The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Falana

  • New minimum wage binding on all employers, says Falana

    New minimum wage binding on all employers, says Falana

    Activist-lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), has said the National Minimum Wage Act 2025 will be binding on all employers except those who are excluded from the provisions of the law once the new proposal is enacted into law by the National Assembly.

    Falana said a state legislature lacks the power to prescribe a Minimum Wage for workers in the public service of any state in Nigeria.

    The lawyer made the clarification in a statement yesterday in Lagos, titled: “Legal Matters Arising From Proposed National Minimum Wage Act.”

    He averred that Item 34 in the Exclusive Legislative List provides for “labour, including trade unions, industrial relations; conditions, safety and welfare of labour; industrial disputes; prescribing a national minimum wage for the Federation or any part thereof; and industrial arbitration”.

    “Accordingly, by virtue of Section 4 of the Constitution, the National Assembly is empowered to prescribe a National Minimum Wage for workers in the public and private sectors in Nigeria,” he said.

    Read Also: Minimum wage: Labour awaits Tinubu’s decision on N62,000

    Falana said the purpose of the law of fixing a national minimum wage is to ensure that no employer of labour is allowed to pay starvation wages to workers.

    The lawyer asserted that contrary to the position of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and some senior legal practitioners, it is not against any of the tenets of federalism to prescribe a uniform national minimum wage for workers in the country.

    He added: “Since labour and trade unions are in the Exclusive Legislative List, the National Assembly enacted the Labour Act, Trade Union Act, Factoris Act, Employees Compensation Act, among others, adding that these laws enacted by the National Assembly are applicable throughout the country in spite of the so called federal status of the country.

  • Falana seeks enactment of social security bill

    Falana seeks enactment of social security bill

    Activist lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) has urged the Lagos State House of Assembly to enact a law on social security.

    Part of the provisions, he said, will be a social register through which the poor and vulnerable can be paid money rather than ineffective food handouts.

    Falana made the call at the monthly stakeholder’s interactive roundtable on public policy making and execution tagged Citizens Accountability and Rights Forum (CARF).

    Its theme was: “Lawmaking in Lagos State: Implications and Effects on Human and Socio-economic Rights of the People.”

    It was organised by the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) in collaboration with the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL).

    Participants from the grassroots, civil society, trade unions and the media discussed contemporary issues and government policies.

    Among them were the need for the government to address the issue of land grabbing, which is increasingly being perpetrated with impunity, and the excesses of the Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO).

    Falana, who decried rights violations in the state, also called for an institution that will address the situation in line with the #EndSars recommendations.

    On the need for a social register, the SAN said it would eliminate the practice of gathering thousands in a place, which he noted has resulted in the loss of lives due to stampede.

    He demanded compensation for the families of those who lost their lives in Lagos, Nassarawa and Bauchi states while scrambling for affordable rice.

    He said they would not have died had the agencies in charge utilised a more effective distribution system, such as through community development associations (CDAs).

    “Stop humiliating our people by throwing food items at them. Our citizens are being treated as animals.

    “Instead of throwing food to them, the government should prepare a roster of the vulnerable people, collect their details and transfer money to them,” Falana suggested.

    He also called for an anti-graft agency in Lagos after a law to that effect was enacted.

    Falana believes such an agency would make reporting corruption at the state and council levels easier.

    Lagos Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, represented by a lawmaker Stephen Ogundipe, promised that the House would address the issues raised.

    He highlighted some of the key legislations by the Assembly, such as the Transport Sector Reform Law, Domestic Staff Service Provider (Registration) Law, the Neighbourhood Safety Corps Agency, Administration of Criminal Justice law, Victims Assistance and Witness Protection Law, Protection Against Domestic Violence Law, Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency Law and the Child Rights Law of Lagos State, among others.

    The Speaker said as part of the effort to address the issue of land grabbing, the House enacted a law to prohibit forceful entry and illegal occupation of landed properties, as well as violent and fraudulent conduct over landed properties in the state.

    “We at the Lagos State House of Assembly are committed to securing the rights of landowners in the state against forceful incursion and eviction by land grabbers.

