Category: Lead

• Ag. chairman summons LP lawyers, demands briefing on Obi’s election petitions

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama, has dismissed the objection raised by the suspended chairmen of the Labour Party (LP), Julius Abure and three other national officials of the party against a suit seeking their sack over alleged forgery and corrupt practices.

Justice Hamza Muazu, in a ruling on Friday held that his court has jurisdiction to hear and determine suit filed by some aggrieved members of the party.

The ruling was on the preliminary objection filed by Abure, and the suspended National Secretary, Alhaji Farouk Ibrahim. Justice Muazu faulted the argument by Abure and Ibrahim that the subject matter of the suit was within the realm of the internal affairs of the party on which no court could adjudicate. The judge held that it was no longer the law that the court could not adjudicate on issues relating to party’s internal affairs.

The judge noted that had the party been at peace with itself, there would not have been any need for the court to interfere in its affairs. “When there is no crack on the wall, there will not be need for an outsider to come mend it,” he said. Justice Muazu held that plaintiffs’ case was justiciable contrary to the argument by lawyer to Abure and Ibrahim, Alex Ejesieme (SAN), adding that the plaintiffs were right to have instituted the case via an originating summons.

Following the April 5 ex-parte injunction made by Justice Muazu, stopping Abure, the National Secretary of the party, Alhaji Umar Farouk and two other national officials, Ejesieme had on April 20 argued that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter. The senior advocate had submitted that the matter before the court bordered on the internal affairs of the Labour Party, adding that criminal allegations made by the plaintiffs in the case, could not be ventilated in an origination summon.

He added that the eight plaintiffs that brought the case before the court were not members of the National Executive Council of the party and as such lacked the locus standi to institute the case. “Our contention is very clear that those criminal allegations cannot be ventilated in an origination summon. The issue of locus standi is there. When you referred to LP’s constitution, the claimants are not members of NEC or the party. They have a duty to present their membership cards to the court which they didn’t,” the counsel argued.

While objecting to the preliminary objection raised by the counsel for Abure and Farouk, counsel for the plaintiffs, George Ibrahim, urged the court to dismiss same. According to him, the first to fourth defendants had yet to obey the April 5 order of the court as they were still parading themselves as national officers of the LP. With the ruling of the court on having jurisdiction to hear the case, its order of April 5 subsists. The judge adjourned until May 19 to hear the substantive case.

The eight plaintiffs in the case are Martins Esikpali John; Lucky Shaibu; Isah Zekeri; Omogbai Frank; Abokhaiu Aliu; Ayohkaire Lateef; John Elomah and Dr Ayobami Arabambi,. They had in an ex-parte motion, marked M/7082/2023, sought the removal of Abure and the three other national officers of the party. They informed the court, through their counsel, Ogwu Onoja (SAN), that Abure and the three other national officials allegedly forged several documents of the FCT High Court, including receipts, seal and affidavits, to carry out unlawful substitutions in the last general election.

Onoja argued that following their indictment by police investigation, the four people are to be arraigned in court, adding that warrants for their arrest have already been obtained. The judge was of the view that, being members of the LP, the plaintiffs have the locus standi to file the suit before the court.

Reacting to the court’s ruling in interview with journalists, the acting National Chairman of Labour Party, Alhaji Bashir Apapa, said that justice had taken its natural course, saying that the judge acted in line with true justice.

According to him, “with this ruling, there is no doubt that I am in charge. As of today, I am the acting National Chairman of Labour Party. Apapa subsequently directed all the party’s lawyers handling its election petition before the presidential election petition court, to within 48 hours come and brief him on the processes so far. “I want to invite all the lawyers representing Labor party to come and give me updates within the next 48hrs because I am fully in-charge now,” Apapa said.

Meanwhile, in his reaction to the ruling, Abure expressed optimism of getting justice in the Court of Appeal. “I am ready to go for an appeal. We will be submitting our notice of appeal to the court and we will move all the matter from that court and take it to the court of Appeal. I believe that I will get justice in the Court of Appeal. I believe that Labour Party will get justice in the court of Appeal,’ Abure said.

• Says rancorous National Assembly will hurt Nigeria

• VP-elect pledges to reach out to aggrieved Speaker aspirants in meeting with Abbas, Kalu, others

The choice of former Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio as the All Progressives Congress (APC) official candidate for the position of Senate President in the 10th National Assembly is for the purpose of faith balancing and in Nigeria’s best interest, Vice President-elect Kashim Shettima said yesterday.

Shettima said the nation and the party could not afford a situation where the first four citizens belong to the same faith.

