The Nation Newspaper

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  • Why Govt can’t remove fuel subsidy now, by Finance minister

    The Federal Government has explained why it is not considering subsidy removal. It has not found the right formula to cushion its effect, Finance Minister Mrs. Zainab Ahmed said yesterday.

    According to her, the government would have to find a workable formula before ending subsidy payment.

    “But for now”, Ahmed said, “the government is yet to find the right formula which would provide succour to the people when subsidy is removed. Hence, there is no intention to remove fuel subsidy at this time.”

    The minister, who spoke yesterday at the end of the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, that the Executive and the National Assembly would have to work together on the issue.

    She also noted that the current subsidy regime, which is under the monopoly of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), is cheaper  compared to the previous regime.

    Mrs. Ahmed said: “In some countries, they provide buses to transport people, in some countries they provide subsidies for people that are directly requiring the subsidies.

    Read also: NUPENG, PENGASSAN to FG: shun counsel on removal of fuel subsidy

    “We have not found a way to do it. What we are doing now, the subsidy, it is everybody that is benefiting, whereas it should be the people that are really vulnerable that need.

    “So, in the Executive with the support of the legislature, we have to find a formula that will work for Nigeria. And until we do that, we should not be contemplating removing the subsidy because, indeed when we do, there will be people that will suffer. So, we are not yet there.

    “We discussed this periodically under the Economic Management Team. But we still haven’t found a formula that works for Nigeria. And you know that Nigeria is unique. What works for Ghana might not work here.

    “So, it’s still work in progress and there is no intention to remove fuel subsidy at this time.”

  • EFCC arrests 40 Federal Inland Revenue workers over N2.1b scam

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested 40 senior management and junior Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) officials for an alleged N2.1billion scam.

    The cash was said to have been siphoned through alleged payment of Duty Tour Allowances (DTA) to the staff.

    Some of the suspects were paid as much as N101million, N97million, N89million, N84million, N65million, N52million and N46million as Duty Tour Allowances.

    Some of those arrested have started paying back the illicit payments made to them.

    The international passports of 10 of the officials have been seized to restrict their movement to the country pending investigation.

    The EFCC has also written some embassies to retrieve the passports of some of the officials.

    The anti-graft commission said it was expecting the most senior director for interrogation as the approving authority of the DTA allowances.

    Although the official is said to be on medical treatment abroad, the EFCC said there was no evidence before it to show that he is ill.

    Detectives have, however, quizzed the Director of Finance, Mr. M. Auta, who claimed to have acted on the instructions of the Coordinating Director.

    There has been no evidence of any fraud link to the Executive Chairman, Mr. Babatunde Fowler.

    According to a fact-sheet obtained yesterday, the EFCC is “investigating alleged inflation of Duty Tour Allowances, humongous payments to staff, diversion of funds and outright stealing of public funds”.

    The document said: “There was information that some senior management staff were using some middle and junior cadre of the service to siphon funds from the accounts of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in the guise of travelling allowances.

    Read also: EFCC to re-arraign ex-judge Ajumogobia today

    “For the records, the fraudulent practices were perpetrated between 2017 and 2018. Initially, the accounts of the staff were scrutinised and over N2.1billion was discovered to have been paid to them by the FIRS.

    “However, a proper scrutiny was carried out. During investigation, their normal salaries, DTA were deducted and finally what was illegally paid to these staff was N1.6billion.

    “The funds were paid to the staff and after little deductions, the bulk of the money was usually given to the senior management staff. Prominent among those who have a case to answer is a Coordinating Director.

    “As civil servants, some of the suspects were paid as much as N101million, N97million, N89million, N84million, N65million, N52million and N46million as Duty Tour Allowances. There is no way a civil servant can earn about N101million in his or her 35 years in service. In some instances, some staff claimed to have been in Lagos, Sokoto, Calabar on the same day and collected DTA.

    “Most of the DTA allowances were actually not used for official purposes or public service. This is a case of  stealing and money laundering.

    “So far, about 40 staff were involved but about 10 staff were detained and released on bail after scrutiny.

    “We are looking for the most Senior Coordinating Director in the agency but the FIRS claimed he travelled out for medical treatment abroad. We invited him to come on or before last Tuesday but he is yet to report. We  have not yet seen any medical report.

    “We won’t be able to determine how much was credited to him until he is interrogated. We are looking for him. Even if he resigns, as being speculated, he has to answer the allegations against him.

