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Tag: Governors

  • South-west governors condemn Igangan killings, move to prevent recurrence

    South-west governors condemn Igangan killings, move to prevent recurrence

    South-west governors condemn Igangan killings, move to prevent recurrence
    At least 15 people were reported killed in Igangan by gunmen on Sunday morning.
    ByAdejumo Kabir   June 7, 2021 2 min read
    The governors of the six South-west states of Nigeria have condemned the killings in Igangan community of Ibarapa, Oyo State.

    “We have just received with rude shock a premeditated attack on our people at Igangan, Ibarapa, Oyo State, in the early hours of today. This cowardly onslaught on a peaceful community has occasioned loss of lives and property on a large scale,” Governor Rotimi Akeredolu said on behalf of his colleagues.

    “It is horrendous, callous, and highly provocative. All well-meaning Nigerians must condemn, in the strongest term possible, this latest assault on decency and communal harmony.”

    The reporter reported that the community was attacked in the early hours of Sunday as gunmen suspected to be herdsmen set houses, a filling station and the king’s palace ablaze.

    Our correspondent obtained pictures and videos of severely hacked and bloodied human bodies. Residents said the gunmen stormed the community with over 20 motorcycles.

    Taiwo Adeagbo, an official of Igangan Farmers’ Union, told this newspaper that the gunmen arrived around 12:40 a.m. on Sunday.

    “Aside from killing our people, the Fulani herdsmen also set a petrol station ablaze and cars ablaze. They have also burnt the palace in Igangan.”

    Residents said at least 15 persons have been confirmed dead in the attack.

    While police are yet to speak on the incident, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State pleaded with residents to be calm. He pledged to look into the incident

  • You Didn’t Support Me During Face-Off With NLC, El-Rufai Blast Governors

    You Didn’t Support Me During Face-Off With NLC, El-Rufai Blast Governors

    Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has accused his counterparts of not giving him the support he deserved during the face-off with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

    Labour union had crippled economic activities in Kaduna over what they described as anti-people policies of El-Rufai.

    In the warning strike, which was called off on day three, protesters trooped to the streets, calling on the governor to reverse the sack of 4,000 workers.

    Recall, Daybreak had reported how the Progressives Governors Forum advised El-Rufai and labour leaders to return to the negotiation table and stop flexing muscles.

    “This is not the time for muscle flexing. Nigerians are already overstretched with many challenges. At this critical point of our democratic journey, there cannot be limits to engagement between all governments and citizens. Every step must be therefore taken to resolve the current face-off between Kaduna state government and NLC. We appeal to both the State Government and NLC to return to the negotiating table,” read the statement signed by Kebbi State governor and Chairman of the PGF, Senator Atiku Bagudu.

    But at a virtual meeting of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), El-Rufai criticised the NGF, saying the press release was not helpful.

    “That press release with the greatest respect was unhelpful. It was unhelpful, it said nothing it was trying to play both sides. I am a governor, I am one of you, the least I expect from the Nigeria Governors’ Forum is unequivocal and unqualified support I didn’t see that in that statement. I am being very blunt; I could pretend and be political and just smile and say it was alright but it is not. But I am used to fighting my own battles.

    “We are not running a unitary system, we are a federation. We are elected to govern different states, we owe our people accountability not the NLC, we should take a common stand,” he said.

    El-Rufai also insinuated that there is a conspiracy against the government of Kaduna State.

    “If it is about rights of workers Kaduna is not the only state that has retrenched workers, Kaduna is not a state owing salaries, Kaduna is not a state failing to pay minimum wage, Kaduna is not a state owing years of pension arrears, why didn’t they go there? Kaduna was targeted for political reasons, and they are being financed by certain political interests.

    “But we will fight them, we will defeat them but as the governor of Bayelsa said, and since he has brought that subject, I have a responsibility to put it through, unless we collectively address this monster, it will consume all of us.

    “After this, they will never come back to Kaduna, they will never come back, you will see. They will go to other states it’s up to the forum to decide on what to do, but we are here, we are ready, we will end this by the grace of God,” he said.

  • Insecurity: ‘State Governors Are Not In Charge,’ Adegboruwa Backs Call For Dialogue

    Insecurity: ‘State Governors Are Not In Charge,’ Adegboruwa Backs Call For Dialogue

    A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, has supported the call for a national dialogue to address the insecurity and other problems in the country.

    Speaking on Friday when he featured as a guest on Sunrise Daily, he believes state governors are handicapped to address the challenges in their various domains.

