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Category: Governance

  • How Lawyers, Civil Servant, Asabe Waziri Secured Police Covering To Invade Property

    How Lawyers, Civil Servant, Asabe Waziri Secured Police Covering To Invade Property

    Despite court order, a civil servant, Ms. Asabe Waziri, a staff member of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, and her lawyers, Chukwudi Prince Oli and C. J. Abengowe of Oli and Partners went ahead to secure covering from the Nigeria police to invade a property situated at No 1, Mekong Close, Maitama, Abuja.

    Findings revealed that the police are still occupying the property, as at the time of filing this report.

    Despite being aware of the court order barring them from having anything to do with the property, Asabe and her lawyers secured services of the police to give them cover to take over the property.

    Justice Mohammed Madugu of the High Court of Justice of the Federal Capital Territory had ordered Asabe Waziri not to go near the property pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

    Justice Madugu had ordered “upon reading the Motion on Notice” along with the accompanying affidavit of Yinka Bariwa, including the written address filed along with the application. And upon hearing A.V GANI (Esq) Counsel for the Claimant/Applicant.

    “Court hereby makes the following order(s): leave of this court is granted to the Clamant/Applicant for an interlocutory injunction restraining the 1sy Defendant/Respondent ( Asabe Waziri) from interfering. trespassing, disturbing the quiet possession of the Applicants or doing anything adverse to property described as a two (2) bedroom unit, of flat 3B and 3C, Abeh signature Apartments, 1, Mekong Close. Maitama Abuja FCT, pending the hearing of the substantive suit with Reference No: CV/3261/22”

    The absence of the judge yesterday stalled the hearing of the suit.

    The case has been adjourned to. March 27, 2024.

  • Budget Padding: Northern Senators Distance Themselves from Allegations

    Budget Padding: Northern Senators Distance Themselves from Allegations

    In response to recent allegations made by Senator Ahmed Abdul Ningi regarding the 2024 budget, the Northern Senators Forum (NSF) has issued a statement distancing themselves from his claims. Senator Ningi, who chairs the forum, made remarks on the BBC Hausa Service alleging budget padding, which the NSF vehemently refutes.

    According to the NSF, there was no mandate given to Senator Ningi to address the press on the matter, and his views were deemed as personal opinions that do not represent the stance of the Northern Senators. The forum highlights that the budget was presented to the National Assembly by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in accordance with constitutional requirements and was diligently debated and passed by both chambers.

    Contrary to Senator Ningi’s assertion of a N25 trillion budget, the NSF clarifies that the budget passed was N28.7 trillion, allowing for adjustments in appropriations to address critical projects and services. The forum asserts that there was no budget padding involved in the process.

    Expressing solidarity with President Tinubu, the NSF emphasizes the need for collaboration across ethnic lines to address the challenges facing Nigeria. They pledge to work with colleagues from the southern part of the country to advance the nation’s prosperity.

    The NSF concludes by distancing themselves from Senator Ningi’s actions, labeling them as “grossly unparliamentary,” and reiterates their commitment to supporting efforts aimed at moving the country forward for the benefit of all citizens.

  • Bayelsa Guber: Panel declines to recluse from proceeding

    Bayelsa Guber: Panel declines to recluse from proceeding

    The Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, Monday, declined to recluse self from proceeding with the petition before it, challenging the election victory of Governor Duoye Diri.

    The All Progressive Congress (APC) and it’s Candidate, Timipriye Sylva had filed a motion seeking disqualification of members of the panel from the proceeding.

    The tribunal, led by Justice Adekunle Adeleye dismissed the motion after he took arguments from counsel to Sylva, Mr. Tunde Falola, Mr. Charles Edosanwan for INEC, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, for Governor Diri, Mr. Chukwuma Machukwu Ume, for the deputy Governor and Tayo Oyetibo for PDP.

    In a brief ruling, the panel held that a letter from the President of the Court of Appeal on March 5, mandated the tribunal to proceed with hearing of the petition, irrespective of any application by the parties.

    He, therefore, said the PCA’s letter has overtaken the request by the petitioners for the disbandment of the tribunal.

    Sylva’s lawyer, Falola, had argued that his clients filed the fresh application against the tribunal on the ground that the two petitioners are convinced beyond reasonable doubt that they cannot get justice from members of the panel.