    “So far, the Director of Finance of FIRS, Mr. M. Auta has been quizzed by detectives. He admitted that he acted on approvals and instructions by the Coordinating Director.”

    The document gave an update on the status of investigation by EFCC detectives.

    It said: “The commission has seized the passports of Auta and nine other staff to restrict their movement to the country. We are trying to retrieve the passports of some of the staff from a few embassies pending the conclusion of investigation.

    “This is just one case out of many fraud alerts in the FIRS. Some sections in EFCC are also handling same matters on other amounts.

    “Some amounts have been recovered from those invited, interrogated and detained.”

    The Acting Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC Tony Orilade said: “I am not aware, I have not been briefed.”

  • New twist in race for Speaker

    The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is seeking support for Femi Gbajabiamila to become Speaker of the House of Representatives. This is coming at a time more aspirants are showing interest in the race and insisting on realising their ambition, reports Dele Anofi, Abuja.

    Lagos APC urges Reps-elect to support Gbajabiamila

    The All Progressives Congress (APC), Lagos State Chapter has urged party members who have won elections into the House of Representatives to support Mr Femi Gbajabiamila for Speaker.

    Mr Abiodun Salami, APC’s Assistant Publicity Secretary in Lagos State, made the appeal yesterday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

    Salami was reacting to the adoption of Gbajabiamila for Speaker of the lower chamber by the APC’s national leadership on Tuesday.

    Gbajabiamila, representing Surulere 1 Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, was re-elected for the fifth term. He is the House Leader.

    APC’s National Publicly Secretary, Lanre Issa-Onilu had announced the adoption of Gbajabiamila in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday.

    He had stated that the party took the decision after extensive deliberations with APC House of Representatives members-elect at a dinner with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Banquet Hall of Aso Villa.

    Issa-Onilu, in the statement issued shortly after the meeting, also announced that the party had zoned the position of the Deputy Speaker to the North Central.

    However, an APC House of Representatives member from Benue State, Mr John Dyegh, hours after the adoption of Gbajabiamila, declared his ambition to be Speaker.

    Read also: Our NASS aspirants free to negotiate with PDP members, says APC

    In his speech yesterday in Abuja, Dyegh said he was out to serve the nation and that the North Central zone had been marginalised in the leadership of the House since 1999.

    Meanwhile, Salami urged all House of Representatives members-elect under the platform of the party to work with unity of purpose and support the ambition of Gbajabiamila.

    He said the party had acted well by adopting Gbajabiamila, saying, “he is an experienced legislator with sterling records of service to the people’’.

    “We in Lagos APC are appealing to all our members across the country to support Mr Gbajabiamila in his bid to become the speaker of the ninth House of Representatives.

    “He has been adopted by the party and that makes him the candidate of the party. We, therefore, urge House of Representatives members-elect to support him,’’ he said.

    Salami described Gbajabiamila as a committed and loyal party man with good records of service both at the national and state levels.

    “Even though he is elected on the platform of the party, we have no doubt that he will serve the interest of all Nigerians when he emerges as the speaker.

    “We are also appealing to all Nigerians to support this cerebral gentleman to further impact on the country’s development through his legislative experience and prowess,’’ he said.

    Salami said Gbajabiamila had sponsored many bills which have impacted positively on the lives of Nigerians.

    “He sponsored the bill seeking equal opportunities for people with disability and criminalising estimated billing by electricity distribution companies,’’ he said.

    He said Gbajabiamila also organised periodic empowerment programmes to uplift the people of his constituency.

     

    North Central caucus rejects deputy speaker slot

     

    Dyegh said the North Central caucus was not satisfied with the decision to adopt Gbajabiamila. He said the North Central caucus has asked the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to reconsider the decision and zone the seat to the North Central.

    Dyegh, at a news conference yesterday, while reiterating the loyalty of the North Central caucus to the party, went ahead to declare his intention to vie for the position of the 9th Speaker of the House.

    “We are not fighting the party,  we are not, we shall not, we are only giving the party an opportunity to come back and look at the zoning and look at what we are saying.

    “Taking what the party says hook, line and sinker is not democratic, we are in a democracy. We have the right to vie for position, there’s freedom of expression. We believe in parry supremacy,  yes, the party is supreme.  I sing that, I say it, I believe it, I go by what the party says but this is a democracy and I believe we should give the Green chamber an option,” he said.

