| Source | Date | Title | Summary of Report | Subject/Category | Page No./Weblink | ||
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| PREMIUM TIMES | 02-Oct-24 | 1st October Protest: Amnesty International demands release of activists detained in Kano | Amnesty International has called for the immediate and unconditional release of five activists detained by the police authorities in Kano State ahead of Tuesday’s National Day of Survival protest. The rights group gave this call in a series of tweets on its office X handle on Monday, the eve of the protest, which coincides with Nigeria’s Independence Day Anniversary. The detained activists are Abdulmajid Yakubu Daudu, Yusha’u Sani Yankuzo, Amina Bello, Sani NaRogo, Comrade Anas and Comrade Abdullahi. On Monday, the police in Kano State summoned the five of them for questioning but refused to allow them to return home and confiscated their phones. The activists, who are of the Nigeria Patriotic Front Movement (NPFM), were arrested for championing the 1 October protest, tagged, National Day of Survival protest, in the state. Amnesty International said their arrest and detention show that the Nigerian government is intolerant of dissenting views. “The authorities must guarantee their safety and allow them access to lawyers and family,” parts of the statement stated. The statement also described the arrest as a disturbing pattern of attack on free speech as guaranteed by the Nigerian constitution which guarantees the citizens’ right to freedom. It added that, the arrest of the activists is a mark of “repression against people exercising their rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression.” | AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL; KANO; PROTEST; ACTIVISTS | PREMIUMTIMES | ||
| THE CABLE | 02-Oct-24 | PDP tells Federal Government to review policies suffocating Nigerians | The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked the federal government to review policies causing economic hardship in the country. In a statement on the nation’s 64th independence anniversary, the PDP said Nigeria has never had it this bad. President Bola Tinubu’s policies have driven petrol prices to record highs and depreciated the naira to record lows since he assumed the reins on May 29, 2023. The party asked Nigerians “not to surrender” in the face of “emasculating policies”. The opposition party said Nigerians should “reawaken the spirit of nationalism in defence of our democracy and national sovereignty against the emerging totalitarianism being foisted on our nation by the All Progressives Congress (APC)”. “The Independence Day celebration is not the symbolic marching at parade grounds, taking of salutes, inspection of guards and making of speeches but it is the freedom of the citizens to express themselves, pursue legitimate endeavours and freely participate in the process to choose those who lead them through an unhindered expression of their will at elections,” the statement issued by Debo Ologunagba, PDP spokesperson, reads. | PDP; FG; INDEPENDENCE DAY; NIGERIA; HARDSHIP; POLICIES | CABLE | ||
| THE CABLE | 02-Oct-24 | Tinubu to confer national honours on Senate President & House of Reps Speaker, their Deputies and the new CJN | President Bola Tinubu will soon confer national honours on Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, chief justice of Nigeria (CJN). Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the house of representatives; Barau Jibrin, deputy senate president; and Benjamin Kalu, deputy speaker of the house; will also be recipients of national honours. While Akpabio and Kekere-Ekun will be conferred with the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), Abbas and Jibrin will get Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR). The deputy speaker will receive the Commander of the Order of Niger (CON) title. Tinubu made the announcement during his Independence Day anniversary broadcast on Tuesday. “The Senate President and the Chief Justice of the Federation have been conferred with the honour of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON),” Tinubu said. “The Deputy Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives have the honour of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR), while the deputy speaker of the House has been awarded Commander of the Order of Niger (CON).” | NATIONAL HONOURS; INDEPENDENCE DAY; SENATE; HOUSE OF REPS | CABLE | ||
| THE CABLE | 02-Oct-24 | National youth conference shouldn’t be exploited for political gains,' NYCN tells FG | The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has commended President Bola Tinubu for the planned national youth conference. On October 1, Tinubu said the conference, which will last for 30 days, will unite Nigerian youths nationwide. The president said the conference will “provoke meaningful dialogue and empower our young people to participate actively in nation-building”. In a statement, Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo, NYCN president, warned against exploiting the conference for political gains. “The demand for a National Youth Conference has been a focal point for the NYCN during various engagements, particularly during the #EndBadGovernance protest, a protest that underscored the frustrations, hopes, and aspirations of young Nigerians, revealing the urgent need for a structured platform where their voices could be heard,” the statement reads. The NYCN said it had written to Nuhu Ribadu, national security adviser, on the need for a critical national dialogue. “The significance of this conference cannot be overstated. It offers Nigerian youths a vital opportunity to voice their grievances, propose actionable solutions, and actively participate in the governance process,” NYCN said. | NIGERIAN YOUTH; NYCN; FG; DIALOGUE | CABLE | ||
