SENATE PASSES VOTE OF CONFIDENCE ON AKPABIO
Dons Eze
- October 17, 2024
SENATE PASSES VOTE OF CONFIDENCE ON AKPABIO
SENATE PASSES VOTE OF CONFIDENCE ON AKPABIO The Nigerian Senate has passed a vote of confidence on President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio and the entire leadership of the Senate. Senators passed the vote of confidence during plenary on Thursday. Reports had emerged online yesterday alleging that Department of State Services (DSS) operatives stormed the National Assembly (NASS) complex on Wednesday amid a plot to impeach the Senate President. The report highlighted growing speculations that a faction of disgruntled northern senators, reportedly dissatisfied with President Bola Tinubu, is attempting to revive a previous initiative to oust Akpabio from his position. Reacting, Akpabio debunked the viral report speculating a plot for his potential impeachment. “We are here, sitting peacefully, doing our work, oblivious to the mischief happening behind us. “If they have a lot of traffic… Whoever brought out this fake news must be getting a lot of payment because of the traffic going on. I hope the public understands that this is totally fake news and the chamber is very stable and the issue of impeachment does not come up,” Akpabio said while debunking the report during plenary on Wednesday. “This kind of falsehood is part of what we face daily. They use AI to manipulate stories, probably to drive traffic and earn money from platforms like YouTube,” the Senate President added. Akpabio immediately referred the fake news to the Committee on Special Duties for further investigation. In a swift reaction, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Special Duties, Shehu Kaka, pledged to investigate the matter and report back to the Senate.
- Biafra News
- October 17, 2024
- 84 views
WHY NIGERIAN GOVT REFUSED TO RELEASE NNAMDI KANU – IPOB
WHY NIGERIAN GOVT REFUSED TO RELEASE NNAMDI KANU – IPOB The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Thursday declared that the Nigerian government has refused to release its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, because he has not compromised. IPOB said Kanu is being persecuted instead of prosecuted because the group has not been destroyed, as expected by the Nigerian government. Emma Powerful, the spokesman of IPOB, stated that Kanu remains a prisoner of conscience and must be released unconditionally. A statement by Powerful reads partly: “The Directorate of State (DOS) of the global family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), led by Nnamdi Kanu, wishes to remind the public and the international community that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, remains a prisoner of conscience in Nigeria’s custody. “The Nigerian government and her cronies know that Mazi Kanu has not committed any crime known to local or international bodies but continue to display their ethnic hatred against Ndigbo by persecuting Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. He has not been let go because he has not compromised his stand on Biafra, and IPOB has not been destroyed. Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is being persecuted, not prosecuted. “The Nigerian government should understand that IPOB cannot be destroyed but can only be emboldened as long as the lawless Nigerian government keeps persecuting us. Moreover, our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, understands the potency of our collective oath in this struggle and will not yield to the Nigerian government’s antics. “The international community must rise and condemn the continuous persecution and human rights violations of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and Ndigbo in general by the bigoted government of Nigeria. We assure the Nigerian government that IPOB cannot be intimidated into abandoning the Biafra struggle. They must be reminded that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s continuous persecution will further expose the mockery of the so-called democracy in Nigeria. “The Nigerian government should not forget that since they kidnapped and extraordinary renditioned Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Nigeria has been bedeviled with economic and security woes and will continue until the injustice against Ndigbo, as exemplified in the persecution of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, is addressed. “IPOB and Mazi Nnamdi Kanu remain resolute in our demand for a referendum and will not be intimidated or persecuted into submission by the tyranny of the government of Nigeria. In the end, Biafra will come, but the wounds of the persecution and wickedness against Ndigbo will take decades to heal. Nigeria must consider the future with the wounds it inflicted on Biafrans in mind.”
