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Tag: Jonathan

  • Jonathan’s wife begs court to unfreeze accounts with N3.5b, $5.8m

    Jonathan’s wife begs court to unfreeze accounts with N3.5b, $5.8m

    •Judge to hear motion Nov 23

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s wife, Patience, has asked a Federal High Court to lift the temporary freeze issued on 16 accounts allegedly held in banks by her and some firms linked to her.

    The accounts, said to contain $5.8 million and N3.5 billion, are domicile in six banks.

    Mrs. Jonathan’s request is contained in a motion she filed before the court, and in which she faulted the method adopted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in obtaining two ex-parte interim freezing orders on the accounts.

    She contended that the freezing orders have lapsed and should be vacated, having been first made on May 30 this year and renewed on October 10.

    Mrs. Jonathan said the accounts were maintained by her, the Incorporated Trustees of her foundation -Ariwabai Aruera Reachout Foundation – and nine other companies in which she has interest.

    She argued that the orders of interim forfeiture made on May 30, 2017, including a subsequent one issued on October 10, 2017, have become spent and could no longer be extended, because the original order was obtained through an improper use of court process by the EFCC.

    She stated in the motion filed by her lawyer Mike Ozekhome (SAN) that the Federal High Court in Abuja, on May 30, 2017 granted an ex-parte order in favour of the Federal Government against all the accounts own and operated by her and the companies

    She said the same Federal Government later went before the Lagos division of the court, presided over by Justice C.M.A Olatoregun to obtain similar order on October 10 in respect of accounts held by her, Finchley Top Homes Limited and Ariwabai Aruera Reachout Foundation.

    Mrs. Jonathan added that prior to the grant of the ex-parte motion by the court in Abuja, the Federal Government had filed a similar application before Justice Olatoregun of Lagos division but failed to disclose the fact that it had obtained same reliefs in Lagos.

    She said the owners of the money were never served with the interim order and that they became aware of it during a hearing of a petition she lodged at the National Assembly.

    When the case was called yesterday before Justice Binta Nyako, Ozekhome urged the court to first here his client’s motion before the one filed by the EFCC for the extension of the orders earlier made by the court.

    Lawyer to the EFCC Richard Dauda insisted that his application should take precedence.

    Justice Nyako, however, adjourned to November 23.

  • Jonathan: no rift with Dickson

    Jonathan: no rift with Dickson

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan said yesterday that he had no rift with Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson.

    He spoke when Dickson visited him at his Otuoke home in Ogbia Local Government Area, to condole with him on the death of the paramount ruler of Otuoke Community, Lord Justin Ogiasa.

    Dickson, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Francis Ottah Agbo, said he was part of the Ogiasa family and by extension, the Otuoke community.

    “We are here in full force, as we have always done, to commiserate with you, my elder brother, leader and the Ogiasa family, in this hour of pain. We pray God to grant the deceased eternal repose,” Dickson said.

    The governor, who dispelled rumours of any rift with the former President, said in and out of office, Jonathan would remain his leader, having come a long way together with him.

    He, therefore, called on those who want to cause imaginary differences between him and Jonathan to sink their plans.

    “Both of us have come a long way; my personal political story cannot be complete without talking about my elder brother, Jonathan. He also knows that I made little contribution that is recorded in the political chapter of his life,” he said.

    Jonathan thanked Dickson for the visit and denied the existence of any rift between them. According to him, some people are using politics to create crisis.

    His words: “There is no way I can sit anywhere and plan evil against Bayelsa State or the governor. When I was dreaming of becoming a governor, Dickson was amongst the very few in the meetings we held, although he was not in the PDP, he opted to help.

    “He said he didn’t want to be in the PDP, but I virtually forced him to join PDP. When I became governor, I appointed him as Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, and that was how he became a PDP member, and later became a member of House of Representatives. There is no way I will break my relationship with the governor.”

  • Jonathan urges court to void Metuh’s request to compel him to testify

    Jonathan urges court to void Metuh’s request to compel him to testify

    •Ex-President to ex-PDP chief: deposit N1b for transport to Abuja

    Ex- President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday challenged the witness summon issued on him by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to appear today to testify as a defence witness in the trial of former spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Olisa Metuh.

