By Femi Ogunshola
A coalition of human rights groups and the Human Rights Advocacy Crusaders (HRAC) have urged the Police and other security agents in Rivers to maintain neutrality and impartiality in the ongoing local government crisis.
Pastor Jerry Nicholas, the group spokesperson, on Thursday in Abuja said that taking sides could escalate the crisis.
He added that it could lead to further violence and clashes between supporters of different parties, resulting in deaths and destruction of property.
According to Nicholas, the expiration of the tenure of local government chairmen and other officials is a constitutional matter, hence security agents should help to maintain the peace in the state.
“The law is clear: the 1999 Constitution and Section 9(1) of the Rivers State Local Government Law No 5 of 2018 provide for a 3-year tenure for local government chairmen, with a possibility of a second term,” he said.
He urged the security agents to prevent violence and maintain peace while allowing the democratic process to unfold, and ensuring that the rule of law is upheld.
Nicholas urged the former chairmen and others who are still eligible to seek re-election into the councils whenever elections are scheduled by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission.
He reiterated that security agents must remained neutral and not take sides with any party.
It would be recalled that after the expiration of the tenure of local government chairmen, vice and councillors, Gov. Siminalayi Fubara ordered heads of administration in the 23 local government areas to take over the administration of the local government areas
He subsequently swore in caretaker chairpersons in accordance with the law.
However, some local government chairmen have insisted on holding on to their offices.(NAN)www.nannews.ng

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Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi

By Nathan Nwakamma

The Sole Administrator of Ideato North Local Government Area in Imo, Hon Chidubem Ozigbo, has pledged to run a fair and inclusive administration.

Ozigbo made the pledge on Wednesday, in a goodwill message to commemorate the 2024 Democracy Day.

He said that his administration would prioritize the principles of democracy, ensuring that every decision and action taken would be in the best interest of the community.

“Democracy Day is a momentous day in our nation’s history. It serves as a reminder of our collective struggle, resilience, and the enduring spirit of our people to uphold the principles of democracy.

“It is a day to celebrate the freedom, rights, and responsibilities that democracy bestows upon us.

“As I step into the role of Sole Administrator, I am deeply humbled and honoured by the trust and confidence placed in me by the Imo State Governor, Distinguished Sen Hope Uzodimma, and love shown to me by people,” Ozigbo stated.

He pledged to uphold the values of fairness, justice, and inclusiveness in all endeavours, adding that together, he would work towards building a prosperous, peaceful, and united Ideato North.

He urged the people to remain steadfast in their commitment to the democratic ideals and to actively participate in the governance process.

“Let us use this Democracy Day as an opportunity to reflect on our achievements and to renew our dedication to the progress and development of Ideato North.

“By working together, we can overcome any challenges and create a brighter future for our children and generations to come.

“May this Democracy Day bring us renewed hope and inspire us to strive for excellence in all our undertakings.

“Happy Democracy Day!!!! Ideato North!,’ Ozigbo said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

By Ebere Agozie

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mohammed Ndarani, says Mr Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)’s dedication to the welfare of Nigerians remains integral to achieving sustainable progress.

Ndarani disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.

He said that Wike’s exemplary leadership and vision would ensure the progress and prosperity of all as the nation continues to navigate its development trajectory.

The senior lawyer noted that the residents of Abuja were seeing the firsthand results of his endeavours every day, with new projects constantly being launched.

He underscored the significance of Wike’s contributions to the enhancement of infrastructure and quality of life in the FCT.

“His proactive approach and unwavering commitment to progress has earned him widespread acclamation and admiration.

“He has been connecting the FCT with bridges and solar panel lighting, and has rehabilitated roads and bridges in the FCT totaling 135 roads mainly in the Garki, Wuse, Gwarimpa, and Maitama districts.

“ He is also in the process of renovating the Vice President’s home, building the outer southern motorway from the Villa roundabout to Ring Road I, putting other road and rail infrastructure projects in progress, and seeing to the formation of the FCT Civil Service Commission, which included the appointment of nine permanent secretaries’’.

Ndarani said that Wike was a valuable asset at President Ahmed Tinubu’s disposal because of his extraordinary skill and commitment as the minister of the FCT.

“Remember that in February, Wike topped the list of President Tinubu administration’s 12 performing ministers in the list of identified ministers in the Economic Confidential report released.

“The publication, after reviewing the actions of the current Federal Executive Council (FEC) members, highlighted their efforts and achievements since assumption of office.