LAWYER FAULTS AGBAKOBA ON LEGAL STATUS OF EFCC, SAYS POSITION BASED ON LEGAL SOPHISTRY
LAWYER FAULTS AGBAKOBA ON LEGAL STATUS OF EFCC, SAYS POSITION BASED ON LEGAL SOPHISTRY A lawyer and former member of the House of Representatives, Kayode Oladele, has faulted the position of the former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Dr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) on the legal status of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), describing it as “legal sophistry “ Oladele’s response was a rejoinder to an interview granted by Agbakoba wherein he said EFCC lacked the powers to interfere in state affairs, and a fresh letter written by Agbakoba to the Joint National Assembly Constitution Review Committee. The renewed onslaught against the EFCC is not unconnected with its bold and reinvigorated move, especially in the last one year, to investigate and prosecute some highly placed politically exposed persons like the former Governor of Kogi State, Mr. Yahaya Bello and others. Kogi State actually initiated the pending case at the Supreme Court before being joined by about 15 other states. Oladele maintained that: “It is pertinent to state that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is a Nigerian law enforcement agency established to investigate and prosecute economic and financial crimes, such as advance fee fraud, money laundering and misapplication and misappropriation of public funds, “With due respect, Mr. Agbakoba SAN’s position is more of legal sophistry rather than legal substance. His position does not represent the correct position of the law as it runs contrary to the long-settled position of the law as handed down by the superior courts of law including the Apex Court in Nigeria. It is settled law that Nigeria operates a co-operative federalism as opposed to dualist federalism and under co-operative federalism as practiced in Nigeria, some agencies are common agencies for both the Federal and State Government,” he said. Oladele posited further that the view expressed by Agbakoba does not have any legal backing “and therefore unsupportable in law and practice”. He went on further to state that, “Indeed, the EFCC is a common agency for both the Federal and State Economic and Financial Crimes, and as such, it qualifies as ‘any other authority’ to institute criminal proceedings under section 174(1)(b) and section 211(1)(b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). “Again, these statutory provisions have been given judicial considerations by the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, in line with my position and contrary to Mr. Agbakoba’s views or submissions on this issue. “EFCC is expressly conferred with powers under sections 6(m), 9(2) and 13(2) of EFCC (Est.) Act to initiate criminal proceedings in any court in Nigeria for any offence bordering on economic and financial crimes, even under the Penal Code. The EFCC cannot, therefore, be faulted for initiating the instant charge in the name of “Federal Republic of Nigeria”. This is because the Federal Government of Nigeria is not synonymous with the Federation of Nigeria, or the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
RIVERS CRISIS: AS FAR AS LAW IS CONCERNED, STATUS OF THE BUDGET IS NULLITY – SAN
RIVERS CRISIS: AS FAR AS LAW IS CONCERNED, STATUS OF THE BUDGET IS NULLITY – SAN Mr. Kunle Adegoke, SAN, a prominent activist and senior lawyer, has analyzed the outcome of a legal issue involving 27 lawmakers from the Rivers State House of Assembly. These lawmakers challenged the validity of the 2024 state budget, which had been passed by only four members of a rival faction loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara. The Federal High Court in Abuja initially ruled in favor of the 27 lawmakers, declaring the budget invalid, this decision was later upheld by a three-member panel of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, the court found that the budget, passed by just four legislators, was not lawful and should be presented again before the full House of Assembly. According to Mr. Adegoke, the ruling by the Court of Appeal has become the binding legal position. He noted, however, that there could still be unresolved legal issues open to further litigation in competent courts. Adegoke stated that the facts and legal principles supporting the judgment are strong, making it unlikely that the Supreme Court will overturn the decision. “The pronouncement of the Court of Appeal is the law as far as that issue is concerned. That is not to say that any other issue that may not have been decided may still be left to be decided by competent court of jurisdiction. But as regards the status of the budget, it is a nullity.” “The only course available now is that parties may take a step to the Supreme Court to decide whether the Court of Appeal is correct in its interpretation of the law or otherwise,” he said.
NIGERIANS NOT FEELING TINUBU, SHETTIMA’S ABSENCE – AISHA YESUFU
NIGERIANS NOT FEELING TINUBU, SHETTIMA’S ABSENCE – AISHA YESUFU Activist and politician, Aisha Yesufu has criticized the presidency’s assertion that there is no leadership vacuum in Nigeria during the absence of President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima. Yesufu remarked that nobody seems to notice their absence, a comment that has sparked discussions on social media regarding the current state of governance in the country. President Tinubu is currently in Europe on a two-week leave, while Vice President Shettima departed Nigeria for Sweden for a two-day official engagement on Wednesday. This dual absence of the nation’s top leaders has raised eyebrows and concerns among citizens. In response to the criticism surrounding their absence, Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, defended the administration, asserting that all organs of government continue to function effectively despite the president and vice president being away. “It is important to note that the president and vice president are fully engaged with the nation’s affairs, even while they are away. There is no leadership vacuum in the country,” Onanuga stated. He also indicated that President Tinubu is expected to return soon before his vacation officially concludes. Reacting, Yesufu posted on X: “There cannot be a vacuum in something that was never there. Nobody feels the absence of seat warmers.”