    The witness summon (subpoena) was issued on Jonathan and former National Security Adviser (NSA), Mohammed Dasuki upon request by Metuh, who is being tried with his company Destra Investment Limited, over alleged money laundering offences.

    In an application filed yesterday by his lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, Jonathan particularly wants the court to void the subpoena issued on him.

    Dasuk has also appealed the decision by the trial judge in the Metuh case, Justice Okon Abang, rejecting his request to set aside the summon issued on him.

    Jonathan in the application asked the court for an order to set aside the issuance and service of the ‘subpoena ad testifiandum’ issued on October 23 for the purpose of his appearance in court and give evidence in the proceeding in charge No: FHC/ABJ/CR/05/2016.

    Alternatively, Jonathan prayed the court to direct Metuh to deposit with the court, for and on his (Jonathan’s) behalf, N1 billion only in line, with the provisions of Section 241(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 to cover travelling expenses for himself and his security personnel from his home town Otuoke in Bayelsa State, to Abuja and also for time that he might spend appearing before the court as President of Nigeria between 2010 to 2015.

    In his ground of application Ozekhome submitted that the evidence sought to be obtained from the applicant will amount to an invasion of his personal right to privacy, and family life as provided for in Section 37 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.

    In addition, he submitted that the evidence sought to be obtained from the applicant is likely to expose the applicant to a criminal charge, penalty or forfeiture.

    He further argued that the subpoena is vague and applied for and obtained of frivolous grounds and in bad faith as it was meant to embarrass the person of the applicant.

    Jonathan contended that Metuh was not a personal aid or appointee of the applicant herein and so could not have dealt with the President directly under any circumstance to warrant the invitation of the applicant to testify in the charge.

    He argued that there is no nexus between the applicant and Metuh and the charge for which Metuh is standing trial.

     

     

  • Metuh’s trial: Court orders Jonathan to appear on Tuesday

    Metuh’s trial: Court orders Jonathan to appear on Tuesday

    A FEDERAL High Court in Abuja has ordered former President Goodluck Jonathan and his former National Security Adviser Sambo Dasuki to testify before it on Monday.

    Justice Okon Abang gave the order yesterday in a ruling on the invitation of the two men by former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spokesman Olisa Metuh as defence witnesses.

    Justice Abang also ordered the court bailiff five days within which to effect personal service of subpoena (witness summons) issued on  Jonathan.

    The court had on Tuesday adjourned the criminal trial to yesterday for Jonathan and Dasuki, who were subpoenaed on the request of Metuh, to appear and testify as defence witnesses.

    At the resumption of proceedings yesterday, neither Jonathan nor Dasuki was in court.

    While there was evidence that Dasuki had been served with the witness summons, the court noted that its bailiff was not yet able to serve  Jonathan.

    When asked what further steps should be taken, prosecuting lawyer Sylvester Tahir, urged the court to order substituted service since personal service has failed.

    As it relates to Dasuki, Tahir asked the court to apply the provision of Section 246(1) (a) of Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).

    Tahir said: “There was a report on Monday that Dasuki has been served on October 18. Today is the return date. The witness that has been served is not here.

    “Section 246(1)(a) of ACJA has addressed the situation at hand. It says ‘A witness, who refuses or neglect without reasonable excuse, to attend court in response to a witness summons is liable to a summary conviction and sentencing to fine of N10,000 or imprisonment of two months.”

    When asked by the court, as the lawyer to the complainant what steps he has taken to ensure that an agency of Federal Government (DSS) comply with the order made by Court of Appeal on September 29, Tahir said he had reported to his employer, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Lawyers for the defence, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) and Tochukwu Onwugbufor (SAN) objected to the position canvassed by Tahir.

    They urged the court to ensure that more attempt were made to serve Jonathan personally before the option of substituted means could be considered.

    Justice Abang agreed with the submissions of the defence lawyers and directed that further attempt should be made at serving Jonathan personally, failing which the option of substituted means could be explored.