“Wike was in the list for establishing the FCT Civil Service Commission to guarantee career progression, ordering contractors to complete ongoing road, rail and township projects, and for prioritising security measures, revenue generation, as well as restoring the original Abuja master plan”.

NAN recalls that after the swearing-in, Tinubu announced that Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) would be deployed to assess the impact of ministers and their ministries.

Following the review of the current Federal Executive Council (FEC) members, the publication in February, highlighted the achievements and efforts of the ministers since their resumption of office.

The report said that some ministers have shown competence in their respective duties.

The report stated that beyond pragmatic initiatives and impactful programmes, the performing ministers also deployed effective media relations and strategic stakeholder engagements. (NAN)

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Advocacy Centre for Development (ACD), an NGO, has urged the Kano State House of Assembly to exercise caution in agitations for a review of the law establishing current Kano State Emirates Councils.

The group made the call in an open letter signed by its Executive Director, Ibrahim Yusuf, to the Speaker of Kano State House of Assembly, on Tuesday in Abuja.

Yusuf, who said the group was disturbed by the persistent fuss on the new emirates councils created in Kano, sometimes in 2019 by the former Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje, urged the Assembly to put on hold all all agitations involving review of the law.

He reminded the speaker that all states in Northern Nigeria were connected to Kano State, either directly or indirectly.

He added that all social, economic and political decisions in the state had a tendency to affect the residents of other states either positively or negatively.

“It is therefore for this reason, all residents of Northern Nigeria have a moral right to speak about the happenings in Kano, by way of sharing their thoughts with a view to help in providing advice that could help in arriving at a sensible and wise decision.

“It is on this note; we wish to use this opportunity to draw your attention on the likely implications of responding to agitations to woo you and the House of Assembly, to abolish the additional emirates councils.

“This is because; the atmosphere is not even conducive to contemplate such action,” he said.

According to him, it is ill-timed as the decision needs careful thought and wisdom, to avoid further polarisation of the Traditional Institutions or create further enmity amongst the people of Kano State.

He said that it could also destroy the little integrity left, of the Traditional Institutions in Northern Nigeria.

“Right Hon. Speaker, let us put this on record that we were never in support of what the former governor did to the original Kano Emirate, as it has grossly damaged the integrity of traditional institutions in Northern Nigeria.”

He, however, said that there was the need to exercise caution in an attempt to correct such wrong, adding that the situation required wisdom, careful thought and maturity to be handled.

“Therefore, a respected Institution like the House of Assembly, especially under your stewardship, should not succumb to agitations on the basis of sentiments,” he said.

Yusuf said the letter was informed by the love the group had for Kano State and the people, to draw the attention of the speaker on the imminent blunder he would be making by toeing the path.

According to him, it has not been long, Kano State got itself from the turmoil of imminent political crisis, and therefore we cannot afford to use our money to invite another problem which the consequences may not be in our favour.

He said the group had a duty to allow innocent citizens to remain in peace, urging the assembly to avoid creating another problem which might take away the relative peace the residents currently enjoy.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

By Diana Omueza
Disability Rights Fund, a Civil Society Organisation, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to close gaps hindering the participation of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in election.
Mr Theophilus Odaudu, the group’s West Africa Programmes Officer said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.
Odaudu also appealed to INEC to provide disability confidence materials to aid the participation of PWDs in the election.
“By-election and reruns are as important as the general election that was held in 2023, because people are also going to get into elective offices that are crucial to the nation.
“So, the same way we called for disability inclusion in the electoral process in 2023 to enable persons with disabilities to participate in the process.
“We still hope that the independent National Electoral Commission would do the same and do more by closing the gaps that were noticed in the previous elections.
“This will boost PWDs voter’s confidence and ensure unhindered participation,’’ he said.
Odaudu said that INEC needed to address the challenges observed at the 2023 poll and make necessary amendments to simplify the voting process for PWDs and to improve the electoral mechanism.
‘’We hope that INEC will be able to make major corrections especially because this is not a very wide scale election.
“So, we hope that they will get it right, and beyond participation in the election, the electoral systems will improve generally for the benefits of PWDs and Nigeria as a whole,’’ he said.
Odaudu urged political parties to ensure disability inclusive environment for PWDs to participate in the electoral process not only as voters but also as aspirants and candidates.
He said that there was a need to eliminate all discriminating tendencies in political parties that served as barriers against PWDs. (NAN)
Edited by Ali Baba-Inuwa

By Emmanuel Oloniruha

Former House of Reps member, Alphonsus Komsol, has urged President Bola Tinubu to replace former Minister of Labour and Employment Simon Lalong with a new minister from the Plateau Central Senatorial Zone, for equity.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, made the call in an open letter to the president on Sunday, following the resignation of Lalong on Wednesday.