PRO-WIKE LAWMAKERS WRITE INEC, SEEK REPLACEMENT OF PRO-FUBARA LAWMAKERS
PRO-WIKE LAWMAKERS WRITE INEC, SEEK REPLACEMENT OF PRO-FUBARA LAWMAKERS The Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Martin Amaewhule, has formally requested the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to organize a bye-election to fill vacant seats in the state legislature. This action came after a resolution during the Assembly’s plenary on Tuesday, where members agreed to notify INEC about the vacancies. The political tensions between the camps of the former governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and Governor Siminalayi Fubara have heightened. In a letter dated October 15, 2024, addressed to INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Amaewhule explained that the vacancies arose following the declaration of four lawmakers, loyal to Governor Fubara, as absent from legislative duties for an extended period. The letter identified the vacant seats as those held by representatives from Ahoada East Constituency II, Opobo Constituency, Bonny Constituency, and Ahoada West Constituency. The letter stated, “Please be informed that during the 56th Legislative Day of the 10th Rivers State House of Assembly on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, the seat for the Ahoada East Constituency II was declared vacant in accordance with sections 109(1) and (f) of the 1999 Constitution. “Hon. Edison Ogerenye Ehie, the former representative of Ahoada East II, who was absent from legislative business for about a year and later appointed Chief of Staff to the Governor on January 29, 2024, is now in the executive branch. “Likewise, the seats for Hon. Adolphus Timothy Oruibienimigba (Opobo), Hon. Victor Oko Jumbo (Bonny), and Hon. Sokari Goodboy Sokari (Ahoada West) are also vacant due to their prolonged absence from legislative sessions for more than a year, far exceeding the one-third threshold set by the Constitution in section 109(1)(f). “Based on Section 109(2), I exercised my authority under Section 109(1)(f) of the Constitution, declaring their seats vacant after verifying their voluntary absences from 96 out of 177 meetings in the 1st session and all 56 meetings in the 2nd session. Their total consecutive absences amount to 152 days. “I, therefore, urge INEC to conduct elections to fill these vacancies, so the people in these constituencies can have proper representation in the Assembly.” In response, the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joseph Johnson, argued that Amaewhule and his colleagues had lost their seats after defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). He suggested that the lawmakers should resolve their dispute in the Appeal Court rather than engage in a game of “hide and seek.” “Amaewhule should stop playing games,” Johnson said. “He publicly announced the suspension of these four lawmakers, but there’s no evidence that they were reinstated. How can they claim the seats are vacant if they haven’t formally recalled them? This shows they’re confused and mismanaging the situation.”
- Foreign Affairs
- October 17, 2024
- 53 views
LONGEST LIVED AMERICAN PRESIDENT IN HISTORY, JIMMY CARTER, VOTES FOR KAMALA HARRIS IN US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
LONGEST LIVED AMERICAN PRESIDENT IN HISTORY, JIMMY CARTER, VOTES FOR KAMALA HARRIS IN US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION The 39th president, who entered hospice care in February 2023, submitted an absentee ballot, according to a grandson. His family said he had been eager to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris. The longest-lived president in American history has voted again. Jimmy Carter, who turned 100 on Oct. 1 and has been in hospice care since February 2023, submitted his absentee ballot on Wednesday, according to Jason Carter, the former president’s grandson. Jason Carter, the chairman of the Carter Center, said in a text message on Wednesday that his grandfather’s ballot had been deposited at a drop box at a courthouse in Americus, Ga. In Georgia, a relative may return a completed absentee ballot for a voter. For weeks, according to the Carter family, the former president was privately playing down becoming a centenarian. Instead, Mr. Carter’s relatives said, he was most eager about voting for Vice President Kamala Harris. Under Georgia law, Oct. 7 was the first day that county registrars could distribute domestic absentee ballots. Elections officials began mailing military and overseas ballots last month. Georgia’s in-person early voting period began on Tuesday, and regulators reported record turnout. Elections officials said they were not certain when Mr. Carter, who spent many days of his post-presidency on Carter Center election-monitoring missions around the world, first cast a ballot of his own. But in 1943, Georgia became the first state to lower its voting age to 18; when Georgia voters decided to amend the state Constitution, Mr. Carter was months away from his 19th birthday. Soon enough, though, he was in elected office himself. In 1962, he won a seat in the State Senate, after a chaotic scandal in which Mr. Carter’s opponent initially benefited from a ballot-stuffing scheme. (Decades later, Mr. Carter would recall that he was such an unknown then that a Georgia newspaper identified him as “Jerry Carter from Plains.”) Mr. Carter cited the episode as a reason that he and his wife, Rosalynn Carter, who died last year, founded the Carter Center, a nongovernmental organization, after they left the White House in 1981. But before his defeat by Ronald Reagan, one of Mr. Carter’s earliest lobbying efforts as president focused on his ideas about voter registration and campaign finance. State records show that Mr. Carter has been an especially reliable voter as a former president. He has routinely cast ballots in general elections, of course, but has also been a fixture of primary runoffs and special elections. For more than a decade, he has exclusively voted by mail in the elections tracked by the state. Mr. Carter still lives in Plains — the tidy city in southwest Georgia that he turned into an outpost of presidential politics nearly a half-century ago — and votes in Sumter County, where plenty of people still know him as “Mr. Jimmy.” A Republican presidential nominee last carried Sumter in 2004, when George W. Bush won it by 126 votes. Joseph R. Biden Jr. had a 586-vote margin of victory there in 2020. The margins have come to matter in Georgia, one of the most closely contested states in presidential elections. Had Mr. Carter gotten his way in the 1970s, though, they would matter less: He recommended abolishing the Electoral College.
