ANOTHER CONTROVERSIAL BILL RETURNS TO SENATE AFTER WITHDRAWAL OF COUNTER SUBVERSION BILL
ANOTHER CONTROVERSIAL BILL RETURNS TO SENATE AFTER WITHDRAWAL OF COUNTER SUBVERSION BILL About two weeks after Nigerians rallied against the “Counter-Submersive Bill,” which has now been withdrawn, the Nigerian senate has returned another controversial bill..A law to repeal the 2015 Violence Against Persons Protection (VAPP) act originally introduced to end the widespread practice of gender-based violence in Nigeria has scaled its second reading in the Senate. Senator Jibrin Isah, the bill’s sponsor, said the repeal of the 2015 law will allow the introduction of amendments to address the drafting challenges in the current law. While the current law is gender-neutral in language, it criminalizes physical, emotional, and sexual violence, has an expansive definition of rape (beyond penetration), provides compensation for victims, and recognises that men can also be rape victims. Senator Jibrin Isah, representing Kogi East, is advocating for the repeal of the VAPP Act, claiming that its provisions are “inimical to the realization of its objectives”. He argued for a holistic reform of the act, and asserted that physical violence alone is insufficient to prove violence; intent must also be considered. The senator also emphasized distinguishing between absence of consent and consent obtained by fraud, undue influence, or other unlawful means. He further suggested that the act was deceitfully presented. In his bill, he alleged that, “In the face of opposition to its obvious gender-based nature, the promoters renamed it, tinkered it with some of its provisions, introduced seemingly gender-neutral language, and successfully obtained its passage.”
PDP GOVERNORS DUMP WIKE, DECLARE FULL SUPPORT FOR FUBARA
PDP GOVERNORS DUMP WIKE, DECLARE FULL SUPPORT FOR FUBARA The Governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have declared their full support for Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State amid his ongoing dispute with his predecessor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike. This renewed show of support follows a contentious party congress in which Governor Fubara was excluded from participation. The PDP Governors have called on the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party to revisit the proceedings of the congress and ensure that Governor Fubara is granted his rightful place within the party’s leadership structure. These decisions were part of the resolutions made during the PDP Governors’ Forum (PDP-GF) meeting held in Jalingo, Taraba State, on Friday. The forum addressed significant intra-party issues as well as governance challenges that impact their states and have national implications. A communiqué issued at the end of the meeting stated: “The Forum notes the political impasse in Rivers State, where court judgments are being used to determine the outcome of the party congresses. The PDP Governors’ Forum stands with the Governor of Rivers State and will engage the NWC to revisit the congress to correct this anomaly and allow His Excellency, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, to assume his rightful leadership position in the state.” The opposition governors also assessed preparations for the upcoming Edo State governorship election next month, criticizing President Bola Tinubu for allegedly attempting to manipulate the process in favor of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The communiqué added: “Regarding the upcoming governorship election in Edo State, we condemn the President’s statements aimed at compromising the election in favor of his party, as well as the systematic intimidation of PDP supporters by the Nigeria Police. We call on the Inspector General of Police to bring his officers to order.” The PDP governors expressed concern over the federal government’s reliance on blackmail instead of reviewing macroeconomic and social policies to make them more humane. They urged President Tinubu to “demonstrate statesmanship by restraining his officials from blame games that portray the sub-nationals negatively, citing piecemeal interventions that cannot solve the larger problems.” The PDP governors reaffirmed their commitment to standing with the suffering Nigerian masses and taking all legitimate steps to alleviate their plight. They also expressed apprehension over the federal government’s “refusal” to distinguish between federal revenue and federation revenue, which should be distributed according to established laws. They called on the government to adhere to Section 162 of the Constitution and to separate the roles of the Accountant General of the Federation from those of the Accountant General of the Federal Government of Nigeria. “We call on the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Accountant General of the Federation to be more transparent in obeying the law, particularly Section 162 (1), (2), and (3). We also call on the Accountant General of the Federation to stop acting as the Accountant General of the Federal Government and to perform her role in line with the Constitution. Therefore, we call for the separation of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation from that of the Accountant General of the Federal Government,” the communiqué stated.