    According to him, in addition to being the third largest contributor to the 2019 election success of the party,  fairness and equity demand that the North Central be considered for the position since the region has never produced the Speaker or Deputy Speaker since the country’s return to democracy in 1999.

    He said: “My party the APC in her wisdom zoned the position of Speaker to the South West and even micro-zoned.

    “I am a party man and my loyalty to the APC is 100 percent, however, the North Central zone has not been convinced nor given reasons why their votes should not count and why we should not run and we feel very strongly that there is still room for negotiation because we believe ‘it is not over until it is over’.

    “We are therefore appealing to the party to have a rethink and rezone the Speakership to the North Central for justice and fair play. We pray to God Almighty to touch the hearts of our Leaders to reconsider us favourably.

    On his candidacy for the post, the lawmaker said the decision to join the race was based on his unyielding faith in a united and prosperous Nigeria.

    Citing sections of the constitution, Dyegh noted that “It will only be fair if the position of Speaker is given to the North Central, having taken away the seat of Senate President to the Northeast.

    “It is instructive to note that the North Central has neither produced Speaker nor the Deputy Speaker since 1999. We are saying that reward in politics is based on what you bring to the table and the North Central brought the third highest number of votes in making President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term reality and enabling the APC to form Federal Government.”

     

    Imo, Benue Reps declare for Speakership

     

    Chike Okafor (Imo) also declared his intention to run for the Speaker’s office on Tuesday shortly before the Presidential dinner, saying that the Southeast deserved the Speaker’s position for the 9th House of Representatives.

    He said no region contributed more to the 2019 election success of the All Progressives Congress’s (APC) Presidential candidate and others than the Southeast, adding that  the region deserved to be compensated for being denied a Principal Officer’s position in 2015 on the pretext that the region had no ranking members in the party then.

    Okafor said the party must look beyond numbers but more on fairness and equity.

    He said: “A ruling party doesn’t just look at the numbers alone; it also looks at National interest; it looks at social justice; it considers political stability and harmony in the body politics; it feels the pulse of the Nation and weighs in on equitable inclusion of federating units of the country in line with the provisions of the constitution of the country and the party, even as it affects sharing of political offices and looking at all these indices, as a party, we have not given the South-East a fair deal! Not yet.

    “A critical review of the last general election would easily indicate that the South-East holds immense political prospect and our party needs to initiate efforts to bridge the inclusion gap as it affects the region and pave the way to extract some political capital from the region come 2023 and there is no better way to start than to zone the Speakership of the House of Representatives to the Southeast.”

     

    ‘No Retreat, No Surrender’

     

    Another contender from the Northcentral, Umaru Bago (Niger), vowed not to relinquish his ambition for Gbajabiamila.

    Bago, in a statement yesterday by his spokesman, Victor Ogene, said the party risked being steered towards the same path which led to the 2015 fiasco that the 8th National Assembly leadership tussle.

    The statement reads: “Following yesterday’s (Tuesday, April 16, 2019) purported zoning and micro-zoning of the office of Speaker of the incoming 9th House of Representatives by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, there have been varied reactions by a cross-section of Nigerians, including members-elect, party stalwarts, political commentators and journalists.

    “For us in the Hon. Mohammed Umaru Bago Campaign Organisation, we view the development as a poorly choreographed political orchestra aimed at using the hallowed precincts of the Presidential Villa to anoint a candidate from the Southwest geo-political zone.”

  • Candidates’ hard choice

    The Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and the 2019 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) clashed for five days , affecting many candidates who had to forego one for the other. Some parents and teachers are worried about the implication of this for the admission seekers. KOFOWOROLA BELO-OSAGIE, BUSOLA SEBIOTIMO and Zainab lawal report.

    THE 2019 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) ended yesterday with some of the 1.8 million candidates who are also writing the 2019 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) forced to miss their Trade/Entrepreneurship Subject papers.

    The WASSCE for School Candidates began April 8 with Catering Craft Practice, Marketing and Salesmanship – all entrepreneurship subjects which are compulsory for all SS3 pupils writing the examination.  The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) scheduled all the 24 trade/entrepreneurial subjects being offered in the curriculum to be written from April 8 to April 25.

    However, a shift in the date of the 2019 utme by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) because of the rescheduled elections resulted in a clash in both examinations.

    The six-day UTME held in 700 Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres nationwide from April 11-13, and 15-17, fell within the WASSCE timetable.