EX-NBA PRESIDENT, AGBAKOBA, WRITES NASS, SAYS EFCC ACT UNCONSTITUTIONAL
EX-NBA PRESIDENT, AGBAKOBA, WRITES NASS, SAYS EFCC ACT UNCONSTITUTIONAL Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, former President of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), has written to the National Assembly over constitutional issues related to law enforcement agencies in Nigeria and factors inhibiting the government’s objective of abolishing corruption as stated in Section 13 of the Constitution. In two separate letters to the Senate and House of Representatives, dated October 14, 2024, he said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission was an unlawful organisation, which he believed was “unconstitutionally established”. “I very strongly believe the EFCC is unconstitutionally established. The powers under which it was established go beyond the powers of the National Assembly. The EFCC is an unlawful organization,” Agbakoba, a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, said. The letters were addressed separately to the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin; and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu. The Deputy Speaker doubles as the Chairman, House Committee on Constitution Review, while Senator Jibrin is Chairman, Senate Committee on Constitution Review. Agbakoba noted that he was delighted to note that many states had finally taken it upon themselves to challenge the constitutionality of the EFCC, saying, “This will put to rest the question relating to the validity of the EFCC.” “I write to draw attention to certain constitutional issues on matters related to law enforcement agencies. As you are obviously aware, the fundamental objective of the government is to abolish corruption. But from my observation, there is no harmony amongst law enforcement agencies on corruption. They all appear to be working at cross purposes. “This has been confirmed by the Supreme Court in so many cases. The Supreme Court has consistently sanctioned the EFCC for its conduct and questioned if the EFCC can in fact validly do what it does. I will go further to say that I very strongly believe the EFCC is unconstitutionally established. The powers under which it was established go beyond the powers of the National Assembly. The EFCC is an unlawful organization. “I am very delighted to note that many states have finally taken it upon themselves to challenge the constitutionality of the EFCC. This will put to rest the question relating to the validity of the EFCC. Whilst we await the decision of the Supreme Court as the final court on the matter, I respectfully request that the Senate convene a public hearing to consider these constitutional issues. “Such a hearing would provide an invaluable platform for stakeholders to discuss the reforms needed to strengthen Nigeria’s legal and institutional frameworks for law enforcement and anti-corruption, which will meet the stated and laudable objective of the government to abolish corruption as stated in Section 13 of the Constitution. “I trust that, under your capable leadership, the Senate Constitution Review Committee will give these matters urgent attention in the interest of our nation’s development. “Thank you for your consideration of this important matter. I look forward to your response.” The letter to the Deputy Senate President, titled, “Urgent Legislative Attention on Constitutional Reforms Relating to Law Enforcement Agencies and Anti-Corruption Efforts”, reads: “I commend you for the remarkable leadership you have demonstrated as Chairman, Senate Constitution Review Committee, particularly in advancing the government’s reform agenda through a robust constitutional framework. Your efforts to strengthen the legal infrastructure underpinning the nation’s development programs are indeed commendable. Dele Oyewale, spokesman of EFCC, could not be reached for comments as of the time of filing this report as multiple attempts to reach him via telephone did not yield result.
