Angola has now emerged the topmost crude oil producer in Africa, upstaging Nigeria as the latter’s output level hits a new low.

The direct communication data in the April 2023 monthly oil market report (MOMR) of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) shows that Angola recorded 1.06 million barrels per day (mbpd) crude production in April 2023.

Despite initial optimism, Nigeria’s oil output dropped 23 per cent, month-on-month, MoM, to 999,999 barrels per day, bpd, in April 2023, from 1.3 million bpd in the preceding month of March 2023.

Also, on year-on-year, YoY, Nigeria’s output level indicated a drop of 16.7 per cent to 999,999 bpd in April 2023, from 1.2 million bpd recorded in the corresponding period of 2022.

After a steady decline to about 1.1 mbpd in the second half of 2022, due majorly, to oil theft, Nigeria’s oil output began to recover after a nationwide outcry in the fourth quarter of 2022 hovering at 1.3 million bpd in the first quarter of 2023.

At less than 1.0mbpd, this is the lowest production rate Nigeria has recorded in the year 2023 while Angola’s output shows steady increases.

The OPEC figure is close to that of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the regulatory authority in Nigeria’s petroleum industry, which shows that Nigeria produced 998,602 barrels per day during the period.

The OPEC report further stated that total OPEC-13 crude oil production averaged 28.60 million barrels per day in April 2023, lower by 191,000 barrels per day, month-on-month. Overall, the report showed that crude oil output increased mainly in Saudi Arabia, Angola and Iran, while production in Iraq and Nigeria declined.

OPEC noted in the MOMR that Nigeria’s economy faced challenges in gaining momentum in the first quarter of 2023, with business activity and consumer spending remaining subdued, in addition to high input-cost inflation and lower employment levels compared with 2022.

Source: All Africa

As legal tussles continue over the declaration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Nigeria’s President-elect, some residents of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, have asked the Abuja Federal High Court to extend President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure and stop Tinubu’s inauguration over failure to secure 25 per cent votes in the nation’s capital.

In a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/578/2023, the plaintiffs applied for an order, restraining “the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, other judicial officer and any authority from swearing in any candidate as President or Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, until it is judicially determined in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution that such candidate has fulfilled the requirement of Section 134(2) (b) of the Constitution.”

According to the suit, “the plaintiffs and other FCT residents have a legal interest and constitutional rights to be heard on the question of whether a President elect must secure at least 25 per cent of votes cast, on the first ballot, in the FCT, Abuja.

“Among other prayers, FCT residents want the court to extend the tenure of President Buhari until the controversies surrounding his successor in the 2023 general election is determined.

“A declaration that no state of the country is at the same time the FCT for any purpose whatsoever, including, in particular, under section 134 (2) (b) of the Constitution.

“A declaration that no candidate in the February 25th presidential election may validly be declared elected President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria without obtaining at least 25% of the votes cast in the FCT, Abuja.

“A declaration that following the February 25 presidential election and until a successor is determined in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and sworn in, the term of office of his Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, GCON, as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria subsists and endures in accordance with the provisions of section 135 (1) (a) of the Constitution.”

Also, “An order setting aside any declaration and issuance of a Certificate of Return to any candidate in the February 25 presidential election in the country as having been elected, save and except it is judicially determined with finality that such candidate fulfilled the conditions stated in section 134(2) (b) of the Nigeria Constitution.”

The CJN and Attorney General of the Federation were cited in the suit as 1st and 2nd defendants.

Source: Daily Post

The National Headquarters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has on Thursday set aside the suspension of Senator Barnabas Gemade, Prof Terhemba Shija, and five other members of APC by the Benue State Executive Committee of the party.

The National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Felix Morka, who made this known in a statement said: “The Party has directed that the said suspension and all related actions in the matter be, and are hereby, set aside pending further review and decision of the Party’s National Working Committee (NWC) on the matter.

“Therefore, Senator Gemade, Professor Shija, and five others that are affected by the said suspension are, and remain, bonafide members of the Benue State Chapter of our Party.”

It can be recalled that Sen. Gemade and Shija contested the governorship position but were defeated by Fr. Hyacinth Alia, who went on to win the general elections. The duo dragged Fr. Alia to court, up to the Supreme Court, before the case was dismissed.

Their suspension came following a resolution reached at an expanded meeting of the party, tagged “Critical Expanded Exco meeting” held at the State APC secretariat, Makurdi on Wednesday.

Speaking at the occasion, the state party Chairman, Comrade Austin Agada observed that activities of the duo during the just concluded governorship election were against the interest of the APC.

Agada who also noted that Gemade and Shija also lost their various polling stations said that apart from taking the party to court, the two aspirants also worked to ensure that the APC lost at the polls.

Agada observed that “Gemade lost his polling unit, ward and LGA to the opposition, while Shija dragged the party and its governorship candidate (Alia) to the apex court and also colluded with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against the APC.”

The APC chairman further alleged that Shija was still in court and was working hand in hand with PDP to have Alia’s victory at the last general election quashed at the tribunal. “Chief Barnabas Gemade refused to go with the Constitution of the party. That he lost his ward and the entire Konshisha local government area is most appalling, whereas Hon. Shija frustrated the party and worked in connivance with the PDP.”

There on the floor of the congress, Agada put the question on whether Gemade and Shija should be suspended or not, to which they answered in the affirmative. The APC chairman therefore declared that, “Gemade and Shija are suspended and thereby, referred to the party’s fact-finding committee to advance reasons why they should not be expelled from the party.”

Meanwhile, the Chairman of APC in Konshisha Mr. Matthew Mark, passed a vote of confidence in the state party chairman, Austin Agada for leading the APC to victory and for his humane disposition and hard work.