    The two petitioners further stated that the tribunal had exhibited strange circumstances that made them to believe that they would be denied fair hearing.

    He, therefore, asked the tribunal to in the interest of justice, step aside from the petition and allow other members to be constituted by the PCA to determine their petition within the little time remaining for the expiration of hearing of the case.

    Meanwhile, all the Respondents, through their respective lawyers, opposed the request for the panel members to recuse themselves.

    They argued that the application was an attempt to prevent the respondents from presenting their defense against the petition.

    They stated that the motion by APC and Sylva was a calculated attempt to blackmail the tribunal members to do their bidding.

    The four respondents claimed that the petitioners closed their case, even when the time allocated to them had not expired, hence, there was no basis for the allegation of denial of fair hearing to them.

    Bedsides, the respondents also stated that APC and Sylva were part of the pre-hearing session and fully subscribed to the schedule of time as agreed upon by all the parties.

    The tribunal has fixed March 13 and 14 for INEC, being the 1st respondent, to open and close its defence.

  • Presidency Speaks On Cabal Hijacking Tinubu’s Administration

    Presidency Speaks On Cabal Hijacking Tinubu’s Administration

    The Nigerian Presidency has denied reports of a powerful ‘cabal’ forming in Aso-rock with the sole aim of hijacking President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

    Appearing on TVC Politics on Sunday, Presidential media aide, Ajuri Ngelale disclosed that no one or any group of people could establish control over the President’s actions.

    He disclosed that the President has structured his government in a way that prevents any single official or group from exerting the kind of influence that could lead to governance hijack.

    He said, “The good fortune we have is that we elected, not just a professional accountant, a professional auditor, but we elected a man who fully understands the governance mechanisms, not just at the federal level, but at sub-national level. I think this is a man who anyone working in the office of the President would tell you, there is not one individual in the Presidency that has a monopoly over what the President sees, hears and reads. Nobody has that kind of power in the office of this President and that’s intentional.”

    “He is someone who everyone has access to, everyone who needs to have access to him, has access to him. He has direct communications on a frequent basis with the heads of intelligence agencies, anti-graft agencies, and the like.”

    “So there is not going to be the potential there for anyone to form a cabal around this President because he’s aware of the dynamics of what has happened in the past and he is determined to ensure that that is not replicated under his watch.”

    “I will also add the fact that in the person of the current CBN Governor Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, this is a man who is reputed around the world as being a prudent manager of men and resources. This is someone who has a reputation, even within the government, of being tight fisted and that is by the intention of President Bola Tinubu to have someone like that in place.

    “I would also add that when you look at organizational structures that lead to Governor Emefiele, … put him in the position that he currently is in, the President has taken a comprehensive review of that structure and he has said, even by legislation, that we are going to ensure that not only guardrails are put in place, but that legislative changes be enacted in such a way that this can never happen again.”

    “He’s determined to do it, Nigerians will watch him do it and that will mean that moving forward, the kind of elite conspiracy we saw between CBN officials, high ranking government officials and high ranking members of the private sector, they’re not going to be able to conspire amongst themselves to find loopholes within the system because we have a President who’s an auditor and accountant, who will close those loopholes, just the way he did in Lagos State many years ago.”, he said.

  • Presidency Denies Allegation of Budget Padding 

    Presidency Denies Allegation of Budget Padding 

    Following accusations by Senator Abdul Ningi of Bauchi Central (PDP) that the executive is implementing an additional budget  of N3tn other than the one approved on January 1, 2024, the Presidency has denied the allegation describing it as untrue and unfounded.

    This came as the Senate said it would meet over the matter on Tuesday, using its internal mechanisms and control process

    The Northern Senators’ Forum, led by Ningi, had contended in a BBC Hausa Service interview that the Federal Government, led by President Bola Tinubu, was executing a budget significantly higher than what was passed by the NASS.

    The lawmaker stated that a N25tn budget was debated and passed, not the N28.7tn that is currently being implemented.

    “Apart from what the National Assembly did on the floor, there was another budget that was done underground which we didn’t know.

    “The new things we have discovered in the budget were not known to us. We haven’t seen them in the budget that was debated and considered on the floor of the National Assembly.

