Ex-President Obasanjo Slams N70,000 Minimum Wage, Accuses Labour Leaders of Betrayal

Ex-President Obasanjo slams N70,000 minimum wage, accuses Labour Leaders of betrayal. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has condemned the newly approved ₦70,000 minimum wage, arguing that it is insufficient to meet workers’ basic needs such as transportation, food, and housing.

In his newly released book, Nigeria: Past and Future, Obasanjo criticized labour leaders for prioritizing personal gains over workers’ welfare.

He accused some of using their positions as a stepping stone for political ambitions, leading to weak and compromised representation.

He also alleged that government officials openly admitted to bribing labour leaders to silence agitation, stating that such actions further oppress and demoralize workers.

Ex-President Obasanjo

Obasanjo proposed a five-year ban on labour leaders transitioning into politics after leaving office to prevent conflicts of interest.

President Bola Tinubu signed the ₦70,000 minimum wage into law on July 29, 2024, following negotiations that reduced labour’s initial demand of ₦250,000 per month.

Previously, the minimum wage stood at ₦33,000, enacted by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.

NCDC Reports Decline In Lassa Fever Cases In Nigeria

NCDC reports decline in Lassa fever cases in Nigeria. Public health experts have called for more proactive measures to address gaps in early detection.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported a decline in new confirmed Lassa fever cases in its Epidemiological Week 9 2025 report.

The NCDC via its official website on Sunday, said that the fatality rate remained alarmingly high at 18.7 per cent, with 100 deaths recorded so far in 2025.

According to the Lassa Fever Situation Report released by the agency, 29 new cases were confirmed across nine states, a drop from 54 cases recorded in the previous week (Week 8).

It said that the affected states included Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, Taraba, Ebonyi, Plateau, Cross River, Nasarawa, and Enugu.
The NCDC highlighted that 72 per cent of all confirmed cases were reported from just three states—Ondo 31 per cent, Bauchi 24 per cent, and Edo 17 per cent.

It said that these states continued to bear the brunt of the outbreak, raising concerns over the effectiveness of ongoing containment efforts.
Furthermore, it noted that one new healthcare worker was infected in Week 9, bringing the total number of affected health workers in 2025 to 17.

“This underscores the urgent need for better protective measures, adequate supply of personal protective equipment (PPEs), and enhanced infection prevention protocols in hospitals,” it said.
The NCDC outlined several challenges impacting the response to the outbreak, including: “Late presentation of cases, leading to high fatality rates”.

“Poor health-seeking behaviour, attributed to the high cost of Lassa fever treatment and management.
“Poor environmental sanitation conditions in high-burden communities and low awareness about Lassa fever symptoms and preventive measures”.

In response to the outbreak, it said that the National Rapid Response Team (NRRT) had been deployed to Gombe, Nasarawa, and Benue states to provide technical support.

Additionally, the NCDC said it had intensified risk communication efforts and conducted training for healthcare workers in Bauchi, Ebonyi, and Benue states.

The agency said it was also collaborating with international partners such as WHO, MSF Geneva, and Georgetown Global Health Nigeria to improve case management and enhance surveillance.

Comparative data from the NCDC showed that while the number of confirmed cases in 2025 (535 cases as of Week 9) is lower than in 2024 (682 cases during the same period), the fatality rate remains nearly the same (18.7% vs. 18.8%).

“The NCDC continues to advise Nigerians to: “avoid contact with rodents and their droppings, store food properly to prevent contamination, and seek medical attention immediately if they experience symptoms such as fever, headache, sore throat, and unexplained bleeding,” it reported.

Meanwhile, public health experts said this called for more proactive measures to address gaps in early detection, treatment affordability, and public awareness to reduce mortality rates in future outbreaks.

They urged state governments, donor agencies, and community leaders to intensify awareness campaigns and improve healthcare infrastructure in Lassa fever hotspots.

As Nigeria battles this recurrent public health challenge, experts emphasised the need for long-term investments in disease surveillance, public health education, and improved access to treatment to curb future outbreaks.

Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic disease caused by the Lassa virus, primarily spread through contact with food or household items contaminated by the urine, faeces, or saliva of infected rodents.

Lassa Fever

Human-to-human transmission can also occur, particularly in healthcare settings, with inadequate infection prevention and control (IPC) measures.

Nigeria records Lassa fever cases year-round, with peak transmission occurring between October and May.

The high burden of the disease is linked to widespread rodent infestations, poor sanitation, and a lack of awareness in many communities.

Efforts to combat Lassa fever in the country include: surveillance and early detection, case management, and public health awareness campaigns.

In spite of these efforts, Lassa fever remains a significant public health challenge, with high mortality rates and the potential for international spread, as seen in the recent report.

Sanusi Stays As Emir, Kano Government Reacts To Court Ruling

Sanusi stays as Emir, Kano Government reacts to court ruling. Kano State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Haruna Isa Dederi, has clarified that the recent ruling by the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, does not invalidate the reinstatement of Muhammadu Sanusi II as the 16th Emir of Kano.

He made the clarification while speaking to journalists on Friday, Dederi said that the Court of Appeal had already affirmed the Kano State Government’s authority to reinstate Sanusi in a landmark ruling on January 10, 2025.

He stated that it is impossible for the same court to overturn its own decision, adding that only the Supreme Court has the power to do so.

His statement came in response to Friday’s ruling by the Court of Appeal on an application for a stay of execution filed by Alhaji Aminu Baba Dan Agundi, a kingmaker loyal to the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero. The appeal seeks to suspend the implementation of the ruling until the Supreme Court delivers its judgment.

Dederi explained that the Court of Appeal’s ruling simply maintains the current status quo until the Supreme Court decides on the matter. He stressed that the January 10 judgment remains valid and has not been quashed.

“The Appeal Court today, after hearing their application for a stay of execution, ruled that the status quo should rather be maintained as it is now, until after the judgment of the Supreme Court. The have filed an appeal at the Supreme Court.

“It doesn’t mean that the judgment delivered on January 10, 2025, has been quashed. That judgment is still standing and still in place and subsisting.

The Court of Appeal cannot reverse its own decision. It is not possible. It is only a supreme Court that has the power to set aside the judgment given by a lower court,” Dederi stated.

Sanusi II was originally dethroned as Emir of Kano on March 9, 2020, by the administration of former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje. His removal was attributed to alleged insubordination and conflicts with the state government.

Following his dethronement, he was banished to Nasarawa State. However, in May 2024, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf repealed the Kano State Emirate Council Law 2019, which had split the Kano Emirate into five smaller emirates. This paved the way for Sanusi’s reinstatement as the sole Emir of Kano, reversing the previous administration’s decision.

Sanusi Stays As Emir

It will be recalled that on January 10, 2025, a three-member panel of the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, led by Justice Mohammad Mustapha, nullified an earlier ruling by the Federal High Court in Kano, which had invalidated the Kano State Government’s actions under the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law 2024. This ruling upheld Sanusi Lamido Sanusi’s reappointment as Emir.

However, Dan Agundi challenged the verdict at the Supreme Court and also sought a stay of execution to delay its enforcement until the apex court delivers its final ruling.