Dons EzeGUNMEN ATTACK EX-EDO DEPUTY GOVERNOR, SHAIBU, DAY AFTER REINSTATEMENT, POLICE OFFICER KILLED
GUNMEN ATTACK EX-EDO DEPUTY GOVERNOR, SHAIBU, DAY AFTER REINSTATEMENT, POLICE OFFICER KILLED Comrade Philip Shaibu, impeached but reinstated deputy governor of Edo State, came under gun attack in Benin City, capital of Edo State, on Thursday. Shaibu, whose impeachment was voided by a Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, had returned to Edo from Abuja when his convoy was attacked. He was in company of the Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo, Sen. Monday Okpebholo, when the assailants who reportedly killed a policeman in their convoy, struck. According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the incident occurred on Airport Road, when Okpebholo and several others, arrived the city from Abuja aboard a chartered flight. It was not immediately known if Okpebholo was wounded, but he is said to be hospitalized in an undisclosed hospital in Benin City. A Federal High Court in Abuja, had on Wednesday voided the impeachment of Shaibu as the state deputy governor by the state House of Assembly. The House of Assembly, however, in a statement, said it had appealed the judgement. The gunmen, in a vehicle, at the exit gate of the airport, were said to have opened fire on the convoy, which led to a reprisal by the armed security details attached to the APC candidate and Shaibu. The incident forced shops and offices to hurriedly shot down, while majority of motorists abandoned their vehicles and scampered to safety. When contacted, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, Public Relations Officer of the Police Command in Edo said the incident was being investigated. “It is premature for the police to confirm at this time until the investigation is concluded,” he said. Meanwhile, a check showed that security had been strengthened at the premises of the state Deputy Governor, Godwins Omobayo located at Osadebey Avenue, near the airport, in Benin to forestall any attack on him. In a statement on Thursday, Edo Government, alleged that it had observed the level of wanton destruction perpetrated by thugs working in connivance with the former deputy governor. Chris Nehikhare, the Commissioner for Communication and Orientation alleged that Shaibu led thugs have unleashed mayhem on innocent citizens in the guise of enforcing the judgment reinstating him to office. “We want to reiterate that Shaibu will face the consequences of violence that he has resorted to in pursuit of his aim to return to the Government House even when he is aware that a stay of execution of the judgement has been filed,” he said. The Commissioner enjoined the general public to be calm and go about their lawful businesses as government restore peace to the ancient city. However, efforts to get the reaction of Shaibu proved abortive. But a statement by Mr Godswill Inegbe, an aide to Okpebholo, said his principal was attacked by the gunmen. “During the unprovoked attack, three mobile policemen attached to the security detail of Sen. Okpebholo were injured with bullet wounds, while one of the policemen has been feared dead,” Inegbe said.According to him, Okpebholo is at this moment admitted in an undisclosed hospital in Benin for medical attention with other members of the entourage. (NAN)
BILL FOR SIX-YEAR TENURE FOR PRESIDENT, GOVS PASSES FIRST READING IN HOUSE OF REPS
BILL FOR SIX-YEAR TENURE FOR PRESIDENT, GOVS PASSES FIRST READING IN HOUSE OF REPS House of Representatives has passed through the first reading, a bill seeking to amend the 1999 Constitution to provide for a single term of six years for the offices of the president, state governors and local government area chairman. The proposed legislation is sponsored by the member representing Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency of Imo State, Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere and 50 others. The bill seeks to alter Sections 7, 135, 137, 180 and 182 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). Clause 2 seeks to amend Section 7 of the Principal Act by inserting a new subsection (5) immediately after the extant subsection 4 and before the extant subsection 5 as follows, “(5) A holder of the office of a Local Government Chairman shall vacate his office at expiration of a period of six years commencing from the date such holder was elected into office.” Clause 3 of the bill seeks to amend Section 135 subsections (2), (2A) and (3) of the Principal Act by replacing the word “four” with “six” to read: “(2) Subject to the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, the President shall vacate his office at the expiration of a period of six (6) years single tenure commencing from the date, when – (a) in the case of a person first elected as President under this Constitution, he took the Oath of Allegiance and the oath of office; and (b) in any other case, the person last elected to that office under this Constitution took the oath of allegiance and oath of office or would, but for his death, have taken such oaths. “(2A) in the determination of the six-year term, where a re-run election has taken place and the person earlier sworn wins the re-run election, the time spent in the office before the date the election was annulled shall be taken into account. “(3) If the Federation is at war in which the territory of Nigeria is physically involved and the President considers that it is not practicable to hold elections, the National Assembly may by resolution extend the period of six years mentioned in subsection (2) of this section from time to time; but no such extension shall exceed six months at any one time.” Clause 4 of the bill seeks to amend Section 137 of the Principal Act by deleting paragraph (b) and renumbering appropriately.Clause 5 of the proposed legislation l seeks to amend Section 180 of the Principal Act by deleting the extant subsections 2 and 3 and replacing it with new subsections 2 and 3.