    “This is the reason why we have agreed to hold a public hearing involving all stakeholders, on the menace of land grabbing in the state,” Obasa said.

    CDHR President, Debo Adeniran, who also chairs CACOL, restated the organisations’ determination to ensure that the common man is not short-changed.

    Read Also: Call Ganduje’s attackers to order, APC chief tells Soludo

    He said they would continue to encourage an all-embracing, all-inclusive implementation of government policies to enhance the socio-economic well-being of the people.

    Adeniran added: “This event provides a forum for healthy exchanges of ideas so that the areas of friction between the government and the governed would be drastically reduced if not totally eliminated.

    “The people would have a sense of belonging and the government would have the opportunity of listening to the people and explaining their positions on diverse policy issues that may crop up at a particular time.

    “This will definitely bring about a harmonious relationship between the government and the governed.”

    Calling for support, he said: “It is important to state that CDHR and CACOL’s activities have for long been funded with subscriptions and donations from affiliates, members and patrons. It is on this basis that we are soliciting your support for the organisations.

    “We would like to do more in the service of humanity and we are ready to partner with relevant government agencies and fraternal organisations to ensure that we continue to be the voice for the hapless citizens of the country as a whole.”

  • Falana seeks enquiry into death of undergraduates

    Falana seeks enquiry into death of undergraduates

    Activist lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) has called for investigation of the death of two students of Nassarawa State University, Keffi that died last week during the stampede that trailed distribution of rice to the students as palliative.

    Falana who is also the Chair, Alliance on Surviving Covid 19 and Beyond (ASCAB) gave the advice in a statement issued in Lagos yesterday titled: “Official Negligence  Led  To  Death Of Two Nassarawa University Students”

    He said: “having regard to the facts and circumstances of the tragic incident, the Nassarawa State police command should be directed to investigate the allegations of criminal negligence which led to the unfortunate death of the two students.

    “The culprits should be prosecuted without delay.” In view of the official statement that hoodlums hijacked the distribution exercise the state government and the university management are required by law to compensate the bereaved families of the two students”,he stated.

    Falana noted that Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nassarawa State was reported to have ordered the  distribution of  two 7.5 kg bags of rice and N5,0 Nasarawa00 to each student of the State University at Keffi.

    He noted that the distribution of the palliative  was scheduled to hold at the state university’s convocation square last Friday morning. As the distribution exercise was not well organised, there was a stampede of thousands of students at the venue and that the stampede led to tragedy as many students were injured.

    “As the university health centre was ill-equipped to treat the injured students, they were rushed to the Federal Medical Centre in Keffi, Nassarawa State. As the injured students were not promptly attended to, two female students were pronounced dead while at least 17 others were left with varying degrees of injuries arising from sofocation at the venue of the  distribution of rice.

    Read Also: No ransom paid for school children’s release – Fed Govt

    According to the state government, the tragic incident occurred “when suspected hoodlums and some misguided students forced their way into the school’s convocation ground to cart away the rice kept at the venue meant for distribution as palliatives to students.” But the Vice-chancellor of the University, Prof Suleiman Bala decided to blame the tragedy on the  victims of the official negligence.  He was reported to have said that “our students were not patient enough to follow the process of accessing these palliatives.”

    But Falana said it was  unfortunate that the authorities of the University failed to draw any lesson from the recent stampede which claimed the lives of seven persons during the distribution of 25kg bags of rice in Lagos by the Nigeria Customs Service. 

    He said  the tragedy would have been averted if the University management had distributed the 7 kg bags of rice to the students through their departments.

    He said there was no justification to have assembled thousands of  students without a standby ambulance.

    “As if that was not enough, the university health centre was not equipped to attend to the injured  students. Hence, they were rushed to the Federal Medical Centre in Keffi where two female students were certified dead”, he lamented.

    “Our thoughts and condolences go to the families and friends of the deceased students”, he said.