The Vice President elect spoke as returning members of the party  in the House of Representatives rally  in support  of the APC  choice of the pair of Tajudeen Abass and Benjamin Kalu as  Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House.

Receiving members of the Joint Task 10th Assembly, a multi-partisan forum for Members-elect of the 10th House of Representatives and the main campaign machinery of Abass in Abuja yesterday, Shettima said the APC should not be seen to be lending credence to insinuations of an agenda to Islamise the country.

Nigeria’s stability, he stressed, was more paramount than any political consideration.

He addressed Abbas as “by God’s grace our Speaker in waiting” and Kalu, “our Deputy Speaker in waiting.”

He said the APC would continue to reach out to those aggrieved by the party’s recent anointing of candidates for the positions of Senate President, Deputy Senate President, House of Reps Speaker and Deputy Speaker.

He said: “I will take it upon myself to reach out to the other contenders. Rt Hon Betara is my brother. We are from the same sub-region; we are from the same state and I have the best relationship with him. I met him two nights ago. I will sustain that.

“Around 1pm today (Friday), I met with Rt. Hon. Ahmed Wase, the Deputy Speaker. We will continue with the engagements so we can have a rancor-free assembly.”

 He also advocated a harmonious relationship between the incoming executive and the legislative arm, saying:”When Obasanjo lost grip of the National Assembly, his first tenure of was a failure. President Buhari could do little in his first term because of rancorous relationship between the executive and the legislature.

“What was accomplished in the last four years was because of the harmonious relationship between the executive and legislature.

“President Goodluck Jonathan lost grip of the National Assembly when Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal emerged as the Speaker and that rancorous relationship culminated in his defeat in 2015 general election. Mariam Onuoha is my friend. I will reach out to her.

“What we are trying to avoid is a situation whereby the number one citizen, number two citizen, the number three citizen, the number four citizen are all of the same faith. That will validate the negative narrative of Islamization of Nigeria.

“That is why my principal, a fair minded individual, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu insisted the number three citizen must come from the South/South (Christian). The stability of the nation is more important than any other consideration. We are talking about inclusivity.”

 He advised Abass and Kalu to carry other political parties along in the appointment  of committee chairmen if they emerged Presiding Officers of the House.

 Abass expressed gratitude to the president-elect and the Vice President-elect for their support and pledged that under their leadership, there would  be a harmonious relationship between the two sides for the progress of the country.

Also speaking, Kalu thanked the APC, Tinubu and Shetimma for rewarding the South/East despite the abysmal performance of the party in the zone during the last election.

His words:”In your magnanimity you decided to show that cohesion was necessary for nation building. But this time, irrespective of the votes that come from the South East, you considered cohesion and gave us deputy speaker, we are grateful.

“Here we have over 153 members, some of whom are outside, who are in support of the decision that the party has taken, because this is the decision that will give every part of the nation a sense of belonging.”

 Ranking APC members united behind party choices – Sources

Party sources told The Nation yesterday that returning members of APC in the House of Representatives are strongly united in their support for Abass and Kalu ahead of the June inauguration of the 10th National Assembly.

It was gathered that the ranking legislators are prepared to use their experiences in partisan politics and National Assembly matters to guide the new members-elect in the discharge of their duties as party-men and lawmakers.

Speaking on speculations that aspirants dissatisfied with the zoning arrangement of the party are winning many members-elect to their sides, a three term legislator from the southern part of the country said the situation was not as bad as people were portraying it.

He expressed confidence Abass and Kalu would emerge as Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively of the 10th House of Representatives.

The source said: “The party’s decision was taken after serious considerations. I want to tell you that no matter the choice they make, some people will complain. That is expected.

“But for anyone to say the candidates put forward by our party will not win, forget it.

“I can assure you that based on the realities on ground as at today, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abass from Kaduna and Benjamin Kalu from Abia will emerge as Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively of the 10th House of Representatives.

“This is because those of us who are returning members are solidly united in our support for the choices of Speaker and Deputy Speaker made by the party ahead of the June inauguration of the 10th National Assembly.

“We have asked questions and we are satisfied with the explanations we got. I speak of APC ranking members as a caucus. Yes, we have a few people disagreeing, but please, show me the members following them. Apart from the aspirants, which APC member-elect is with them? That is how you will understand what I am saying.

“We are politicians and we know our duties to our party. We have been meeting the new members elect and we are doing the needful.

“The party has also, through the necessary induction programmes, done more than enough to prepare the new lawmakers for what they will face in times like this and it is helping them to know where to stand on inauguration day. There is no way they will go against the party. The incumbent Speaker has also shown the seed of party loyalty into them. Just wait and see the end of these matters.”

