The Nation Newspaper

Tag: governors

  • Akande, Tinubu, Ribadu, ACN governors for Akure rally

    Akande, Tinubu, Ribadu, ACN governors for Akure rally

    THE National Chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Chief Bisi Akande, the National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the party’s Presidential candidate in the 2011 election, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, are to attend the party’s Redemption Rally.

    According to Akeredolu Campaign Organisation (ACO), the rally is to be attended by ACN governors-Comrade Adams Oshiomhole (Edo), Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (Lagos), Senator Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Senator Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo) and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (Osun).

    A statement by Mr. Idowu Ajanaku, Director of Media, Publicity and Strategy of ACO, the redemption rally is to hold tomorrow (Monday 15, October) at the Democracy Park Akure by 9.am. He said “the rally will afford the people of Ondo State the opportunity to hear again the plan of ACN to transform Ondo state if the flag berarer of the party in the October 20 election, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), is elected governor.”

    He added “For us at ACO, we know that Akeredolu is a man of proven integrity and pedigree who can be trusted by the people of Ondo State.”

     

  • Tinubu, Akeredolu, ACN governors storm Ondo for mega rally

    Tinubu, Akeredolu, ACN governors storm Ondo for mega rally

    All is now set for the gubernatorial rallies of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) ahead of next month’s governorship election.

    Expected at the three –day rallies starting on Tuesday in Ikare- Akoko in the Ondo North senatorial district are the party’s chieftains such as the National Chair, Chief Bisi Akande, National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Chief Segun Osoba; Otunba Niyi Adebayo; Chief Lam Adesina and all the governors of the six ACN controlled states.

    The campaign train will move to Ondo in the Central senatorial district on Wednesday and Ore, and move to the South senatorial district on Thursday.

    The Redemption rallies, as they are called, will afford the leaders of the party to present the ACN candidate, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), to the people, and shed light on why the state should join the rest of the South West in the development train of regional integration.

    Besides, they will speak on how Governor Olusegun Mimiko has wasted the N660 billion that has accrued to the state during his tenure.

    The numerous abandoned projects include the Doom-dome, Ondo road dualisation, Owo road dualisation, Arakale road dualisation, Arigidi Tomato paste factory, Owena Multipurpose dam, Alpha D factory.

     

  • North’s governors raise panel on onshore/offshore claim

    North’s governors raise panel on onshore/offshore claim

    •Senators meet today in Abuja

    In spite of the fact that the Federal Government has foreclosed the review of the Onshore/Offshore oil dichotomy, fresh facts emerged yesterday that the Northern Governors have raised a committee to advise them on the next step.

    Also, some Northern Senators are meeting today on the issue to suggest ways out for the region.

    There has been agitation and debate on the need or otherwise to review the onshore-offshore oil dichotomy, which partly forms the basis for the allocation of derivation proceeds from the Federation Account.

    Some Northern governors, who are championing the review, claimed that the formula has reduced the distributable funds from the Federation Account to all tiers of government.

    But in contrast, governors from the Southsouth are demanding a review of the derivation formula from 13 per cent to 50 per cent.

    Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN) has however foreclosed the review of the judgment of the Supreme Court on the matter.

    Investigation by our correspondent revealed that Northern governors have not given up on their agitation for the review of the Onshore/Offshore oil dichotomy.

    A Northern governor, who spoke exclusively with our correspondent, said: “I am aware that Northern Governors have set up a committee on the Onshore/Offshore oil dichotomy. The committee will look into the judgment of the Supreme Court, the current agitation for a review of the dichotomy and weigh options for the North.

    “We will make our final position known when the committee submits its report.”

    Asked why the Northern governors have raised a panel on the matter, the governor said: “It is because the nation is undergoing a fresh constitution review.”

    “There is Supreme Court judgment but it is also an issue that is not beyond political solution which can still be given a legal backing.

    “The North is certainly coming up with fresh arguments; it is left to the rest parts of the country to allow the debate to flourish.”

    It could not be immediately ascertained when the panel will submit its report, but the governor added: “Very soon.”

    Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, who is one of the proponents for the review of the Onshore/Offshore Oil Dichotomy, said: “The AGF is talking about interpretation of the judgment of the Supreme Court; I am also talking about politics or political reality.

    “I am not talking about onshore /offshore because I wanted to abuse anybody. But this is the junction; this is the point to talk. People are going for constitution review, things are now on the table. I did not say it last year or year before but now things are on the table.”

    There were indications last night that some Northern Senators might meet today in Abuja on the demand by the region for the review of the Onshore/Offshore Oil Dichotomy.

    A Senator, who spoke with our correspondent last night, said: “We are meeting to look into all sides of the argument on the review in order to be able to advise our governors and Northerners properly on what to do.

    “ We are also taking into consideration the fact that government is prospecting for oil in some Northern states.”

    The AGF had at a valedictory session in honour of Justice Francis Fedode Tabai at the Supreme Court, Abuja, foreclosed the review of the judgment of the Supreme Court on Onshore/Offshore Oil Dichotomy.

