HARDSHIP: WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY – ATIKU CHALLENGES TINUBU
HARDSHIP: WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY – ATIKU CHALLENGES TINUBU Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has accused the present administration of indulging in “trial-and-error economic policies”, saying he would have acted differently if elected President. In a statement he personally signed, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Candidate in the last election alleged that the President Tinubu administration is undertaking a “palliative” economy, something his administration would not have done. Atiku, who blamed the reforms of the present administration for the present malaise, said, “Unleashing reforms to determine an appropriate exchange rate, cost-reflective electricity tariff, and PMS price at one and the same time is certainly an overkill.” The opposition leader noted that while he had advocated for subsidy removal, his administration would have gone for a gradual removal as is being done in countries like Malaysia in 2022 and Indonesia, 2022 -2023. He said: “I’ve been inundated with inquiries of what I would have done differently if I were at the helm of affairs of our country. I am not the president, Tinubu is. The focus should be on him and not on me or any other. I believe that such inquiries distract from the critical questions of what President Bola Tinubu needs to do to save Nigerians from the excruciating pains arising from his trial-and-error economic policies. “We would have planned better and more robustly: My journey of reforms would have benefited from more adequate preparations; more sufficient diagnostic assessment of the country’s conditions; more consultations with key stakeholders; and better ideas for the final destination. “We would have been guided by my robust reform agenda as encapsulated in ‘My Covenant With Nigerians’, my policy document that sought to, among others, protect our fragile economy against much deeper crisis by preventing business collapse; our document had spelt out policies that were consistent and coherent.” adAtiku further said, “Unleashing reforms to determine an appropriate exchange rate, cost-reflective electricity tariff, and PMS price at one and the same time is certainly an overkill. Add CBN’s bullish money tightening spree. As importers of PMS and other petroleum products, removing subsidy on these products without a stable exchange rate would be counterproductive. “We would have been more strategic in our response to reform fallout. We would not over-estimate the efficacy of the reform measures or underestimate the potential costs of reforms. I would recognise that reforms could sometimes fail. I would not underestimate the numerous delivery challenges, including the weaknesses of our institutions, and would work assiduously to correct the same. I would, as a responsible leader, pause, reflect, and where necessary, review implementation. ad“I would have led by example. Any fiscal reform to improve liquidity and the management of our fiscal resources must first eliminate revenue leakages arising from governance, including the cost of running the government and the government procurement process. I (and members of my team) would not have lived in luxury while the citizens wallow in misery.” The former Vice President who said his reforms would wear a human face, added, “We would have been more strategic in the design and implementation of reform fallout mitigating measures. I would not run a ‘palliative economy’ yet, we would have robust social protection programme that will offer genuine support to the poor and vulnerable and provide immediate comfort and security to enable them to navigate the stormy seas.” adSpeaking on specific measures, the PDP Chieftain said, “We would have launched an Economic Stimulus Fund (ESF), with an initial investment capacity of approximately US$10 billion to support MSMEs across all economic sectors. “Alongside the ESF, we would have launched a uniquely designed skills-to-job programme that targets all categories of youth, including graduates, early school leavers as well as the massive numbers of uneducated youth who…
Dons Eze
- Foreign Affairs
- November 3, 2024
- 70 views
LIBYA BEGINS MASS ARREST OF NIGERIANS AFTER CAF VERDICT