    Read also: Why we are yet to release UTME results, by JAMB

    Before the examination,  WAEC Nigeria and JAMB had pledged that there would be no clash.  WAEC Nigeria’s Head, Public Affairs, Mr. Demianus Ojijeogu told The Nation at the examining body’s headquarters in Yaba, Lagos, that the Council would address the clash “internally and administratively.” He said candidates would not sacrifice one examination for the other.

    “I assure you that no candidate would miss their exams.  We are working on it.  The JAMB Registrar is in touch with the WAEC Head of National Office (HNO) and we will sort it out internally,” he said.

    The JAMB Public Relations Officer, Dr Fabian Benjamin, also told The Nation on phone that the examining body had been told by WAEC that there would be no clash.

    “The registrar has reached out to the HNO and he was assured that there would be no clash,” he said.

    However, findings by The Nation proved otherwise. Schools said they were not told about a change in the timetable to address the clash.

    Mr. Oluwasegun Owoeye of Ilupeju Senior Grammar School, Oshodi, lamented that WAEC did not communicate any changes to the school.  Principal of Mind Builders High School, Ikeja, also said the school did not hear from WAEC.

    Fortunately for them, pupils of both schools were not affected by the clash.

    Owoeye said the school’s chosen entrepreneurship subject was done before the UTME began.

    “The students here do Office Practice and that has been done before UTME started. WAEC did not change the timetable and these subjects that are clashing with the UTME are offered by the minority,” he said.

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  • Officials stop gang from smuggling Indian hemp into prison

    Officials of the Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS), Ikoyi, Lagos, have foiled another attempt by a two-man gang to smuggle Indian hemp into Ikoyi Prison.

    The incident occurred a week ago, barely one month after officials of the prison foiled an attempt by a housewife, Adeyemi Oyinkansola, whose husband is on remand at the Ikoyi Prison, to smuggle about 930 grams of a substance suspected to be Indian hemp concealed in four big tomato tins, into the facility.

    The suspects, Babatunde Mustapha and Abdullahi Ismail, were caught while attempting to smuggle Indian hemp into the prisons during visiting hours last week.

    It was gathered that the suspects, on arrival, requested to see an inmate, who unknown to them, had been moved from the facility to another one in Lagos.

    When told that the inmate had been moved, the suspects reportedly became confused, as they were not aware of the transfer.

    “Their mood changed immediately they heard that the inmate had been moved. In fact, the way they reacted to the transfer made those monitoring the closed-circuit television (CCTV) and other officials to become suspicious.

    “Consequently, our boss, Deputy Controller of Prisons (DCP) Tolu Ogunsakin, ordered them to be detained. He said a search should be conducted on them”, a source said.

    It was gathered that when subjected to a search, a black cellophane bag in which the Indian hemp was concealed, was found on them.

    The Nation learnt that Ogunsakin immediately ordered their arrest and seized the substance.

    Lagos State Controller of Prisons (CP) Tunde Ladipo, who confirmed the incident, said the prison authority would not relent in its effort to stop smuggling of such substances into the prison.

    “We are always very vigilant in our activities because we have zero tolerance for such acts. Immediately anybody is caught, we make sure they face the full wrath of the law. We will make no exception of these ones we’ve just arrested”, he said.

    Ladipo reiterated the determination of the prison authority to reform the inmates, to make them become useful citizens after their jail terms.

    He said Mustapha and Ismail have been handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further interrogation and subsequent prosecution.

  • Court dismisses suit challenging 9mobile’s sale

    The Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday dismissed a suit by Spectrum Wireless Communications Limited against Emerging Markets Telecommunications Services (EMTS), owners of 9mobile.

    The plaintiff challenged the sale of Etisalat (which was renamed 9mobile).

    Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, in a ruling on EMTS’ preliminary objection, held that the plaintiff lacked the locus standi to file the suit numbered FHC/L/CS/153/2018.

    He held that there was no direct shareholding relationship between Spectrum Wireless and EMTS to vest on Spectrum the right to sue EMTS to protect its alleged shareholding.

    The court also upheld the defendant’s position that Spectrum is not a shareholder in EMTS and cannot be directly affected by the actions of its shareholders – Mubadala Holdings Cyprus Ltd, Myacynth Coperative UA and Etisalat International Nigeria Ltd.

    The court further upheld the defendant’s argument that if at all Spectrum has a right of action, it should be against Premium Telecommunications Holdings NV (PTHNV), the company it originally invested in, and not EMTS.