MUCH ADO ABOUT FEDERAL LAWMAKERS’ MONTHLY EARNINGS
MUCH ADO ABOUT FEDERAL LAWMAKERS’ MONTHLY EARNINGSThe refusal of the management of the National Assembly to publish the annual budget of the nation’s parliament has consistently left Nigerians in the dark over the allowances being paid to the federal lawmakers on monthly basis. This lack of transparency has also constantly made any legislator that dare to reveal his pay, a target of attack by colleagues. Sunday Aborisade reports.A member of the National Assembly representing the Kano South Senatorial District, SumailaKawu, courted the anger of his colleagues last week when he revealed that he earns over N21 million as salaries and allowances monthly.His disclosure came a day after the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) revealed that each of the Nigerian senators receives a total of N1.06m in salary and allowances per month.RMAFC Chairman, Mohammed Shehu, was reacting to recent controversies over the exact amount each lawmaker earns per month, which has over the years been shrouded in secrecy.The RMFAC boss further clarified that each federal lawmaker earns N12.72m in 12 months and that the Federal Government makes a total expenditure of N1.4bn annually for all senators.A breakdown of their monthly earnings revealed that each Senator collects a monthly salary and allowances of N1,063,860, consisting of a basic salary, N168,866:70; motor vehicle fuelling and maintenance allowance, N126,650:00; and personal assistant, N42,216:66.Others include domestic staff,126,650:00; entertainment, N50,660:00; utilities, N50,660:00; newspapers/periodicals, N25,330:00; wardrobe, N42,216,66:00; house maintenance, N8,443.33:00; and constituency allowance, N422,166:66.Shehu said, “The commission also wishes to use this opportunity to state that any allegation regarding other allowance(s) being enjoyed by any political, public office holder outside those provided in the Remuneration (Amendment) Act, 2008 should be explained by the person who made the allegation.“To avoid misinformation and misrepresentation of facts capable of misleading citizens and members of the international community, the commission considers it most appropriate and necessary to request Nigerians and any other interested party to avail themselves of the opportunity to access the actual details of the present remuneration package for political, public and judicial office holders in Nigeria published on its website: www.rmafc.gov.ng.”However, Kawu, the Kano South Senator, in an interview with the Hausa Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation, last Wednesday, disclosed that although his monthly salary is about N1m, his total take-home pay was N21m, a wide margin from figures quoted by RMFAC. Kawu said, “The amount of salary I receive per month is less than N1m, if there are cuts, it comes back to about six hundred thousand naira and a little something as salary.”He noted that there are usually a few deductions by the RMFAC.The issue of the amount of money received by federal lawmakers stirred up fresh controversies since last week.Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who was president between 1999 and 2007, had penultimate Friday in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital while receiving in audience, six members of the House of Representatives, led by IkengaUgoChinyere who visited him, chided the federal lawmakers for fixing their salaries and emoluments.During the parley, Obasanjo said, “In your case, with all due respect, you’re not supposed to fix your salaries. But you decide what you pay yourself, the allowances that you give yourselves (including) newspaper allowances.“You give yourselves all sorts of things, and you know it is not right. It is immoral, (yet) you are doing it, the Senate is doing it, and you are beating your chests about it. In some cases, the executive gives you what you’re not entitled to. You all got N200 million (each).”The Senate, had however, in a statement last week refuted the claims by Obasanjo stating that they were lies.The red chamber also issued a strong denial of allegations suggesting that it is involved in determining its own salaries or receiving special fiscal packages from the Presidency.In…
BAYELSA GOVERNOR, DIRI, TRIUMPHS AT SUPREME COURT
:BAYELSA GOVERNOR, DIRI, TRIUMPHS AT SUPREME COURT The Supreme Court has upheld the election of Senator Douye Diri of Bayelsa State. The apex court in a judgment on Friday dismissed the appeal brought by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Timipre Sylvia. The lead judgment delivered by Justice Garba Lawal held that the appeal by Sylvia and the APC was not only lacking merit but a gross abuse of court process. The unanimous decision of the apex court upheld the earlier decision of the Court of Appeal and the Election Petition Tribunal. The Court of Appeal in Abuja had on July 18, 2024, in a unanimous judgment affirmed the decision of the Bayelsa Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which had upheld Diri’s reelection on November 11, 2023. A three-man panel of the appellate court had in the judgment dismissed an appeal brought before the Court by Timipre Sylva and APC seeking to set aside the decision of the Tribunal. The Justice Adekunle Adeleye-led tribunal had on May 27, 2024 dismissed the petition filed against Governor Diri’s reelection by the APC and its candidate for lacking in merit. The tribunal held that both Sylva and APC failed to adduce any credible evidence to substantiate any of the allegations they raised against the outcome of the governorship poll.