    On Dasuki, he directed that the issue should be handled administratively since the case was being prosecuted by an agency of the Federal Government (the EFCC) and Dasuki was being held by another agency of the Federal Government (DSS).

    He said the court would be unable to make meaningful progress where Dasuki and Jonathan fail to attend court as directed.

    “As regards His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who is not in court today, it is on record that he is yet to be served the witness summon.

    “The court cannot apportion blame to him for his failure to be in court today.

    “It is my humble view that service of court process on the witness or a party goes to the root of adjudication, absence of which will nullify proceedings; no matter how well-conducted.

    “It is not sufficient that the bailiff of the court made only one attempt to serve him with the witness summon.

    “The bailiff is hereby directed to make further attempts in effecting personal service of the witness summon on His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

    “If personal service cannot be effected, it is only reasonable that the first defendant has a duty to apply for leave to serve His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan by substituted means. I so hold.”

    The judge then scheduled both Jonathan and Dasuki to appear in court on October 31.

    In an earlier ruling, Justice Abang struck out the motion filed by Dasuki, seeking the setting aside of the subpoena issued on him.

    Dasuki had argued that he was not in the right frame of mind to testify in the case because he has been held in custody since December 2015 and could no longer remember all that happened while he was in office.

    The EFCC is prosecuting Metuh and his company, Destra Investments Limited, on seven counts of money laundering involving alleged cash transaction of $2 million and fraudulent receipt of N400 million meant for procurement of arms from the Office of the NSA.

     

  • Metuh: Court summons Jonathan, Dasuki

    Metuh: Court summons Jonathan, Dasuki

    A FEDERAL High Court in Abuja has insisted that former President Goodluck Jonathan and ex-National Security Adviser (NSA) Mohammed Dasuki must appear today to testify for the defence in the ongoing trial of ex-spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh.

    Justice Okon Abang gave the directive yesterday despite the pending motion by Dasuki, challenging the witness summons issued on him and the uncertainty over whether or not Jonathan has been served with the subpoena issued by the court on Monday.

    At the resumption of proceedings in the trial of Metuh and his company, Destra Investment yesterday, Justice Abang took argument from lawyer to Dasuki, Ahmed Raji (SAN) and other lawyers in the case on the motion by ex-NSA.

    Arguing his client’s motion, Raji contended that there was no way Dasuki would testify in Metuh’s trial without implicating himself because the issues in the case and the three pending charges against him (Dasuki) were interlinked.

    Raji prayed the court to set aside the subpoena issued on Dasuki or suspend the execution of the court summon until he (Dasuki) was released from prison.

    He argued that his client’s long detention by the Department of State Service (DSS) since December 2015 has deprived Dasuki of ability to meaningful participate in Metuh’s trial

    Raji said the DSS continued to detain Dasuki despite being granted bail by three separate municipal courts and also an order to be released by ECOWAS Court.

    He said with his client’s continued detention, the ex-NSA had no access records that could enable him to give meaningful  evidence.

    Raji argued that from the nature of the charges instituted against Metuh, Dasuki could be said to be an alleged co-accomplice.

    He said the ex-NSA would “not be able to give evidence in the case without incriminating himself.”

    Raji contended that Dasuki, as an alleged accomplice, was a competent witness, but not a compellable witness.

    He stated that compelling Dasuki to give evidence would violate Section 36(2) of the Constitution, which guaranteed the right of a suspect to remain silent when arrested or detained.

    Raji said Dasuki was not served personally with the subpoena, as such, the service of the subpoena through the Director-General of DSS was invalid.

    Prosecuting lawyer, Sylvanus Tahir and lawyers representing Metuh and Destra, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) and Tochukwu Onwugbufor (SAN) opposed Dasuki’s motion.

    They argued that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the application.

    Tahir, Ikpeazu and Onwugbufor argued that granting the application by the court would amount to a violation of Section 287(2) of the Constitution, which they said prohibited a lower court from reviewing or varying the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which on September 29, ordered Justice Abang to sign the subpoena.

    On Raji’s argument that his client, being an alleged accomplice could implicate himself, Tahir argued that such contention was without basis.

    He said, “The applicant said he is an accomplice and his evidence will be self-incriminating

    “That argument is contrary to section 198 (1) of the Evidence Act.”

