Five things to know to start your Saturday

Trump’s party is eyeing a third term.

A Republican U.S. House of Representatives member, Andy Ogles from Tennessee, introduced a resolution to change the U.S. Constitution. The proposed amendment would allow President Donald Trump – and potentially future presidents – to serve a third term in office.

Ogles argued that Trump “has proven himself to be the only figure in modern history capable of reversing our nation’s decay and restoring America to greatness.” The proposed amendment would specifically modify current presidential term limits, which currently restrict presidents to two consecutive four-year terms.

The resolution’s language is uniquely crafted to apply primarily to Trump. It would allow a president to be elected to office three times, rather than the current two-term limit. Importantly, this would not apply equally to other recent former presidents.

The proposed constitutional amendment reads: “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than three times, nor be elected to any additional term after being elected to two consecutive terms.”

Hegseth narrowly won confirmation to become US defence secretary.

Pete Hegseth has been confirmed as the next U.S. defence secretary in a highly controversial vote that narrowly passed. The Senate vote ended in a 50-50 tie, with Vice President JD Vance ultimately breaking the deadlock. Three Republicans joined all Democrats and independents in opposing Hegseth’s nomination.

A former Fox News personality and military veteran, Hegseth will lead the Pentagon amid significant controversy. His confirmation came after a challenging review process that raised serious questions about his qualifications, leadership style, and views on women serving in combat roles.

Hegseth has promised to implement major changes at the Department of Defense. Even so, he will begin his term under intense scrutiny because of the divided nature of his confirmation and the concerns raised during the nomination process.

NERC said DisCos’ remittances dropped by N156bn

Electricity distribution companies in Nigeria have fallen behind on their financial obligations, with mandatory remittances dropping by N156 billion during the first nine months of 2024. Data from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) reveals the details of this shortfall.

These financial remittances represent the cumulative invoices that distribution companies owe for transmission and administrative services. In the first quarter of 2024, the total upstream invoice payable by these companies was N114.12 billion.

Despite the total invoice, the power firms collectively paid only 110.62 billion naira. Of this amount, N65.52 billion went to the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET), and N45.10 billion went to the Market Operator. This left an outstanding balance of N3.50 billion unpaid.

Read Also: TCN restores power to Abuja residents after tower relocation

Telcos’ operating costs surged by over 50%

Telecommunication companies in Nigeria experienced a dramatic 50.92 per cent increase in operating costs during 2023. Rising inflation and the continued depreciation of the naira drove this surge.

According to the Nigerian Communications Commission’s Year-End Performance Report, operating costs jumped from ₦2.09 trillion in 2022 to ₦3.16 trillion in 2023.

However, despite these mounting financial pressures, the telecommunications sector also saw a substantial revenue increase. The companies’ revenues grew by 37.54 per cent, rising from ₦3.86 trillion to ₦5.30 trillion. This growth was primarily fueled by increasing demand for voice and data services. Also, the report detailed that domestic investment reached ₦990.55 billion, with operating costs at ₦3.16 trillion and total revenue hitting ₦5.30 trillion as of December 2023.

Trump is deploying military force to crackdown on migrants

President Donald Trump is transforming the US immigration policy with a dramatic approach. His administration has begun publicly showcasing immigration enforcement in ways that were previously kept quiet, releasing photos and videos of migrants being transported on military C-17 planes typically used for troop movement.

The approach goes far beyond media spectacle. Trump has significantly expanded the powers of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and border patrol. Federal agents now have broader immigration-enforcement capabilities, including the ability to make arrests in locations that were previously considered off-limits, such as churches and schools.

Also, the administration has been regularly detailing arrests of alleged criminals and publishing statistics about detentions. Additionally, those seeking asylum – both outside and inside the United States – now face considerably more challenging application processes and restrictions.