| THIS DAY | 02-Oct-24 | MORE PROMISES: Governor Douye Diri says he will build 1,000 housing units in 8 LGAs and tackle water supply challenge before the end of his second tenure as Bayelsa marks 28 years. | Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has promised that his administration would construct no fewer than 1,000 affordable housing units across the eight local areas of the state. Governor Diri also assured of provision of pipe-borne water in Yenagoa, the state capital, and environs in his second term in office. The Bayelsa helmsman stated this on Tuesday in a state broadcast to commemorate Nigeria’s 64th independence and 28 years of the state’s creation. He said his administration was committed to building a new Bayelsa where every citizen had access to quality education, affordable healthcare and to create economic opportunities to improve the general well-being of the people. The governor who noted it was his first broadcast to the state since his inauguration for a second term, expressed gratitude to Bayelsans for overwhelmingly re-electing him and his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo. He expressed the commitment to pursue development issues as well as address environmental challenges like soot pollution, flooding, and oil spillage that had plagued the state. His words: “We are filled with renewed optimism and a steadfast commitment to building a new Bayelsa. A Bayelsa where every citizen has access to quality education, healthcare is affordable and reliable, economic opportunities abound, jobs are plentiful, businesses flourish and communities are empowered to achieve financial security and well-being.” He stated that in the past four years, his administration had made significant strides, particularly in peace and security, sports, education, healthcare, road infrastructure, human capacity building, empowerment and skills acquisition. “These are all a testament to the power of unity, cooperation, and a shared vision for development,” he further stated, adding that in his second term, the administration continued to embark on key projects, which include building an iconic state secretariat to give Yenagoa a facelift as part of its urban renewal agenda. | BAYELSA; DOUYE DIRI; APC; PDP; | THISDAY | ||
| DAILY TRUST | 03-Oct-24 | Rivers LG Election: Governor Fubara declares Thursday & Friday public holidays to allow residents travel for the election | Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has declared Thursday and Friday as public holidays to enable residents of the state to travel to their various communities ahead of the Saturday local government elections. The governor also announced restriction of vehicular movement from midnight on Friday, October 4 to 5pm on the election day. Governor Fubara made the declaration in a statewide broadcast from Government House, Port Harcourt, on Wednesday. He said following the expiration of the three-year tenure of the chairmen and councilors of the 23 local government councils on June 17, 2023, he lawfully instituted caretaker committees to temporarily administer the councils pending when the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) would conduct the LG election in the state. The governor said as a move to entrench sustainable democracy and good governance in the country’s local government system, “the Supreme Court by its judgement in SC/CV/343/2024: A-G Federation v A-G Abia State and 35 Ors delivered on 11th July 2024 effectively outlawed the administration of our local government councils with unelected officers and made several orders including the immediate stoppage of statutory allocations to Local Government Councils without democratically elected local government councils.” He said following Mr President’s intervention, the period for compliance with the Supreme Court’s judgment was graciously extended by three months, which will expire on October 31, 2024. He said, “On the strength of these positive developments, I directed the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to take definite steps to conduct local government elections for the 23 local government councils of Rivers State. “Acting per this directive the RSIEC has since fixed and concluded all arrangements to conduct the local government council elections on Saturday, 5th October 2024. | RIVERS; LGA; PUBLIC HOLIDAY; FUBARA | DAILYTRUST | ||
| DAILY TRUST | 03-Oct-24 | Is defection the cost of promotion at NASS? - Eyebrows raised as Chris Nkwonta defects to APC and immediately becomes Chairman of the South East Dev. Commission | Member representing Ukwa East/Ukwa West Federal Constituency Abia state, Rep. Chris Nkwonta, has defected from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Following his defection, he was made the Chairman of the newly constituted House Committee on South East Development Commission (SEDC). Earlier, Tajudeen Abbas, the speaker, announced defection of the lawmaker but did not give any reason. As members of the APC welcomed him into their fold, the Deputy Minority Leader, Rep. Aliyu Sani Madaki (NNPP, Kano), raised a point of order. Madaki asked the Speaker to declare Nkwonta’s seat vacant, citing Section 58 of the 1999 constitution as amended which he said provides that, a member can only leave the party on whose platform he was elected platform if there is crisis, However, Abbas ruled him out of order saying that, based on the information available to him, there is a faction in the PDP. | PDP; APC; NASS; SOUTH EAST; NASS | DAILYTRUST | ||