    Justice Aneke, therefore, upheld the submission of counsel to EMTS that not being a shareholder of EMTS, Spectrum lacked the locus standi (legal right) to bring the suit against EMTS on the basis of any decision taken by EMTS’ shareholders.

    The judge added that the concept of “indirect shareholding/economic interest” claimed by Spectrum is unknown to Nigerian law, which only recognises members of a company as those named in its Register of Members.

    Justice Aneke also held that Spectrum is not a party to the credit facilities which it claimed were unlawfully obtained; adding that it is elementary law that only parties to a contract can make judicial claims in respect thereof.

    Read als: Zone 3 Volleyball Club C’ship: Nigeria Customs face Ghana Police in final

    The court, therefore, dismissed the suit in its entirety.

    Spectrum Wireless Communications had sued EMTS and 16 others, including United Capital Trustees Limited (the lenders), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) over the sale of 9mobile.

    The company had claimed that it acquired indirect holding of 30 per cent of EMTS’ shares after a private placement and was allotted 4,041,096 Class A shares of PTHNV, which owns 99 per cent of the shares in MyaCynth.

    The plaintiff also claimed that MyaCynth holds 30 per cent of EMTS BV’s shares; that EMTS BV holds 99.9 per cent of EMTS’ shares, and that EMTS’ syndicated loan from the second to fourth defendants was granted without the requisite statutory approval of CBN.

    Spectrum Wireless Communications also claimed that its investments in EMTS would be lost if the 15th to 17th defendants were allowed to effect EMTS’ sale.

    However, Justice Aneke dismissed the claims and upheld EMTS’ preliminary objection.

  • ‘Akpabio can’t be written off in Akwa Ibom politics’

    Etekamba Umoren was Chief of Staff to former Akwa Ibom Governor Godswill Obot Akpabio. He was Secretary to the Government under Governor Udom Emmanuel. He spoke with BASSEY ANTHONY on the place of Senator Akpabio in the politics of the Southsouth state.

    Senator Godswill Akpabio is being perceived as a ruthless politician who plays god. As one of his close allies, is it true he plays god?

    It is a pity that human beings have such short memory. It is also unfortunate that our level of ingratitude has risen so high.

    Sometimes, I ask God to forgive us for our ingratitude. If God were to judge us from the angle of ingratitude towards Godswill Akpabio, some people will go to bed and not wake up. Now, to answer your question directly; I have known Godswill Akpabio for not less than 20 years. I knew him from when he was appointed commissioner. The Godswill Akpabio I know does not and has never played god.

    So, who is Godswill Akpabio?

    Godswill Akpabio is a very forgiving fellow; a very humane man, a man who loves his people, a man who gets hurt because he sees a fellow human being suffering. He feels the pain. Sometimes I read about what people write about him and I ask myself is it the same Godswill Akpabio that I know? I think if they are all sincere with themselves, over 99.99 percent of the things people write against him are untrue. He is a human being too and you must leave out the 1% because he errs; he is not an angel. Most of the write-ups you see against Godswill Akpabio are politically motivated. The authors of the writers of the falsehood against Akpabio are paid to cook up those stories. My joy is that within themselves they know what they are writing is false. When a man is rising, some people think the best way is to put him down. The question is: after putting him down, what do you stand to gain? Will you take over his position? No, this is because it wasn’t meant for you. I think we need to be a lot more careful with the things we write and always remember that there is posterity and that there is a tomorrow.

    Akpabio was highly revered in the state and beyond, even outside the shores of this country but at some point the table turned. What really happened?

    He left the state and went up to the national level. The politics we play in the state is not the same politics played at the national. You will agree with me that when you are out there, you see things differently. He went there and saw things differently and moved over.

    Will we honestly say that he is the first politician in this country to move from one party to the other or that since he moved, no other person has moved or has he shut the way from other people to move?

    What is so special about his moving from PDP to APC that will warrant all manner of hatred and negative venting of venom? Why would a so-called man of God invoke curses on a man who has not done anything wrong to him?

    Don’t you think it is because he didn’t consult some stakeholders in the state before moving from PDP to APC?

    What was he consulting for? Did he consult you when he made you smile and live big or made you go to school? Those that are asking about consultation, did he consult them when he was made them commissioners, speaker, special assistants, senior special assistant on technical matters or Deputy governor? Let’s not allow sentiments to cloud our sense of judgment.

    Are you saying Akpabio is being demonized for no genuine reason?