LIBYA BEGINS MASS ARREST OF NIGERIANS AFTER CAF VERDICT Following the verdict delivered by the Confederation of African Football in response to the complaint lodged by the Nigeria Football Federation over the recent inhumane treatment meted out to the Super Eagles in Libya, members of the Nigerian community have reported mass arrests and fines in the country. The Nigerian football team was held at the Al-Abraq Airport in eastern Libya for over 20 hours upon arrival for the second leg of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between the Super Eagles and Libya’s national team. The contingent was scheduled to land at the Benghazi Airport and travel for nearly four hours by road to Benina, where the match was to be played. However, less than an hour before landing, the Tunisian pilot reportedly received a directive from Libyan authorities to divert the flight to the Al-Abraq Airport, located 150 miles away from the destination. The development sparked widespread outrage, forcing the NFF to withdraw the Super Eagles from the qualifying match and file an official complaint to CAF. In its ruling on Saturday, October 26, signed by its Chairman, Ousmane Kane, the disciplinary committee of the African football body awarded the Super Eagles of Nigeria three points and three goals for the abandoned match. The disciplinary board ruled that the Libyan Football Federation breached Article 31 of the Africa Cup of Nations Regulations and Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code. The panel also ordered the LFF to pay a fine of $50,000 within 60 days of the notification of the decision. Displeased with the verdict, the LFF President Nasser Al-Suwai’I described it as “unjust and malicious,” alleging that the NFF’s influence within CAF played a major role in the outcome. A report on Monday by a Libyan outlet, Libyan Observer, quoted Al-Suwai’I saying the LFF would file an official appeal within hours and that if the appeal was denied, the body would resort to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to ensure “their legitimate rights are secured.” Following the CAF ruling, a popular Libyan news blog, Libya News Today 1, posted on Sunday, stating, “All Libyan TV channels are urging the government to arrest the Nigerian workers who are working here in Libya without legal papers. They have to pay $500 plus taxes. “The fine that Libya is accused of will be paid by Nigerian citizens who live in Libya. We have been subjected to injustice. We have no borders with Nigeria. What benefit are they to us? They’re a burden on the Libyan people. They have to go back home.” The blog has more than 188,000 followers on Facebook and 57,000 likes. The post was accompanied by a video of a Libyan TV presenter, who said, “Anyone who is living in Libya and working without paying tax is eating haram, which means sinful money. The government should make every effort to arrest all Nigerians who are working in Libya so that they can pay a tax of $500 and regulate their stay in the country by obtaining residence permits.” Another Libyan site, Libya INF.TV, reported that Libyan stations wanted the government to start arresting Nigerian workers. “Those who don’t have Libyan papers will have to pay a fine of $500 for taxes. If you refuse deportation, no mercy. The Libyan government will pay the Nigerian government from their citizens’ money,” the post said. Speaking with Sunday PUNCH, a Nigerian living in Tripoli, the Libyan capital, Adenaike Emmanuel, said the arrests began on Sunday after the CAF statement was released in the country. “They have already started. The news came out on Saturday, and they were saying they can’t accept it and that they are not the ones who…
ABIA LG POLLS: ZLP WINS 15 LGAS, YPP TWO
ABIA LG POLLS: ZLP WINS 15 LGAS, YPP TWO The Zenith Labour Party emerged victorious in 15 out of the 17 Local Government Areas in Abia State during the local government elections held on November 2, while the Young Peoples Party claimed victory in the remaining two LGAs. The results were announced by the Chairman of the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission, Prof. George Chima, at the commission’s headquarters in Umuahia, the state capital, on Saturday. “We have fulfilled the duty we were inaugurated on September 5 to carry out. “It wasn’t an easy task, but we went above and beyond to raise awareness about the election across the state,” Chima stated. Highlighting the significance of the election, he noted, “In recent times, this commission has not conducted an election with over 12 political parties participating. This, in itself, is a milestone for the commission.” Chima confirmed that the election took place across all 17 LGAs of the state, describing it as “free, fair, and credible.” He added, “We have been able to complete a task that could typically take six to twelve months within a span of two months.” The commission chairman congratulated both the winners and the opposition, emphasizing the need to maintain peace in Abia. “In any election, there are winners and losers, but the most important thing is that Abia remains peaceful. I urge everyone to uphold this peace.” He also expressed gratitude to security agencies for their support and commended political parties for “playing by the rules.”