| DAILY TRUST | 03-Oct-24 | House of Reps decry alleged discrimination In National Honours as they demand GCON for Speaker Abbas | The House of Representatives has expressed dissatisfaction with what it described as discrimination against the Green Chamber. This followed the conferment of national honours on the leadership of the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu. During plenary on Wednesday, the House said it is unacceptable for Tinubu to confer the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) on Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), while reserving Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) for Abbas. The House passed the resolution following the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by the Deputy Spokesperson of the House, Rep. Philip Agbese. According to the motion, there is an ongoing and inappropriate culture of discrimination against the House of Representatives, often portrayed as inferior to the Senate, through language that consistently refers to the Senate as the “upper chamber” and the House of Representatives as a “lower chamber.” It said, “This terminology misrepresents the legal status of both chambers and diminishes the House’s standing... This discriminatory practice was once again evidenced during the recent conferment of National Honours on the leadership of the National Assembly by Mr. President. While expressing our gratitude to Mr. President for recognising and honouring the leadership of the National Assembly. “We note that the conferment of the title of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) on the President of the Senate and the conferment of the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) on the Speaker of the House of Representatives and Deputy President of the Senate perpetuates the inappropriate subordination of the Speaker to the President of the Senate. | GCON; CFR; NASS; NATIONAL HONOUR | DAILYTRUST | ||
| PREMIUM TIMES | 03-Oct-24 | PDP says voters are threatening to destroy PVCs over 2024 Edo election results | An official of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that many residents of Edo State are threatening to destroy their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) over the alleged “manipulation” of the 2024 governorship election result in the state. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner of the off-cycle governorship election held on 21 September in the South-South state. The PDP and its candidate have since rejected the election results. In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday night, the PDP State Collation agent, Tony Iyoha, said many residents of Edo were threatening to destroy their PVCs because the poll was allegedly rigged in favour of the APC. “I have travelled across the state since the results were declared. A lot of people are threatening to destroy their voters’ cards. This means that they won’t vote any more. They saw it (electoral malpractice) in 2023. This is 2024,” Mr Iyoha said. The PDP agent said the Edo people were not celebrating the election outcome because INEC “declared as winner who they did not vote for.” | PDP; APC; #EDO2024; EDO GUBERNATORIAL | PREMIUMTIMES | ||
| PREMIUM TIMES | 03-Oct-24 | Constitution Amendment: Atiku writes Senate seeking rotational presidency, single term of 6 years for President and more. | Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has proposed a series of amendments to the 1999 Constitution, including the rotation of the presidential power among the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. A statement by his media office on Wednesday said Atiku made the proposals in a memorandum dated 30 August to the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, who also chairs the Senate Committee on Constitution Review. The statement said the memorandum also contains recommendations like procedures for the educational qualification of candidate(s) in elections and internal democracy in political parties. The presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election seeks the amendment of Section 130 (1) of the constitution to read ” “the office of the president shall rotate among the six geopolitical zones of the Federation on a single term of Six Years flowing between the North and South on the single term of Six Years respectively.” He also wants the amendment of Section 135 (2) of the document to read “subject to the provisions of the subsection (1), the President shall vacate his office at the expiration of a period of Six Years commencing from the date.” | CONSTITUTION AMENDMENT; PRESIDENT; ROTATIONAL GOVERNMENT; SENATE | PREMIUMTIMES | ||
| THE CABLE | 03-Oct-24 | Crowd besieges PDP secretariat in Rivers State over LG polls, chanting: ‘Say no to LGA election. RSIEC must obey court judgment. SIM must obey court judgment’. | A crowd has besieged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secretariat in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital, ahead of the local government election slated for October 5. There is snarling traffic on the route to the secretariat and on adjoining roads. Security operatives have also been deployed to the scene to prevent a breakdown of law and order. Some of the protesters are wielding placards and banners, while chanting solidarity songs and slogans along the busy highway. There has been palpable tension in Rivers due to the prolonged turf war and supremacy battle between Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers; and Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT). The local government election is now being viewed in both camps as a referendum on who really controls the grassroots. The Wike camp is seemingly opposed to the conduct of the election on Saturday. On September 30, a federal high court in Abuja barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing the 2023 voter register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC). On October 2, INEC said it had not released the voter register to RSIEC for the conduct of the election, in deference to the judgment of the federal high court. However, Fubara has vowed to proceed with the election and has declared Thursday and Friday as public holidays. | RIVERS; LGA; PUBLIC HOLIDAY; FUBARA; APC; PDP; APP | CABLE | ||
