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Tag: Muhammadu Buhari

  • Odd continuity  

    President Muhammadu Buhari started his second term in office on May 29. His inauguration on that day meant the beginning of a new four-year administration under him. He was not expected to continue in office as if there had been no discontinuity when his first term ended.  He was not expected to automatically run the government with people from his first term without formally announcing that such people had roles in his second term.

    There are rules, and Buhari is expected to play by the rules. Going by the rules, Buhari’s first-term aides should not become second-term aides without being re-appointed. This is clear enough.

    It is interesting that two lawyers pointed out the oddity of a seamless continuation.   Inibehe Effiong threatened to approach a Federal High Court for interpretation and enforcement of Sections 151 and 171 of the 1999 Constitution, following the continuance in office of Buhari’s 100 aides without being re-appointed. Femi Falana (SAN) accused President Buhari of promoting illegality by allowing his 100 aides to remain in office despite the expiration of their tenure.

    The affected aides include the President’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; Buhari’s  media aides, Garba Shehu and Femi Adesina; and others who had continued with their official duties without being re-appointed.

    Falana argued: “Like ministers, special advisers and other political appointees were appointed by President Buhari for a four-year term of office in 2015. Consequently, the tenure of all the political appointees expired on May 29, 2019, by effluxion of time. Hence, the federal cabinet was dissolved while all ministers were relieved of their appointments at the end of the four-year tenure.”

    Falana added: “In the same vein, all other political appointees ought to have been asked to relinquish their positions. Since the President has not sacked them or renewed their appointments there has arisen the urgent need to avoid a constitutional crisis whereby the actions of such persons who have continued to occupy offices illegally may be questioned or declared illegal by a court of law.”

    It is curious that President Buhari trivialised such an important requirement by allowing his aides to carry on with their roles as though they had a fresh tenure. It is stating the obvious that they need to be re-appointed to their positions, just as Buhari himself was re-elected. The President should know better than to have aides who are working unlawfully.

     

     

  • Buhari greets Foursquare Church GO at 70

    President Muhammadu Buhari has felicitated with Rev Felix Meduoye, General Overseer of the Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria, on the occasion of his 70th birthday anniversary.

    The President, according to a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, recalled playing host to the General Overseer and leaders of the church at State House, Abuja, when the church turned 60 years in Nigeria.

    He wished the cleric longer life as well as greater successes in the service of God and humanity.

    Read Also: Buhari approves Eagles’ 2019 AFCON budget

    President Buhari equally thanked the Foursquare Gospel Church for fervent prayers for Nigeria at all times, particularly before the last general elections, which contributed largely to the positive outcome of the exercise.

    Noting also that the church sent him a congratulatory letter on his being reelected for second term in office, the President prayed that God will grant Rev Meduoye greater grace and favour, as family and friends rejoice with him at this fortuitous occasion.

  • Buhari commiserates with Zamfara State over banditry

    President Muhammadu Buhari has commiserated with the government and people of Zamfara State on the recent infiltration of bandits, who killed several innocent citizens in Tsafe Local Government Area of the State.

    Condemning the incident, President Buhari described the bandit attacks as callous and despicable, assuring the people of Zamfara and other Nigerians who have lost loved ones to violent attacks that the government, under his watch, will soon bring such dastardly acts to an end.

    Commending the new administration in the State for putting in new security measures to curtail the activities of criminals and bandits, the President urged them not to despair but to see the latest attack as a challenge to step up collective actions to rout the enemy, in partnership with the Federal government.

    Read Also: Buhari orders investigation of gas pipeline tragedy

    While urging law enforcement agencies to take prompt and timely actions against the wicked attackers, President Buhari, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, appealed to citizens to have faith in the security agencies by giving them useful information on plans and the movements of the bandits.

  • Federal Cabinet: Imo APC chieftains advise Buhari

    AS the Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government continues its search for the right candidates to constitute the much awaited federal cabinet, chieftains of Imo State All Progressives Congress (APC) are currently lobbying for the candidate that would represent the state even as they blame each other for the failure of the party in the last governorship election. Dr. Chuks Osuji, a political scientist, administrator and author, in a statement entitled, “Imo Ministerial Slot: For whom the bell tolls,” made available at the weekend, argues that Madumere seems to be the most likely candidate from Imo State for a ministerial position.

