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Group Threatens Legal Action Against Akutah Over Alleged Breach of Presidential Directive
An advocacy group, the Centre for Democracy (CDD), has given the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council, Pius Akutah, five days to explain why he allegedly failed to resign from his position after obtaining the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship nomination form.
In a statement signed by its Director of Operations, Barrister Jude Oseni, and made available to journalists, the group alleged that Akutah ought to have resigned immediately after obtaining the nomination form.
The group said his alleged failure to resign breached a presidential directive requiring federal appointees seeking elective positions in the 2027 general elections to relinquish their appointments by March 31, 2026.
According to the CDD, failure to comply with the directive amounts to insubordination to President Bola Tinubu and raises questions about Akutah’s relationship with the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Minister of Transportation.
The group threatened to institute legal action against Akutah if he failed to publicly clarify that the APC governorship nomination forms were purchased by another person without his knowledge.
The CDD further alleged that Section 88(3) of the Electoral Act would prevent Akutah from participating in the election if he is presented as the APC governorship candidate, claiming that his alleged failure to resign from public office made him ineligible to contest.
The group also claimed that the APC, or any other political party that fields Akutah as its governorship candidate, could face legal consequences over his alleged non-compliance with the resignation requirement.
“His failure to resign on May 31, 2026 has made him ineligible to contest for the 2027 governorship election in the All Progressives Congress and also in any other political party,” the statement said.
The CDD argued that presidential directives constitute orders or policy guidelines issued by the President to the executive branch of government, provided such directives do not conflict with the Constitution or laws enacted by the National Assembly.
It cited Section 5 of the 1999 Constitution, which vests executive powers of the Federation in the President, and Section 130(2), which provides that the President is the Head of State, Chief Executive of the Federation and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
The group argued that these constitutional provisions empower the President to issue directives to officials under his authority, including heads of ministries, departments and agencies.
It also cited Section 171 of the Constitution in arguing that the President’s authority over the appointment and removal of certain public officers reinforces his power to issue administrative directives to officials under his control.
The CDD alleged that President Tinubu’s directive requiring political appointees seeking elective office to resign by March 31, 2026 was issued to ensure compliance with electoral guidelines and promote fairness ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The group further referenced Section 88(1) of what it described as the Electoral Act, 2026, which it said provides that a political appointee at any level shall not serve as a voting delegate or be voted for at the convention, congress or primary of a political party for the purpose of nominating candidates for an election.
On that basis, the CDD argued that any political appointee who failed to resign in accordance with the directive would be ineligible to participate in a party’s nomination process or emerge as its candidate.
The group therefore called on Akutah to clarify his status within five days, warning that failure to do so would prompt it to pursue legal action over what it described as an alleged breach of the presidential directive and electoral law.
By Aga Samuel Imoter
Taraba State Governor Agbu Kefas has sponsored members of the state House of Assembly, chairmen of the 16 local government areas and other senior officials to a one-week leadership and peace support operations course in Jaji, Kaduna State.
The training, which began with a joint inauguration ceremony at the Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership and Peacekeeping Centre, is aimed at strengthening participants’ leadership skills and knowledge of peacebuilding, conflict management and security issues.
Other participants include officials of the Taraba State Independent Electoral Commission, the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, and political advisers to the state government. The participants are expected to undergo intensive sessions on leadership development, peace support operations, conflict prevention and effective public administration.
The state government said the programme forms part of its broader capacity-building efforts for political office holders and public officials.It said continuous professional development would help strengthen public institutions and improve the implementation of government policies and programmes.
The training also brings together officials responsible for governance, local administration, electoral matters and chieftaincy affairs, with the government saying the initiative is intended to promote stronger institutional coordination.
At the end of the one-week programme, participants are expected to return to their respective institutions and apply the knowledge gained to their official responsibilities.
By Aga Samuel Imoter
The Taraba State Government has pledged to provide land and critical infrastructure to support the take-off of the Nigerian Army’s newly established 10 Division in Jalingo.The government also offered strategic locations across the state for possible brigades and battalions under the new formation, as part of efforts to strengthen security operations.
The commitment was made on Monday when a delegation from Army Headquarters, Abuja, led by Major General I. O. Bassey, visited the state to assess facilities and resources required to operationalise the division.
Receiving the delegation on behalf of Governor Agbu Kefas, the Secretary to the State Government, Chief Gebon Timothy Kataps, said the administration was ready to support the Army.
Kataps said locations including Karim Lamido, Bali, Wukari and Gembu could be considered for military formations, adding that their strategic positioning could improve security coordination and rapid response. He assured the Army of continued collaboration with security agencies to address security challenges and sustain peace across the state.
The delegation also assessed available facilities and identified additional requirements for the division’s operations.The SSG was accompanied by the Head of Service, Dr Hamidu Ahmed Kara, and the Taraba State APC Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Bawa. A highlight of the engagement was the presentation of a plaque of compliment from the Chief of Army Staff to the Taraba State Government.
By Jabiru Hassan
Farmers from different parts of Nigeria have expressed support for the leadership of Muhammad Magaji Gettado as National President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN).
The farmers, in a joint statement, passed a vote of confidence in Gettado, saying his leadership had contributed to efforts aimed at improving the agricultural sector and making farming more sustainable and profitable. The statement was signed by Alhaji Sulaiman Umar of Gombe State and Malam Abdullahi Mai Nasara of Katsina.
The farmers described AFAN as a platform for promoting unity among farmers and representing their interests in engagements with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and other relevant agencies. They said Gettado’s leadership style had strengthened cooperation among members and promoted greater participation across different categories of farmers.
According to the farmers, his background in agricultural development had informed his approach to addressing challenges facing the sector. They also commended previous AFAN leaders for their contributions to agricultural development and said continuity in efforts to improve farmers’ welfare remained important.
Farmers from the six geopolitical zones also expressed their support for Gettado, pledging to work together to promote food production, economic development and opportunities for farmers. They called for continued collaboration among farmers, government institutions and other stakeholders to address challenges affecting agricultural productivity.
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Group Threatens Legal Action Against Akutah Over Alleged Breach of Presidential Directive
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