| THIS DAY | 04-Oct-24 | What is the possibility of the Rivers State LG elections holding tomorrow? Tension rises as Fubara accuses Police of breaking into RSIEC Office in failed attempt to cart away materials | Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has revealed an attempt by the officials of Nigerian Police to cart away materials meant for the October 5 Local Government elections. In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Chukwudi Nelson, Governor Fubara alleged that the operation was led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), to take over the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) at about 1am on Friday. According to the statement issued Friday morning, Fubara said “The rogue policemen were said to have attempted to scale through the gates and strongroom of the Commission to cart away sensitive Electoral materials meant for the conduct of Saturday’s local government election in the State. “The deployment was said to have been ordered by the Inspector-General of Police. However, the evil plots of the rogue policemen and DC Ops were botched when vigilant security officials alerted principal officers of the Commission and relevant government authorities, who immediately informed the Governor of the development”. Fubara disclosed that immediately the information got to him, he led a team of government officials, lawmakers from the National Assembly and State House of Assembly, top political stakeholders, and other leaders to storm the facility. | RIVERS; LGA; ELECTIONS; FUBARA | THISDAY | ||
| THIS DAY | 04-Oct-24 | Soludo swears in the 21 newly elected Local Government Chairmen | Anambra State Governor, Professor Chaukwuma Soludo, has sworn in the 21 newly elected local government chairmen of the state. The chairmen, who are all from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), were last weekend elected during council elections that was conducted by Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC). Soludo, while swearing them in at the Executive Chambers of the Anambra State Government House in Awka charged them to ensure the development of their respective council areas. He said: “I charge you to champion and deepen development at the grassroot level. “I congratulate you on your election victories, and I emphasise to you all the need for collaboration between the state government and the local governments to ensure that the state continues to experience its current growth and progress trajectory. “You must focus on providing basic amenities to the people and improving the lives of the citizens in your various constituencies. “Of course, you know the importance of accountability and transparency in the handling of public resources. I advise you to avoid corrupt practices and ensure that public funds are used judiciously to benefit the people.” | ANAMBRA; SOLUDO; LOCAL GOVERNMENT | THISDAY | ||
| THIS DAY | 04-Oct-24 | Grass to Grace? - Kwankwaso receives throngs of defectors from APC to NNPP, says 2027 will have state captors running helter skelter. | Former presidential candidate of New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso, has said the wind of change is gathering momentum, and it would chase away bad leaders in the 2027 elections. Kwankwaso made the assertion yesterday, when he received many defectors from All Progressives Congress (APC) to NNPP at his residence in Kano. He said the security operatives and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would run helter-skelter at the dawning of the new Nigeria. While stating that the people had suffered enough because of bad governance, Kwankwaso said, “Nigerians and northerners, in particular, have suffered enough and no amount of pressure, fear and deceit will prevent them from changing the situation. “Regardless of their belief that they would use security and INEC in the forthcoming elections, Nigerians are fed up with them and will surely fight to change the narrative. “When the wind of change blows, you will see those who think they have security and INEC running helter-skelter, and Nigerians will make the right choice of those who will address their unfortunate situation.” The former governor told the new NNPP members, “I am glad that you have now realised the imperatives of leaving your former party, having experienced the prevailing unfortunate happenings in the country, such as insecurity, poverty, hunger and starvation. | NNPP; APC; 2027 ELECTIONS; KWANKWASO | THISDAY | ||
| THIS DAY | 04-Oct-24 | Tinubu presents 4 Tax Reform Bills to National Assembly -- seeks to rename FIRS to Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), provide a consolidated fiscal framework for taxation in Nigeria, provide a concise legal framework for the administration of tax laws and establish the Joint Revenue Board, Tribunal & Ombudsman office | President Bola Tinubu yesterday sent four official communications to the two chambers of the National Assembly, requesting the federal parliament to consider and approve his tax reform bills. One of the requests sought the renaming of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) as the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS). The request was contained in Tinubu’s letter read during plenary by Senate President, Godswill Akpabio. Titled: “The Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, the proposed legislation, according to Tinubu, “seeks to repeal the Federal Inland Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, No. 13, 2007 and establishes the Nigeria Revenue Service, to assess, collect and account for revenue accruable to the government of the federation.” The letter also contained another request titled: “The Nigeria Tax Bill which seeks to provide a consolidated fiscal framework for taxation in Nigeria.” It also contained “The Nigeria Tax Administration Bill,” which seeks to provide a clear and concise legal framework for the fair, consistent and efficient administration of all the tax laws to facilitate ease of tax compliance, reduce tax disputes and optimise revenue.” | TINUBU; TAX REFORM BILLS; NATIONAL ASSEMBLY | THISDAY | ||