- Foreign Affairs
- November 3, 2024
- 48 views
KEMI BADENOCH SUCCEEDS RISHI SUNAK AS UK’S CONSERVATIVE LEADER
KEMI BADENOCH SUCCEEDS RISHI SUNAK AS UK’S CONSERVATIVE LEADER The former Cabinet minister Kemi Badenoch scooped the Tory crown after a bitter four-month long contest in the wake of the party’s worst-ever election defeat in July Kemi Badenoch has won the race to succeed Rishi Sunak as Conservative leader in a tight contest that saw more than a quarter of Tory members not even cast a vote. The former Cabinet minister scooped the Tory crown after a bitter four-month long contest in the wake of the party’s worst-ever election defeat. Ms Badenoch, 44, was picked by the same party members who inflicted Liz Truss on the country, over rival and ex-Home Office minister Robert Jenrick. The right-wing duo were the surprise finalists after bookies’ favourite James Cleverly was eliminated by MPs in a major upset last month. The race was triggered when Mr Sunak resigned after suffering a historic defeat at the general election – losing 251 MPs and handing the keys to No10 to Keir Starmer. A total of 131,680 Tory members were eligible electors and turnout was 72.8%. Ms Badenoch received 53,806 votes with Mr Jenrick getting 41,388. There were 655 rejected ballots. The result makes it the closest leadership contest ever put to the Tory membership. In her victory address, speaking to a large round of applause in the room, the new Tory leader said: “We must be honest that we made mistakes, honest that we let standards slip. “The time has come to tell the truth. The time has come to stand up for our principals, to reset our politics. “It is time to get down to business – it is time to renew.” Commenting on the result, Richard Fuller CBE MP, Conservative Party Chairman, said: “On behalf of the whole Conservative Party I’d like to congratulate Kemi Badenoch on being elected as our new leader. “Over the course of the leadership contest we have seen six strong, credible candidates who have spent their time travelling around the country meeting our excellent party members. “I would like to thank all the candidates for their conduct and commitment during the leadership contest and the team at CCHQ for their hard work throughout. “With Kemi Badenoch in place as our new leader now is the time for the whole Party to unite and take the fight to Labour, the Liberal Democrats, SNP and Reform.” Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was also quick to react to the news congratulating Ms Badenoch on her victory.. He said in a post on X: “Congratulations, Kemi Badenoch on becoming the Conservative Party’s new leader. “The first Black leader of a Westminster party is a proud moment for our country. I look forward to working with you and your party in the interests of the British people.” Ms Badenoch will now seek to lead the divided and warring Tory party through the long years of opposition before the next general election – expected in 2029. She rapidly became the recent frontrunner with a major survey by the Tory bible Conservative Home finding she had the support of 55% of members. During the contest and weeks of blue-on-blue infighting, Mr Jenrick took a sly dig at his rival telling members he offered a “serious plan, not needless drama”. He said the Conservatives needed a leader who doesn’t get “drawn down rabbit holes” or spend time doing “battle on Twitter”. Ms Badenoch has been involved in a series of high-profile spats in recent years. She faced calls to resign in 2021 after targeting a journalist on Twitter, calling her “creepy and bizarre” for asking questions. More recently Ms Badenoch was embroiled in a very public row with former Post Office chairman Henry Staunton. She also lashed out at…
SOUTH EAST, SOUTH SOUTH MARGINALIZED IN TINUBU’S APPOINTMENTS IN 22 SECURITY AGENCIES; GET ONLY ONE SLOT EACH
SOUTH EAST, SOUTH SOUTH MARGINALIZED IN TINUBU’S APPOINTMENTS IN 22 SECURITY AGENCIES, GET ONLY ONE SLOT EACH The Presidency has confirmed that President Bola Tinubu’s appointments of security heads is against the Federal Character Act, while highlighting how it is skewed against the South-East and South-South regions of the country. Sunday Dare, the Special Adviser to the President on Public Communications and Orientation, on Saturday shared a list of the heads of security agencies appointed by Tinubu. This distribution, Dare emphasized, reflects the administration’s commitment to equitable representation across Nigeria’s regions. Meanwhile, Section 14 (3) of the Federal Character Act of the Constitution states as follows, “The composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few states or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that Government or in any of its agencies.” However, according to Dare’s list, the North-West holds the highest number of security appointments with eight, followed by the South-West with five, and the North-Central with four. The North East, he noted, has three security chiefs, while the South South and South East have one each. The list clearly showed the two regions, South South and South East were marginalised by the President in disregard of the Federal Character Act in the Nigerian constitution. Some Nigerians had accused Tinubu of “Yorubanisation”—a term implying favouritism toward the Yoruba ethnic group of South-West following the appointment of Major General Olufemi Oluyede as Acting Chief of Army Staff. Oluyede was appointed to act on behalf of General Taoreed Lagbaja, who is receiving medical treatment abroad. An exclusive report by SaharaReporters recently showed that sensitive appointments made so far by Tinubu are lopsided as they mainly favoured South-West people. Checks by the newspaper revealed that most members of the President’s kitchen cabinet led by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, are from the Southwest region. While Dare’s list consisted of five names from the South West, Yoruba people appointed by Tinubu to key positions are the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun; Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja who was recently replaced by Major General Olufemi Oluyede; Director General of the Department of State Services, Mr Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi; Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Olanipekun Olukoyede and Comptroller-General of Nigerian Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi. Others are; Comptroller General (CG) of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap; Commander of the Guards Brigade (Presidential Villa), Brigadier General Adebisi Onasanya; Chief Security Officer (CSO) to President, Rasheed Lawal, who recently replaced Adegboyega Fasasi and Aide-De-Camp (ADC) Nurudeen Yusuf, a Yoruba man from Kwara state.
