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Tag: Federal government

  • FG, AGF ask Supreme Court to stay off Onnoghen’s case

    …Cross River seeks court’s intervention

    The Federal Government and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) have asked the Supreme Court to decline jurisdiction over a suit seeking its intervention in the trial of suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

    The FG and the AGF contended that Onnoghen’s trial was personal to him and could only involve the Supreme Court where an appeal arises from the Court of Appeal on a decision reached either during or after the trail at the CCT.

    Their position is contained in a notice of objection they filed against a suit marked: SC/45/2019 instituted at the Supreme Court by the government of Cross River State.

    The Cross River State Government, in their originating summons, queried the propriety of Onnoghen’s trial before the CCT and urged the Supreme Court to declare it illegal on the grounds that it was only the National Judicial Council (NJC) that could exercise disciplinary powers over a serving judge.

    In their objection, the FG and AGF (listed as defendants in the suit), argued that the subjected of the case did not qualify as a dispute between the Cross River State and the Federal Government, as envisaged under Section 232(1) of the Constitution.

    They added: “The subject matter of this suit is personal to Hon. Justice Onnoghen Nkanu Walter Samuel and does not, in any way affects the Cross River State Government as to confer it with the locus to institute this suit.

    “The reliefs and claims made herein by the plaintiff are not for the benefit of Cross River State, but personal to Hon. Justice Onnoghen Nkanu Walter Samuel.

    “The alleged cause of action in the subject matter of this suit is not one that creates the existence or extent of a legal right between the Cross River State Government, in its capacity as a state and the defendants in this suit as stated under Section 232(1) of the Constitution.

    “The Honourable Justice Onnoghen Nkanu Walter Samuel, being an indigene of Cross River State and the highest judicial officer from the state does not confer on the plaintiff the locus to institute this suit.

    “The fact that the suit partly relates to the interpretation of the Constitution does not confer on the plaintiff the locus to invoke the original jurisdiction of this honourable court,” they said.

    The plaintiff, in their originating summons, want the court to among others, declare that, by the provisions of sections 4, 5, and 6 of the Constitution, there a clear recognition of the doctrine of separation of powers and checks and balances in relation to the operations of the three arms of government.

    The Cross River State wants the court to declare that, by virtue of the provisions of sections 153(1), 158(1(, Paragraph 21(b) of Part 1 of the Third Schedule to Constitution, it is the NJC that is exclusively empowered to recommend to the President or Governor the appointment/removal of any judicial officer.

    It also seeks a declaration that the CCT, not being the NJC, is not vested with the jurisdiction over any judicial officer for an alleged official misconduct on the part of a judicial officer, without a formal complaint of such official misconduct being first made to and investigated by the NJC.

    The plaintiff equally wants the Supreme Court to declare that the filing of the charge, before the CCT, against Onnoghen, being a judicial officer, without any formal complaint having been made against him to the NJC, robbed the CCT of jurisdiction to try the charge and all the proceedings relating thereto, amount to a nullity.

    It therefore urged the court to grant an order of injunction, restraining the defendants and their agents from further initiating or proceedings with any similar charge or charges against Onnoghen or any judicial officer of the superior court created by the Constitution, until a formal report of misconduct is first, made to and investigated by the NJC.

    In a supporting affidavit sworn to by an official of the Cross River State Ministry of Justice, Ibi Mboto, the plaintiff stated that Onnoghen is an indigene of the state and the highest judicial officer from the state.

    It argued that Onnoghen’s suspension and trial before the CCT, without first, being subjected to the NJC’s process, as dedicated by the Constitution, was unlawful and unconstitutional.

    Read Also: Court of Appeal fails to hear Onnoghen’s suits

    At the Supreme Court on Thursday, lawyer to the defendants, Dayo Apata (who is the Solicitor General of the Federation), told the court that his clients have just filed some processes including a memorandum of appearance, notice of preliminary objection and a counter affidavit to the originating summons.

    Apata said he was able to serve the processes on the plaintiff’s lawyer shortly before the court began sitting on Thursday.

    Lawyer to the plaintiff, Lucius Nwosu (SAN) acknowledged the service of the defendants’ processes on him.

    Nwosu said, in view of the importance of the case, he would urge the court to grant a short adjournment to enable him respond to the defendant’s processes.

    Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour, who presided over a seven-man panel of the court, adjourned to February 28 this year for the hearing of the defendants’ objection along with the substantive suit.