  • Falana decries increasing abduction of pupils

    Falana decries increasing abduction of pupils

    Rights activist Mrs Funmi Falana (SAN) has called for drastic action to prevent increasing abduction of school children.

    She urged security agencies to rescue the 287 pupils abducted from a Kaduna school last Thursday.

    She said everything must be done to avoid a repeat of the Chibok girls incident.

    The pupils were abducted from the Local Education Authority (LEA) primary school in Kuriga, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna.

    Bandits also kidnapped 15 pupils from the Gidan Bakuso area of Gada Local Government Area in Sokoto State on Saturday.

    Falana spoke at an event organised by her NGO, the Women Empowerment and Legal Aid (WELA), to mark this year international Women’s Day.

    She said the worsening insecurity, especially kidnapping of school children, was worrisome.

    The WELA founder also decried the plight of women, saying they should be treated fairly and carried along in decision-making.

    Commenting on the theme of this year’s IWD: “Invest in women: accelerate progress,” Falana said: “Women should be included in decision-making. They should not be dragged back.”

    Read Also: Reject IMF pressure to remove fuel, electricity subsidy – Falana

    The activist stressed the need for the society to recognise women and not regarding them as inferior to men or the boy child as superior to the girl child.

    She said WELA would not relent in its efforts and activities despite daunting challenges in advocating for women’s rights.

    The SAN added that WELA’s work includes taking young people away from the streets and putting them in an institution of learning run by the NGO.

    Falana said: “What we do is to get them out of the streets; and not just that, we put them in our vocational institute.”

    The WELA College of Vocational Training offers programmes in tailoring, hairdressing, shoemaking, makeup, catering and ICT departments.

    The IWD 2024 celebration by WELA featured a variety of presentations by the students of WELA College of Vocational Training, such as dance and drama.

  • Reject IMF pressure to remove fuel, electricity subsidy – Falana

    Reject IMF pressure to remove fuel, electricity subsidy – Falana

    Activist lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) has urged the Federal Government to reject pressure by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to increase prices of fuel and electricity.

    Falana, who is also the Chair, Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB), in a statement yesterday, urged the government to halt the implementation of the dangerous prescriptions of the IMF including the removal of subsidies and floating of the Naira.

    Rather than apply the suggestion by the IMF, he said the international “intruder” should be questioned for applying different standards to Nigeria and the United Kingdom.

    He urged the Federal Government to pluck up the courage to reject the dangerous directives of the IMF to further increase the pump price of PMS and electricity tariffs in the country.

    “Our economic managers should be wary of the sort of lectures they receive from the IMF on the matter of subsidies given the realities in some advanced capitalist economies,” Falana said.

    He recalled: “Three days ago, the IMF directed the Bola Tinubu administration to remove the pump price of fuel and electricity tariffs without any further delay on the grounds that “current subsidized rates are thought to be significantly below the actual market prices. By phasing out these subsidies, the government would allow fuel and electricity prices to align more closely with their true market value, potentially leading to increased costs for consumers.

    “Barely 24 hours later, the Minister of Power, Mr. Adebayo Adedibu said that Nigeria could not continue to subsidise electricity, adding that the nation must begin to move towards a cost-effective tariff model, as the country is currently indebted to the tune of 1.3 trillion naira to generating companies (GenCos) and 1.3 billion dollars owed gas companies.

    “It is doubtful if the neoliberal ideologues in the government are aware of the fact that on January 30, 2024, the IMF warned the UK Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt against cutting taxes, arguing that that country needs to curb public borrowing and prioritise spending in areas such as health, education and tackling climate change.

    “Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, the IMF chief economist, told the Financial Times that the UK’s focus should be on “the path towards a fiscal consolidation” despite expectations that Hunt would cut taxes at his spring Budget.

    “Hunt should be “trying to rebuild fiscal buffers . . . in the context in which there are important spending needs”, Gourinchas said, rather than add to the £20bn of personal and business tax cuts delivered in November. We would rather wish they would not do this type of tax cuts, and that they would instead focus on both addressing the spending needs and on the path towards fiscal consolidation.”