    “For example, it was said that there was a budget of N28tn but what was passed was N25 trillion. So there is N3tn on top. Where are they, where is it going? So, we need to know this. There are a lot of things,” said Ningi.

    Ningi, also revealed plans to meet President Bola Tinubu later this week saying, “We are coming up with a report and we will show the president himself and ask him if he is aware or not.”

    He revealed that the forum had commissioned consultants to evaluate the 2024 budget to unearth how N3tn was surreptitiously included in the amount passed by lawmakers.

    Debunking the allegation in a statement signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency described Ningi’s claims as “false” asserting that Tinubu had initially presented a N27.5tn budget to the National Assembly on November 29, 2023.

    It said the budget included N9.92tn for recurrent expenditure, N8.25tn for debt service, and N8.7tn for capital expenditure, contrasting Ningi’s claims.

    The Presidency emphasised that it was implausible for the Senate to have debated and passed a N25tn budget that was never presented.

    “Contrary to the strange view expressed by Senator Ningi, there was no way the Senate could have debated and passed a N25tn budget that was not presented to the National Assembly.

    We don’t expect a ranking Senator not to pay due attention to details before making wild claims.

    “It is also important to let Nigerians know that the budget that President Tinubu signed into law on January 1, 2024, as passed by the National Assembly was N28.7tn,” Onanuga insisted.

    It argued that the National Assembly only exercised its appropriation powers, and increased the executive’s proposed budget by N1.2tn to N28.7tn, which President Tinubu subsequently signed into law on New Year’s Day.

    Onanuga stated, “We want to state categorically that the only 2024 budget that is being implemented is the N28.7tn budget passed by the National Assembly and signed by the President.

    “Included in the budget are statutory transfers to the Judiciary, National Assembly, Tetfund and others. He did not present a budget of N25tn.”

    Addressing Senator Ningi’s assertion that the 2024 budget was anti-North, the Presidency dismissed it as “far-fetched” and “unbecoming” of a leader of his stature.”

  • Terrorists Abduct Unspecified Number of Students In Sokoto

    Terrorists Abduct Unspecified Number of Students In Sokoto

    Bandits have reportedly kidnapped an unspecified number of Tsangaya students at Gidan Bakuso in Gada local government area of Sokoto state.

    According to Daily Trust, the students were abducted from their school around 1am on Saturday.

    The proprietor of the school, Liman Abubakar, said 15 students were unaccounted for so far but “we are still counting.” 

    This incident came barely a day after the terrorists stormed a government school in Kaduna State and abducted over 270 pupils. 

    According to Abubakar, the bandits invaded the town around 1am, shot one person and abducted a woman.

    “As they were leaving the town, they sighted our students rushing into their rooms and they kidnapped many of them.

    “We have so far counted 15 who are missing and we are still searching for more,” he said. 

    Abubakar added that this was not the first time the village was attacked by bandits.

    The member, representing Gada-East Constituency at the state House of Assembly, Kabiru Dauda while confirming the attack, said he received a call from the village around 2am that it was invaded by bandits.

    “I reached out to the local government authorities and security agencies and I am sure they are doing something about it,” he said.

    It was also gathered that bandits attacked and killed three persons at Turba village in Isa Local Government Area of the state, including the village head.

    A member representing, Isa Constituency, Habibu Modachi who confirmed the incident, believed it was a reprisal after security operatives raided bandits’ hideouts two days ago.

    The spokesman of the Sokoto State Police Command, ASP Ahmad Rufa’i, said he was not aware of the development but he would contact the Divisional Police Officer of the local government areas.

  • Bandits Invade Nigerian Mosque During Jumat Prayers, Kill Worshippers

    Bandits Invade Nigerian Mosque During Jumat Prayers, Kill Worshippers

    Gunmen suspected to be bandits have attacked a mosque at Anguwar Makera in Kwasakwasa community of Birnin Gwari local government area of Kaduna State.

    The bandits killed two worshippers during Friday’s Juma’at prayer.

    The incident happened around 2pm, according to locals in the area.

    A community leader, Hudu Kwasakwasa, who confirmed the incident, said the bandits opened fire on worshipers during the Juma’at prayer.