YAHAYA BELLO’S ARRAIGNMENT TODAY MAY STALL AS EX-GOV WANTS APPEAL COURT TO VACATE ARREST WARRANT
YAHAYA BELLO’S ARRAIGNMENT TODAY MAY STALL AS EX-GOV WANTS APPEAL COURT TO VACATE ARREST WARRANT The arraignment of the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, over the alleged N80 billion money laundering charges made against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), scheduled for today may be stalled again, as Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has been asked to adjourn indefinitely, proceedings in the charge, pending the determination of an appeal filed by the former governor, which is pending at the Court of Appeal, Abuja. In the Appeal No. CA/ABJ/CR/535/2024, in which the trial Judge, Justice Emeka Nwite is being accused of miscarriage of justice, Bello is, through his Counsels, Musa Yakubu (SAN) & Co, seeking the setting aside of the Warrant of Arrest believed to have been illegally issued against him on April 17, 2024, as well as return of the case file to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, for re-assignment to another Judge. According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the appeal was filed against the decisions of the trial Federal High Court, Abuja, in Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/98/2024. The former governor is also seeking an order of the Appeal Court, setting aside service of the EFCC Charge on him by substituted means, including the entire proceedings already conducted in the case. In a letter to Justice Emeka Nwite, dated July 12, 2024, counsel to Bello, Musa Yakubu (SAN) requested that further proceedings in the charge be adjourned sine die pending the determination of the appeal filed by the former governor, which is pending at the Court of Appeal, Abuja. The letter, a copy of which was sent to the National Judicial Council (NJC) and Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, was in response to a letter to Justice Nwite, by the EFCC, dated July 8, 2024 and filed on the July 10, 2024, according to information from the court registry. In the letter, the EFCC requested for a variation of the earlier warrant of arrest issued against Bello, additionally requesting that the various security agencies be specifically directed to carry out the earlier arrest. Responding to the EFCC’s application, Bello’s counsel urged the Court to decline the request and await the outcome of the appeal pending at the Court of Appeal over the controversial warrant of arrest and other related pronouncements of the trial Court. According to counsel to Bello; “Drawing from the position of the law as contained in Order 4 Rule 11(1) of the Court of Appeal Rules, 2021 and the pronouncement of the Supreme Court in the case of Vab Petroleum INC V. Momah [Supra] and a litany of other cases too numerous to mention here; we respectfully urge this Honourable Court ex debito justitiae to: “set aside and expunge from its records the proceedings of the 27th June, 2024, including any ruling, order or directive, same having been conducted in the face of the Defendant’s appeal entered on the 24th of May, 2024 and therefore reached per incuriam;“Refuse to countenance the application of the Complainant made vide the letter filed on the 10th of July, 2024 and or in the alternative refer same to the Court of Appeal for determination; “Adjourn further proceedings in this charge sine die pending the determination of Appeal No: CA/ABJ/CR/536/2024 entered by the Defendant and pending at the Court of Appeal, Abuja.” The letter read in part; “The Defendant to the Charge had on the 17th of May, 2024 filed a notice of appeal against the ruling of this Honourable Court made on the 10th of May, 2024 refusing to discharge brevi manu the warrant of arrest issued against the Defendant. “The Defendant pursuant to the said notice…
OHANAEZE REJECTS TINUBU’S MINISTRY OF LIVESTOCK DEVELOPMENT, SAYS IT’S REINTRODUCTION OF RUGA
