The Presidency, on Tuesday, criticised the nationwide strike of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) as “unwarranted”, arguing it is an attempt to blackmail the government.

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement, expressed dismay that the strike proceeded, despite a restriction order by the National Industrial Court.

“This decision by the NLC and TUC other than being an ego tripping move is clearly unwarranted. It is an attempt to blackmail the government by the leadership of the NLC,” the statement said.

“We are still at a loss as to why the NLC and TUC decided to punish a whole country of over 200million people over a personal matter involving the NLC President, Mr. Joe Ajaero, whose error of judgment led to assault on him in Owerri while he was planning to incite the workers in Imo State into a needless strike.”

See the full statement below:

STATE HOUSE PRESS STATEMENT

NLC/TUC STRIKE ACTION NOT IN NATIONAL INTEREST

We notice with dismay the decision by the Nigerian Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress to call out workers to commence a strike action from midnight, despite a restraining order issued last week by Justice Benedict Backwash Kanyip of the National Industrial Court.

This decision by the NLC and TUC other than being an ego tripping move is clearly unwarranted. It is an attempt to blackmail the government by the leadership of the NLC.

We are still at a loss as to why the NLC and TUC decided to punish a whole country of over 200million people over a personal matter involving the NLC President, Mr. Joe Ajaero, whose error of judgment led to assault on him in Owerri while he was planning to incite the workers in Imo State into a needless strike.

While the Federal government does not condone any form of violence and assault on any citizen of Nigeria regardless of his or her social and economic status, it is on record that the Inspector General of Police has ordered investigation into what happened to Mr. Ajaero while the Commissioner of Police in Imo State under whose watch the incident happened has been transferred out of the state.

Calling out workers on a national strike over a personal issue of a labour leader despite a clear court order against any industrial action amounts to an abuse of privilege. Power at any level should never be used to settle personal scores. Rather, it should be used to promote collective progress and advance national interest.

Our national economy and social activities should not suffer because of the personal interest of any labour leader.

This flagrant disobedience to court order and lack of respect for the judiciary should not be what the organised Labour would champion.

The labour movement has always been a champion of rule of law and respect for the judiciary. It is a sad irony that the current labour leaders have shown disdain and utter disregard for court order.

We reiterate that this strike action is illegal, immoral, unjustifiable and irresponsible. What the strike notice issued Monday night after official hours suggests is it’s designed for a sinister and hidden agenda to cause undue hardship and cause civil disturbance in our country. This is unacceptable.

Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy

November 13, 2023

… scoops ‘Best MSME Bank Of The Year’ prize also

Polaris Bank shone brightest over the weekend as its bespoke home-grown digital bank, VULTe won for the third time, Nigeria’s ‘Best Digital Bank of the Year’ prize at the prestigious BusinessDAY’s Banks And Other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards.

Polaris Bank also scooped ‘Best MSME Bank of the Year’ award at the same event.

VULTe, is a digital banking platform designed to enable customers to consummate every banking transactions – from account opening, through requesting for certain categories of loans – to generating bank statements. It also connects the customer to discover lifestyle trends and social events. It is an all-in-one solution that is created to offer the most convenience for customers and built to provide solutions to everyday challenges of accessing financial services and more.

In the last 12 months, VULTe which hitherto caters more to individual customers, now has enhanced capabilities to render seamless self-services to SMEs, High Net worth, and retail customers. The over 40million MSME operators in Nigeria could now use Vulte to access collateral-free loans for personal and business purposes; where eligible entrepreneurs and SME operators could apply and get up to N20million in a space of 5 minutes without visiting the Bank in person.

While presenting the Best Digital Bank award to Polaris Bank, BAFI Awards organisers disclosed that the awards selection/review committee voted Polaris Bank’s VULTe the winner having outperformed its industry peers, across eight metrics for consideration.

The metrics include; strength of strategy for attracting and gaining digital customers, accelerated user engagement, success in getting clients to use digital offerings, growth of digital customers, and platform security.

Other metrics are the breadth of product offerings for retail and corporate clients, evidence of tangible benefits gained from digital initiatives and web/mobile site design, intuitiveness and functionality.

At the same BAFI Awards,Polaris Bank was declared ‘MSME Bank of the Year’ making it a back-to-back win for the Bank (haven won same award in 2022) in what the organisers described as the Bank’s expansive impact on MSME operators across Nigeria.