  • Fed Govt to consider oil output cut

    OIL cartel push for output cut to attract higher prices in the global market gained more ground yesterday. It got the backing of the Federal Government.

    A statement by Garba Shehu, Media and Publicity Aide to the President, said President Muhammadu Buhari pledged Nigeria’s cooperation to the effort to reduce oil production to push up prices.

    The President spoke when he received the Minister of State for African Affairs/Special Envoy of King Salman Bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia, Mr. Ahmad Qattan.

    President Buhari said that as a responsible member of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Nigeria was willing to go along with the Saudi initiative in limiting output.

    According to the statement, the President noted that output cuts had always been difficult for Nigeria considering the country’s peculiar circumstances of large population, huge expanse of land and state of under-development, adding, “I wish we can produce more.”

    He, however, said: “I have listened carefully to the message. I will speak with the Minister of State Petroleum. I will call for the latest production figures. I know that it is in our interest to listen. We will cooperate.”

    President Buhari explained that higher oil prices will make both nations stronger and their citizens more prosperous.

    He commended King Salman for his leadership in global oil matters, assuring that Nigeria will continue to accord respect to the Kingdom in that regard.

    The special envoy said he had brought special greetings from King Salman and the Crown Prince, and expressed their best wishes for Nigeria as the country goes into general elections.

    Qattan said that the important reason for which King Salman sent him was to make a request to President Buhari to ensure Nigeria’s compliance with quotas assigned in January by exiting previous exemption from output cuts.

    He said his country had reduced output by 1.4 million barrels per day to ensure that prices went up, stressing however, that Saudi Arabia alone cannot bring stability to the oil market and shore up prices.

    The Special Envoy called for greater adherence to production cut by Nigeria and hoped that he would take a positive message back home.

  • Poll’s shift: Fed Govt orders payment of February salary

    The Federal Government yesterday ordered the immediate payment of February salaries to enable workers wishing to travel to vote in the rescheduled Presidential and National Assembly election on Saturday.

    Information, Culture & Tourism Minister Lai Mohammed broke the news to reporters after yesterday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    According to him, the payment of February salaries to federal workers began on Tuesday.

    The early payment, he said is “to ease the burden off civil servants planning to travel for the elections”.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) postponed the election billed for last Saturday by a week.

    Many, who travelled to their voting destinations, were forced to return to their bases and there is fear among the populace that many will not return.

    The minister, who said the FEC discussed the issue, said that it also reviewed some of the palliatives put in place to help people return to cast their votes.

    He said the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), with a membership of about 50,000 and “who controls 80 per cent of petroleum sector distribution has agreed to cushion the effect of the postponement by reducing the price of pump price of petrol from N145 to 140 from February 21st to 25th”.

    Read also: Army Chief: ballot box snatchers’ll be dealt with

    The minister said the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), who has about two million members and operates motor parks in all the 774 local government areas across the country, has offered to provide discount to travellers using their motor parks.

    He said: “All these are aimed at encouraging voters who might have been disenfranchised by the postponement.”

    The minister also said that as part of the incentives, two airlines – Aero Contractors and Arik Air – are offering discounted fares to passengers.

    Aero, Mohammed said, is offering a 50 per cent discount to all travellers who present their Permanent Voters Card (PVC), at the point of purchase. Arik has slashed the price of their tickets to N16, 000 to all destinations across the country from February 18 to 11 March 11.

    Asked if FEC backed President’s directives to security agencies to shoot ballot box snatchers, he said “Absolutely. I mean if you want to intimidate voters to steal the mandate of the people, you should be able to face the wrath of the law.”

    Budget & National Planning Minister Udoma Udo Udoma disclosed that the Council was briefed about the fourth quarter report of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), describing the report as encouraging.

  • Fed Govt draws line for foreign countries on polls

    THROUGH its Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama, the Federal Government yesterday drew a red line for foreign countries on internal affairs, especially as it concerns the general elections.

    He was raising  concern on the interference of some countries in Nigeria’s internal matters.

    Onyeama spoke at a joint briefing of Heads of Diplomatic Missions and International Organsiations accredited for the general elections alongside the INEC chairman and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP).

    The minister said there is no problem for friendly nations to engage the government but the manner of the engagement in some cases have gone beyond the limit.

    Onyeama said: “We welcome very much your engagement, we appreciate very much the support of all other countries in this process, we acknowledge how important your engagement and also in 2015 to help us to deliver probably one of the previous election.