OHANAEZE REJECTS TINUBU’S MINISTRY OF LIVESTOCK, SAYS IT’S REINTRODUCTION OF RUGA The apex Igbo socio-cultural youth organisation, Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC) has rejected the proposed creation of the Ministry of Livestock by the President Bola Tinubu-led Nigerian government Speaking to journalists in Enugu, Enugu State capital on Monday, the National President General of OYC, Igboayaka Igboayaka, asked President Tinubu to drop the idea of creating a Ministry of Livestock, noting that it would spark a tribal war between the Fulanis and other tribes in the country. Igboayaka recalled that former President Muhammadu Buhari tried to force RUGA down the throat of Nigerians but it was vehemently resisted and rejected by well meaning Nigerians. He said “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should hasten up to cancel the proposed ministry of livestock as initiated by ethnic land grabbers of Fulani political oligarchy through Miyetti Allah.” According to him, “Unfortunately, President Tinubu was misled on Tuesday July 9, 2024 into inaugurating the Presidential Committee on Implementation of Livestock Reforms which was tactically keyed in as a means to address obstacles to agricultural productivity and open up new opportunities which benefit farmers, herders, processors and distributors in the livestock-farming value chain, but in actual sense it is reintroduction of RUGA from back door.” He added that “It’s historic that the Yorubas have suffered untold ethnic farmers crisis and killings by Fulani herders, therefore President Bola Ahmed Tinubu creation of livestock ministry is an attempt to arm Fulani herders and institutionalised a monster that will pose a threat to consume Yoruba farmers.” He said “It’s pathetic, President Tinubu is not aware that those behind the proposed ministry of livestock are the same cabals that have constantly pushed for establishment of RUGA in Nigeria for the past 12 years from former President Goodluck Jonathan administration to former president Mohammadu Buhari administration.” Speaking further, Igboayaka said, “It’s unfortunate and unacceptable to create ministries or agencies according to the interest, needs or demands of one section of the country or a particular tribe instead for national interest. “Creation of livestock ministry as championed by Miyetti Allah is a Fulani livestock agricultural project as a means to penetrate and grab lands that belong to other tribes for settlement in disguise of agricultural purpose.” He stressed that the people of the South-East “Will resist any form of cattle colony in Igbo land that serve interest of Fulani herders, with its further target of land grabbing institutionalisation of fulani community settlement in Igbo land will ultimately be resisted with the last pint of our blood” Comrade Igboayaka vowed.”I urge other ethnic groups, the middle Belt who are majorly the target of Fulani herders ethnic cleansing and land grabbing to rise up and resist the implementation of the so-called livestock Reform.”
PDP GOVERNORS MEET IN ENUGU
PDP GOVERNORS MEET IN ENUGU Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, will be meeting in Enugu. The governors are Sheyin Makinde of Oyo, Umo Eno of Akwa-Ibom, Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, Bala Mohammed of Bauchi, Godwin Obaseki of Edo, Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau, Agbu Kefas of Taraba and Dauda Lawal of Zamfara States. Others were Ahmed Fintiri of Adamawa, Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers and the host governor, Peter Mbah of Enugu State. The meeting will be preceded by a gala and cultural night while the agenda for the meeting remain unclear. However, close sources disclosed that the Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Umar Damagum, and other key party leaders are expected to join the governors in the Enugu parley. The sources said that governors would most likely deliberate on how to organise successful state congresses nationwide on July 27, preparations for the forthcoming Edo and Ondo States off-season governorship election. They are also expected to review the implications of the recent Supreme Court judgment granting financial autonomy to Local Governments as well as the issue of mass defections of top party members in Imo, Abia states. This is more especially the recent defection of the former President of the Senate, Sen. Pius Anyim and others to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC ).The governors of Osun Ademola Adeleke and Bayelsa Douye Diri were yet to arrive as the time of filing this report.