    On points of law, Raji said by virtue of the provisions of section 36 (11) of the Constitution “nobody standing trial shall be compelled to give evidence”.

    He added none of the respondents had challenged “the fact that we have no access to records and we are not in right mental state to give evidence in this case”.

    Justice Abang has reserved ruling on Dasuki’s motion till today.

    He  said: “The outcome of the ruling will determine which step to take about the first subpoena(issued on Dasuki), but the orders compelling His Excellency, former President Goodluck Jonathan, and Col. Sambo Dasuki, to appear in court on Wednesday, October 25, 2017 at the instance of the first defendant (Metuh) still stand.”

    Justice Abang had issued separate subpoenas on Jonathan and Dasuki upon applications by Metuh, who had requested the two men to testify in his defence in his ongoing trial.

    The judge confirmed that the subpoena on Jonathan was issue upon the receipt of Metuh’s application for the summon to be served on the ex-President at about 3.59p.m. on Monday.

    Justice Abang said: “In line with section 241(1) of Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, and having regard to the subsisting judgment of the Court of Appeal in the appeal, CA/A/159C/2017, between Olisa Metuh and Federal Republic of Nigeria  dated September 29, 2017 to the effect that it will be tantamount to violating the right of the first defendant (Metuh) to fair hearing not to sign the subpoena, I have no option  other than to sign a subpoena to compel former President Goodluck Jonathan to appear in court on September 25, 2017 (Wednesday)to give evidence at the instance of the first defendant,” he said.

    When asked if Jonathan has been served with the subpoena, a registrar of the court said the bailiff of the court was yet to serve the subpoena on Jonathan as at yesterday morning.

    Metuh and Destra are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on a seven-count charge of money laundering involving alleged cash transaction of $2 million and fraudulent receipt of  million meant for procurement of arms from the Office of the NSA.

    The EFCC alleged in the charges that Metuh and his firm used the N400 million for PDP’s campaign activities during the 2015 presidential election.

  • Metuh to call Jonathan as witness in N400m, $2m alleged fraud trial

    Metuh to call Jonathan as witness in N400m, $2m alleged fraud trial

    •Dasuki turns down invitation as witness

    ORMER Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Publicity Secretary Olisah Metuh told a Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday that he intends to apply to the court to compel ex-President Goodluck Jonathan to testify as a defence witness in his trial.

    Lawyer to Metuh, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), told the court that a letter was written to Jonathan on the issue, but since he did not respond, his client intends to apply to the court for a subpoena to be issued on the ex-President to testify for him and his company, Destra Investment Limited.

    Ikpeazu said this in the course of proceedings in the case yesterday.

    He said aside former National Security Adviser (NSA), Mohammed Sambo Dasuki, on whom a subpoena had been issued, his client also intends to apply for a witness summons to be issued on Jonathan.

    After Ikpeazu’s submission, the trial judge, Justice Okon Abang, invited a lawyer, Ahmed Raji (SAN), who had announced his appearance for Dasuki (who though not a party in the trial, filed a motion in the case) to mention the motion he filed for his client.

    Raji said his client’s motion on notice dated and filed on October 20 seeks an order to set aside the issuance and service of the subpoena ad testificandum (witness summons) issued by the court for the purpose of compelling Dasuki to give evidence in the case.

    He said his client seeks, in the alternative, an order suspending “execution or further execution of the subpoena ad testificandum” pending his release from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).

    In a copy of the motion sighted by The Nation in Abuja yesterday, Dasuki argued that he could not be compelled to testify in Metuh’s trial because he had been in DSS’s custody since December 2015 and was no longer in the right frame of mind to remember all that transpired while he was the NSA.

    He said despite being admitted to bail in the three charges filed against him, coupled with a judgment of the Community Court of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) ordering the Nigerian government to grant him freedom to enable him prepare for his trial, the Nigerian authorities has remained defiant.

    Dasuki, who noted that issues in the charges against him and the one on which he had been summoned to testify (Metuh’s trial) were similar, as they revolve decisions he took while in office, said he could hardly remember what transpired then because he has not had access to his files and documents relating to his days in office.