    “All things considered, it is likely that Senator Hope Uzodimma may be asked to submit a list. If he is asked to do so, knowing how the mind of Hope Uzodimma works, he is more than likely to submit a list containing his name, first, Prince Eze Madumere – second, T.O.E Ekechi etc,. Knowing the temperamental chemistry of Adams Oshiomhole, he would not look at that list twice; because, he would weigh so many things in mind. It stands to be reasoned that Sen. Uzodimma was given the governorship ticket which he performed very poorly, coming a distant fourth place position.

    “Secondly, the immediate past minister, Prof. Anthony Anwuka, is from Orlu zone. So there can be no rationale for considering Uzodimma for ministerial position and other concomitant reasons which may not promote the Senator’s aspiration for ministerial appointment. In addition, if one raised the issue that the current Imo governor is from Owerri zone, such argument will be automatically shut down because both Madumere and Governor Ihedioha are not of the same political party,” he said.

    Read Also: Cabinet: APC leaders set criteria for Buhari

    Another APC chieftain in the state, Nze Stanley Onuoha, who made a case for Madumere, also blamed Uzodinma for the party’s failure in the state when he said: “there is no way APC would have succeeded with the level of lack of seriousness on the part of the APC governorship candidate who literarily did not campaign in Okigwe zone. He was not just ready. It was the more you look the less you see. We must look at the leadership of the party for us to move ahead.”

    But Chief Ukachukwu Nwulu, a grassroots leader, would not hear of it that Uzodinma is being blamed by his party members for what happed to APC in the last elections. “Senator Uzodinma tried his best under the situation we found ourselves. It is only fair that he is compensated now by the APC-led federal government,” he said. Hon. Felix Adiele, one of the leaders of APC in Owerri Municipal however believes the blame should instead be on the former governor. “Okorocha in pursuance of his goal of building a political dynasty takes the greater percentage of the blame but our unfortunate candidate, Senator Uzodinma sealed the failure,” he said.

     

  • Buhari signs bill seeking foreign assistance to recover proceeds of crime into law

    President Muhammadu Buhari has signed a bill titled ‘Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act, 2019’ into law.

    The Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, briefed State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    He said that the law which takes effect from June 20, 2019, specifically seeks to facilitate the identification, tracing, freezing, restraining, recovery, forfeiture and confiscation of proceeds, property and other instruments of crime by Nigerians in other countries.

    The aim, according to him, is to obtain from other countries, on reciprocal basis, mutual assistance in the prosecution of Criminal matters including the location and identification of suspects, witnesses and other materials for prosecution of criminal matters.

    Read Also: Photos: Buhari meets President of Benin Republic, govs in Abuja

    He said that the new law explained other provisions of the legislation including the interception of telecommunications and conversion of electronic surveillance, restraint of dealings in property, or the freezing of assets, that may be recovered, forfeited or confiscated in respect of offences.

    He further explained that the Attorney -General of the Federation is designated as the Central Authority for making, receiving and transmitting requests for assistance to and from other countries as well as performing other functions reserved in the Act.

    Enang said the law includes other assistance that is not contrary to the municipal law of the requesting State.

    The Presidential aide however, said “Where the alleged offence is of a political character or an offence under military law or is not an offence under the laws of Nigeria, the provisions of this law shall not apply.”

  • Why President replaced Baru with Kyari

    The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on Thursday threw more light on why President Muhammadu Buhari relieved Dr. Maikanti Baru of his responsibility as the corporation’s Group Managing Director (GMD).

    The explanation came after a major shake-up in the government-run corporation.

    Besides Dr. Baru who will on July 7 step aside for Mr. Mele Kolo Kyari, seven other executive officers of the agency have been moved to other offices.

    In a statement in Abuja by the NNPC spokesman, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, Baru is due for retirement on July 7, on the attainment of the retirement age of 60 years.

    President Muhammadu Buhari approved Kyari’s appointment alongside that of seven Chief Operating Officers (COO).

    The NNPC statement said: “President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Mr. Mele Kolo Kyari as the new Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).”

    Until his new appointment, Kyari, a geologist, who was Group General Manager (GGM), Crude Oil Marketing Division of NNPC, also doubled, since May 13, last year, as Nigeria’s representative to the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

    But Ughamadu explained that President Buhari directed that the GMD-designate and the appointed COOs should work with the current occupiers of the various offices till  July 7, to enhance a smooth transition on July 8.