    Falana also recalled that sometime in November 2023, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, said that President Bola Tinubu stopped the implementation of a hike in electricity tariff and insisted that subsidy be paid on power consumed nationwide.

    Read Also: N68b fund: Falana seeks free basic education

    “Adelabu said then “Tariffs should have been raised months back, but Mr. President said until we can achieve regular and incremental power supply we can’t touch the tariff.”

    The Minister also said “But for political reasons and empathy, you cannot cause additional burden on Nigerians. We just had the removal of the fuel subsidy, we are talking about the exchange rate skyrocketing, galloping inflation, and so many others that bring hardship to the people.

    “On January 1, 2024, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) equally dismissed the widespread rumours of an increase in electricity.

    “In the same vein, on February 8, 2024, the Nigerian state oil company the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited said that it had no plans to raise petrol prices after a second devaluation of the local naira currency in less than a year, following speculation that it could increase prices to recover some of its import costs.

    ‘The NNPC — the sole importer of petrol because local private firms are unable to obtain foreign currency — urged Nigerians to disregard the speculation about price rises, adding that “there are no plans for an upward review of the (petrol) price.”

    Falana the IMF anti-subsidy campaign in Nigeria should be flatly rejected.  

  • N68b fund: Falana seeks free basic education

    N68b fund: Falana seeks free basic education

    • Lawyer asks court to order govts on compliance

    Activist-lawyer Femi Falana has asked Federal High Court sitting in Lagos to compel the Federal Government, the 36 states and Abuja to provide free and compulsory education up to junior secondary school level.

    Falana and his co-plaintiff/applicant, Hauwa Mustapha filed suit FHC/L/CS/142/2024, for themselves and on behalf of Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond.

    The 40 defendants/respondents are federal attorney-general, Education minister, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), states’ attorneys-general, and Federal Capital Territory minister.

    The plaintiffs are seeking a declaration that by Section 2 (1) of the Compulsory, Free Universal Basic Education Act, 2004 the respondents are legally obligated to provide free, compulsory and universal basic education for every Nigerian child of primary and junior secondary, school age.

    “A declaration that by virtue of Section 11 (1) of Compulsory Free Universal Basic Education Act, Federal Government shall contribute a block grant of not less than two per cent of its Consolidated Revenue Fund to Universal Basic Education Fund on an annual basis.

    “A declaration that by virtue of Section 11 (2) of Compulsory Free Universal Basic Education Act, each state oshall contribute not less than 50 per cent of the cost of projects as its commitment in execution of the projects to qualify for Federal Government block grant pursuant to sub-section 1 (l).

    “A declaration that the refusal or failure of the respondents to access the N68 billion for universal basic education of children is illegal as it violates Section 11 (2) of the Compulsory Free Universal Basic Education Act.

    “An order directing the fourth-40th respondents to pay the counterpart fund to access the matching grant of N68 billion in the Account of Universal Basic Education Fund and report compliance with the order in 30 days of delivery of the judgment of this court…’’

    “An order directing the 4th-40th Respondents to pay the counterpart fund to access the matching grant in the Account of the Universal Basic Education Fund as and when due forthwith.”

    When the matter came up for hearing on Wednesday, February 14, 2024, before Justice Daniel E. Osiagor of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.

    Read Also: Falana, Covid-19 fund and the art of misrepresentation

    Falana’s lawyer, Taiwo Olawanle moved an ex parte application for substituted service of the Originating motion to be served on all the states of the federation who are parties through their liaison houses in Lagos.

    Justice Osiagor granted Olawanle’s application. He ordered that all the states of the federation be served the originating processes and other subsequent processes through their liaison houses in Lagos.

    He adjourned till May 20, 2024, for hearing.

    In his affidavit in support of the motion, Falana stated that “in view of the fact that the 4th to 40th Respondents have failed to comply with section 3 of the Education Reforms Act which mandates them to contribute half (50%) of the total cost of projects to be executed in the State as their commitment to the execution of the projects, and their failure to access the matching grants; I wrote a letter and also issued a public statement calling the attention of the said 4th to 40th Respondents to the need to access the matching grant.

