asked whether the President told them to suspend the protest, he simply said, “The President is a pro-democracy activist. So he understands protests.”

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