| PREMIUM TIMES | 04-Oct-24 | #EndBadGovernance: Three more protesters charged with treason have been released as efforts deepen to facilitate the release of others | Three of the 10 persons charged with treason over the August #EndBadGovernance protest have been released from detention, after weeks of arduous efforts to meet the bail conditions imposed on them by the trial court. The trio, Michael Adaramoye aka Lenin, Mosiu Sadiq, and Opaluwa Eleojo, were released from the Nigerian Correctional Centre in Kuje, Abuja, on Thursday, after fulfilling their bail conditions and completing all necessary paperwork. They joined three other co-defendants who were released earlier. Their lawyer and human rights activist, Abubakar Marshall of Falana and Falana chambers, confirmed the development to PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday. Mr Marshall noted that “efforts are being made to get the remaining five persons released,” who include one other individual later charged separately in connection with the protest. One of the newly released defendants, Mr Adaramoye, told PREMIUM TIMES that he was happy to be out, and was “looking forward to the freedom of the remaining five comrades.” “The struggle continues, as we look forward to the release of Daniel Akande and the remaining four others,” Mr Adaramoye added. The defendants were detained for weeks in police custody before their arraignment before the Federal High Court in Abuja on 2 September, following which the court ordered them to be remanded in the Kuje prison. They were in the Kuje prison up till 11 September when the trial court granted them bail in the sum of N10 million each. None of the defendants could immediately meet the bail conditions. | TREASON; #ENDBADGOVERNANCE; PROTESTERS | PREMIUMTIMES | ||
| DAILY TRUST | 04-Oct-24 | Media goes awash as sacked APC Chairman in Rivers brazenly admits to election rigging. | Chief Tony Okocha, sacked chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, has publicly admitted his involvement in rigging local council elections during the administration of former Governor Rotimi Amaechi. Okocha, who served as Amaechi’s Chief of Staff from 2007 to 2015, revealed this while appearing on Channels TV. He said he should be compensated for blowing the whistle on the issue rather than prosecuted. He claimed that the newly reinstated chairman of APC in the state, Emeka Beke, was also involved in ballot manipulation. According to him, “On the issue of whether I rigged the election, I did not hide it. I should be praised as a whistleblower”. However, when he was interrupted that election riggers should be in jail, Okocha exclaimed, “If you are an armed robber yesterday, and today you came to confess that you stole something somewhere yesterday. Are you saying that the law will now take a retroactive effect? The answer is no”. He further explained that his public admittance to active involvement in election rigging was to prevent others from using the same tactics. “When you have an idea of a thing and you see the other person also wants to use the tactics that you already know. You will shout. That is the reason why we went to court”. | APC; RIVERS CRISIS; ELECTION RIGGING; LOCAL GOVERNMENT | DAILYTRUST | ||
| TRIBUNE ONLINE | 04-Oct-24 | NASS LP caucus demands withdrawal of LG Joint Account Bill in Anambra State | The Labour Party Caucus in the National Assembly on Thursday expressed grave displeasure over ongoing moves by Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State to enact joint State and Local Government joint Account law, in circumventing the landmark judgement delivered by the Supreme Court on Local Government financial autonomy. The Caucus led by Senator Tony Nwoye who spoke during a press briefing in Abuja, also tasked the Speaker and members of Anambra State House of Assembly to toe the path of honour by stopping forthwith further consideration of the obnoxious Executive bill for posterity’s sake. The federal lawmakers who spoke in turns argued that the provisions of the proposed Bill titled: ‘Anambra State Local Government Administration Law, 2024’ currently at the Committee stage, is subservient to the landmark Supreme Court rulings as well as extant provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). | LG AUTONOMY; NASS; LP; ANAMBRA | TRIBUNE | ||
| DAILY TRUST | 07-Oct-24 | Following the 'successful' conduct of the Rivers LG elections, the IGP has withdrawn Policemen from LG secretariats after 3-Month siege | The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has directed immediate withdrawal of Policemen from the 23 local government areas of Rivers State. The secretariats were sealed in June following the disagreement between the Caretaker Committee Chairmen loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the immediate past local government chairmen, who were loyalists of Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). However, on Monday, the Public Relations Officer of Rivers State Police Command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, said the newly deployed Commissioner of Police in the State , CP Bala Mustapha, conveyer the directives of the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, for the immediate withdrawal of all police personnel previously deployed to seal and safeguard the secretariat. Koko said the decision was in line with the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to ensure neutrality and the smooth functioning of democratic institutions. “Consequently, the IGP has ordered the unsealing of the Local Government Secretariat, which were earlier secured by police personnel. The police will only be redeployed to these locations in the event of any crisis or breakdown of law and order, in which case emergency measures will be swiftly implemented to restore normalcy. | IGP; SECRETARIAT; RIVERS; GOVERNOR | DAILYTRUST | ||