    “As at the date of filing of this suit; none of the Defendants have complied with the request/demand made by the Applicants while children of school age have continued to roam the streets.”

  • Falana, Covid-19 fund and the art of misrepresentation

    Falana, Covid-19 fund and the art of misrepresentation

    SIR: There is a viral video where human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, made allusion to the sum of N135billion given to the 36 states in December 2023 at a memorial event in honour of Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti.

    It is important to state here that Mr. Falana has a strong reputation for exaggerations and embellishments. What the Lagos lawyer rendered in that trending video was total misrepresentation of facts. He also did not tell his audience the real reason the said amount was released to the states under the World Bank-funded NG-CARES Programme.

    Contrary to the wrong impression of wasteful and frivolous spending being conveyed to the public by Falana, it should be stressed that it is the Lagos lawyer who needs to get himself acquainted with the issue in contention.

    Here are the facts:

    1. The whole global economy is still reeling from the after-effects of the Covid-19 pandemic with the attendant disruptions to the global supply chain, which the world is yet to fully recover from.

    2. Covid-19 exacerbated poverty around the world, especially as a result of loss of livelihoods in rural communities and among the urban poor.

    3. Post-Covid-19, the World Health Organisation and World Bank are still supporting countries to strengthen their health systems and emergency preparedness so nations can be in much better position to deal with other public health emergencies that may occur in future. Just last year, there was an outbreak of Diphtheria, monkey pox, and Lassa fever in more than 20 states in Nigeria that government effectively contained.

    In a bid to further manage the aftermath of Covid-19 in line with the framework of the WHO and the World Bank, the federal government, in December 2023, disbursed N135.4billion to the states following independent assessment of results achieved under the Nigeria  Covid-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus Programme. The money, which Falana attempted to scandalise in the viral video, was released to address social and economic crisis created by Covid-19. This is not peculiar to Nigeria. Every country in the world today is still dealing with many socio-economic problems caused by Covid-19.

    Read Also: Falana berates lawyers over order on prices of commodities

    The aim of the NG-CARES Programme backed by World Bank, which is being implemented in all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, is to mitigate the economic and social shocks faced by vulnerable people, who are yet to get their livelihoods back as a result of the lockdown occasioned by the pandemic. The project is structured as one that delivers results. Only states that have implemented according to laid-down procedures prescribed in the Financing Agreement, the Funds Release Policy, and the Independent Verification Agent Protocol get reimbursement for the money already spent.

    Therefore, the money Falana mentioned with the intent to ridicule the federal government and incite the public against the government and President Tinubu was disbursed based on the results achieved by the states and FCT in their efforts at supporting poor and vulnerable Nigerians under the NG-CARES Programme.

    The “top three best performing states in the  second round of assessment are Nasarawa, which got N13,697,828,496.96, Cross River N10,944,747,818.84 and Zamfara N10,231,055,267.82,” according to NG-CARES National Coordinator, Abdulkarim Obaje, in a statement.

    While government needs critics as watchdogs for accountability and to engender more transparency in the management of public affairs and finance, that sacred duty should not be left in the hands of those who have elevated half-truths and embellishments as their article of trade.

    Criticisms should be constructive and fact-based.

    • Temitope Ajayi, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity, Abuja.
  • Falana berates lawyers over order on prices of commodities

    Falana berates lawyers over order on prices of commodities

    Activist lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) has berated lawyers who questioned the order of the Federal High Court which directed the Federal Government to control the prices of essential commodities in the country in conformity with a subsisting written law.

    Falana, in statement issued  in Lagos described as the height of hypocrisy, the action of the lawyers who criticized the order of the court in view of the compulsory payment of practising fees and NBA Stamp, and having regard to the  binding provisions of the 2023 Legal Practitioners Remuneration Order which has fixed the professional fees of legal practitioners.

    The statement was titled, “How Price Control Law Applies To Legal Services In Nigeria”.

