Author: The Nation

Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah and the special counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Aloy Ejimakor, have pleaded with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to facilitate the release of the detainee.

While the governor stated this while addressing reporters at the Presidential Villa yesterday in Abuja after a meeting with President Tinubu, the lawyer made his plea in a tweet on Wednesday.

Mbah premised his plea on the promise the President made during his inauguration that he would engender national healing and serve with compassion.

Read Also : Enugu Governor meets Tinubu, seeks Kanu’s release

The governor expressed the hope that President Tinubu would give a favorable consideration to his request to ensure that the self-acclaimed IPOB leader regains his freedom as soon as possible.

“Finally, we also talked about the release of Nnamdi Kanu. You know that the Southeast has made a collective demand to have Nnamdi Kanu released. And we basically identified with that and request Mr. President, who, in his inaugural address, promised the people that he’s going to engender national healing and he’s going to serve with compassion.

“So, we’ve basically informed him that this would serve as a pointer to his administration’s extension of hands of fellowship to the Ndigbo,” he said.

Ejimakor appealed to President Tinubu to prevail on the Department of State Services (DSS) to allow Kanu seek independent medical care.

The lawyer, who made the appeal in a post via his verified Twitter handle, said Kanu needed urgent medical care, particularly for his ear.

“Dear President Tinubu. Few days ago, I passionately urged you to release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. You haven’t.

“Today, I respectfully urge you to direct the DSS to immediately permit Mazi Nnamdi Kanu the freewill to seek independent medical care, particularly for the ear surgery he needs as of now,” he wrote.

The lawyer, in an earlier tweet, claimed he had gone “through so much trouble to advance the cause of arranging proper medical care” for the detained IPOB leader, but that the DSS did not allow that to happen.

He attached a copy of a letter to the tweet.

The letter, dated June 6 and addressed to the director general of the DSS, was in response to a medical report of Kanu, believed to have been made by the DSS medical unit.

• Reporters, others to mark 30th anniversary of June 12 Day in U.S

The Federal Government has declared Monday, June 12, as public holiday in commemoration of this year’s Democracy Day celebration.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, Dr. Oluwatoyin Akinlade, made the announcement in a statement she issued on behalf of the Federal Government.

She congratulated all Nigerians on the occasion.

Read Also : BREAKING: FG declares Monday June 12 public holiday

The permanent secretary said Nigeria’s democratic journey has, like in many other climes, encountered stormy and smooth sails.

“But the ship of state, its institutions, and most importantly, the Nigerian people, have remained steadfast on the tenets of democratic governance.

“On this memorable occasion, therefore, Nigerians and friends of Nigeria are invited to appreciate the progress that has been made, celebrate the milestones covered and look forward to a better future for the country’s democracy.

“The permanent secretary wishes all Nigerians a Happy Democracy Day celebration,” the statement said.

Also, the first-ever International June 12 Democracy Day will hold in the United States (U.S.A.) on Monday to mark the 30th anniversary of the presidential election won by the late Bashorun M. K. O. Abiola.

Organisers of the event are: the New Americans magazine and the New American Community Information Centre, in collaboration with the National Association of Political Correspondents (NAPOC), which comprises reporters who covered the election annulled by military leader, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida.

NAPOC has published a book, titled: Nigeria’s Aaborted Third Republic and the June 12 Debacle: Reporters’ Accounts, which details members’ experience while covering Babangida’s convoluted transition programme between 1985 and 1993.

The annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election threw the country into an impasse which was finally broken in 1999 with the return of democratic rule.

In 2018, immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari declared June 12 Democracy Day and awarded Abiola the highest national honour of Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (GCFR), which is the exclusive preserve of presidents.

In a statement, New Americans Magazine publisher Deba Uwadiae said the event would hold at the Columbus Metropolitan Library, Karl Road branch, from 5 p.m to 7 p.m.

“The inaugural International June 12 Nigeria Democracy Day will feature Ohio elected officials sharing about community and opportunity to serve as elected officials in their state, accounts by those who witnessed the June 12, 1993 elections in Nigeria and discussions on responsible and accountable democratic values in Africa.

“We look forward to sharing Nigeria’s experience in the aborted Third Republic with the international community and hope to learn as well on how we can ensure that Nigeria’s Fourth Republic grows to become an acceptable democratic standard worthy of emulation,” Uwadiae said.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has demanded immediate transfer of the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal in Ogun and Nasarawa Election Tribunals to Abuja for safety and guarantee of justice.

The party made the demand at a media briefing addressed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Debo Ologunagba, yesterday in Abuja.

Ologunagba condemned attacks on PDP members at election petitions tribunal premises in Ogun, Nasarawa, Kaduna states.

The party’s spokesman alleged that there were plots to sustain the attacks with the intention to instill fear in the Judiciary to derail the cause of justice.

“This justifies PDP’s demand for live coverage of the tribunal proceeding as party members would have been watching at home instead of going to the premises,” he said.

Ologunagba said the PDP was not taking its eyes off the fact that the process of the 2023 presidential election was still ongoing at the Presidential Election Petitions Court and other election petitions tribunals across the country.

Read Also: JUST IN: Tinubu meets PDP G-5 members

The party’s spokesman accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of plots to derail the cause of justice in the various election petition tribunals across the country.

“INEC’s objection to its evidence in court is to frustrate the court and derail the cause of justice,” he said, adding that any document certified by INEC could be tendered at the bar.

On the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly slated for June 13, Ologunagba said the PDP would deploy its number maximally to elect the leaders of the assembly.

The spokesman noted that opposition parties were the majority and that they would unite to elect the Speaker of the House of Representatives and President of the Senate from among themselves.

He said: “It is instructive to note that the opposition parties, put together, will form a strong majority in the National Assembly, and we are very mindful of that.