    “Look at what is going on in the land – insecurity. Farmers cannot go to work, you cannot even travel within your local entity, and the governors are not in charge because they don’t have control over security,” the senior lawyer said during an interview on the Channels Television breakfast programme.

    He added, “The governors are not in charge because they cannot harness the resources in their states for the benefit of their people; the governors are not in charge because they go to Abuja every month to go and beg for money, in a federation.

    “The governors are not in charge because even universities that they established and they call state universities, it is the Federal Government that will determine who can get admission into the university that is being funded by a state; the governors are not in charge because they cannot even generate electricity for their own people even though they have the resources.”

    A Federation Called Nigeria
    State governors in the South met on Tuesday in Asaba, the Delta State capital where they resolved to ban open grazing and movement of cattle by foot and called for a national dialogue to address the agitations by various groups in the region.

    They put aside their political differences to demand a restructuring of the country along with fiscal federalism, devolution of powers, and state police, among other demands.

    Supporting the position of the governors, Adegboruwa stated that the action of the leaders was a reflection of the will and desire of Nigerians.

    According to him, there seems to be so much confusion in the land and there is a need for a cohesive discussion that will provide a meaning of what the Nigerian Federation is all about.

    The senior advocate noted that the All Progressives Congress hinted at the devolution of powers and amending the Constitution in its manifesto while seeking to take over power at the centre in the build-up to the 2015 general elections.

    He explained that it was important to ensure sub-nationals and the people have a say in how they were governed and in how their resources were being utilised.

    “That has not happened since 2015 up till now,” Adegboruwa said, adding, “It is important that at the stage we are now, we should not be pretending that there is a federation called Nigeria; we should determine the terms of that federation.”

    “We should dismantle the constitution and get us a new document that will define what indeed should be the terms of our togetherness, I think that’s what the governors mean by there is a need for a national conference,” he affirmed.

  • Lawan to Govs: Restructure your States before calling for restructuring at federal level

    Lawan to Govs: Restructure your States before calling for restructuring at federal level

    Senate President Ahmad Lawan has cautioned States’ Governors and other elected leaders against joining the agitations for secession or calling for restructuring of the country.

    Lawan, who stated this while fielding questions from State House correspondents in Abuja on Thursday, said he was not against those calling for restructuring but elected officials must not be among those advocating for such calls.

    According to him, state governors must ensure that they restructure their respective states first before calling for restructuring at the federal level.

    He said: “The call for secession or the call for restructuring, many are genuine calls even though I never believe that someone who is calling for secession means well or is a misguided person.

    “But I believe that when somebody calls for improving the structure that we have is a genuine call.

    “But I want to advice here, I believe that as leaders those of us who were elected must not be at the forefront of calling for this kind of thing because even if you are a governor you are supposed to be working hard in your state to ensure that this restructuring you are calling for at the federal level you have done it in your state as well.

    “This is because what you may accuse the federal government of whatever it is, you may also be accused of the same thing in your state.

    “So, we are supposed to ensure that we have a complete and total way of ensuring that our systems at the federal, state and even local government work for the people, and that we allow people to participate in governance so that whoever feels that he has something to offer to make Nigeria better does so freely without any hindrance.’’

    The senate president said Nigerians must come together regardless of their religious, ethnic or political persuasions to find lasting solutions to the nation challenges.

    He, therefore, called on all elected leaders across the three tiers of government to always avoid primordial sentiments capable of creating division and social discontent among Nigerians.

    “We should avoid partisanship, we should avoid regionalism. We are all leaders and we are in this together. The solution must come from us regardless of what level of government we are – whether at the federal, state or even at the local government level,’’ he added.

    Lawan also frowned at the way and manner local government system was relegated to the background in the country, saying for the nation to address its security challenges the local government system must be functional and efficient.

    “I want to take this opportunity also to say that we have diminished the local government system. I think we can attribute some of the security issues to the lack of functional local government system.

    “For me, I think the time has come for us to take up the challenge to ensure that the local government system functions. This is in keeping with looking for ways, for means, for solutions to the security challenges that we face. We must never neglect the local government system.

    “I believe that this is one system that had worked even though in a different name. When it was Native Authority it was very effective, very efficient.

    “So, we must go back to our local government to ensure that the local government continues to be autonomous, continues to be functional in order to compliment whatever the States and the Federal Government would be doing.

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, who also spoke to the correspondents, called for a national spirit of oneness, saying that “If truth be told, we all have equal shares in the blame for what’s happening today.

    “Whatever challenges we have, we must all come together to make sure that we resolve these issues we’re facing.

    “We must imbibe that spirit of oneness, togetherness, unity and love that would take us through this.”