EFCC VS THE CONSTITUTION: WAITING FOR SUPREME COURT
EFCC VS THE CONSTITUTION: WAITING FOR SUPREME COURTIn a matter of days, exactly on October 22, ceteris paribus, the Supreme Court will commence hearing on a case filed by 16 state governments challenging the constitutionality of the laws establishing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and two other anti-graft laws. Of the 16, the Supreme Court granted leave for consolidation with respect to two states – Ogun and Nasarawa – whose cases centre mainly around the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) guidelines.The EFCC Act has been operational since 2004, twenty years ago. The commission was established in 2003 in swift response to the pressure from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on money laundering, which then categorically named Nigeria amongst the 23 countries that were stalling efforts by the international community in its efforts to combat money laundering, both local and trans-national.At various forums these past two decades, some lawyers have raised eyebrow on how the EFCC Bill was passed into law, with some noting that its hurried transition from a Bill to an Act short-circuited a critical provision of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended).EFCC was established by an Act of the National Assembly by the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo. It was intended to primarily focus on economic and financial crimes in both the public and private sector. The commission was then seen as a masterstroke to tame the bogey of corruption in the country then ranked as one of the most corrupt countries in the world.The then Vice President Atiku Abubakar it was who provided the commission the funds to get off the ground and start running. He still references this gesture till this day. In plain language, EFCC was established but was not given the necessary funds to commence operations. All that is history now. However, a good two decades after it became operational, the commission has been largely perceived as a persecution, rather than prosecutorial, agency in the hand of any ruling president.Proponents of this school of thought point to the ranking of Nigeria in the global corruption index, pre and post EFCC establishment. Nothing really has changed. Nigeria is still highly ranked as one of the most corrupt nations of the world, currently placing a 145 out of 180 countries ranked in the latest index.Some even argue that rather than fight and tame corruption, the EFCC has been protecting openly corrupt persons by refusing to prosecute such persons, usually politically exposed persons. They argue that EFCC only show uncommon zeal to prosecute persons who are political opponents of any incumbent president or those who hold dissenting views from those of the President. For this, they tag the EFCC a persecution agency.But this is not the grouse of the state governments now before the Supreme Court. They are questioning the legitimacy of the EFCC as a product of a Federal law, an Act of the National Assembly, with powers over the Federating units (the states).Already, a seven-man panel led by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, has fixed October 22 for hearing of the suit after the states were joined as co-plaintiffs, and leave granted for consolidation of the case in the suit originally filed by the Kogi State Government through its Attorney General (AG).The states that joined in the suit marked: SC/CV/178/2023 include Ondo, Edo, Oyo, Kebbi, Katsina, Sokoto, Jigawa, Enugu, Benue, Anambra, Plateau, Cross-River, Niger. Ogun and Nasarawa are challenging the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) Financial Guidelines. A holistic glance at the states (Plaintiffs) showed a wide spread in diversity, cutting across different political parties and across the six geopolitical zones. This shows that this matter is not political, neither is it steeped in the murky pool of partisan politics. It’s strictly about legality, constitutionality and propriety…
- Foreign Affairs
- October 17, 2024
- 68 views
CATEGORIES OF PEOPLE WHO WILL SUFFER IF TRUMP WINS AMERICAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION – SHEHU SANI
CATEGORIES OF PEOPLE WHO WILL SUFFER IF TRUMP WINS AMERICAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION – SHEHU SANI Ahead of the forthcoming United States presidential election, the former senator who represented the good people of Kaduna Central Senatorial Zone, Senator Shehu Sani, has listed the categories of people who will suffer if Donald Trump wins the presidential election in the United States of America. While speaking, the former lawmaker made it known that if Trump wins the forthcoming United States presidential election, Africans who want to migrate to the United States and migrants from South America will suffer. Furthermore, Shehu Sani made it known that some other individuals and agencies will also suffer. These individuals and agencies are as follows; The UN and its agencies, Chinese Businesses with the US, US,Iran and Cuba relations, EU/US relations, Arab/US relations, US obligations to International treaties, Human/Environmental Rights and Ukraine dependance on US. Senator Shehu Sani made this disclosure in a post he made on his official X handle on Wednesday morning. He wrote: “If Trump wins the Presidency,these are the categories of people or institutions that will suffer. “1.Africans who want to immigrate to the US. 2.Migrants from South America. 3.The UN and its agencies. 4.Chinese Businesses with the US 5.US,Iran and Cuba relations. 6.EU/US relations. 7.Arab/US relations. 8.US obligations to International treaties. 9.Human/Environmental Rights. 10.Ukraine dependance on US.”