    Falana noted that no profession is more regulated than the legal profession in Nigeria notwithstanding that Nigeria operates a so-called free market economy,

    He said it was interesting that the  lawyers who have criticized the order of the Federal High Court which has directed the Federal Government to control the prices of essential commodities by the federal government have not campaigned for the right to practice law without any form of  regulatory interference.

    Read Also: How Herbert Wigwe helped in building RCCG City of David, by Iluyomade

    The senior lawyer said it is now pertinent to review the laws that regulate and some of decided cases on the regulation of the practice of law throughout the country.

    He said: “First, pursuant to section 8(2) of the Legal Practitioners Act, no legal practitioner shall be accorded the right of audience in any court in Nigeria in any year, unless he/she  has paid, in respect of that year,  the prescribed practising fee  Second, the Stamp and Seal produced and sold by the Nigerian Bar Association must be purchased and affixed on legal processes, legal documentation and legal correspondences”, he said.

    Falana noted that in several cases, Nigerian courts have upheld the legal validity of the compulsory payment of practising fees and the NBA stamp.

    “Yet, apostles of neoliberalism in the legal profession have not challenged such judicial decisions on the grounds that they infringe on the fundamental right of every citizen to access the court for legal  redress in accordance with section 36(1) of the Constitution.

    “In the celebrated case of Emmanuel Chukwuma Ukala v Federal Inland Revenue Service (2021) 56 TLRN 1, it was held by the Federal High Court that a law firm is a taxable person within the meaning of the Value Added Tax Act and is therefore liable to collect VAT from its clients and remit same to the Federal Inland Revenue Service.”

    He also cited “Al-Masser Law Firm v Federal Inland Revenue Service (2019) LPELR-48628 (CA)”, to support his view.

    “Third, the 2023 Legal Practitioners Remuneration Order has regulated the prices charged for services by legal practitioners in Nigeria. Like the Price Control Act, the law covers the remuneration charged by legal practitioners for business, legal services and legal representation unlike the revoked order of 1991 which covered only remuneration for legal documentation and other land matters.

    “The 2023 Legal Practitioners Remuneration Order contains four scales in the 1st schedule according to which a legal practitioner shall charge his/her  legal fees as follows: a. Consultations and Legal Opinions – Scale 1; b. Incorporation or registration of companies and business names – Scale 2; c. Litigation – Scale 3 and .Property transactions – Scale 4

    “Fees chargeable on the scales provided by the Legal Practitioners Remuneration Order 2023 are not negotiable.

    “The new Order divides Nigeria into State Bands with respect to the Remuneration of legal practitioners as follows:

    a. Band 3 – Lagos and FCT

    b. Band 2 – Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross-River, Delta, Edo, Ekiti, Kwara, Kogi, Nassarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau and Rivers States.

    c. Band 1 – Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Bauchi, Borno, Ebonyi, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara States.

    “While the law recognizes the right of lawyers to do pro bono legal services under the Legal Aid Act or for family members, it stipulates that any lawyer doing pro bono service on grounds of consanguinity or affinity shall submit to the Remuneration Committee an affidavit disclosing the facts and circumstances justifying the pro bono work.

    “The provisions of the new Order are binding on all legal practitioners immediately after it came into effect on the 16th day of May 2023. The breach of the provisions of the new Order is professional misconduct. Lawyers are encouraged to report any breach of the new legislation to the Remuneration Committee. The Remuneration Committee shall investigate the reports and lodge a report to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee if a case of infraction of the new Order is established.”, he said

  • Falana threatens to sue Arch Bishop over alleged libel, suspension of Bishop

    Falana threatens to sue Arch Bishop over alleged libel, suspension of Bishop

    Activist lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) has asked the Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate of All Nigeria, The Most Rev. Henry C. Ndukuba to reverse the suspension of the Area Bishop for Canada Missionary Region Area 1 in Canada, Rt. Rev. Olukayode Adebogun over alleged utterances and actions attributed to him.

    Falana threatened to sue the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) if it failed to recall and reinstate Rt. Rev.  Adebogun back to his office as Area Bishop for Canada Missionary Region Area 1 in Canada and seek damages in the sum of N1 billion for his client.