    He enjoined Nigerians to always be their brothers’ keepers and avoid acts capable of creating social unrest.

  • BREAKING: Judicial Autonomy is non-Negotiable, Senate tells Governors

    BREAKING: Judicial Autonomy is non-Negotiable, Senate tells Governors

    Senate on Monday urged the 36 Governors to grant autonomy to judiciary. It insisted autonomy for judiciary is non-negotiable.

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, made the call while answering questions from reporters in Abuja.

    Bamidele said it is laughable to be grappling with judicial autonomy at this stage of the nation’s development.

    The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) had declared an industrial action and nationwide protests to compel governors to obey the 1999 constitution (as amended) and Executive Order 10 which granted autonomy to judiciary in the country.

    While responding to a question, Opeyemi said: “It is laughable that at this point, we are still grappling with the need to grant independence to the judiciary arm of government at the state and local government levels.

    “The National Assembly has been making laws that would guarantee full autonomy to the judiciary at the Federal level.

    “The National Assembly does not make laws for the states; such power resides in the state Houses of Assembly.

    “Judiciary at the Federal Capital Territory is independent because we have done what we are supposed to do.


    “What is next is for the State Houses of Assembly to do what they are supposed to do.

    “As a principle, as a policy, members of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, have tried not to call on those who are protesting to stop such protests.

    “We do not want protests but definitely, we would rather talk more to State Governors, Houses of Assembly and other stakeholders to do the needful in the overriding public interest.

    “We cannot continue to call on the judiciary to give peace a chance when we know the conditions under which they work cannot guarantee a passionate and enhanced delivery of justice.

    “We are talking about judicial reforms; we are talking about the need for justice sector reforms.

    “This is central and crucial to the independence of the judiciary in this country. We must not be left behind by the rest of the civilized world.

    “Nobody stands to lose anything by granting independence to judiciary at the state level since it has been done at the national level.

    “The fact that workers and staff of federal judiciary are joining the protest is only in solidarity with their colleagues at the state levels.

    “It is a union matter and we do not have a control over it. We are hereby calling on the State Governors to do the needful because the independence of the judiciary is non- negotiable.

    “No democracy can survive without being founded on the rule of law and independent judiciary.”

  • House of Reps to engage governors on autonomy for judiciary

    House of Reps to engage governors on autonomy for judiciary

    The House of Representatives Committee on Judiciary is to engage the Nigerian Governor’s Forum and all relevant stakeholders with a view to ensuring judicial financial autonomy.

    The Chairman of the committee, Rep. Luke Onofiok (PDP-Akwa-Ibom), made this known during a meeting with the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) in Abuja.

    Reports had it that JUSUN began a nationwide indefinite strike on Monday, April 6 over non-implementation of judicial financial autonomy as enshrined in the Constitution.

    President Muhammadu Buhari had signed an  Executive Order granting financial autonomy to the judiciary and state house of assembly in May 2020, after several agitations.

    However, the gazetting of the order was suspended after Buhari met with governors, who later expressed concern over its constitutionality.

    Onofiok appealed to state governors to implement the section of the constitution that demands financial autonomy for the judiciary.

    According to him, if we have all the arms of government operating on equal footing, we are going to have a better society.

    The chairman described JUSUN’s demands as genuine to guarantee the independence of the judiciary.

    He, however appealed to the union to resume work at the federal courts as the Federal Government has complied with their demands.

    According to him, it is not good to punish others for the sins of other people.

    “It will lead to better working environment for judicial officers and staff of the judiciary, better staff welfare and enable judicial officers to discharge their duties without fear or favour.

    “To that extent, we are in solidarity with you on the agitations you are making to make sure that you have financial autonomy at the judiciary.

    “Our only point of divergence is the totality of the industrial action even within the federal court; if the Federal Government has abided by the provisions of the Constitution in making sure that monies meant for federal judiciary is sent straight to the National Judicial Council, it is not fair for staff of the federal judiciary to continue with the strike.

    “I know and sure it is solidarity forever, but let us narrow the strike to those who have not complied with this issue of financial autonomy,”he said.

    Earlier, the Deputy National Chairman of JUSUN, Mr Emmenuel Abioye, said that the ongoing strike could have been avoided if the Rule of Law is respected.

    Abioye said that Sections 122 (3), 82(3), 262(9) of the 1999 Constitution clearly speaks for financial autonomy for the judiciary.

    He said that issue had been ongoing since 1999 and that there is court judgment in favour of the union’s position which had not been executed in the past seven years.

    “If the Judiciary which is the last hope of the common man is not independent, how will the people get justice.