    However, the appointment of Mr. Farouk Garba Said (Northwest), who is replacing a retiring COO, will take effect June 28.

    The statement listed the new COOs as: Roland Onoriode Ewubare from the Southsouth (Upstream); Mustapha Yinusa Yakubu (Northcentral, Refining & Petrochemicals); Yusuf Usman (Northeast, Gas & Power); Ms. Lawrencia Nwadiabuwa Ndupu (Southeast, Ventures); Mr. Umar Isa Ajiya (Northest, Chief Financial Officer); Adeyemi Adetunji (SouthWest, Downstream) and Mr. Farouk Garba Said (Northwest, Corporate Services).

    The outgoing GMD (Baru) was said to have congratulated his successor-in-waiting and the other appointees.

    Kyari is a quintessential crude oil marketer with prerequisite certification and outfield pedigree in Petroleum Economics and crude oil and gas trading.

    In the last 27 years, he has traversed the entire value chain of the petroleum industry, with exceptional records of performance.

    Under his watch, the Crude Oil Marketing Division has recorded noticeable transformation in the management and sales of the various Nigeria’s crude oil grades via an infusion of transparency and automation of the processes, the release by the NNPC spokesperson, stated.

    He will be the 19th GMD of the national oil company.

    According to the statement, Roland Onoriode Ewubare, who hails from the Southsouth and has been appointed COO in charge of Upstream, was until his new appointment GGM, National Petroleum Investments and Management Services (NAPIMS), a corporate services unit of the corporation based in Lagos.

    Before his NAPIMS’ appointment, he was Managing Director of the Integrated Data Services Limited (IDSL), a seismic data acquisition of the subsidiary NNPC based in Benin.

    Until his appointment as COO, Refining & Petrochemicals, Yakubu (Northcentral), was the Managing Director of National Engineering and Technical Company Limited (NETCO).

    Ughamadu said:  ”Yusuf Usman hails from Northeast and he is the Chief Operating Officer, Gas and Power. Until his new appointment, Usman was Senior Technical Assistant to the Group Managing Director of the corporation.

    “Ms. Lawrencia Nwadiabuwa Ndupu, from South East, is newly appointed as Chief Operating Officer, Ventures. She, until her new appointment, was the Group General Manager, NNPC Oil Field Services, established to provide technical services to players in the Industry.

    “Mr. Umar Isa Ajiya, from Northwest region of the country who holds the new position of Chief Financial Officer, was until his recent appointment, the Managing Director of Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC) of NNPC, a downstream arm of the corporation. Prior to holding the position as the Managing Director of PPMC, he was the corporation’s Group General Manager Corporate Planning and Strategy (CP&S).

    “Adeyemi Adetunji, who is from the Southwest region of the country, holding the new appointment of Chief Operating Officer, Downstream, was until his new appointment the Managing Director of NNPC Retail Limited, a Downstream Marketing Company of NNPC.

    “Prior to his position as the MD of the Downstream Marketing Company, he was General Manager, Transformation Department, a Think-thank unit of the corporation.

    “Mr. Farouk Garba Said who hails from North West and holds the new position of Chief Operating Officer, Corporate Services, was Group General Manager, Engineering and Technology Division of NNPC. Mr. Said would be taking over from the present occupier of the office who retires statutorily on 28th June, 2019.

    “The new appointees have been directed to work with the current occupiers of the various offices by President Buhari till 7th July, to ensure a smooth transition on 8th July when their appointments would take effect.

     

  • Kyari is NNPC boss as Buhari rejects tenure extension for Baru

    President Muhammadu Buhari resisted the pressure to extend the tenure of outgoing Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Group Managing Director Maikanti Baru, The Nation learnt on Thursday.

    Baru, who will attain the mandatory retirement age on July 7, could not get a tenure waiver.

    The NNPC Thursday announced Mele Kolo Kyari as Baru’s replacement in a major shake-up that affected seven senior managers.

    It was learnt that despite Baru’s performance, the President decided to stop “tenure extension indulgence” in NNPC.

    It was gathered that the President wanted the younger ones in the system to grow up and add value to the oil sector.

