Category: Politics

by  milcah   tanimu

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled to reinstate Philip Shuaibu as the Deputy Governor of Edo State, overturning his impeachment earlier this year.

In addition to reinstatement, the court has ordered the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to immediately restore Shaibu’s security details.

Shaibu’s impeachment in April followed an investigation by a seven-member committee appointed by Edo State Chief Judge Justice Daniel Okungbowa, alleging misconduct.

Eighteen out of 19 members present at the Edo State House of Assembly voted in favor of his impeachment, with one abstention from the head count and voting process.

By isreal adamu

No fewer than 14 political support groups have declared support for the chairmanship bid of a renowned youth activist and grassroot mobilizer comrade rene binan dami .

Our correspondent reports that binan is aspiring to run for pankshin local government council chairmanship position under the peoples democratic party (pdp).

It could be recalled that the plateau state government had fixed october 9, 2024, for the conduct of local government elections.

The chairman of the state independent electoral commission, plangji cishak, disclosed this recently in jos .

The group also called on the people of the local government council to support binan’s chairmanship bid because his intention to bring massive development to the locality is genuine .

The groups under the aegis of pankshin youths o’clock vanguard made the call in a statement made available to our correspondent and signed by rotshang bemena, the coordinator of the coalition of the groups .

They also passed a vote of confidence on governor caleb mutfwang for his efforts at bettering the lives of citizens of the state.

According to the statement ” we want a council boss who can launch a rebirth and lead pankshin away from backwardness to true greatness which hon binan represents .”

” hon rene bene dami would redefined our purpose as a council and carry every one along in governance if given the mandate ” .

The groups said they decided to drum support for comrade rene binan because of his track record of performance as a grassroot moblizer with outstanding service to humanity.

They said: “as far as pankshin local government council is concerned, we are fully in support of comrade rene binan “.

“we need young people with capacity like hon rene to be at the helm of affairs to demonstrate their potentials to the fullest.”

” if given the mandate , hon rene binan would offer quality services to improve the well-being and quality of living through the provision of social basic amenities in several communities in pankshin local government council of plateau state.

” rene binan is a right person for the job and we appeal to the people to continue to support him ,”They added .

By noah ocheni, lokoja

Sequel to the supreme court judgement granting financial autonomy to local government councils with elected council chairmen in the country, the kogi state independent electoral commission (kosiec) has announced 19/10/2024 for local council elections in kogi state.

The chairman of the l commission, (kosiec), mamman nda eri announced this on tuesday in lokoja while presenting schedule of activities for the proposed conduct of 2024 council polls in kogi state.

He assured that these activities have been designed with utmost consideration for inclusivity, transparency and adherence to electoral laws.

Eri further said the state independent electoral commission is empowered under section 197 of the constitution of the federal republic of nigeria and also by kogi state government, via the local government election law 2004, and the electoral act 2010 (as amended).

“this is in accordance with the provisions of the constitution of the federal republic of nigeria 1999 (as amended) and the powers vested in the state independent electoral commission (siec), I hereby formally present the timetable and schedule of activities for the conduct of the 2024 local government elections in kogi state which will be scheduled for 19th october, 2024.”

Eri pointed out that collection of nomination forms begins august 5th-12th. Submission of forms 26th august. Conduct of party primary elections 13th-23rd august. Verification and documentation will hold between 4th-11th september.

He disclosed that campaigns will start on september, 12th. Publication of list of candidates to political parties 13th september. Campaigns ends on october, 17th while elections proper takes place on the 19th of october, 2024.

By  Milcah   Tanimu

Sam Omatseye, an ally of President Bola Tinubu, has sharply criticized former Kaduna state governor Nasir El-Rufai and his son, Bello. Omatseye, the editorial board chairman of *The Nation* newspaper and a columnist, has been vocal about El-Rufai’s ongoing investigation by the Kaduna state House of Assembly.

Bello, a member of the House of Representatives, responded to Omatseye’s articles by stating, “Thanks. I left the office early to see him off at the airport. I just told him a lot of you do love him and have been supportive. I shared some tweets with him. We also laughed at a shameless idiot, Sam the houseboy at 70, of the Toilet Paper called *The Nation*.”

Omatseye responded to Bello’s remarks in his column, criticizing the quality of lawmakers in today’s democracy. He remarked, “A father is accused of stealing over N400 billion, and the son goes to the toilet to defend him. Is that the sort of family that should spill into the public square? So, if the father is an accused thief, the son is a liar. What a combo of family. Who is shameless if not a thief or a liar?”

Omatseye continued, “*The Nation* is toilet paper, but it was not so when it defended him in the past when he made headlines against his enemies. It is because he has a toilet imagination that Bello’s father can be accused of stealing, and he does not hide himself in the shadows.”

He also criticized Bello’s lack of facts and mocked his father’s political actions, stating, “He calls me 70, where is his fact? His father returned to Atiku, the man he betrayed for OBJ. He has returned to his own vomit. So, it is a case of a traitor cohabiting with a defector. What a marriage. And they say they love this country? Bello himself has been pampered by his father.”

Omatseye highlighted Bello’s lack of real-world experience before becoming a lawmaker, noting, “He never had any real job in this country before he became a lawmaker, except a stint at a Chinese firm his father helped him get. He schooled outside this country.”

He also recounted a past encounter with Nasir El-Rufai, stating, “I recall challenging his father at Sheraton sometime ago in front of my editor colleagues when he wanted to advertise his integrity. He said his salary was small. I asked him how he funded his children, including Bello, from a government salary that could not pay more than a month’s rent abroad. He could not answer me then. Now I know why, and why his son must defend his father.”