AFENIFERE KNOCKS TINUBU OVER APPOINTMENT OF YORUBA’ IN SENSITIVE POSITIONS
AFENIFERE KNOCKS TINUBU OVER ‘OUTRAGEOUS’ APPOINTMENT OF YORUBA’ IN SENSITIVE POSITIONS The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, has distanced itself from what it described as President Bola Tinubu’s bias for the Yoruba in federal appointments. The group insisted that they do not support Tinubu for appointing Yorubas as head of all arms of the criminal justice system and other sectors. Afenifere shared its reservations in a statement by its leader and the National Publicity Secretary, Ayo Adebanjo, and Justice Faleye, respectively, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Friday. They insisted that the development threatened the age-long inter-ethnic relationship and peaceful co-existence in Nigeria. The statement partly read, “We can never condone the outrageous bias by Tinubu to make Yorubas head of all arms of the criminal justice system (EFCC, DSS, Attorney-General and Chief Justice); the economy (Coordinating Minister of the economy, CBN, Finance, Blue Economy, Digital Economy, Trade, Industries and Investment, Bank of Industry, Solid Minerals); as well as the forces (army, police, customs, immigration, DSS). “Afenifere can’t use several decades to fight against Fulani hegemony only to support Yoruba or any other hegemony. Afenifere bitterly complained that President Buhari’s northern hegemony can’t remain mute on ethnic hegemony, as being perpetrated by Tinubu. “Buhari was accused of bias for the North, with three regions, not to talk of Tinubu bias not for the South, but a single ethnicity and single region. Our progenitor, Chief Obafemi Awolowo once threatened to curse anyone that tied Afenifere to Yoruba only.” The group explained that it adheres to clear-cut principles of being social democrats and would not support autocratic leaders. “By the virtue of our name, Afenifere, meaning those that want good for all humans, and as omoluabi Yorubas, we won’t support any government that engages in undemocratic practices. Nor would we support a government whose first year pushed over 14 million people into poverty with anti-people policies. “President Tinubu is no stranger to Afenifere, but having backed him into power in 1999, and witnessed his 24-year precedents in Lagos, it would have been wicked and morally irresponsible to support him into power as President. “This was why the true Afenifere supported Peter Obi and was in charge of his presidential campaign headed by Akin Osuntokun, an Afenifere chieftain,” the statement added.
WHY WE HAVEN’T FILLED VACANT SEATS IN RIVERS ASSEMBLY – INEC
WHY WE HAVEN’T FILLED VACANT SEATS IN RIVERS ASSEMBLY – INEC The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has finally spoken out on the controversy surrounding the Rivers State House of Assembly. The electoral body has cited conflicting court judgments as the reason for its earlier silence on the issue. According to INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the commission has been monitoring the situation and is seeking the advice of Nigerians, particularly legal experts. The legislative arm of the state government is currently divided into two factions: one backed by Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the other by former governor Nyesom Wike. This division has led to a situation with 25 pro-Wike lawmakers’ seats declared vacant by three lawmakers loyal to Fubara and vice versa. A faction loyal to Governor Fubara has urged INEC to conduct a by-election to fill the seats of pro-Wike lawmakers. Meanwhile, Wike’s faction has also declared vacant the seats of members allied with Fubara. Yakubu said, “After that, there was a court judgment from the Rivers High Court as well as the Federal High Court on the legitimacy of each of these groups of lawmakers. “We at INEC have been following the developments. We do not know what will happen next, and so we are seeking the views of Nigerians, especially legal experts on this.”