    “The two worshipers killed were among other Muslims attacked at the Juma’at Mosque in Angwar Makera when the bandits opened fire on them and abducted others today (Friday). The victims have been buried at Old Kuyello cemetery,” he said.

    He said the people were in the second raka’at of the salat when they were attacked, which forced other worshippers to run for their lives.

    He added that a few days ago, the same bandits abducted about nine people at a community called Angwar Kanawa under the same Kwasakwasa area.

    He appealed for help from authorities concerned, saying the bandits were raiding the communities unchallenged.

    The latest attack on the worshipers came less than 24 hours after bandits abducted over 287 students in the neighbouring Chikun local government area of the state on Thursday morning.

  • ‘Enough is Enough, Kidnappers deserve death penalty, Remi Tinubu fumes

    ‘Enough is Enough, Kidnappers deserve death penalty, Remi Tinubu fumes

    Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has said that anyone convicted of abduction deserves capital punishment.

    The first lady stated this in her reaction to the news of 200 women who were kidnapped in Borno State, and over 280 pupils and teachers kidnapped in Kaduna State.

    Remi Tinubu, also described kidnappers as cowards, saying “Whoever is kidnapping young people is sick, cruel, and a coward.

    “Enough is enough and I call on the state governors that once we take hold of them, they deserve capital punishment.

    “Why don’t they take people their size? Why are they torturing our children? What they are trying to do is kill our future.

    “We all know parents, when we are old we rely on our children.

    “Why would you go and take them from schools? Right now, I think enough is enough. As a former lawmaker, I believe that any one of them captured deserves capital punishment.

    “They (kidnappers) are animals, they are evil and we should take them out of our midst.

    “The state governors and the lawmakers should do something.”

    Recall that about 200 women were reportedly kidnapped by Boko Haram terrorists in the Gamboru-Ngala and Dikwa local government areas of Borno State.

    The women, who were Internally Displaced Persons, were said to have been kidnapped while they went into the bush in search of firewood.

    Also, over 280 pupils and teachers of Government Secondary School and LEA primary school at Kuriga, Kaduna State were abducted by bandits on Thursday, triggering national outrage.

    The bandits reportedly invaded the Kuriga area of the Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Thursday, shooting at their victims before taking away at least 280 of the pupils and teachers from both schools.

  • Presidency Reacts To Reports Of Tinubu Advising Buhari To Print More Money

    Presidency Reacts To Reports Of Tinubu Advising Buhari To Print More Money

    The Presidency has refuted claims suggesting that President Bola Tinubu advised the Muhammadu Buhari administration to print N22.7 trillion. 

    This denial comes in response to statements made by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of Economy, Wale Edun, during a session with the Senate Committee on Finance.

    Edun attributed Nigeria’s current inflationary pressures to massive currency printing during Buhari’s tenure, emphasizing the need for transparency and accountability in economic management. 

    He disclosed plans for a comprehensive audit of the reported N22.7 trillion printed without productivity.

    In reaction, Paul Ibe, spokesman for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, criticized Edun’s remarks, alleging Tinubu’s encouragement of such actions in 2020. 

    However, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga rebutted these claims, asserting that Tinubu never advised the government to print money.

    Onanuga clarified that Tinubu’s statement in 2020 did not advocate for Naira printing, as erroneously reported, and provided a clarification in Thisday a day after the false report emerged.

  • Police Give Update On Kidnap Of 287 Kaduna Students By Bandits

    Police Give Update On Kidnap Of 287 Kaduna Students By Bandits

    The Kaduna State Command of the Nigeria Police Force has assured that the 287 students kidnapped from a school in Kaduna would be rescued.

    The spokesperson of the Command, Mansir Hassan, gave the assurance while reacting to the unfortunate incident.

    It would be recalled that not less than 287 students from the LEA Primary and Secondary School in Kuriga, Kaduna State, were kidnapped on Thursday when bandits attacked the school premises.

    Reacting to the development, the Kaduna Police spokesperson said operatives have been deployed and are combing the bushes to rescue the victims.

    ”I’m attending a security meeting, but the police tactical team has been deployed to go after the criminals by combing the bushes to rescue the victims,” he said, as quoted by Vanguard.

    Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has vowed that all efforts would be put in place to ensure the students return home safely.