Dons Eze
- Foreign Affairs
- August 23, 2024
- 81 views
HARRIS ACCEPTS DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION, VOWS TO BE A PRESIDENT WITH COMMON SENSE, WHO FIGHTS FOR AMERICANS
HARRIS ACCEPS DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION, VOWS TO BE A PRESIDENT WITH COMMON SENSE, WHO FIGHTS FOR AMERICANS Vice President Kamala Harris has formally accepted democratic presidential nomination, pledging to unite the United States and bring pragmatic leadership to the White House if elected in November. “On behalf of everyone whose story could only be written in the greatest nation on earth, I accept your nomination to be president of the United States of America,” the 59-year-old said in her keynote address on the final night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. “I know there are people of various political views watching tonight,” Harris said “And I want you to know; I promise to be a president for all Americans,” she said. “I will be a president who unites us around our highest aspirations.” She vowed to be a president who leads and listens, and is “realistic” and “practical”. According to her, she will be a president who “has common sense” and “always fights for the American people”. Harris shared her personal narrative, highlighting her upbringing by a single working mother and her professional background as a prosecutor, to underscore her qualifications for the presidency. She drew a contrast with former President Trump, characterizing him as self-serving and beholden to his wealthy acquaintances. The convention erupted into a celebratory gathering, marking Harris’s remarkable rise to prominence. She promised to build the middle class, saying it “will be a defining goal of my presidency.” “The middle class is where I come from,” she said.
WE WON’T PDP TO VAMPIRES – DAMAGUN, WIKE DECLARE
WE WON’T PDP TO VAMPIRES – DAMAGUM, WIKE DECLAREThe battle for the soul of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) deepened yesterday as acting national chairman, Ambassador Illiya Damagum, and minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike declared they would not be kicked out of the party.While Damagum said he would not be intimidated to vacate his office, Wike said he did not back down from a fight.The minister added that only through a national convention will a substantive national chairman emerge to replace Damagum, stressing that any move to appoint a chairman would escalate the crisis.Damagum spoke while inaugurating the party’s disciplinary and reconciliation committees headed by Chief Tom Ikimi and Olagunsoye Onyinlola, respectively.On the other hand, Wike made his stance known during a live interview with some broadcast stations in Abuja.Both PDP leaders have recently come under attack over the party crisis, especially in Rivers State.On Wednesday, elder statesman and Niger Delta leader, Chief Edwin Clark, wrote to Damagum seeking Wike’s expulsion from the party over anti-party activities about the crisis rocking Rivers State.Although some North Central stakeholders have clamoured for Damagum to vacate office on the grounds of retaining the party’s zoning arrangement, former national publicity secretary of PDP Kola Ologbondiyan, on Tuesday, called on other members of the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) to move for the removal of Damagum and the national secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu for breaching the party’s constitution.Ologbondiyan said Damagum and Anyanwu’s letter to the Appeal Court in Rivers State, insisting that the party would remain on an appeal over the embattled 27 lawmakers in Rivers State, contrary to the position of the party’s legal adviser, Mr Ajibade, SAN, breached Section 42 (1) of the party’s constitution which empowered the legal adviser to nominate legal representation for the party.He also accused the party leadership of altering results from the recent PDP congresses.Earlier, opposition federal lawmakers, led by Rep. Ikenga Ugochinyere, had claimed that Damagun and Anyanwu’s letter to the court was part of a ploy to harm PDP’s interest and possibly pave the way for the removal of Governor Siminalayi Fubara-led Rivers government.This round of tussle comes ahead of the State congresses this weekend before the much anticipated National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting next month.But speaking yesterday while inaugurating the PDP committees at the national secretariat in Abuja, the acting national chairman, Damagum, said he would not be intimidated out of office.Reacting to those calling for his exit, Damagum said, “My door has always been open. So, nobody is going to intimidate me into abdicating my responsibility.“You can say all sorts of things. I know this is a buildup to the next election,” he said, adding that those asking him to go had made him famous.“Honestly speaking, I’ve started contemplating throwing myself into the ring and vying for the presidency of this country. I’m not deterred because I’ve become popular, even though the negative publicity is meant to bring me down.”Damagum explains signing Letter To Appeal Court Over 27 LawmakersOn the signing of the controversial letter to the Appeal Court on the case involving the embattled 27 lawmakers in Rivers State, he admitted that it was contrary to the position of the party’s legal adviser, Mr Ajibade, SAN.Damagum, who said there was a precedent for what he did, stated that he and the party’s secretary are the signatories of PDP and stressed that he didn’t decide without consulting his team members.“I also want to use this opportunity to clear certain insinuations that have been trending on social media. Last I checked, the signatories of this party are the chairman and the secretary.“Just because the chairman and secretary signed a letter, it has become an issue. People are making all sorts of insinuations about it.…
PDP, BEYOND WIKE, ATIKU … EVEN OBASANJO, JONATHAN LEFT – NINGI
PDP, BEYOND WIKE, ATIKU – NINGI Abdul Ningi, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), robustly defended the party’s integrity and organizational prowess. Ningi addressed concerns following the PDP’s loss in the 2015 elections, asserting that the party remains the largest and most organized political force in the continent. Ningi emphasized that despite setbacks, including high-profile defections and electoral defeats, the PDP’s foundational strength and adherence to its constitutional rules remain unshaken. “Just because we lost an election in 2015 does not mean that the party will vanish,” he stated. “Anyone attempting to undermine the party will face resistance. We will address issues according to the rules and our party’s constitution, not through any personal vendettas.” According to him, “This is a political party that has been the biggest political party in the face of the continent and the most organized political party. Just because we lost an election in 2015 does not mean that the party will vanish. However, anybody that tries to bring down the party into banishment, we will resist him. We’re not going to pee anybody, but we’re going to sort out things our way, according to the rules of the game and according to the Constitution of the party.” “What we know is that this party is beyond individuals personalizing it as their own property. This party is beyond the issue of Wike, beyond the issue of Atiku. This party at a time produced a president that left. I was not saying anything about the party. Obasanjo left the party after being the president for eight years. Jonathan followed. He was neither here nor there for a very long time. So, also, the former president of the Senate left. The former vice president also left. Several governors left. But at the end of the day, they went and found out that the best-organized party is, of course, the PDP.”
