SaharaReporters takes a look at some major events that dominated the outgoing year.
The year, 2022, will not be forgotten in a hurry by Nigerians because of a number of notable events.
Some of them were not only memorable but gathered momentum and shaped a new movement in the Nigerian polity.
SaharaReporters takes a look at some major events that dominated the outgoing year.
ASUU’S EIGHT-MONTH PROTRACTED STRIKE
2022 can be described as a year of strike for students studying in public universities in Nigeria.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on February 14 announced a strike action to press home the demand for improved funding for universities, and a review of salaries for lecturers, among other issues.
However, several meetings between ASUU and the Nigerian government ended in deadlock for over eight months.
Consequently, the Nigerian government went to National Industrial Court to challenge the strike.
On September 21, the court granted the government’s application for an interlocutory injunction to restrain ASUU from continuing with the strike pending the determination of the substantive suit.
Dissatisfied with the ruling, the union approached the Court of Appeal seeking leave to challenge the lower court’s decision. The Court of Appeal subsequently asked the parties to explore the option of an out-of-court settlement.
However, both parties agreed to proceed with the hearing after failing to reach a settlement.
Delivering a ruling at the resumed court session on October 7, the appeal court ordered the union to call off its strike.
The appellate court said ASUU should obey the order of the industrial court before seeking to appeal the judgment.
On Monday, October 17, 2022, the union resumed academic activities.
Recently, ASUU accused the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, of deception by asking the union to call off its eight-month-old strike in October with a written promise that the government would, without delay, offset in full the arrears of salaries members were owed.
KUJE PRISON ATTACK, KILLINGS BY TERRORISTS
Kuje prison in Abuja, Nigeria's capital city was attacked by Islamic State's West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters on July 5, 2022, following which hundreds of inmates were freed, including terrorists.
ISWAP terrorist group has claimed it was behind the attack and killings at the prison facility.
Some of the escapees have been recaptured while some have returned voluntarily; however, many of them are still at large.
Questions have been raised on how the terrorists were able to carry out the attack despite their proximity to some military installations in the Federal Capital Territory.
The terrorists in a video released in the night of July 6, 2022 showed how some of its members entered the Kuje prison.
The 38 seconds video showed that the terrorists shot indiscriminately before gaining access into the prison.
OWO CATHOLIC CHURCH MASSACRE IN ONDO STATE
On June 5, a mass shooting and bomb attack occurred at a Catholic church in the city of Owo in Ondo State, Nigeria.
At least 40 people were killed; the Nigeria government accused the Islamic State – West Africa Province of carrying out the attack.
The massacre was received with widespread shock from the Nigerian public.
It made headlines across the world, with Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need issuing a statement that read, “ACN denounces this outburst of violence, yet another terrorist act in Nigeria, one more on the long list of crimes against Christians. The country in general has been rocked by episodes of violence, banditry and kidnappings that, although affecting all ethnic and religious groups in the nation, have led to a long list of major attacks on the Christian community over the last few decades.
“ACN calls on all political and religious leaders in the world to firmly and explicitly condemn this terrorist attack at the St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, in southwest Nigeria, during Pentecost Sunday celebrations."
A state funeral for the victims was organized by Nigerian government on 17 June. As the funeral mass was held, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu promised to improve the security situation in the state and admitted that he bore responsibility for failing to provide security.
TINUBU DEFEATS VICE-PRESIDENT OSINBAJO, AMAECHI TO WIN APC PRIMARIES
After months of intense horse-trading among various power blocs within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu, was in June declared the winner of the presidential primary of the party.
At the presidential primary concluded in Abuja Wednesday, Tinubu polled 1,271 votes, to defeat 13 others in the race. His closest opponent was the former minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, who scored 316 votes.
Weeks before the primaries, Tinubu had while speaking in Abeokuta, Ogun State publicly claimed to have helped to secure victory for President Muhammadu Buhari, even as he boasted to have helped many political leaders in the country.
He specifically mentioned Osinbajo and the governor of the state, Dapo Abiodun, insisting that he stood by the latter when he was rejected by the then outgoing governor of the state, Ibikunle Amosun.
He said, “It is my time, I’m educated, I’m experienced. I have been serving people for a long time. Bring me the presidency, it is my turn.”
After his declaration, many analysts predicted that Tinubu’s ‘outburst’ in Ogun might jeopardise his presidential ambition, which he tagged a ‘lifelong ambition’.
But he went on to win the party’s ticket after polling 1,271 votes.
TOBI AMUSAN MAKES HISTORY, BECOMES NIGERIA’S FIRST EVER WORLD CHAMPION
In July, Tobi Amusan became the first Nigerian to claim a World Athletics Championship gold medal as she breezed to gold in the women’s 100m Hurdles event, setting a new world record in the process.
Just over an hour after she broke Kendra Harrison’s six-year-old world record with a time of 12.12 seconds in the semifinal of the women’s 100m hurdles.
The 25-year-old also became the first Nigerian to win a gold medal at the championship with a spirited display in Eugene, Oregon.
In August, she won the gold medal in the women’s 100m hurdles at the 2022 Commonwealth Games (CWG) in Birmingham.
Similarly, at the World Athletics Diamond League in June, the Nigerian defended her African championships title with a 12:57 seconds finish.
Amusan is the first and only Nigerian to be crowned African, Commonwealth, and World champion in the same year.
ATIKU FLOORS WIKE, SARAKI, OTHERS TO CLINCH PDP TICKET
In May, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar emerged as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Atiku won the primary by 371 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, who poled 237 votes, while a former President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, scored 70 votes.
Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State got 38 votes; Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, scored 20 votes; a former Senate President, Pius Anyim, got 14 votes, while a former President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Sam Ohuabunwa, polled only one vote.
Shortly before the commencement of voting at the presidential primaries of the PDP at the Moshood Abiola’s stadium, Governor Aminu Tambuwal, stood up to address the audience at the convention.
The short speech that ended with the endorsement of Atiku changed the course of the main opposition party.
With Atiku’s announcement of Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, as his running mate after the primary, Wike and four other governors have joined forces to form the G5 Governors, who are openly challenging their party.
AN INCUMBENT GOVERNOR LOSES ELECTION IN OSUN
The Osun State governorship election was another major political highlight of 2022.
The gubernatorial election took place on 16 July 2022.
Incumbent All Progressives Congress Governor Gboyega Oyetola was eligible for re-election but lost to former Senator Ademola Adeleke, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party.
The Returning Officer for the election and Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, announced that Adeleke got a total of 403,371 votes beating the incumbent, Oyetola who got 375,027 votes in a keenly contested race.
“I declare Adeleke Ademola Jackson Nurudeen, on behalf of the chairman of INEC, of the PDP, having satisfied the requirement of the law, is hereby declared the winner and he is returned elected,” he had said.
The PDP won 17 of the 30 Local Government Areas of the state, while the APC won the remaining 13. The PDP won in Ede North, Ede South, Ifelodun, Boluwaduro, Egbedore, Odo Otin, Osogbo, Ila, Atakumosa West, Olorunda, Ilesa West, Obokun, Oriade, Orolu, Ife North, Irepodun, and Ejigbo LGAs.
The APC, on the other hand, won in Boripe, Ilesa East, Ayedire, Ifedayo, Ife Central, Ayedaade, Iwo, Olaoluwa, Isokan, Atakumosa East, Irewole, Ife South, and Ife East LGAs.
Adeleke took over from Oyetola on Sunday, November 27.
APPEAL COURT AFFIRMS OMOYELE SOWORE AS SUBSTANTIVE AAC CHAIRMAN, SACKS IMPOSTOR, NZENWA
An Appeal Court sitting in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, in June affirmed that human rights activist and presidential aspirant, Omoyele Sowore, is the substantive Chairman of the African Action Congress (AAC).
Sowore had in an appeal marked CA/A/812/2019 challenged a High Court judgment delivered by Justice Inyang Ekwo declaring a Nigerian government usurper, Leonard Nzenwa, as the Acting Chairman of the party.
Before the appeal court ruling, the pro-democracy activist has been locked in a leadership dispute with some former members of the party.
But in its judgement, the appellate court faulted the decision of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which approved the suspension and eventual sack of Mr Sowore as the AAC’s national chairman.
The appeal court held that the judge, Inyang Ekwo, lacked the jurisdiction to have done so, as the matter was an internal affair of a political party.
In 2019, Justice Ekwo in his judgement held that Sowore, who was the presidential flag-bearer of the AAC, was properly suspended by the National Executive Committee of the party.
The appeal court nullified the judgement and affirmed Sowore as the national chairman as against a factional leader of the party, Leonard Nzenwa.
CENTRAL BANK’S POLICY OF REDESIGNED NAIRA NOTES
On November 23, President Muhammadu Buhari unveiled the redesigned naira notes, N1000, N500, and N200.
Earlier in October, Godwin Emefiele, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), announced the plan to redesign the Naira.
The reasons for this redesign, the CBN informed, are to improve the security features in the larger denominations, and curtail counterfeiting and hoarding of the currency.
Data made available by the bank indicates that 85 per cent of banknotes in circulation are outside the vaults of commercial banks. It is also true that the country has a counterfeiting problem.
The CBN’s 2020 Currency Report indicates that a total of 67,265 pieces of counterfeit notes with a nominal value of N56.83 million were confiscated in 2020, a 20.80% decrease in volume and 12.18% decrease in value, compared with 84,934 pieces valued at N64.71 million in 2019.
The global standard for the number of counterfeits per million is 100. The ratio of counterfeit notes to the volume of banknotes in circulation in Nigeria was 13 pieces per million in 2020, compared to 20 pieces per million banknotes in 2019.
However, despite Emefiele’s explanation, a lot of agitations greeted the announcement with many arguing that the redesign of the currency notes and the limited period given for its implementation may bring the country’s economy to its knees.
POLICEMAN KILLED LAGOS PREGNANT LAWYER ON CHRISTMAS DAY
On December 25, a female lawyer, Omobolanle Raheem was shot dead by an Assistant Superintendent of Police, Drambi Vandi.
Raheem, who was pregnant at the time of her death, was shot in the Ajah area of Lagos state.
The 41-year-old woman was rushed to a hospital, where she was confirmed dead.
Vandi, who was attached to the Ajiwe Police Station, Ajah, Lagos State, was said to have spent 33 years in the police force.
It was gathered that the deceased, a graduate of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, recently moved from litigation practice to property law.
She was the Chief Executive Officer of Croston Homes and co-founder, City Building, a real estate and property development company.
However, the killing of Raheem is one of the many incidents of police brutality and extrajudicial killings that were recorded across the country in 2022.
On December 07, a 31-year-old man identified as Gafaru Buraimoh of Land Estate, Ajah was shot dead by a police officer attached to same Ajah Divisional Police station.
Buraimoh was hit by a stray bullet at about 10:00 pm while was coming out of SkyMall.