| PREMIUM TIMES | 07-Oct-24 | LG ELECTION GALORE: Accord & APGA secured some councillorship seats in Jigawa State as APC won all 27 chairmanship seats, 281 out of 287 councillorship seats. | The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Accord Party (AP) have won councillorship seats in Saturday’s local government Elections in Jigawa State. But the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) swept the polls by winning all 27 chairmanships and 281 out of the 287 councillorship seats in the elections contested by 11 political parties. The candidate of APGA won the councillorship seat of Margadu Ward in Guri LGA while Accord Party won four councillorship seats in Ajaura Ward in Taura LGA, Kanwa Ward in Jahun LGA, Maiaduwa Ward in Gagarawa LGA and Guntusu Ward of Gwiwa LGA. The election results were declared by the Jigawa State Independent Electoral Commission (JISIEC) at the respective local government headquarters and political ward collation centres across the 27 local government areas of the state. | LG ELECTION; LG AUTONOMY; JIGAWA; APC; PDP; | PREMIUMTIMES | ||
| PREMIUM TIMES | 07-Oct-24 | #Ondo2024: INEC deploys non-sensitive materials to local govt areas records 2,053,061 total voters - 58,708 new voters registered & 3,132 voters transferred into the State | The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it has distributed non-sensitive materials to the 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state ahead of the 16 November governorship election in Ondo State. The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Oluwatoyin Babalola, who dropped the hint on Saturday, also said INEC would use the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for accreditation and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV) for the transmission of the election results.While addressing journalists on the preparations for the election, Mrs Babalola said 2,053,061 persons, including 1,034,006 male and 1,019,055 female, of which 726,944 are youths, constitute eligible voters for the election. A total of 17 governorship candidates and their running mates had been fielded by political parties for the election. According to her, a large percentage of the non-sensitive election materials required for the election have been received and deployed to the 18 Local Government Offices, where they are batched at Resident Area Center and polling unit levels. She said the INEC was working closely with the relevant security agencies and stakeholders to ensure the safe storage and timely distribution of these materials on the eve of the election. | INEC; #ONDO2024; GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION; CVR; VOTERS | PREMIUMTIMES | ||
| THE CABLE | 07-Oct-24 | ‘Hoodlums’ raze section of Eleme secretariat — hours after police unsealed Rivers LGA HQs | Suspected hoodlums have set a section of the Eleme local government secretariat in Rivers state on fire. The incident is coming hours after Kayode Egbetokun, inspector-general of police, ordered the immediate withdrawal of police personnel from the secretariats of the 23 LGAs of the state. Grace Iringe-Koko, police spokesperson in Rivers, who announced the development, said the IGP’s directive “is in line with the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force stance to ensure neutrality and the smooth functioning of democratic institutions”. The fire comes hours after Siminalayi Fubara, Rivers governor, swore in 23 newly elected local government chairpersons. | RIVERS; LGA; ELECTIONS; FUBARA | CABLE | ||
| THIS DAY | 08-Oct-24 | #EDO2024: PDP Accuses INEC of doctoring BVAS to conceal rigging at Edo Governorship poll | The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, condemned the reported refusal by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Edo State to grant the PDP and its candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo access to the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines and other materials used in the September 21, 2024 Edo State governorship election against the order of court. In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba, the PDP said, “Our Party also alerts the public of how compromised INEC officials used the ploy of waiting for “directives from above” to allegedly allow thugs recruited by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and some unscrupulous police operatives to invade the INEC office in Edo State so as to cause confusion and frustrate the PDP from accessing these sensitive materials.” Ologunagba said INEC’s refusal to release the materials was in brazen affront of the order of the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal Holden at Benin City, dated 29th day of September, 2024, which ordered the Commission to grant the PDP and its candidate “unfettered access to and open up for inspection all electoral documents or any document in the custody of the National Chief Electoral Commissioner or any officer of the Commission/1st Respondent, particularly the Voter Registers, Ballot papers, the BVAS machines, Forms EC25B, EC25B(i) Forms EC40A and Forms EC40C which were utilized for the conduct of the Edo State Governorship election held on the 21st September 2024.” | #EDO2024; GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION; | THISDAY | ||