Senior Advocate of Nigeria and human rights activist, Femi Falana, has urged Nigerians to closely monitor local government activities following a landmark Supreme Court ruling. On Thursday, Justice Emmanuel Agim of the Supreme Court mandated the Federal Government to directly pay local government accounts, reinforcing their financial autonomy.

This ruling challenges the longstanding practice by state governments to restrict financial independence for local governments.

Falana emphasized the critical role of public vigilance in ensuring political stability and security. “The judgment is going to advance the struggle for accountability if Nigerians can own the system. If Nigerians can prepare to monitor the activities of local government officials, state government officials, and federal government officials- this is the only way we can have political stability and security in our country,” Falana stated.

Falana welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision, clarifying that it aims to enhance accountability at the grassroots level without diminishing state governments’ influence over local governments. “I have been involved in the struggle for local government autonomy from the beginning. This ruling presents an opportunity for increased accountability, provided the public remains engaged and monitors government activities across all levels,” he said.

He recounted the history of the local government autonomy struggle, tracing it back to former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration. In 2004, Obasanjo ordered the confiscation of local government funds in Lagos state after the Bola Tinubu administration created new local governments. Lagos state resisted and won a Supreme Court case affirming that the president had no authority to seize local government funds.

Falana explained that this earlier Supreme Court decision led to state governments diverting funds meant for local governments. “Since 1999, funds meant for local governments have been misappropriated by state governments. This prompted the federal government to seek the Supreme Court’s intervention once more, resulting in the recent ruling,” he noted.

He emphasized that the success of the Supreme Court’s ruling now depends on the Nigerian populace. “The implementation of this judgment lies with the people. Despite the autonomy granted, the political structure of local governments remains controlled by state governments, who often manipulate local elections to favor ruling party candidates.”

The presidency has reacted to Thursday’s victory against the 36 state governors at the Supreme Court on local government autonomy. The Supreme Court ruled that all federal allocations for local government councils should be paid directly into their accounts.

In Nigeria, most states operate a joint account with local governments. Justice Emmanuel Agim, who led a seven-member panel of justices, stated that local government allocations should be paid directly to a separate account belonging to each local government.

The federal government, through the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), approached the Supreme Court in a suit marked SC/CV/343/2024, seeking that 36 governors of the federation grant full autonomy to the 774 local governments.

Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, detailed the federal government’s prayers in the suit on his X handle on Thursday. He wrote, “The Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that all federal funds for local government councils should be paid directly into their accounts. Justice Emmanuel Agim, who led a seven-member panel of justices, delivered the judgment in a suit filed by the federal government against the 36 state governors.”

The judgment prohibits governors from receiving, tampering with, or withholding funds meant for local governments and bars governors from dissolving democratically elected officials for local governments, deeming such actions a breach of the 1999 Constitution.

The federal government accused the state governors of gross misconduct and abuse of power, based on 27 grounds. The originating summons prayed the Supreme Court to order that funds standing to the credit of local governments from the Federation Account be paid directly to the local governments rather than through the state governments. The justice minister also requested an order restraining governors, their agents, and privies from tampering with funds meant for local governments when no democratically elected local government system is in place in the states.

Ebonyi State Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Ben Odoh, said he awaits the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Supreme Court judgment for the next move. As of the time of filing this report, Nigeria’s Attorney General, Fagbemi, was yet to release a statement on the ruling.

By Ogenyi Ogenyi,Uyo

The Association of Eket Senatorial District Media Professionals, have differed with the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio over his recent comments that the immediate past Governor of Akwa Ibom, Mr. Udom Emmanuel did nothing tangible I. His tenure as governor.

A press statement signed by it’s Director of Public and Strategic Communication, Joseph Ekong and made available to newsmen in Uyo yesterday, the association stated that they would have ignored such news as mere rumours if they were not backed with the video evidence.

“As patriots from Akwa Ibom State, we had sworn not to join issues with our son who is Senate President on issues like this, and we fervently pray that he dares not push us to the point where we will have to bring documents that will tell his story better to the whole world.

“To start with, the allegation by the Senate President was an unguarded and illogical response to an honest contribution that Senator Ekong Sampson had made for the inclusion of Akwa Ibom in a bill which sought to establish new federal medical centers in the country.

“The Senate president’s response to this was that Udom Emmanuel his successor in office, left no imprint in his Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District and even in Eket Senatorial District. What a sad commentary.”

The association further said that, “under the uncommon transformation era of Akpabio as Governor, Eket Senatorial District never knew roads infrastructure beyond ground breaking stage, irrespective of being the contributor of 40% of revenue into the coffers of the federation account, the only road access roads to the senatorial district, Uyo – Etinan – Eket Road, did not move beyond the groundbreaking stage.

“The only bridge in the entire Eket Senatorial District, 1.15km Afi Uko Ntighe Bridge in Mbo was abandoned at 10 percent piling stage. It was a story of uncommon neglect and abandonment. Our people only saw your uncommon transformation on television and billboards.”

The association however called on the Senate President to sheat his sword and work towards promoting peace and prosperity in the state inspite of having different political affiliation with the government of the day in the area and the country at large.
“As his kinsmen, we are compelled to advise that he should rather sheath sword and use his good office wisely; knowing that Nigerians will not judge him by how many times he manufactured lies against his brother, but by how he used his opportunity to add value to the country’s unity and economic wellbeing.”