WE’VE WRITTEN TO WIKE, YOU CAN’T BE IN PDP AND INFLUENCE OTHER PARTIES TO FIGHT US – BOT
WE’VE WRITTEN TO WIKE, YOU CAN’T BE IN PDP AND INFLUENCE OTHER PARTIES TO FIGHT US – BOT The Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) Board of Trustees (BOT) has said an invitation was extended to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, for a meeting as part of efforts to address the party’s internal crisis. A member of the PDP BOT, Senator Abdul Ningi, said it was wrong that Wike remained a member of the PDP and at the same time was enriching and influencing other parties to fight the main opposition political party. The Bauchi South Senator explained that the internal crisis in the party was an outcome of the last general election. He noted that some of the party members who did not get what they wanted in the last election were out to destroy the party. Ningi said this on Wednesday while speaking with Arise TV. “The mindset of some key actors is that this party must not survive. This party does not warrant our sympathy because at a time in the immediate past, some people did not get what they wanted. “They are members of the PDP, otherwise there wouldn’t have been crisis. You cannot be a member of the PDP and at the same time be a member of another party. You cannot be a member of the PDP and at the same time enriching or influencing other parties to fight the PDP,” he said. He added that the decision to write Wike was after the BOT’s meeting with Rivers State Governor, Siminalaya Fubara. He stated that Wike was part of Rivers State’s problem. Ningi said he was happy that Wike said he would remain in the party and fight, adding that the BOT wants a united PDP. “We have written a letter, the BOT has written a letter to him, to also meet him. When we were in Port Harcourt, we also tried to understand the irreducible minimum that the governor can give the party to survive in the state. “And we have taken that. Our next venture is, of course, to see the FCT minister and have also a discussion with him,” Senator Ningi said.
RIVERS POLITICAL CRISIS ESCALATES AS FUBARA, AMAECHI FORM ALLIANCE, WIKE’S MEN ON EDGE
RIVERS POLITICAL CRISIS ESCALATES AS FUBARA, AMAECHI FORM ALLIANCE, WIKE’S MEN ON EDGE The political landscape in Rivers State is heating up as the alliance between Governor Siminialayi Fubara and former Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi continues to gain momentum, leaving loyalists of Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, in a state of growing unease.This brewing political romance became evident following the recent Rivers State High Court decision that ousted Tony Okocha as the caretaker committee chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and reinstated Emeka Beke as the party’s chairman.The court ruling, presided over by Justice Sika Aprioku in Port Harcourt, was in response to a legal challenge by party members seeking to restore the Beke-led executive, which had previously been removed by the APC’s national leadership.The implications of this court decision have been profound, significantly weakening Wike’s influence in the state’s political arena. With ongoing court battles that could potentially shift the balance of power between Wike’s and Fubara’s camps, the removal of Okocha—a key figure backed by the APC at the national level—has dealt a blow to Wike’s political stronghold.Before his removal, Okocha, a former Chief of Staff to Amaechi and currently the Rivers State representative at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), had been a strategic supporter of the Hon. Martins Amaewhule-led faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly. His backing of this faction, particularly amid the defection of Amaewhule and 25 other lawmakers from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC, had created significant challenges in proving the legality of the defection—a move that could see their seats declared vacant, thus solidifying the position of the Hon. Victor Oko-Jumbo-led faction.Despite a Court of Appeal ruling that nullified the expulsion of Amaewhule and 24 others, the issue of their membership status remains unresolved, with the matter now awaiting a final decision from the Federal High Court.Emeka Beke, the reinstated APC chairman, has asserted that Amaewhule and the defected lawmakers are now members of the APC, even threatening disciplinary action against them for failing to attend a recent strategic party meeting.Speaking during a Stakeholders meeting in Port Harcourt, Beke made it clear that the defected lawmakers cannot remain neutral, emphasizing that they are fully integrated into the APC and will be held accountable for their actions.