    “We welcome international observers to the country and all other friends and media to be fully engaged, but what we are concerned about, has sometimes been just the way the engagement has been communicated.”

    He further noted that election to choose who to lead Nigeria is the exclusive right of the country and hence, the country would not tolerate a situation where it will be dictated to.

    He also urged them to be unbiased in their assessment of the electoral process.

    According to him:  ”And we have expected  and hope that you  will also be impartial  and just help and observe to see if the election  will be free  fair and credible and not to give any sense of indication  that they might  be preference.”

    He also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure a seamless conduct of the rescheduled Presidential and National Assembly election on Saturday.

    The minister reminded the electoral umpire of its constitutional mandate to conduct credible elections, saying that nothing less will be acceptable.

    Demanding an assurance from the electoral body that  February 23 will not suffer the same fate as February 16,  Onyeama said: “Most importantly, Mr. President and all Nigerians absolutely demand that elections be held on Saturday and nothing less will be acceptable to government and to Nigerians.”

    He further added that what is expected from the commission is a total assurance that “this Saturday we will have the elections.”

    Read also: Motorists, OPS lament return of trucks to Lagos roads

    The minister, who also explained President Muhammadu Buhari’s anger over the postponement, said after providing all necessary support and assistance, there was no reason why INEC should fail the country.

    He said: “I think it is absolutely important that the message be communicated that the government is absolutely disappointed and just cannot understand why after three years, the commission was still unable to deliver this process on time.

    “I have never seen him so livid as he did with the postponement.

    “The President objective is to ensure free, fair and transparent elections. Hence, the decision to postpone the elections by INEC is something he could not pardon.”

    The minister added that after investing time and resources into the campaign by going round the entire country, canvassing for votes, you will of course be disappointed.”

  • Investors bid N234bn for N150bn bonds offer — DMO

    The Debt Management Office (DMO) says the Federal Government’s February bonds received over N234 billion from investors for the N150 billion that was offered.

    A statement obtained from the DMO website on Wednesday in Abuja said that the auction had three instruments, for five, seven and 10-year tenors.

    “Total bids received from investors for the bonds exceeded N234 billion, with a total subscription level of 156 per cent.

    “The focus of investors was principally on the 10-year bond which had a subscription level of 392 per cent.

    “Successful bids were allotted at rates notably lower than those at the January auction, with 14.52 per cent for the five year, 14.79 per cent for the seven year and 14.93 per cent for the 10-year bond.”

    It added that the DMO allotted the full N150 billion offered to successful bidders across the three tenors.

    The statement also said that the oversubscription was a continuos trend, judging from the N197 billion subscription it got for N150 billion offered in January.

    However, N116.98 billion was allotted in January.

    In a break down of the auction results for February also obtained from the website, the five-year paper had N9.52 billion subscriptions, but N1.50 billion was allotted, the seven-year had N28.85 billion subscriptions, but N12.25 billion was allotted.

    However, the 10 year bond which investors showed much preference for had N195.98 billion subscriptions and was allotted N136.25 billion.

    Nigeria issues sovereign bonds monthly to support the local bond market, create a benchmark for corporate issuance and fund its budget deficit. (NAN)

  • Polls: Again, FG reads riot act to INEC

    ..Says no more excuses

     

    The Federal Government has again read out the riot act to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    The Federal Governmenton Wednesday said INEC is condemned to conduct election this Saturday; saying nothing less will be acceptable.

    Besides, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mathew Onyeama said the government demands 100% assurance that this Saturday is sacrosanct.

    Details shortly…

  • Leah’s father pleads with govt to rescue daughter

    Nathan Sharibu, father of Leah, has expressed displeasure that the Federal Government has abandoned him and the rescue of his daughter from Boko Haram’s captivity.

    The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), while reacting to Leah’s continue incarceration, called on government, security agencies to ensure that she is rescued back home to her parents in peace.

    Speaking yesterday on TVC early morning news programme through a telephone conversation monitored by The Nation, Nathan pleaded with government to do everything possible to rescue Leah, adding that the situation was weighing him down.

    On the night of February 19, 2018, 14-year-old Leah was kidnapped by Boko Haram terrorists from her school, the Government Girls Science and Technical Secondary School in Dapchi, Yobe State, along with 110 other girls and a schoolboy under a questionable circumstance.

    One year now, Leah is still in captivity despite several protests and efforts by government and stakeholders in the education sector.