| GUARDIAN | 08-Oct-24 | State of emergency looms in Rivers as political thugs attack councils, five feared dead | Armed political thugs attacked several local council secretariats in Rivers State yesterday, prompting concerns that the Federal Government could impose a state of emergency if the situation is not addressed as soon as possible. Five people were feared dead, and properties worth several billion naira were destroyed during attacks on six council secretariats after the police had vacated the premises. Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara said the coordinated attacks may not be over, alleging that other councils have also been targeted for destruction. During an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Fubara acknowledged that the state crisis stemmed from a power struggle and that individuals were being mobilised to incite violence. He stressed the importance of citizen engagement in governance rather than resorting to the destruction of government property that serves the public interest. Fubara questioned the rationale behind damaging government facilities constructed using local council resources, underscoring that these facilities were established under the leadership of the previous chairmen. He expressed apprehension regarding the targeting of numerous local councils for destruction and called for safeguarding the state’s resources. Suspected political thugs invaded several secretariats, including Eleme, Ahoada East, Obio-Akpor, Emohua, Khana, and Ikwere, protesting the recently conducted local council elections in the state. | STATE OF EMERGENCY; ATTACKS; RIVERS; LOCAL GOVERNMENT; WIKE; FUBARA | GUARDIAN | ||
| VANGUARD | 08-Oct-24 | LG Autonomy: Labour recommends redistribution, auditing exercise, to ascertain the actual numbers of LG workers to avoid giving LGAs workers' salaries | The Organised Labour comprising the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, and Nigerian Union of Pensioners, NUP, has proposed a staff redistribution, placement and auditing exercise, to ascertain the actual numbers of local government workers, primary school teachers and pensioners in all the 774 local government areas nationwide. Under the Joint Action Committee, JAC, of Local government-based unions they also recommended an embargo on recruitment of new staff into local government including teachers for one year from the date of the Supreme Court Judgment on direct payment to ensure stability and consideration. | LABOUR; NULGE; NUT; JAC; LOCAL GOVERNMENT; NLC | VANGUARD | ||
| DAILY TRUST | 08-Oct-24 | Governor Ododo reaffirms his commitment to welfare of workers as he approves N72,500 minimum wage | The Kogi State governor, Usman Ododo, has approved a new minimum wage of N72,500 for the state’s workforce, including local government workers. He announced the approval on Monday after receiving the report from the state’s Minimum Wage Implementation Committee, led by Head of Service, Elijah Avenemi. Ododo reaffirmed his dedication to the welfare of all workers in the state and introduced a one-year tax relief. He declared that there would be no Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) taxes or any other deductions for the entire year. He assured the workers that as governor, he would ensure the state’s resources are used to improve the lives of its citizens, rather than oppress them. | KOGI; MINIMUM WAGE; WELFARE | DAILYTRUST | ||
| DAILY TRUST | 09-Oct-24 | Fresh hurdle for LG autonomy as Soludo introduces Bill for funds’ deductions | Concerns have emerged in Anambra State that local government autonomy, recently upheld by the Supreme Court, may face a setback due to a new bill introduced by Governor Charles Soludo. The bill seeks to compel local government areas (LGAs) to remit a portion of their federal allocations into a consolidated account controlled by the state. Hon. Henry Mbachu, a member representing Awka South I State Constituency (Labour Party), raised alarm on Tuesday, urging the governor to withdraw the bill, which has been submitted to the Anambra State House of Assembly. Mbachu argued that the bill, if passed, would allow the state government to share in funds meant for local government councils, potentially undermining their financial independence. However, Governor Soludo defended the bill, asserting that it does not contravene the Supreme Court’s judgment on local government autonomy. He challenged anyone who believes otherwise to seek redress in court. Section 13(1) of the Bill stipulates that the state shall maintain a “State Joint Local Government Account,” into which all federal allocations to LGAs must be deposited. Section 14(3) further mandates that each LGA must, within two working days of receiving their allocations from the Federation Account, remit a state-determined percentage to the consolidated account. This requirement applies even if the allocations are received directly from the Federation Account. Section 14(4) outlines that if the state receives the LGA’s allocation on their behalf, it must deduct the specified percentage before disbursing the remaining funds to the LGA. Reacting, Mbachu expressed concerns over the bill’s potential to harm local government administration. He warned that the proposed deductions would restrict LGAs’ ability to manage their federally allocated funds independently. | LOCAL GOVERNMENT; ANAMBRA; AUTONOMY; BILL | DAILYTRUST | ||
| CHANNELS TV | 09-Oct-24 | Edo REC denies complicity in BVAS allegation, invites PDP for inspection | The Edo State Independent National Electoral Commission’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (INEC REC) Anubgum Onuoha, has denied complicity in the allegation against him by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), that he resisted request to gain access to the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) inspection before the just-concluded gubernatorial elections in the state. A statement issued by Onuoha on Tuesday described the PDP allegation as “baseless, misleading and devoid of the truth”. Onuoha said he never denied any political party, agents or representatives access to the BVAS ahead of the contestation in courts to inspect the BVAS. He acknowledged that it is the duty of INEC to grant such access anytime the political parties ask for it. | #EDO2024; GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION; ESIEC; INEC; BVAS | CHANNELSTV | ||