    He said: “It is pertinent to remind all interest groups in the matter that it is too early in the day to forget that the esteemed court, in the matter of A.G. Adamawa & 21 Ors v. A.G. Federation & 8 Ors (2005) NWLR (Part 958) 581 was invited to rule on the constitutionality or otherwise of the Allocation of Revenue (Abolition of Dichotomy in the Application of the principle of Derivation) Act 2004.

    “The court, in a well-reasoned judgment, after benefiting from the submissions of some of our country’s finest legal minds, reached the reasoned-conclusion that the Act was not in conflict with the 1999 Constitution and was indeed properly made by the National Assembly to place the implementation of Section 162 of the constitution on a more certain and predictable basis.

    “In the light of the unanimous position of the Supreme Court on this issue, expressed since 2005, it behooves on us all to promote the sanctity of our judicial system by recognizing that the pronouncement of this court should neither be treated with levity nor be subjected to undue politicization in the name of politics or the pursuit of particular interests.”

     

  • Reason behind slow trial of ex-governors’

    Reason behind slow trial of ex-governors’

    CORRUPTION, not dearth of judges is behind the slow trial of former governors and prominent Nigerians, a civil society organisation – the Nigerian Voters Assembly, said yesterday.

    The organisation, in a statement by its President, Mashood Erubami, yesterday faulted claims by the panel of judges that insufficient judges and investigators as well as manual methods of handling judicial procedures are responsible for the delay in dispensing the cases involving such individuals.

    It stated that the country has enough laws and judges to try corruption cases where the political will is there to do justice, saying that there are well-trained investigators in addition to the courts and judges but that their effectiveness is allegedly due to an unholy alliance between the government and the court.

    The statement reads: “Contrary to the reasons given by the National Judicial Policy Committee on why the trial of some ex-governors, ministers and other Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) is slow, saying that inadequacy of judges, dearth of trained investigator and prosecutors was responsible, corruption is really at the root of the dragging.

    “The reluctance of government at all levels to make scape goats of those that are politically exposed, is one good reason why those who steal and should be prosecuted and put behind bars are walking free on the streets without shame.”

    Citing the example of the corruption case against former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, the Voters Assembly said while Ibori escaped justice in Nigeria, it did not take the judiciary of the United Kingdom (UK) a long time to bring the former governor and his accomplices to book.

    “How many years did it take the London metropolitan police and the courts in England to investigate and bring ex-governor James Ibori and his accomplices to account?

    “How many times has the same convicted Ibori escaped justices in Nigeria before he was finally nailed in London – a country where the law rules?

    “Trend of politics in Nigeria have revealed that the list of politically exposed persons in Nigeria has remained and lengthening by the day, yet none of them has been seriously convicted.

    “The Nigeria laws are being continuously misinterpreted infavour of fraudsters why innocent Nigeria continues to suffer degradation and monumental” poverty as a result.

    “It has been further revealed that the main reason why all the Chief Judges from the states were made members of the committee as now revealed and it was to prepare the ground for soft landing of most of the Graft Masters who in the first instance appointed most of the Chief Judges in their various states.

    “It is therefore unfortunate that this is the way corruption is seen by the panel and is recommended to be dealt with.

    “The incapacity of the judicial system to dispose of cases of corruption speedily is now better explained by the increasing bribery funds being credited into the account of judges to subvert the course of justice.” The statement added.

    The Voters Assembly also faulted the statistics to support the dearth of judges in Nigeria, saying not all 160 million Nigerians are criminal or have cases in court at the same time.

    “The statistics of 4000 judges to 160 million Nigerians as given by the judicial policy committee is a fraud because not all 160 million Nigerians are criminal and would be criminal at the constant rate of criminalities in Nigeria.

    “Therefore, if the statistics of 4000 judges is placed on the number of real criminals in Nigeria it will reveal the indolence of some judges and the level of corruption alliance between some judges, the prosecutors, investigators and the criminals which have been responsible for the slow adjudication process and triumphs of darkness over the light of justice.” The statement argued.

    On the remedies suggested by the panel, the group said: “The remedy as suggested by the committee is not in the adoption of alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanism, because crime of corruption is not a civil matter; it is a crime which must be resolved in favour of the victim through diligent prosecution and just sentencing.

    “Suggesting non-adversarial approach and alternative dispute resolution as an option to resolve criminal cases like corruption is a deliberate attempt to suplantant justice and detain justice.

    “There have been over whelming evidence adduced before the various courts hearing these corruption cases but due to deliberate indulgent prosecution by the EFCC and ICPC prosecutors and unnecessary but conscious long adjournment by some of the judges, which has help to the case drag creating the doubt about the capacity of the judicial system to hear and dispose of the cases as speedily as possible. This obviously has put the integrity and reliability of the judiciary at stake as justice delayed is justice denied.

    “What the country needs is a special court headed by known upright Nigeria Judges serving or retired to speed up the prosecution of the corrupt in the society, so that the victims of corruption and financial crimes can sleep with their two eyes closed.”