QUIETLY LEAVE APGA, DON’T DESTROY OUR PARTY – CHEKWAS OKORIE TELLS GOV SOLUDO
QUIETLY LEAVE APGA, DON’T DESTROY OUR PARTY – CHEKWAS OKORIE TELLS GOV SOLUDO The founder and pioneer National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chekwas Okorie, has told Governor Chukwuma Soludo to quietly leave the party if he so wishes. Chekwas said he has uncovered a strategy by the Anambra State Governor to destroy the party, on whose platform he was elected into office. The APGA founder said the Governor had sworn to him that he would never accept or work with Edozie Njoku as the National Chairman of the party. Addressing the press in Abuja on Tuesday, Okorie accused Soludo of sponsoring factions in the party, especially the one led by Victor Oyeh, despite the Supreme Court ruling that declared Njoku as the authentic Chairman of the party, a ruling that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has since recognised. It would be recalled that INEC had finally complied with the judgment of the Supreme Court delivered on 24th March 2023, enforced by the FCT High Court on 6th June 2023, and further re-enforced by the Court of Appeal on 28th June 2024, recognizing Njoku as the Chairman of the party. However, Chekwas believes that this victory had come under vicious attack by Soludo, adding that the Governor recently announced in a public event in Anambra State that he had concluded arrangements while at Abuja to get the Supreme Court to reverse itself and get INEC to withdraw the recognition the Commission had given to Njoku and his executive. “Professor Chukwuma Soludo has peddled the information among his close allies and the rebellious APGA faction working with him that he has secured the assurance of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who he claimed pledged to influence the Supreme Court to review and reverse the judgment delivered on 24th March 2023 in favour of Chief Edozie Njoku,” he added. “He further assured his faction of APGA that INEC would without delay withdraw the recognition given to Chief Njoku and his National Working Committee. “Professor Soludo had boasted to me directly that he would use everything within his powers as the governor of Anambra State, to ensure that Chief Edozie Njoku would never be the National Chairman of APGA. “He vowed that if for any reason he failed to stop Njoku from becoming National Chairman, he would resign from APGA within 24 hours and that APGA would cease to exist as a political party. “At that point, I took strong exception to his boast. I told him that since he was not God who made APGA possible 22 years ago when it was registered by INEC as a political party, he lacked the power to determine the survival of APGA. “Having secured an all-round victory for APGA in 3 different courts, Njoku has demonstrated maturity and magnanimity in victory. “He has seized every opportunity both in private and public domains to stretch his hand of fellowship to Prof. Soludo and all members of APGA, irrespective of factional inclination, that the time to unite and rebuild the party has come. “I know as well as so many well-meaning Nigerians that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a thoroughbred democrat and a progressive politician who after winning his presidential election of 2023, patiently and diligently successfully defended the outcome of the election both at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal and at the Supreme Court. “They will not be the first to take that option and they will not be the last to do so. But to design a plot to collapse APGA into another party just to promote his personal political scheming and ambition is not only sacrilegious but an abomination that cries to high heaven. “We call on all well-meaning Nigerians, especially, President Bola Ahmed…
RIVERS HOUSE OF CRISIS: PRO-FUBARA LAWMAKERS TACKLE PRO-WIKE LAWMAKERS OVER BUDGET SPENDING
RIVERS HOUSE OF CRISIS: PRO-FUBARA LAWMAKERS TACKLE PRO-WIKE LAWMAKERS OVER BUDGET SPENDING The factional Rivers State House of Assembly led by Victor Oko-Jumbo, has condemned the resolution by the Martin Amaewhule-led House, barring Governor Siminalayi Fubara from spending public funds. The Speaker, Victor Oko-Jumbo stated this in his opening remark during plenary on Tuesday. He said what Amaewhule and 24 others whom he described as former members of the House did, was unfounded and without validity. Oko-Jumbo argued that the group had no legal capacity or moral basis, to bar the governor from spending public funds. He insisted that Amaewhule and 24 others are not members of the Assembly, following their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in December, 2023. Buttressing his argument, he said the section of the constitution which deals with the issue of defection is self-executing. He added that the section was further made effective following the declaration of the 25 seats vacant by Edison Ehie, who was legally recognised by a court as the Speaker, before his assumption He stated that the Assembly led by him, is the legally recognised section, which of course manages the statutory allocation of the house. Oko-Jumbo explained that Governor Fubara had duly presented the said appropriation bill to the house when Edison Ehie was the speaker, and that same was passed and signed into law. He said that the house is awaiting the presentation of the medium-term expenditure framework ahead of the 2025 fiscal year. He urged the public to ignore the Amaewhule pronouncement, and called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to without delay conduct the bye-election to fill the 25 vacant seats in the house. It would be recalled that on Monday, the Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly, shut down all expenditures of the Rivers State governor. This followed a seven-day ultimatum the lawmakers gave the governor to present his budget before the House. The Leader of the House, Major Jack had raised the motion, after informing the House about the expiration of the seven-day ultimatum given to the governor to present the 2024 budget before the House. After deliberation, the House voted to shut down the Rivers State Consolidated Revenue Account, thus preventing Governor Fubara’s administration from spending any money on behalf of the state. Fubara had some months back, presented the budget to a set of lawmakers loyal to him. The House of Assembly members were then led by Edison Ehie who is now the governor’s chief of staff.Ehie and the lawmakers had then passed the budget estimates which Fubara later signed into law.