    The President, in his capacity as the Minister of Petroleum Resources, was uncomfortable that recent postings of top level officials from their substantive positions to new offices distorted the structure in NNPC, a source said.

    According to the highly-placed source, Baru was instrumental to the extension of the tenure of some top officials by one or two years.

    The source said: “Having introduced the culture of tenure extension, some forces had attempted to seek a tenure waiver for Baru for one or two years. But Buhari did not buy such idea.

    “Ideally, Baru ought to have proceeded on pre-retirement leave but it was anticipated that his tenure will be extended.

    “The President stamped his feet to put an end to the recurring culture of allowing some officials to enjoy discretionary tenure extension. He chose a new GMD to tell the lobbyists that he will no longer take such nonsense.

    Read Also: Why Buhari removed Baru as NNPC GMD

    “Buhari is after a NNPC that will run its course normally with career progression for all. In fact, the last postings by Baru distorted the system in NNPC and the President was just uncomfortable with it.”

    Responding to a question, the source, who has been involved in the affairs of NNPC, said:  ”With what Buhari has done, henceforth, there will be due process and regard for extant regulations in the administration of the NNPC.”

    Another source said a lot of administrative disruptions occurred under Baru, which the President was not pleased with.

    The source said: “There are stipulated gestation periods in every position. It takes a minimum number of years, maybe three years for an assistant director to become a deputy director, and perhaps the same number of years to become a substantive director. Assessments are carried out; examinations are written as part of the grooming process.

    “But what we have witnessed here in recent years is against the established service norm. More disturbing is the fact that officials so catapulted in the NNPC scheme are not as competent, qualified, or experienced as those they have been elevated over, a situation which impedes morale and enthusiasm

    “The exit of Baru will surely restore normalcy to the system. Baru may have tried his best but he left a legacy of a distorted system in NNPC.”

     

  • Governors endorse state police to fight criminals

    State police agitators seem to be winning their age-long battle.

    Governors, faced with mounting security challenges – banditry, kidnapping and terrorism, among others – have agreed to push for a law to facilitate a state police system, The Nation learnt on Thursday.

    But, not all governors at a meeting in Abuja on Wednesday agreed to join the state police train. Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai declined. He feels Nigeria is not yet ripe for the idea.

    To accommodate all, the governors resolved that once the law is in place, every state will be free to fix the timeline it will put its State Police Force in place based on availability of resources.

    The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) will soon present a memo to the National Assembly Constitution Review Committee, which will be headed by Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege.

    Governors have decided to secure President Muhammadu Buhari’s support for their plan. He had inaugurated a committee to review similar recommendations on State Police.

    The Nation learnt that the governors arrived at their position on State Police at a session in Abuja on Wednesday.

    Their position was later taken to the National Economic Council (NEC) yesterday in Abuja.

    A source at the session said: “At our pre-NEC meeting, we weighed all options on the security challenges in the country and we reached an agreement that State Police System is likely to be one of the solutions to the problems at hand.

    “We took stock of the fact that Nigeria is one of the countries with federalism without state police. In other federal jurisdictions like the United States (U.S.), India and others, there are federal, state, municipal and county police systems.

    “We discussed the implications of State Police and came into the conclusion that it will not affect our unity, diversity and cohesion as a nation. Rather, good security apparatchik will give a sense of belonging to all and promote economic integration.

    “We will seek the understanding of President Muhammadu Buhari. We want his buy-in since we can longer leave the security problems to the Federal Government.

    “We need to devolve our police system for efficiency and better results. We have had enough of a Unitary Police Structure. This is why we are having many security challenges.

    “What we are proposing will not in any way affect the federal police structure that we have in place now. State police will work in synergy with the federal police.”

    El-Rufai is said to have felt strongly that Nigeria is not yet ripe for state police, considering our ethnic, religious and political colourations.

    “He suspected that the system is capable of being abused in a partisan political environment like Nigeria,” the source said.

    Another governor spoke on some factors which may impede the implementation of State Police, especially funding and how to go about the implementation of the state police.

    He said: “The only hurdle we anticipated at our meeting was how to fund state police in view of the scarce resources in a receding economy.

    “We, therefore, opted to allow each state to choose the timeline it prefers to start the State Police System based on exigencies and the resources available to it. For instance, while Lagos, Rivers, Ogun, Oyo, and Kano states can easily bankroll State Police, insolvent states like Kogi, Zamfara, and many others may take some years to join it.”