FUBARA IS WIKE’S POLITICAL INVESTMENT – SAYS TONY OKOCHA
FUBARA IS WIKE’S POLITICAL INVESTMENT, SAYS TONY OKOCHA The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress Caretaker Committee in Rivers State, Tony Okocha, on Friday, warned critics against distorting the narrative of the crisis rocking the state, insisting that Governor Siminalayi Fubara is the investment of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. Okocha disclosed this during a media parley with journalists at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja. Okocha who served as the Chief of Staff to former Governor Rotimi Amaechi from 2007 to 2015, stated that he feels embarrassed every time he listens to a radio analysis and hears the presenters dishing out a biased narrative. He said, “I can tell you that the conversations going on around the state are skewed. They need to hear our side of the story. Some people are blaming us at the APC and even bringing in the FCT Minister for the crisis in Rivers. They are holding us in scorn. Naturally, I know what anybody will say is that he (Wike) has done eight years; why is he not allowing someone else to run his own? But that is not the narrative. Health 360: Breast Cancer0:00 / 0:00“Nobody makes an investment and throws it away; the business will fail. Governor Fubara is Wike’s political investment. I must have said this many times. This is because he lifted him from ground zero and put him where he is today. Fubara was never a politician; he was a civil servant. “He was taken from a state of relative obscurity in his Local Government to a political crescendo, which is the position of governor in a state like Rivers. So, it is not a case of Wike suffocating anybody in Rivers; it is just a case of Governor Sim Fubara versus the same Governor Sim Fubara. He is the governor. In Ikwerre’s parlance, there is an adage that says ‘You are the man that holds the yam and the knife.’” Continuing, Okocha also blamed the governor for spurning the intervention of President Bola Tinubu and the court order directing him to re-present the 2024 budget before the Martins Amaewhule-led State House of Assembly. He said that rather than following the agreed resolution, Fubara allowed his loyalists to go loose by threatening and attempting to blackmail the president. “There was an intervention by Mr President through an eight-point agenda. The president said the governor was wrong by presenting the budget to a four-member assembly over and above 27 others, and that he should go back and re-present it. Fubara accepted and told Mr President that being the first time he was meeting with him, whatever he said pertaining to Rivers, he would abide by. “He also made a request, and the president asked him to state it. The request was that those who worked with him from his side should not be vilified or punished. The president assured him that nothing of the sort would happen, as the meeting was for reconciliation. After that, all manner of narratives arose. Some said he signed under duress; others claimed he was ambushed. The fifth columnists were also on the prowl for pecuniary interests. “But did he implement the decision of Mr President and the judgment of the court to re-present the budget to the House of Assembly under Martin Amaewhule? Now, some people are going about trying to skew the narrative that those who got the recent judgment are enemies of Rivers. But is it right for the governor to run a state without a budget? It is even dangerous for us as a state because you don’t have a limit for spending,” he warned.