    “Rather than appealing to the union to call off the strike, the people should call on those holding back from implementing the law, we cannot continue to be suffering and smiling,”he said.

    The National Assistant Secretary of JUSUN, Mr Saidu Adamu, said it is unfortunate that when the poor breaks the law, he is made to dance to the tune, but the rich and powerful gets away with it.

    “When I heard that the House was inviting us, I thought they are going to tell us what they will do to make the governors obey the law.

    “If the National Assembly cannot make the governors to obey the law, they should leave us to do what we can, we are fighting for the common man.

    “Give us your support to ensure that the laws you made are implemented; I think the Constitution should be amended to enable National Assembly sanction erring governors,”he said.

  • Governors, Religious Leaders, Nigeria Govt now mouthpiece for terrorists –Aisha Yesufu

    Governors, Religious Leaders, Nigeria Govt now mouthpiece for terrorists –Aisha Yesufu

    Yesufu who made this known in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, while speaking as the guest speaker at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Annual Law Week convention, said professional bodies like the NBA should “wake up to its responsibilities of defending citizens.”

    “Terrorists have the Nigerian government and governors speaking for them; they have the Minister of Information, religious rulers, all speaking up for them. Who do citizens have speaking up for them?

    “The professional bodies, most especially the NBA must wake up to its responsibilities.”

    Yesufu’s comment is coming at a time terrorists and killer herdsmen have been on rampage across the country with popular Islamic cleric, Sheikh Abubakar Gumi, playing the role of a mediator between them and the government and calling on the government to grant them a blanket amnesty.

    The governors of Bauchi and Zamfara States, Bello Mohammed and Bello Matawalle respectively, have also called for amnesty for the terrorists, while Lai Mohammed has continued to insist that there is nothing wrong in government holding negotiations with the terrorists.

    On Monday, the Minister, while speaking on a Channels Television programme ‘Politics Today,’ had also said that the Nigerian government cannot afford to destroy forests where terrorists use as their hideouts to carry out kidnappings in different parts of the country because doing so will affect the eco-system.

    “We cannot destroy the forests because of climate change. The better approach is not to destroy the forest because it would affect the eco-system, but what we need is better consultation with sub national government and security agencies on how to secure the forest to make them safe for everybody,”

    Also on Tuesday, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) announced that it was considering entering into negotiations with terrorists and bandits if that would restore peace in the country and end insecurity.

    The Chairman of the NGF, Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, made this known after he and some members of the forum paid a solidarity visit to the Niger State Governor, Sani Bello, in Minna, the state capital.

    “We need to explore other avenues side by side with whatever the security institutions are doing, even if that means engaging in dialogue.

    “We may not have a choice. We may have to do that; anything to help us to deal with this immediate crisis and then to begin to address on a much more longer time basis, the root causes of this social dislocation responsible for what we are witnessing, all around us,” Fayemi had said.

  • Buhari meets governors over security Issues

    Buhari meets governors over security Issues

    President Muhammadu Buhari and the governors of the 36 states of the federation just ended a crucial security meeting at the State House in Abuja.

    Although none of the governors would agree to speak to State House Correspondents, it was gathered that the meeting was strictly on security issues.

    This indication was further supported by the fact that top security figures in the administration, including the Minister of Defense, Major General Bashir Magashi (Rtd), and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Monguno (Rtd), were part of the meeting.


    It would be recalled that the governors at their last meeting in Abuja last week, following the recent killings of over 43 rice farmers in Borno State, resolved to meet Buhari on the need to address security challenges across the country particularly in the light of the carnage in Borno.

  • State Governors to hold emergency meeting over NLC planned strike

    State Governors to hold emergency meeting over NLC planned strike

    The 36 state governors are to hold an emergency meeting over the threat by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to embark on an industrial action to demand that the Federal Government rescinds its decision on the recent hike in the prices of petroleum products and electricity.

    COVID-19: Nigerian Governors Meet To Discuss Economy Today | Sahara Reporters

    NLC earlier announced that it would proceed with its planned nationwide protest with effect from Sept. 28 over Federal Government refusal to reverse the hikes in electricity tariff and fuel pump price.

    The Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) disclosed this in a statement issued by its Head, Media and Public Affairs, Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, in Abuja on Wednesday.

    Bello-Barkindo said that the emergency meeting scheduled for 6pm on Thursday would seek ways of settling the rift and find a mutual agreement.

    He said that all governors were expected to attend the first NGF emergency virtual teleconference to consider the matter which he described as of urgent national importance.

    Bello-Barkindo said that the matter needs to be quickly resolved in order not to worsen the already bad situation of Nigerians as caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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