Recall that on Nov. 7, the Court of Appeal in Abuja  affirmed the judgment of the tribunal that recently sacked the elected members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Plateau State and Lalong was declared the winner of Plateau South Senatorial election that held in February 25, 2023.

The Minister fortnight ago was issued with the Certificate of Return by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after the appeal court judgment.

According to him, his suggestion is informed by the urgent need for the president to address diverse issues that bordered on inclusiveness, geopolitics, ethnic balance, equity and fairness on the Plateau.

Komsol was the Secretary, Presidential Campaign Council’s Contact and Mobilisation Committee, North-Central Zone; Plateau Coordinator, Independent Campaign Council for Asiwaju, and Member, APC’s Election Planning and Strategic Committee.

He said such a decision would determine APC’s success in Plateau.

“The reason for my selfless suggestion is not far-fetched: It is noteworthy that Lalong is from Plateau South Senatorial Zone, which has produced six ministers since 1999”.

He said those ministers were Pauline Tallen (twice), Fidelis Tapgun and his sister, Josephine Tapgun, Solomon Dalung and, lately, Lalong.

“However, Plateau Central Senatorial Zone has produced just one minister (Bagudu Hirse) since 1999.

“Paradoxically, this is a zone that usually returns some of the highest votes for the APC in virtually all elections since the formation of our party about 10 years ago.”

The former lawmaker said that the marginalised central zone had some of the major financiers and biggest founding fathers of the APC, who were also the president’s ‘die-hard’ political supporters and best hands, who the ministerial cap perfectly fit.

Komsol also said that like Plateau South, Plateau North had produced five ministers since 1999: Damishi Sango, Mark Aku, Musa Izam, Dasuki Nakande and Sarah Ochekpe, who were picked from different ethnic groups within the senatorial zone.

“I write to you with a deep sense of both passion and compassion, driven by pure patriotism, with a good intent for our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), your government, Plateau State and Nigeria at large.

“This is especially against the backdrop of your glaring strong will in governance, which has so far in record time, engendered notable reforms across all sectors, including infrastructure and human resource development.

“To this end, Mr President, I emphatically and unequivocally implore you to kindly do the needful, do your utmost and justice to the raging controversy over the next ministerial slot for Plateau State by giving it to Plateau Central Senatorial Zone.”

The former lawmaker added that giving the next Plateau ministerial slot to the marginalised central zone would go a long way to strengthen the party and avoid any likely political implosion that could arise, if it is done otherwise.

Komsol lauded Tinubu for having an ingenuous way of identifying his die-hard political loyalists and rewarding them, as well as having an uncanny ability to mobilise the best minds and strengthen alliances across the country for the common good.

“You will agree with me that being the president of a country like Nigeria takes a lot of courage and gut, which you must display by listening to the voice of the people.

“How you deal with diverse issues that border on geopolitics, ethnic balance, equity, and fairness, by carrying everyone along will determine how far you, our party and your government can succeed, going forward,” the APC chieftain added.

It would be recalled that the Court of Appeal in a recent judgment, declared Lalong winner of Plateau South Senatorial Zone, culminating in his resignation on Wednesday to go to the Senate. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Idris Abdulrahman

By Emmanuel Oloniruha

A coalition of concerned Edo citizens, has urged all the political parties participating in the state 2024 governorship election to field their candidates from the Central Senatorial District of the state.

The group under the aegis of Edo Legacy Forum made the call in a statement by its Spokesperson, Osigwe Momoh, in Abuja on Thursday.

Momoh said that fairness demanded that all the political parties to prioritise candidates from the district.

He urged all Edo Citizens to stand on the path or justice and fairness in the next elections, adding that any attempt to deny Edo Central the governorship ticket should be rejected by everyone with conscience.

He said that since the current governor was from the Edo-South and his deputy from the North, also the immediate past governor from the North and his deputy from the South, social justice and equity demand that the next candidate should be from the central.

Momoh urged all fair-minded, traditional, religious and political leaders to use the 2024 election to correct the injustice whereby the Edo-Central has not had the chance to produce a full termed governor or deputy since 1999 till date.

He said that it behooved the good people of Edo to show the nation the true meaning of ‘democracy and social Justice’ as contemplated by Sec 14 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended).

He said that after 24 years of waiting, it would be a slight on every Esan man and woman, if they are zoned the deputy governor position of the state instead of governorship seat.