    He said he was presently challenging the propriety of his continued detention before the Supreme Court and would prefer to await the outcome of the appeal, else it would appear as if he was preempting his appeal.

    When asked by the judge if they were served with the motion by Dasuki and whether they were opposed to it, prosecution lawyer, Sylvanus Tahir, Ikpeazu and lawyer to Destra, Tochukwu Onwugbufor (SAN), acknowledged being served yesterday morning. But they said they needed time to respond to it.

    Ruling, Justice Abang said he has signed the subpoena issued in relation to Dasuki in line with the September 29 judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja on the appeal by Metuh.

    The appellate court, in the judgment, set aside Justice Abang’s decision that Dasuki was not a compellable witness, ordered him to sign the subpoena and directed the Director General of the DSS to produce Dasuki at Metuh’s trial on a date to be fixed by the trial court.

    Yesterday, Justice Abang said he has slated October 25 for the DSS DG to produce Dasuki in court.

    The judge said at the resumption of proceedings today, he will allow Tahir, Ikpeazu and Onwugbufor to make oral submissions in the response to the motion by Dasuki.

    He ordered the first defendant (Metuh), who concluded with his seventh witness yesterday, to call other witnesses today, except Dasuki, who is expected to appear before the court tomorrow.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Metuh and his company, Destra Investments Limited, on seven counts of fraud and money laundering.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Jonathan greets Ekwueme at 85

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan has felicitated with Second

    Republic Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, on his 85th birthday.

    Jonathan, in a letter of goodwill to Ekwueme, described him as a blessing to the nation.

    In a statement by his aide, Ikechukwu Eze, Jonathan also described the former Vice President as a democrat who laid the foundation for urbane and inclusive disposition to governance.

    He said: ”Your commitment and worthy contributions over the years have been pivotal to the mileage attained towards deepening our democracy and strengthening the pillars upon which our nation rests.

    “May God keep and protect you to enable you continue with your selfless service to our dear nation.”

  • Jonathan, Babangida meet in Minna

    Jonathan, Babangida meet in Minna

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan and ex-Military President Gen. Ibrahim Babangida met yesterday in Minna, Niger State.

    The meeting, at Babangida’s Uphill home, lasted about two hours.

    The former leaders, both chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), may have discussed the coming PDP convention.

    Jonathan, accompanied by Senator Nimi Barigha Amange, arrived at Minna, about 10 am in a black SUV (ABJ 961 ER). Eight vehicles were in his convoy.

    None of those who accompanied him were allowed into the meeting; they were entertained in another room.

    After the meeting, Jonathan did not speak with reporters, saying there was nothing to talk about since the visit was private.

    “Gentlemen, please, I am on a private visit. I have not seen Gen. Babangida since he returned from his medical vacation and felt it was the right time to do so,” he said.

    Jonathan added that they are retired politicians and nobody should be bothered about what they do.

  • Jonathan urges PDP members to elect better chairman, publicity secretary

    Jonathan urges PDP members to elect better chairman, publicity secretary

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan has advised Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members not to make the mistake of electing wrong National Working Committee (NWC) members at the December convention.

    Jonathan spoke when he received an aspirant for the party’s national chairmanship position, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, in his residence in Abuja yesterday.

    He cautioned that the party could not afford to make mistake in choosing its next national chairman and publicity secretary, describing them as “very delicate positions”.

    “This time around, we need a very courageous and vocal person to be the chairman.

    “There are two positions that we must not make mistake on – the positions of the national chairman and that of the national publicity secretary, because I have worn the shoes before and I know where it pinches.

    “If we make a mistake as a party and elect wrong chairman and publicity secretary, we are finished,” Jonathan said.

    He said PDP, at this moment, needed courageous chairman, who in the face of persecution, would remain courageous to protect the party’s interest and defend democracy.

    “We need very competent person and a team player, somebody who will not negotiate to get money from the aspirants to make them candidates.

    “If you do that, you have destroyed the party because a party must come up with programmes and policies that will elect the best of the best.

    “If you present the best material, the chances of your winning election are stronger than when you present a wrong material.