“The PDP leadership is working together with our members-elect and other opposition parties in the two chambers.

“Irrespective of the ongoing claims in the media, I want to inform you that the PDP has a clear direction which we hold close to our chest.

“Our members are united in that direction and it will show on the floor of both chambers of the National Assembly next Tuesday.

“In all, we do not discountenance the fact that the opposition parties have the majority in the National Assembly which we are ready to deploy maximally.”

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday signed an amendment to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Fifth Amendment) (Number 37), 2023, his first signing of a law as the President.

A statement by the State House Director of Information, Abiodun Oladunjoye, said President Tinubu signed the Constitution Amendment into law in exercising the powers vested in him under the 1999 Constitution.

With the signing of the Constitutional Amendment Bill, the retirement age and pensions rights of judicial officers have been effectively brought into uniformity and other related matters.

Read Also: EFCC lacks constitutional powers to probe Zamfara accounts, court declares

The statement said: “President Tinubu signed into law the ‘Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) (No. 37), 2023’ presented by the outgoing Ninth National Assembly.”

Signing the amendment Bill into law, President Tinubu pledged his administration’s dedication to strengthening the Judiciary, ensuring the rule of law, and empowering judicial officers to execute their responsibilities effectively.

With the new law, the retirement age of all judges has been pegged at 70.

The Olugbon of Orile-Igbon in Oyo State, Oba Francis Alao, has advised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to restructure the nation’s security architecture and choose an expert in counter-terrorism as his National Security Adviser (NSA).

Oba Alao said the next NSA should be an expert with vast experience in counter-terrorism and a player in the international security space.

In a statement, the monarch, who is also the Deputy Chairman of Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs, noted that terrorism has bedeviled the nation to the extent that it can no longer afford to lose its citizens, including security personnel.

The statement reads: “My advice to the President on choosing the National Security Adviser (NSA) is that the Mr. President should appoint someone with security intelligence skill and professionalism, either with military or DSS or NIA background.

“Aside the traditional function of coordinating national security and reporting directly to the President on all matters of security, the Office of the NSA is the clearing house for all matters related to counter-terrorism.

“Nigeria is bedeviled by all forms of security challenges. As far as terrorism is concerned, Al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb has operations in Nigeria; so are ISWAP, Boko Haram, and other smaller cells of other terrorist groups. These are run by the military. We cannot afford to waste any more time in bringing our insecurity under control and checking terrorist activities.

Read Also: Tinubu greets ex-NSA Gusau at 80

“We need competent hands in this area – multi-layered stakeholder engagements in this sphere – will be key. International collaboration will be essential. We must have people who have been active in this space, internationally, so that we can lean on their expertise and contacts to get our security under control.”

Oba Alao urged the President to give priority to competence and capacity but also ensure ethnic and religious balance in appointment of security chiefs in his administration.

“Mr. President needs to balance religion and ethnicity along with competence.

The Buhari administration appointed over 80 per cent of Muslims and Nigerians of northern origin to manage the security architecture. For balancing, I do not see the reason why President Tinubu should not appoint more people from the southern part of Nigeria into top security positions for purpose of justice, equity and unity,” the Olugbon said.

To run an effective and responsive administration, Oba Alao also advised the President a few people, popularly called the “cabal”, from capturing the machinery of governance.

To address Nigerians’ concerns, the Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA) has called for a transparent implementation of the subsidy palliatives being planned by the Federal Government.

Organised Labour, led by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), on Monday, agreed to suspend their planned strike as they continue negotiations with the government on subsidy removal.

Executive Director, CTA, Faith Nwadishi in a statement in Abuja, asked the Federal Government and organised labour to ensure that the best interests of Nigerians are prioritised as they negotiate the removal of subsidy on petrol.

CTA boss also proposed some approaches that she said will contribute to addressing the immediate challenges posed by fuel price hikes caused by the recent announcement of the removal of subsidy on petrol by the Federal Government.

Read Also: Kano govt, NLC partner on civil service welfare

She said: “This plan should outline clear timelines, responsibilities, and performance indicators to ensure accountability and progress monitoring. Transparency and appropriate broad-based stakeholder consultations in the execution of the planned measures are crucial to maintaining public trust and ensuring the effective delivery of benefits to Nigerians.”

Nwadishi said while the resolutions reached between government and labour demonstrated positive steps towards addressing subsidy-related issues, it was of the opinion that these resolutions are very long-termed and so emphasise the importance of further actions to better serve the immediate interests of Nigerians.

She said the immediate reduction in PMS Price to cushion citizens’ pain as June 30 approaches were one of such short-term measures to consider.

She added: “The need for an immediate reduction in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to reflect the proposed date of subsidy removal, which is set for the 30th of June 2023. This reduction is crucial to alleviate the sudden financial burden on citizens while the palliative plan is implemented immediately.

“As the government and stakeholders work towards the successful implementation of the proposed palliatives, it is essential to take into consideration the immediate concerns of Nigerians who have been affected by the recent fuel price hike. Lowering the PMS price in anticipation of the subsidy removal will provide immediate relief to citizens, ensuring that their pains are cushioned during this transitional period.”

Nwadishi also urged the Federal Government, TUC, and NLC to clarify the specific timeframe for the utilisation of the World Bank loan of $800M, adding that this would ensure that the funds are allocated and utilised effectively for projects with high impacts, such as infrastructure development, job creation, and economic diversification.

“Alternative Palliatives to Cash Transfers: In addition to reviewing the cash transfer scheme, the CTA recommends exploring alternative palliative measures that have an immediate and impactful effect on the lives of Nigerians. These may include subsidised transportation fares, targeted support for vulnerable populations, and the provision of essential commodities at affordable prices,”she added.