It is my turn to be Speaker, Wase declares

 The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Ahmed Idris Wase, who is pressing ahead with his ambition to succeed Femi Gbajabiamila as Speaker, said yesterday that his time has come.

“In a nutshell, I would tell this congregation and Nigerians that I would use my words and the words of my leader, emi lo kan, emi lo kan, emi lo kan.” he said at his formal declaration for the race.

The event was attended by his fellow aspirants to the same position including Hon Mukhtar Betara; Hon Aminu Jaji, Hon Sada Soli, Hon Princess Mariam Onouha and Yusuf Gagdi. The House leader, Hon Alhassan Ado-Doguwa was however absent at the event.

They are all opposed to the APC official candidate, Tajudeen Abass.

Wase said the large number of aspirants for the position of Speaker was a “positive development in the dispensation of democratic governance.”

He described every one of them as capable of leading the House. 

He said he wanted to be Speaker because the North Central where he comes from is the only geo-political zone “that has not produced the Speaker in 24 years after the return of democracy to Nigeria in 1999.” 

Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, Hon Muktar Betara Aliyu, said there was no problem with having a consensus candidate but it must be done with the agreement of everyone. 

He said the six aspirants were eventually going to agree to support one person for the position.

“It is only one person God will choose to be the Speaker of the 10th Assembly. I assure all my colleagues and members-elect and former colleagues, we are not going to have any issues. We are going to agree to support one of us as Speaker,” he said.

Nothing will stop Betara  – Campaign  DG

Director General of the Betara Campaign Organisation, Dickson Tarkighir, told The Nation in Abuja that nothing would stop the Borno State born Rep from contesting the Speakership because he has  the number to win.

 “We are going ahead with the contest because we have the number and that is what matters in the National Assembly,” Tarkighir said.

Asked if the aggrieved candidates were considering the consensus option, he said:  “If ever the idea of consensus comes up, I can assure you that Betara will be the one at the top of the ticket.

 “Everybody knows that he has the number and the acceptability across party line. So, if the coalition wants to win or defeat anybody the other side will put up, they will put Betara up.”

• Presidency denies knowledge of Buhari’s approval of leave

The financial sector was yesterday gripped by confusion  following  a social media report  that President Muhammadu Buhari had granted Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele study leave.

Sahara Reporters had claimed in a report that the ‘study leave’ was to provide an opportunity  for Emefiele to flee the country before the May 29 assumption of office by President-elect Bola Tinubu.

But the Presidency and CBN sources denied any study leave  approval.

Responding to queries on the topic, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, in a short message said: “If the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, has been granted study leave, supposedly, by President Muhammadu Buhari, this is unknown to us.

“It is also unknown to the President’s Secretariat, headed by the Chief of Staff.”

A CBN source that was also contacted on the matter issued a similar denial.

However,another Presidency source informed  The Nation that there was an application from Mr.Emefiele seeking approval for study leave overseas.

But the source was unsure if the President gave approval.

“I heard the CBN Governor applied to the President for study leave, but I don’t know if the President has granted the application,” the source said.

People familiar with  the CBN Governor’s work environment told The Nation that he  had confided in some of his aides that he intends to serve out his second term as the apex bank’s chief.

Emefiele was in Lagos on Tuesday for  the third biannual non-oil export summit  in Lagos with  the theme: “RT200: Challenges and Prospects to Success” during which he tipped the non-oil sector as critical for Nigeria’s economic growth.

He said that for Nigeria, developing the non-oil export sector is absolutely an imperative, given that this holds vast potential for generating a significant amount of foreign exchange earnings.

He said the summit provided a platform to deliberate on how to accelerate the value and volume of Nigeria’s non-oil exports and ensure that proceeds therefrom are utilised most optimally for the benefit of our economy.

He said that in some countries, the period of repatriation ranges from less than six months from exportation of the product and could result in prosecution if proceeds are not repatriated on time.

Emefiele said the CBN in collaboration with the Bankers’ Committee identified the RT200 programme and export promotion in general as a critical tool for attaining sustainable and stable external balance and safeguarding the value of our local currency.

He explained that any  nation that  consumes more than it produces or   imports more than it exports will  fail as there will be no meaningful development. 

Emefiele was appointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2014 and appointed for  a second term by Buhari in 2019.

The current deal runs till June 2024.

Sahara Reporters  said the  Department of State Services  which attempted to arrest and detain Emefiele in the past over certain allegations against him “ kicked against the study leave reportedly granted to Emefiele as it means he will flee the country before May 29 when another government comes in.”