    Her father said: “The Federal Government assured me that this administration would do its best to rescue my daughter. Besides that, President Muhammadu Buhari sent two ministers to my house in Dapchi, Yobe State to assure us that all that she would return home safely.

    “Since then, I have not heard anything from the Federal Government again. The other bodies that have been deeply concerned about the development are only the churches and Muslims that are trying their possible best. The government has been silent on this issue. I am only pleading with government as I always do that they should do their possible best to see that my daughter returns safely.

    “She is still a young girl and all of us have children in our homes. You can imagine my situation since then. Government supposed to do something urgently. Today is one year that she has been in captive.”

    CAN President Rev. Samson Ayokunle called on Nigerians to pray for her safety while in the Boko Haram’s captivity.

    Ayokunle said CAN has met with President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene on how Leah can be rescued.

    The CAN boss, who spoke with The Nation through his Special Assistant (Media & Communications), Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, said: “We also recalled that the Federal Government later began a negotiation with the abductors for the return of the victims. And one month later, that decision yielded results as the terrorist group drove the abducted students back into the heart of Dapchi on March 21, 2018, as agreed with the Federal Government.

    Read also: Edo schools resume today

    “The sight was unbelievable as terrorists entered the town in triumph and had the temerity to even harass their parents for sending their children and wards to school against their teachings. No single security operative was in sight to call them to order.

    “To worsen the situation, it was not all the 111 abducted girls that were returned. We later learnt that five of them had died while the only Christian girl among them, Leah Sharibu, was denied freedom because of her faith!”

    The statement added: “It is reprehensible, wicked, ungodly and condemnable that this innocent girl is being persecuted because of her faith. Every opportunity CAN leadership has to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari is being used to prevail on his government to get her released. There was even two occasions when the terrorists reportedly signalled their readiness to release Leah, if the government is ready to pay her ransom, but there was nothing being done in this regard.

    “All that were returned were said to be set free on the payment of the ransom though this was denied, but nobody buys the denial. And even  if no kobo was paid and now the terrorists are willing to negotiate, what sacrifice is too much to get her free?

    “We once again call on the government and all security agencies to wake up from their slumber. A government that cannot protect the citizens is a failed government.”

  • Hoodlums disrupt distribution of Fed Govt’s TraderMoni in Ogun

    Scores of hoodlums yesterday disrupted the distribution of Federal Government’s Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), called TraderMoni, at Lafenwa Market in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

    They forced the distributors and beneficiaries to flee in different directions for safety.

    But the market leaders – the Iyaloja and Babaloja of the market – were not quick and lucky with their feet.

    The hoodlums seized and whisked them to an unknown location.

    The Nation gathered that the hoodlums were over 50.

    They reportedly showed no sign of fearing the intervention of Lafenwa Divisional Police Headquarters directly beside the market.

    The hoodlums attacked the handlers of the TraderMoni who were in the market to document and verify the traders’ data, including the Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC).

    Many of the prospective beneficiaries (traders), whose bio-data had not been captured before the hoodlums struck and disrupted the exercise, alleged that a key member of the Abeokuta North West Local Council Development Area (LCDA) led the hoodlums to the venue and sacked everybody before abducting the Babaloja and Iyaloja.

    The Nation learnt that the Iyaloja Lafenwa regained freedom hours later and returned to the market.

    But the Chairman of Abeokuta North West LCDA, Monsuru Shorunke, told reporters that he led some “boys” to Lafenwa when they heard that some politicians “were giving the traders money in exchange for their PVCs”.

    He added: “We heard that some people came to Lafenwa Market, collected people’s PVCs from the traders with their names and PVC numbers.

    “And governor (Ibikunle Amosun) said we should go out and find out. It was Governor Amosun that sent us. I was in front of the governor when we heard the information. So, I collected Iyaloja’s phone number from Akintona. We took Iyaloja to the governor’s house along with Babaloja of Lafenwa.

    “We believe it was wrong for them to come and collect people’s PVCs with numbers before Election Day. That was what they came to do at Lafenwa.

    “My message is that we should be vigilant; not only the electorate but all politicians in Ogun State. We must be vigilant.

    “These people are ready to confuse our programme by giving them money. They want to give them money because of the forthcoming elections, and it is wrong.

    “No, that is wrong because that information is not right.”

     

  • Unity schools not affected by elections shift, says Fed Govt

    THE Federal Government yesterday stated that the 104 unity schools are not affected by the shift in the dates of the general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    The government explained that students of the schools are expected to resume from their midterm break today.

    Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Sonny Echono made the clarification in a telephone interview with The Nation in Abuja yesterday.

    Students of the unity colleges embarked on their midterm break on the 15th of this month.

    There were reports that the pupils may be affected by the shift in the dates of the general elections by INEC.

    But, Echono said all the unity colleges are expected to resume their normal programmes today.

    Read also: FG’s school feeding programme is waste of funds -NLC

    He said: “Unity schools are not closing. We only did our midterm because it was coinciding with the previous date.

    “The postponement of the election has nothing to do with our midterm break.

    “Our schools are resuming tomorrow and they are running our normal programmes. Our midterm break is over.

    ”They are resuming after the midterm and they will be in school.”

  • SERAP threatens to sue Fed Govt over postponement of 2019 elections

    Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has said that successive governments since the return of democracy in 1999 and the leadership of the National Assembly should be held responsible for the postponement of the 2019 general elections now re-scheduled for Saturday.

     “Given the increasing tendency to postpone elections and the cumulative failures and corruption over the years, SERAP would, after the elections, pursue appropriate legal action against the government in power and the National Assembly leadership for the catalogue of breaches of constitutional and international obligations, and seek effective remedies for the citizens.”

    The organization promised to deploy the Freedom of Information Act to seek information on details of spending by INEC since 1999, as part of our initiatives to improve transparency and accountability of governmental operations and promote respect for citizens’ right to participate in the processes of government and governance in the country.”

    In a statement issued on Sunday and signed by SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization said postponement of Nigeria’s elections since 2007 has  shown a systemic failure of leadership at the highest level of government.

    It regretted that our electoral process is deliberately skewed in favour of politicians’ interests, who continue to profit from the corruption and impunity that have characterised the process since 1999, and against those of the citizens.

    According to the organization: “Calling for the resignation of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu rather than addressing the root causes of persistent postponement of elections is a blatant attempt by politicians to scapegoat the electoral commission.”

    The statement read in part: “While the INEC leadership ought to proactively push for reform of the electoral system, successive governments and leadership of the National Assembly that have the legal responsibility but have remained largely impervious to revolutionary change of the electoral system, should be held to account for this fundamental breach of public trust.

    “Foisting outdated electoral system on Nigerians, and spending huge public funds to sustain it, seems in uneasy tension with constitutional provisions and Nigeria’s international obligations including under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance to which Nigeria is a state party.

    “Rather than prioritising genuine and comprehensive reforms of the electoral system that would upgrade and modernize our voting processes, successive governments and leadership of the National Assembly would seem to prefer the status quo, presumably to undermine citizens’ right to participation and to continue to profit from the corruption and impunity that the current system and processes breed.

    “It is clear that the current electoral process is vulnerable to corruption but politicians would seem to have little incentive to comprehensively reform, upgrade and modernise it. It is unlikely that either the federal government or the National Assembly would take the steps necessary to sort out our electoral system, and improve transparency, accountability and integrity of the electoral process”.

    SERAP therefore urged Nigerians to take more active role in the fight against corruption, including by putting pressure on the authorities at the federal and state levels and the National Assembly to comprehensively reform, upgrade and modernize our electoral system and processes adding “otherwise, citizens’ right to participate in the governance system will remain a ‘hollow right’.”

    “Given that the right to vote is considered a part of an individual’s fundamental right to political participation, persistent postponement of elections in the country raises serious questions about the legitimacy and integrity of Nigeria’s fledgling democracy.”

    “Persistent failure to upgrade and modernize the electoral system has effectively relegated the right of participation to paper tiger status, undermining the ability of citizens to genuinely participate in the fight against corruption and to hold their leaders to account. Yet, a transparent, accountable and modernized electoral process is a prerequisite to the effective exercise of citizenship in a democratic society.”

    “No right is more precious in a democratic country than that of having a voice in the election of those who represent us. That voice is not lost when the electoral process is skewed in favour of politicians’ interests and against the Nigerian voters. Other rights, even the most basic, are illusory if the right to vote is undermined by the collective failure to upgrade and modernize the country’s electoral processes.”

    The organization said now is the time to push for revolutionary changes in how Nigeria conducts its elections. The changes should effectively deploy modern technology, which has been successfully used in the business and other sectors in the country. Such changes may include the introduction of a national system of Internet voting, to innovative ideas on how to adapt the election systems to facilitate participation by different sectors of the population, to conform with twenty-first century elections.”