He also urged all Esan people to reject tokenism that could make them accept to be running mate to other candidates.

He, however, advised the people of Esan Land to present their best for the governorship position in the state to silent the “naysayers and cynics,” currently propagating disinformation that Edo Central currently lacks any candidate with political class or might.

Momoh challenged the naysayers, to show any contender who has a better political profile, pedigree, experience and charisma than the former Minister of Works, Dr Mike Onolomemen.

He added Esan also had several other worthy sons and daughters who had distinguished themselves in public and private sector, capable of piloting the affairs of the state.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Isaac Aregbesola

Isaac Kwallu

By Femi Ogunsola

A former House of Representatives member, Isaac Kwallu (PDP-Plateau), whose election was recently nullified by the Court of Appeal has vowed to reclaim his seat from the incumbent in 2027.

Kwallu, who represented Shendam, Qua’an-Pan, Mikang federal constituency, stated  this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

The former lawmaker described the court’s annulment of his victory as a “monumental travesty of justice,” which is against the will of God and his constituents.

“As far as I am  concerned, and in the eyes of my constituents, the mandate still belongs to me.

“If I am alive in 2027 and I contest the election, I can assure you that I’ll retrieve my stolen ‘Divine Mandate’ because I’ll win again and again if the election were to be conducted 1,000 times!

“I won the February  election with a landslide by beating the APC incumbent with a total vote difference of over 31,000.

“I defeated him in all the three local governments that make up the constituency; I also floored him in 31 out of the 32 federal wards, including his own ward.

“I also defeated him at the election petition tribunal but, strangely, the Court of Appeal, controversially and suspiciously, subverted the will of the people on spurious ground.

“That the PDP doesn’t have a legitimate structure in Plateau to nominate candidates for elections, which is absolutely not true,”he said.

He said that the Court of Appeal election petition panel, like the election petition tribunal, which earlier declined jurisdiction in pre-election issues and affirmed his victory, has no jurisdiction or any business to entertain such.

This he said because the Supreme Court had since ruled that only the High Court has jurisdiction to entertain pre-election matters.

He, however, said  that it was not too late to remedy the situation and called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to urgently intervene and right the wrongs of the Appeal Court by reviewing the judgements.

“The judgments have eroded the people’s confidence in the nation’s judiciary, in addition to encouraging voter apathy among the electorate.

“Right now, because of the perceived injustice done to us, the people are mourning those who have died of heart attack and those who died from the crisis that ensued.

“Anarchy also looms large across the entire Plateau  as people are still protesting in the state and even in Abuja, which is unprecedented.

“Look, you cannot convince the electorate that natural justice is done in a glaring case, where someone who lost election in all the three local governments in the entire constituency, losing in 31 out of 32 wards, is now foisted on them by judicial fiat.

“It is very sad, shocking, painful and unfortunate that, in spite the well established jurisprudence on pre-election matters, the Appeal Court decided to side-track, neglect, and jettison over thirty established judicial precedents, which have already been clearly and explicitly settled by the Supreme Court,” he said.

Kwallu was a former  Chairman of Quaan-Pan Local Government Area of Plateau on APC’s platform before defecting to PDP to run for the  Reps seat after he was illegally removed from office,

Hr said that he aligned himself with the public insinuations of alleged judicial compromise against PDP in the controversial judgements.

“You cannot blame people from making such insinuations, especially with the plethora of conflicting judgments on similar cases, facts and grounds, right from the tribunals to the appellate court.

It is very dangerous and worrisome when the society begins to perceive justice as being unjustly obtained from the prisms of some partisan and parochial mundane interests and considerations.

“Sen. Adamu Bulkachuwa during a valecdictory session mentiined how  he influenced Court of Appeal judgments in the past for his political friends through his wife, a former President of the Court, as well as retired Supreme Court’s Justice Dattijo Muhammad’s comments.

“The comments by the  two knowledgeable personalities has further reinforced the allegations of compromise,” Kwallu added.

He insisted that PDP has a solid structure in Plateau and produced legitimate candidates for the 2023 elections.

Kwallu said tbe party also  complied  with a court order and conducted  congresses in September, 2021, which was monitored by INEC with video evidence available.

Kwallu described the judgment as a “politico-judicial” ambush, which ripple effect would bastardize Nigeria’s jurisprudence if it is not immediately corrected by the Supreme Court.

He said that it would remain as one of the judicial wonders of the world.(NAN)(www.nannews)

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Edited by Mark Longyen/Joseph Edeh

By Femi Ogunshola