    Some years back when I was his Chief of Staff, we attended a burial in Uruan. He was the Governor then, and Reverend Uma Ukpai was preaching.

    He said: “Akpabio, don’t be bothered about what people say or write as long as you are doing the right thing. Its only the mango tree that bears ripe fruit that receives the largest number of stones” if a mango tree doesn’t bear fruit, no child, even a mad man will not throw stones at him. There must be something very positive about Akpabio that some people are trying to dim. In a nutshell, what Rev Uma Ukpai said is what I stand for. If Akpadio went to the National assembly and was sleeping or unproductive, no one will say a thing. So the issue now is why him?

    Akpabio’s era as governor has been linked to killings and kidnappings thereby portraying him as a violent person. Is he a violent man?

    How many people did Akpabio kill or kidnap that will make you say Akpabio is a violent person? For the period I worked with him as permanent secretary and Chief of Staff, I was not aware of any killings or kidnappings. How much was the ransom people paid that had to do with Akpabio? During Godswill’s era, things happened but were they done by him? There are things happening now, is it all the fault of the President?  Therefore, the killings have nothing to do with Akpabio. This is a case of calling a dog a bad name just because we want to hang it.

    Considering Akpabio’s high political profile and large following, there were expectations that he ought to have pulled so many of his supporters to the APC but that didn’t happen. What went wrong?

    It is often said that he who pays the pipe calls the tune. In all honesty and all truth, those who sat back did so for personal reasons.

    Ask them to their faces if they really believed in their staying back.

    Are they sincere to the system or is it what they can get from the system that is uppermost to them? About the elections, we all participated in the elections and saw what happened; it was INEC versus Akpabio, the state government and PDP versus APC. Don’t allow anyone to deceive you. Igini did a yeoman job. I am sure his conscience will tell him he didn’t do well. We have done elections in this state but I have never seen such level of manipulation. It was the worst election in this state. Using Ikot Ekpene as an example, there are 10 local government areas that make up the senatorial district and you use the card reader for just a local government leaving out nine. It was just a plot to make sure Akpabio lose the election. If he was a violent person, the very day the returning officer absconded instead of reading the result would have been the day the violence would have been seen, because there would have been spontaneous reaction.

    Since he has lost the election, can he be written off politically?

    He can’t be written off politically. He has not lost the election. The tribunal has not said anything. The returning officer was not supposed to announce the result in Uyo, but at the senatorial district headquarters. Rather, after collation of result, he disappeared for five hours.

    Let’s assume in worst case scenario, after the proceedings of the tribunal and Senator Akpabio doesn’t make it back to the senate, what do you think the state will be missing?

    What if Akpabio wins? You should consider that too. There are two sides to a coin, rather than ask what will be the fate of Akwa Ibom if he loses. What if he wins? I am confident he will win.

  • Reps condemn Presidency for starving first-line charge agencies of funds

    The House of Representatives yesterday condemned the Presidency for allegedly implementing last year’s Appropriation Act without respecting the provisions for government agencies on first-line charge.

    The lawmakers faulted the Executive for not respecting the constitutional provisions on first-line charge for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Universal Basic Education (UBEC), the Public Complaints Commission (PCM) and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

    The House urged President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the Minister of Finance and the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) to fully implement last year’s Appropriation Act with regard to statutory transfers to agencies on first-line.

    To emphasise the urgency of the matter, the leadership of the National Assembly and the committees on Appropriation, Finance and Legislative Compliance were directed to ensure compliance and report back to the House within two weeks.

    The move followed the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance by Edward Pwajok (PDP, Plateau), who noted that the 1999 Constitution, as amended, creates and allocates separate powers to the three arms of government.

    The lawmaker said the three arms of government are co-equal and should operate independently to guarantee the smooth working of the government under the Presidential Constitution.

    He noted that the Executive breached the Constitution, despite being aware that it was amended by the first Alteration Act, 2010 Act No. 1, by altering Section 81(3) to place INEC, the National Assembly and the Judiciary on first-line charge by stipulating that the amount standing to the credit of those agencies or arms of government be paid directly them.

    Pwajok said: “These bodies are captured in the annual Appropriation Acts under Statutory Transfers.

    Read also: Presidency: home-grown school feeding now in 30 states

    “It is worrisome that the Executive arm of government is currently in breach of the Constitution by refusing or neglecting to implement the mandatory provisions of the Constitution regarding statutory transfers and first-line charge requirements, by not releasing the funds to these bodies in line with the Appropriation Act 2013 and the Constitution.