“We will find out why they refused to attend this meeting,” Beke warned. “If there is no cogent reason for their absence, we will take disciplinary action against all our members who refused to attend.”Meanwhile, Tony Okocha has not taken his removal lightly, accusing Amaechi of using Beke as a pawn in a broader strategy to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections through the APC. Okocha, known for his outspoken criticism, has vowed to resist what he describes as Amaechi’s attempt to install a “stooge” within the party, accusing the former Transportation Minister of seeking to control the APC for his personal ambitions.“The truth is, Amaechi wanted a surrogate, a stooge who would do his bidding,” Okocha declared. “But we will not allow that to happen.”As the political chess game in Rivers State continues to unfold, all eyes are on the evolving dynamics between these powerful figures. With court decisions pending and alliances shifting, the battle for control in Rivers State is far from over, promising more drama and intrigue in the days to come.
CONTROVERSY OVER APPEAL COURT’S RULING ON SHAIBU’S IMPEACHMENT
CONTROVERSY OVER APPEAL COURT’S RULING ON SHAIBU’S IMPEACHMENT Controversy erupted late Tuesday following conflicting reports on the Court of Appeal’s decision regarding the impeachment of Philip Shaibu, the Deputy Governor of Edo State.Initial reports suggested that the Court of Appeal had upheld the decision of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which quashed Shaibu’s impeachment by the Edo State House of Assembly. According to the earlier reports, the appellate court affirmed Justice James Omotosho’s ruling, which voided Shaibu’s impeachment for lack of fair hearing and ordered his reinstatement to office. The court also reportedly set aside the appointment of Omobayo Godwins as the new Deputy Governor. However, the Majority Leader of the Edo State House of Assembly, Hon Charity Aiguobarueghian, refuted the reports, describing them as false and misleading. Despite this, Shaibu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) celebrated the purported ruling, with Shaibu expressing gratitude to God, the people of Edo State, and Nigerians. He hailed the judgment as a victory for democracy and the judiciary. The APC also welcomed the judgment, emphasizing that it highlighted the insensitivity of Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration and its disregard for due process and the constitution. A press statement by the state publicity secretary of the APC, Peter Uwadiae-igbinigie said, “This victory is a testament of the insensitivity of Governor Godwin Obaseki to due process and absolute regard to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which he swore to uphold. “The APC Edo state chapter is proud that today, the Deputy Governor of the state has found it worthy to trace his political fame back to the party which has helped to galvanized and repositioned him as an icon of modern democracy which he has doggedly and gallantly fought for in Nigeria. “While you journey through the remaining part of your tenure as an APC Deputy Governor, the party offers its sincere accolade of support and encouragement to doing that which you are well known for, that is upholding the genuine tenet of democracy which is sacrosanct in civilized climes.” But Aiguobarueghian told Vanguard that “There was a suit instituted by Shaibu during the impeachment process to stop it, the case was before Justice Egwuatu, while the matter was ongoing, he was impeached and the new deputy governor applied to strike out the case that as deputy governor he is not interested in pursuing a case. “Philip Shaibu went and filed a motion asking that his name as Philip Shiabu should be used instead deputy governor of Edo State, he also asked that the case should be converted from originating summons to writ of summons, the court granted both applications so it was that motion that the court granted that we went to the Court of Appeal for, it was an interlocutory appeal, we went to the Court of Appeal to challenge that order changing the name to Philip Shaibu, while all these were going on, he filed another suit in his own name and that suit was taken to the court of Justice Omotosho and Justice Omotosho on the 17th of July now declared him winner in the later suit that was filed in his name and Edo State House of Assembly filed an appeal against that judgment, the Attorney General of Edo State also filed another appeal against that judgment. “All three appeals came up today (Tuesday) and we now withdrew the interlocutory appeal against Justice Egwuatu’s ruling, it is that ruling that he is now saying he won, meanwhile that ruling did not declare him the deputy governor. “Against that substantive suit that Justice Omotosho declared him winner, the appeal processes were served on him in court today and he has five days to reply and we were given another five…