In the last Nine Months, Polaris Bank had committed billions in loans to expand operations of MSME operating in Nigeria.

Polaris Bank had in May 2022 launched a N1billion fund for MSMEs in partnership with Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) in what the Bank explained was aimed at providing the much-needed funding to create wealth and empower entrepreneurs and players within the MSME space in Nigeria, starting with Lagos.

Prior to the launch of the N1billion MSME Fund, Polaris Bank had committed, and indeed, continued to provide multibillion financing to MSME operators across sectors, health inclusive among other incentives, like moratorium on facilities granted to cushion businesses following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on businesses.

Receiving the award on behalf of the Bank, Dele Adeyinka, Retail & Digital Banking Divisional Head, while expressing the Bank’s appreciation to BusinessDay for the recognition, dedicated the
awards to the Bank’s customers and stakeholders for making VULTe what it is today and promised that “Polaris Bank will continue to impact MSME digitally through innovative banking products, affordable finance and creative services that add significant value for the greater good of all stakeholders’.

Polaris Bank is digital-forward Bank dedicated to forging a customer-focused future through innovative partnerships that reshape both businesses and communities.

*Photo Caption:*
L-R: Nduneche Ezurike, Group Head, Brand Mngt & Corporate Communication; Bukola Oluyadi, Group Head, Customer Xperience & Value Mngt; Dele Adeyinka, Divisional Head, Retail & Digital Banking; Frank Aigbogun, BusinessDay Publisher; Rasheed Bolarinwa, Head, Corporate Communication; Peter Daniel, Head, Digital Bank & Anthony Aina, Business Analyst, Corporate Banking at the prestigious BusinessDay BAFI Awards Ceremony in Lagos on Saturday where Polaris Bank was adjudged ‘Digital Bank of the Year’ & ‘MSME Bank of the Year 2023’. Photo: Polaris Bank

I welcome the verdict of the Justice John I. Okoro-led Panel of the Supreme Court on the Presidential Election petitions filed by the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party and the Labour Party, challenging the ruling of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.

The court has done justice to all issues put up for consideration in the petitions on the merits of the law, without fear or favour.

There is no doubt, with the profound judgment of today, that our electoral jurisprudence and constitutional democracy are further consolidated and embedded more indelibly in our national identity because of the diligence and undaunted professionalism of the Honourable Justices who presided over the matter.

While the verdict of today has laid to rest the agitating discourse over who truly won the 2023 Presidential election and met the constitutional requirements as laid out by law, I want to reiterate that my faith in our nation’s judiciary has never been shaken, not even for a moment, because I know that our hallowed courts of law will not fail to administer justice to all Nigerians in all matters and at all times. Despite the fusillade of pressure and attempts at intimidation by some political actors, the judiciary demonstrated its unequivocal commitment to upholding the rule of law for the upliftment and defense of humanity.

It was affirmed once more today, that my party, the governing All Progressives’ Congress, had freely and fairly won the popular mandate of Nigerians, which has since given rise to my leadership of this great nation at a tumultuous period of unprecedented reforms in our history as a nation.

With deep gratitude to God Almighty, I solemnly and humbly accept today’s judicial victory with an intense sense of responsibility and a burning desire to meet the great challenges confronting our people.

The victory of today has further energised and strengthened my commitment to continue to serve all Nigerians of all political persuasions, tribes, and faiths, with honour and total respect for the diverse opinions and uniting values of our citizens.

Our Renewed Hope agenda for a greater and prosperous Nigeria has further gained momentum and I will continue to work from morning to night, every single day, to build a country that meets our collective yearnings and aspirations.

We are all members of one household, and this moment demands that we continue to work and build our country together. The strength of our diversity and the great citizenship that binds us must now compel us forward in directing the energy of our people towards building a virile, stronger, united, and more prosperous country.

In the days and months ahead, I trust that the spirit of patriotism will be elevated into supporting our administration to improve the living conditions of Nigerians. I am prepared to welcome the contributions of all Nigerians to foster and strengthen our collective progress.

I send my immense gratitude to all Nigerians for the mandate to serve our country. I promise again to meet and exceed your expectations in service delivery and good governance, working with my team and trusting in the grace of God.

May God continue to bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Bola Ahmed Tinubu

President and Commander-in-Chief, Federal Republic of Nigeria

October 26, 2023