EVEN UNDERAGED CHILDREN NOT SPARED FROM T-PAIN’S WICKEDNESS – ATIKU
EVEN UNDERAGED CHILDREN NOT SPARED FROM T-PAIN’S WICKEDNESS – ATIKU Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general elections, has strongly criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the arrest, detention, and arraignment of 76 #EndBadGovernance protesters. Atiku condemned the federal government’s actions, stating that even underage children have not been spared from what he describes as the “wickedness” of Tinubu, referring to him as “T Pain.” Reports from Vanguard revealed that a minor collapsed in the courtroom during proceedings, a situation that critics attribute to malnourishment and inadequate treatment. In a statement on his social media platform, Atiku expressed his outrage, saying, “A disturbing video of malnourished children being arraigned before a Federal High Court on the orders of the Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government has come to my attention. The horrible scene, reminiscent of a Nazi concentration camp, once again reflects the low value this government places on the lives of the vulnerable, especially children.” He emphasized the importance of protecting children’s rights, referencing Section 11 of the Child’s Rights Act, which guarantees the dignity of every child. He quoted the Act, stating, “Every child is entitled to respect for the dignity of his person, and accordingly, no child shall be subjected to physical, mental, or emotional injury, abuse, neglect, or maltreatment, including sexual abuse; nor shall any child be subjected to torture, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment.” Atiku criticized the delay in the arraignment of these children, noting, “The children are being prosecuted for their alleged involvement in the #EndBadGovernance protests that occurred between August 1 and August 10, 2024. If they are just being arraigned three months later, one can only imagine the dehumanizing conditions they have endured during their detention.” He expressed his disappointment that a leader who once fought for Nigeria’s democracy and led protests is now demonizing those who peacefully protest against the impacts of his harsh policies. “Children, who are among the most affected by these policies, have every right to protest peacefully, as guaranteed by the Constitution and the Child Rights Act. A nation can be assessed by how it treats its most vulnerable citizens. It is saddening that even underage children are not spared from the wickedness of T Pain,” he said. Atiku concluded by stating, “The disturbing conditions under which the accused children were brought to court only reinforce the justification for their participation in the protests in the first place.”
RIVERS GOVT APPEALS COURT ORDER STOPPING FEDERAL ALLOCATION TO THE STATE
RIVERS GOVT APPEALS COURT ORDER STOPPING FEDERAL ALLOCATION TO THE STATE The Rivers State Government has filed an appeal against a recent Federal High Court ruling in Abuja that barred the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from distributing federal allocations to the state. Recall that on Wednesday, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Abuja Federal High Court declared that Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s presentation of the 2024 budget before a four-member Rivers House of Assembly contradicted Constitutional provisions. She criticized Fubara’s ongoing receipt and use of monthly federal allocations since January, calling it a Constitutional violation that cannot be permitted. Justice Abdulmalik further ruled that the implementation of an unauthorized budget by Fubara amounted to a severe breach of the 1999 Constitution. The ruling also prohibited the CBN, the Accountant-General of the Federation, Zenith Bank, and Access Bank from granting Fubara access to funds from the Consolidated Revenue and Federation Account. In delivering her judgment on the case marked FHC/ABJ/CS/984/2024, Justice Abdulmalik stated that the four-member House of Assembly faction supporting Fubara, which he cited to validate what she termed an “unlawful budget,” had already been invalidated by the Federal High Court and the Abuja Court of Appeal. The court reaffirmed that the Amaewhule-led Assembly remains the lawful legislative body, as ruled by the Federal High Court and upheld by the Court of Appeal. On Wednesday, the Government House in Port Harcourt saw heightened activity, with various groups, government officials, Peoples Democratic Party supporters, and other stakeholders gathering, resulting in significant traffic in the vicinity. A widely circulated video captured a closed-door meeting at the Government House involving Finance Minister Wale Edun and other officials with Governor Fubara. The state’s Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joseph Johnson, confirmed an appeal has been filed and expressed confidence that the Appeal Court would overturn the judgment. He stated that signs indicating the likely outcome were clear, and they remain calm, having already challenged the Federal High Court’s decision. He said “We saw this judgment coming the way it did when the trial judge refused 23 council chairmen as joinders, refused the state to change their lawyer and refused our objection challenging jurisdiction of the federal high court.” Johnson added, “The judgment has already been appealed and l believe that the Court of Appeal will upturn the judgment. We are not panicked and there is no cause for alarm.” Johnson cautioned that if the Court of Appeal upholds the judgment, local government employees would be impacted. He said, “If it is anything to reckon with it will impact negatively on the civil servants at the third tier of government, it will affect teachers’ salaries and all that that are attached to the council salaries. “So, I can imagine how anybody would advocate for the stopping of funds that will bring development to the local government councils and also pay those who work in the council. “It’s a legal problem and you cannot take it out of the court, particularly when you are a defendant. That is not how the law operates. This matter is one that the court will give justice to. So, let us stop all these shenanigans because it is not going to take us anywhere. It is the state that will suffer and in this case the local government staff.”