    “In spite of a previous resolution of the House passed in 2018 on the above subject and the appearance of the Minister of Finance before an ad hoc committee, the matter has remained unresolved.

    “The implication of the brazen flouting of the Appropriation Act 2018 and the Constitution is that it may make the Legislature and the Judiciary to become subservient to the Executive, thereby negating the letters and spirit of the Constitution and the law with dire consequences to the practice of democracy in Nigeria.”

    The motion was unanimous adopted after a voice vote, while the resolution is expected to be transmitted to the Senate for concurrence.

  • Senate passes new police bill with sweeping reforms

    The administration of the Nigeria Police is set for far-reaching reforms as the Senate yesterday passed the Police Reform Bill.

    It contains drastic amendments to and review of some provisions of the Police Act of 1943.

    If the bill is eventually assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) will be appointed for a five-year single tenure in office.

    The tenure of office is statutory, regardless of the retirement age of the appointee.

    One of the key highlights of the bill is that while the President retains the power to appoint the IGP, such appointment has to be confirmed by the Senate.

    Also, unlike the existing practice where the President can fire the IGP at will, the police chief’s removal from office has to be by recommendation of the Nigerian Police Council, as stated in Clause 7(7c) of the bill.

    Going by a provision of the bill, the Nigeria Police Council shall nominate three applicants from among the pool of qualified candidates for the position of IGP to the President for appointment.

    The Police Council, the bill states, shall be chaired by the President, with the 36 state Governors, Chairman of the Police Service Commission and the Inspector – General of Police as members.

    Clause 7 (4c) of the bill states that the President shall appoint the IGP from recommended applicants, subject to confirmation of the Senate.

    Also, one of the provisions of the bill is a two-year jail term or N5 million fine as punishment for anyone who impersonates a policeman or a police officer.

    Besides, any police officer caught for excessive use of force against civilians, leading to the death or bodily injury shall be liable to two-year jail term or N1 million fine upon conviction.

    This, the bill states, is without prejudice to existing internal disciplinary measures in the police.

    Addressing reporters after the passage of the bill, the Chairman of Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Tijani Kaura, said the essence of the bill is to make the police people-friendly and service-oriented.

    Read also: Senate, House reconvene next week to consider Budget 2019

    The senator said training and re-training of police officers and men is also one of the key highlights of the bill, with the welfare of officers and men as priority.

    He said: “All the age-long draconian laws in the Police Act of 1943 have been removed to make the police people-friendly, efficient and more effective in crime detection and security service delivery.

    “The bill prescribes constant trainings and welfare packages for men and officers with the recently passed Police Trust Bill to ensure availability of funds for implementation.

    “In the Police Trust Fund Bill, provisions, like .5 per cent from Nigeria’s gross income, .005 per cent of profits made by companies in Nigeria, would go a long way in helping government to fund the police very adequately for improved security services to Nigerians.”

  • IG inaugurates ‘Operation Puff Adder’

    THE police are ready to tackle bandits in Zamfara State with the inauguration of operation “Puff Adder”, the Inspector General of Police Muhammed Adamu said yesterday.

    Adamu, who spoke during the inauguration in  Gusau, said the bandits  have scampered to neighbouring states, especially to Sokoto State, with the ongoing robust combined operations in Zamfara State, which was becoming the centre of banditry in the Northwest.

    The IG, who was represented by AIG Zone 10, Muhammad Mustapha, added that achievements have been realised in curtailing banditry activities from the time the operation was inaugurated in Kaduna on Friday, April 5.

    He warned that the achievements could not be sustained without cooperation, information, intelligence report, prayers and support from the affected communities.

    Adamu added that there are over 500 policemen at the inauguration and more would be coming to support the security personnel that are expediting actions against the bandits.

    He warned his officers and men that for the police to succeed in their assignments, they must abide by the rules of engagement and they must be professionals in the discharge of their duties.

    Governor Abdul Aziz Yari, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Abdullahi Muhammad Shinkafi, stressed that the operation initiated by the IG clearly shows that he meant business.

    He added that as the crooks are inventing new ways to perpetrate heinous crime, there was a need to create and adopt new strategies to tackle their nefarious activities.

    Yari lamented that the bandits were hitherto attacking villages and abducting people on the highway without notice, hence the need to introduce such an operation.