    This was contained in a letter dated February 1, 2024 and addressed to the Most Rev. Henry C. Ndukuba, Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate of All Nigeria, St. Matthias House,

    Plot 942, Ibrahim Waziri Crescent, CAD Zone B01, Gudu District, Garki Abuja.

    It was titled: “ Re: Letter Of Suspension As Bishop Of The Church Of Nigeria And Connam Missionary Bishop Of Canada Missionary Region Area 1”

    The letter stated: “We are Solicitors to Rt. Rev. Olukayode Adebogun, the Area Bishop for Canada Missionary Region Area 1 in Canada (hereinafter referred to as “our client”) on whose behalf and instructions we write this letter.

     Your letter entitled “Letter Of Suspension As Bishop Of The Church Of Nigeria And Connam Missionary Bishop Of Canada Missionary” and dated January 30, 2024 has been forwarded on us for necessary action.

     “In the said letter, Your Grace referred to the series of utterances attributed to our client “that seek to undermine the authority of the Primate of the Church of Nigeria and the General Synod of the Church of Nigeria with regard to the Church of Nigeria Mission in North America and Canada generally.

    “Your Grace also referred to the series of utterances and actions attributed to our client “in disobedience of and designed to undermine the express lawful directives and authority of the Primate of the Church of Nigeria and the General Synod of the Church of Nigeria with regard to decisions lawfully taken by the General Synod of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion).

     “However, Your Grace concluded that “These utterances and actions if found to be true constitute acts of canonical disobedience in breach of the provisions of Section 22 of Chapter III of the Constitution and Canons of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion).

    Read Also: Falana to states: stop paying pensions to governors

     “The clear meaning of the conclusion of Your Grace is that it has not been established that the alleged utterances and actions emanated from our client pursuant to article XV1 of the Constitution and Canons of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion).

     “Curiously, Your Grace turned round to suspend our client as a Bishop of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) without any scintilla of evidence whatsoever.

     “Apart from the egregious infringement of the fundamental right of our client to fair hearing, Your Grace lacks the power to unilaterally suspend him under the unambiguous provisions of Article XVI of the Constitution and Canons of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion).

     “The letter of the purported suspension of our client as a Bishop which was circulated in online news and other social media by Your Grace has caused irreparable damage to him, his wife and other family members.

     “Take notice that if Your Grace fails to accede to our request, we shall not hesitate to sue you and the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) with a view to protecting the reputation of our client. Specifically, we shall pray the appropriate court to order the reinstatement of our client as a Bishop of the Church of Nigeria and award damages of N1,000,000,000.00 to him for the libelous letter”, the letter stated.

  • Falana to states: stop paying pensions to governors

    Falana to states: stop paying pensions to governors

    Activist lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), has urged state governments to abolish the payment of pensions to former governors.

    Falana, who is the Chairman of the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB), described the pensions being paid to ex-governors as scandalous.

    In a statement, titled: End Scandalous Pension for Ex-Governor Now, yesterday in Lagos, the popular lawyer gave a breakdown of pensions which ex-governors earn in Lagos, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom states.

    They include 100 per cent of annual basic salaries of the incumbent governor; one residential house in Lagos and another in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT); three cars, two back-up cars, and one pilot car every three years; 300 per cent of annual basic salary every two years; and 10 per cent of annual basic salary as house maintenance.

    Read Also: Falana debunks threat claims by MohBad’s father

    Others include domestic workers, including a cook, a steward, a gardener and other domestic workers (no limit) who shall be pensionable; free medical treatment for ex-governors and members of their families (not just spouses); security staff members, including two SSS operatives, one female officer, and eight policemen.

    Falana noted that many governors voted themselves humongous pension payments and allowances while they failed to pay the pensions and gratuities of their former workers whilst they were in office.

    The lawyer claimed that about 20 of them are currently in the Senate where they receive jumbo salaries and allowances.

    Falana reminded state governments of a subsisting court order declaring the payment of pensions to former governors as illegal, null and void.