States should brace up for the responsibility of feeding inmates in Correctional facilities from January 2024, the Federal Government said on Friday.

The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola who announced this in Owerri, Imo state capital, said States should take maximum advantage of the constitutional amendment to improve the conditions of inmates in their domains.

He said the step would help to further decongest the custodial facilities, which harbour state offenders who make up more than 90 percent of the total number of inmates nationwide.

Aregbesola also reiterated the need for a comprehensive review of the nation’s criminal justice system in a bid to addressing the alarming figure of inmates who are awaiting trial and languishing in jail.

The Minister spoke at the commissioning of the Command Headquarters of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) in Owerri.

Aregbesola, in a statement by his media aide, Sola Fasure, said the Buhari-led administration has done a lot in making the reformation process at Custodial Centres impactful through increased budgetary provision as well as the upgrade of old and construction of new infrastructure at the facilities.

“One big challenge we have at Corrections is congestion, especially at the urban centres where the population density is high and human relations are more complex, leading to higher crime rate and the need to keep some people behind bars. But we are addressing this challenge with the construction of six mega custodial centres in the six geopolitical zones of the country. The ones in Kano and Abuja are ready and with regular funding, the remaining will be completed.

“It is also hoped that State Governments will take advantage of the constitution amendment recently signed by President Muhammadu Buhari which makes corrections a concurrent affair. It is on record that more than 90 per cent of inmates in our facilities are state offenders. It is important therefore that State Governments begin to invest in corrections,” the Minister said.

. “Furthermore, by January 1, 2024, the Federal Government will stop feeding state inmates kept in federal facilities. State governments must now start budgeting for feeding their inmates in federal facilities while we wait for them to build their own facilities,” Aregbesola explained.

Vice President-Elect, Senator Kashim Shettima, has explained the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the President-Elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu insisted on having a Christian as the Senate President to avoid a situation where the first four citizens will be from the same faith.

Shettima said if that is allowed to happen, it will give credence to insinuations of an agenda to Islamise the country, saying the stability of the country was more paramount than any political consideration.

Speaking when members of the Joint Task 10th Assembly led the APC Speaker designate and his deputy on a visit at his private office, Shettima said the Nigerians will be the losers if there is rancourous 10th National Assembly as it will affect the relationship between the Executive and the Legislature.

According to him, the loss of the 2015 Presidential election by former President Goodluck Jonathan was due to the emergence of Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal as Speaker in 2011, saying that led to a fragile relationship between the legislature and the executive.

He said a stain in the relationship between the legislature and executive will deny Nigerians dividends of democracy.

Since the endorsement of Tajudeen Abbas and Benjamin Kalu as Speaker and Deputy Speaker by the APC, there has been protest by other candidates who argued that the zoning arrangement did not put into consideration the principle of equity, fairness and justice.

The APC announced Abass and Kalu for the position of House speaker and Deputy as well as Godswill Akpabio (Akwa/Ibom) and Barau Jibrin (Kano) for Senate president and Deputy by Bola Tinubu.

Several of the candidates for Speaker and Senate President took their protest to the party national secretariat.

While the APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu assured them that the party will go back to the drawing board, Shettima said he was already reaching out to the aggrieved aspirants with a view to having a common ground.

According to him: “I will take it upon myself to reach out to the other contenders. Rt Hon Betara is my brother. We are from the same subregion, we are from the same state and I have the best relationship with him. I met him too nights ago, I will sustain that.

“Around 1pm today (Friday), I met with Rt Hon. Ahmed Wase, the Deputy Speaker. We will continue with the engagements so we can have a rancour free Assembly.

“When Obasanjo lost grip of the National Assembly, his first tenure of was a failure. President Buhari could do little in his first term because of rancorous relationship between the executive and the legislature. What was accomplished in the last four years was because of the harmonious relationship between the executive and legislature.

“President Goodluck Jonathan lost grip of the National Assembly when Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal emerged as the Speaker and that rancorous relationship culminate into his defeat in 2015 general election. Mariam Onuoha is my friend, I will reach out to her.”

He added: “What we are trying to avoid is a situation whereby the number one citizen, number two citizen, the number three citizen, the number four citizen are all of the same faith. That will validate the negative narrative of Islamization of Nigeria.

“That is why my principal, a fair minded individual, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu insist the number three citizen must come from the South/south (Christian). The stability of the nation is more important than any other consideration. We are talking about inclusivity.”

He also advised Abass and Kalu to carry carry other political parties along in the distribution of committee chairmen if they emerge Presiding Officers of the House.