    “This is key so that by 2019, when we go for the general elections, PDP will have majority in the states and national assemblies and of course, PDP must win the presidency,” he said.

    Jonathan, who said that the December convention would be keenly contested, urged chairmanship aspirants to see the exercise as a family affair.

    He commended the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee of the party, saying that they had done very well, especially during the period of crisis in the party.

    Jonathan prayed for Dokpesi in his aspiration to become PDP chairman and described him as “a member who has done well for the party”.

    Dokpesi urged Jonathan to ensure that the PDP came out of the December convention stronger and united.

    He hailed  the former president’s resilience and efforts in ensuring that the party’s leadership crisis was resolved.

     

  • Obasanjo, Yar’ Adua, Jonathan, Buhari are accidental leaders, says Na’Abba

    Former Speaker of House of Representatives Ghali Umar Na’Abba has described the leaders that ruled Nigeria in the last 18 years as accidental leaders going by the process of their emergence.

    Na’Abba spoke in Abuja at the 2016/2017 Matriculation and Fellowship Endowment Ceremony of the National Institute for Legislative Studies (NILS).

    He blamed the country’s leadership recruitment process for the accidental leadership problem.

    The ex-Speaker said: “Circumstances at hand or situations on ground have to a large extent over the years determined, who and who was elected into office in Nigeria as President since 1999 as against level of preparedness on the part of the leaders in terms of clear vision and programmes obtainable in most democracies of the world, culminating in accidental leadership for the country.”

    According him, accidental leadership brings about trial and error in governance, which, he said, has been the lot of Nigeria since 1999 till date.

    Na’Abba said this has led to poor governance and frustrations on the part of Nigerians.

    He expressed regret that leadership recruitment process in Nigeria has been hijacked by a few politicians.

    He urged for what he called regular ‘tutorials’ for political leaders at all levels and called on more Nigerians to participate in politics with a view to opening up the political space.

    The former speaker said: “I believe that not just the Legislature, every arm of government that is serving the purpose of governance must invest in exposing democracy to the people. It is a sad commentary on our political life that today recruitment into leadership has been subverted by a few politicians because they deny Nigerians opportunity to contest elections and achieve their aspirations through the systematic appropriation of political parties to themselves

    “These politicians have stopped the growth of democracy. And it is true that unless democracy is allowed to grow, we cannot achieve the desired political growth, we cannot achieve the desired economic growth and we can also not achieve the desired social growth in our country. And that is why we are still in political, economic and social doldrums. We have been having successive accidental leaders since 1999.

    “It is time for us to begin to understand that the more participation Nigerians enjoy in politics, the more political development we attain; and consequently, economic and social development.

    “We have been advocating that tutorials must be taking place on a continuous basis for stakeholders in democracy from the local governments to the states. Every stakeholder, particularly party executives, because what is sad today is that most of those who hold positions at the executive level on our political parties cannot distinguish the duties, functions and distinction between and among our political institutions. So, with this lack of knowledge it is almost impossible for them to understand the kind of people that should serve at various levels”.

    House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara said the National Assembly had made appreciable efforts in fulfilling its democratic obligations to Nigerians by paying particular attention to capacity-building.

    Dogara explained that parliamentary capacity development was important to ensure balance of power among the branches of a democratic system.

    He hailed NILS/UNIBEN for the programmes designed to build capacity of legislative staff.

    The speaker said the knowledge imparted to participants would build a pool of competent staff and members to enhance international best practices in the discharge of their duties.

    Director General NILS Prof. Ladi Hamalai congratulated the students and urged them to take their studies seriously.

    Over 85 students matriculated in Masters in Legislative Drafting, Masters in Parliamentary Administration as well as Masters in Legislative Studies.

    Besides Na’Abba, four former presiding officers of the National Assembly received NILS Award of Fellowship.

    They include: former Senate President from 1979 to 1983, Senator Joseph Wayas; Dr. Ken Nnamani (2005 to 2007); Aminu Bello Masari (2003 to 2007), who is Katsina State Governor and former Deputy Senate President Senator Ibrahim Mantu (2001 to 2007).