    A governor from the North-Central, who also confided in our correspondent, said: “Some work has been done by the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) in the past. We will just activate what we have done, fine-tune our proposals in line with new trends and unveil our blueprint.”

    After securing the support of the President, the NGF will send a memo to the National Assembly Constitution Review Committee which will be headed by the Deputy President of the Senate, Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege.

    “We will then embark on the lobbying of the lawmakers to effect amendments to the 1999 Constitution to place Police on Concurrent List which will allow the establishment of State Police,” the source said, requesting not to be named.

    The governors will also lean on a bill on State Police, which was sponsored by Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila when he was the House Majority Leader.

    The 8th House of Representatives on July 4, 2018 received from Gbajabiamila a bill to amend the 1999 Constitution to allow State Police.

    The bill sought to amend Section 214 (1) of the 1999 Constitution by deleting the phrase “and subject to the provisions of this section no other police force shall be established for the Federation or any part thereof” immediately after the word “force”.

    New sections 215 and 216 were also to be created by amending the existing sections 217 and 218 to spell out the structure and operations of the proposed state police.

    The details of the bill are as follows: “217. (1)  “There shall be a police force in each state of the Federation.

    (2) Subject to the provisions of this constitution – (a) a state Police Force shall be organized and administered in accordance with such provisions as may be prescribed by an act of the State House of Assembly; (b) members of state Police shall have such powers and duties as may be conferred upon them by law.”

    “218. (1) “There shall be – (a) a Commissioner of Police who shall be appointed by the governor on the advice of the State Police Council from among serving members of the State Police Force;

    “(2) The State Police Force shall be under the command of the State Commissioner of Police.

    “(3) The governor or such other commissioner of the government of the state as he may authorise in that behalf may give to the Commissioner of Police such lawful directions with respect to the maintenance and securing of public safety and public order as he may consider necessary, and the Commissioner of Police shall comply with those directions or cause them to be compiled with.

    “219. (1) Subject to the provisions of this constitution, the State House of Assembly may make laws for the further regulation and control of the State Police.

    Read Also: Ozekhome: President should approve state police

    “The Principal Act is hereby amended by rearranging the existing sections 217 to 320 as sections 220 to 323.

    “The Principal Act is hereby amended by deleting item 45 from the exclusive legislative list in part 1 of the second schedule of the constitution.

    “That the entire items on the Exclusive Legislative List in part 1 of the second schedule of the constitution is hereby rearranged and renumbered as items 1 to 67 with the exclusion of the deleted item under this Bill.”

    The bill also proposed to amend the constitution by creating a new Section 21 in part 2 of the Second Schedule to give powers to state Houses of Assembly to create state police commands.

    Section 21 reads, “(1) The National Assembly may make laws for the Federation or any part thereof with respect to- (a) Police force and other government security services in respect of anything pertaining to internal security and the maintenance of law and order in Nigeria; and (b) Regulation of ownership and control of Federal Police and other government security services.

    “(2)   A House of Assembly of a state may make laws with respect to: a. The creation, formation or/and establishment of Police Force and other security services in respect of any matter pertaining to internal security and the maintenance of law and order within that state and with regard to the enforcement of any law validly made by the House of Assembly of that state.

    “b. Regulation of ownership and control of State Police and other state government’s security services.

    “The Principal Act is hereby amended by renumbering the existing section 21 to 30 of part 2 of the second schedule of the constitution as numbers 22 to 31.”

     

  • Photos: Buhari receives Sudan Special Envoy

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday received Sudan Special envoy at the State House Abuja.

    President Muhammadu Buhari receives Sudan Special envoy at the State House Abuja on Thursday
    President Muhammadu Buhari receives Sudan Special envoy at the State House Abuja.

  • Photos: Buhari meets governors, inaugurates NEC

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday inaugurated the National Economic Council (NEC), for the next four years.

    Buhari, however, urged the state governments to deepen collaboration with the Federal government on security among other things.

    Read Also: Buhari to governors: Look for ways to boost your IGR

    Buhari via his Twitter page said “Today I inaugurated the National Economic Council (NEC), for the next four years. The Federal and State Governments must deepen collaboration on security, education, health and agriculture, to make a difference in the lives of our people”