| VANGUARD | 09-Oct-24 | Appeal Court sacks Enugu PDP Rep for Igboeze North/Udenu, returns Dennis Agbo of Labour Party | The Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu, on Wednesday, upheld the ruling of the House of Representatives tribunal that sacked the member representing Igboeze North/Udenu federal constituency, Hon. Simon Atigwe. The appellate court rather returned the candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Hon Dennis Nnamdi Agbo who was declared winner in the February 25th 2023 National Assembly election and sworn in but was sacked for a re-run election that took place on February 3rd 2024. The Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Atigwe, was subsequently sworn in as the winner of the 2024 election, but Agbo’s petition to the second election tribunal filed against Atigwe was on Wednesday, consolidated by the Appeal Court and sent Atigwe packing from the House of Representatives. The Appeal Court in delivering the judgement said that Atigwe of the PDP wasn’t duly elected by the valid votes cast in the rerun election and declared Dennis Agbo of the Labour Party as the rightful winner of the election. The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had declared that the PDP’s candidate polled a total of 23,863 votes to defeat the Labour Party candidate who it said scored 23,226 votes. Agbo of the LP who had earlier won the February 25th, 2023 election but was sacked by the appellate court proceeded to the tribunal to challenge Atigwe’s declaration, arguing that the election was marred by wrong computation of result, substantial non-compliance to the electoral act among others. | APPEAL; ENUGU; LP; PDP; 2023 ELECTIONS | VANGUARD | ||
| THIS DAY | 09-Oct-24 | Court orders INEC to recognise Abure-Led Labour Party | A Federal High Court in Abuja, yesterday, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to accord the Labour Party (LP) under the leadership of Julius Abure all the rights and privileges of a political party duly registered in Nigeria. Justice Emeka Nwite issued the order while delivering ruling in a suit filed by LP against INEC. Reacting to the news yesterday, Abure described the court pronouncement as victory for justice and democracy. But the presidential candidate of the party in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, and the governor of Abia State, Allex Otti, as well as the caretaker committee headed by Senator Nenadi Usman, agreed to appeal the court judgement. The plaintiff in the suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/ CS/1271/2024, had challenged the failure of INEC to issue them the Notice of the Refresher Training for Upload of Political Party Agents unto INEC’s Portal for Ondo State Governorship Election Scheduled to hold on November 16, 2024. | LABOUR PARTY; ABURE; INEC; PETER OBI | THISDAY | ||
| THIS DAY | 10-Oct-24 | Senate Constitution Review Retreat: Senators divide on issues, especially State Police | Members of the Senate Committee on Constitution Review led by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau, in collaboration with the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), recently concluded a two-day retreat in Kano to set the stage for the exercise which would end in December, 2025. Some of the critical constitutional issues slated for review included the state police, state creation, diaspora voting, gender equity and full autonomy for local governments, among others. Members of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee were divided on some of the issues during their different engagements with newsmen at the sidelines of the retreat. Surprisingly many Nigerians who had bared their minds on the assignment of the federal lawmakers had suggested issues that must be included in their agenda if the country must truly move forward. For instance, leaders of various socio-political and cultural organisations from different geo-political zones of the country and eminent individuals had argued that Nigeria could only achieve greatness as a nation if it reverted to the regional system of government which was practiced in the defunct First Republic. Some had equally called for the inclusion of a single term tenure for president and governors in the ongoing amendment into the nation’s laws. | SENATE; CONSTITUTION REVIEW; STATE POLICE; PLAC; NASS | THISDAY | ||
| VANGUARD | 10-Oct-24 | LG Autonomy: Senate backs Supreme Court’s judgment, moves to alter the Constitution to allow for full autonomy | THE Senate said yesterday it was fully behind the Supreme Court’s judgment on local government autonomy. It also assured that it would work with the House of Representatives to ensure alterations to the relevant provisions of the Constitution to provide for the full autonomy of local governments in the country. The Upper Chamber asked all the states and local governments to fully comply with the Supreme Court’s judgment on the disbursement and utilisation of funds to the third tier of government. Resolutions of the Senate were sequel to prayers by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, APC, Kano North. After the closed-door session that started at 12.46 and ended at 2.08 pm. Jibrin came up with two prayers. The first prayer was seconded by Senator Abdul Ningi, PDP, Bauchi Central and the second, by the Senate Whip, Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno, APC, Borno North. Jibrin said: “Based on the deliberation made by this August Senate, and it just concluded its session, I stand to move on behalf of this Senate for the approval of two prayers in respect of the motion brought by Senator Tony Nwoye, thereby discarding the earlier prayers in the motion as brought by him. The two prayers are as follows. “1: That all states and local governments fully comply with the recent Supreme Court judgment on the disbursement and utilization of force according to all local governments in Nigeria. ”2: That the Senate ensures alterations to the relevant provisions of the constitution to provide for the full autonomy of local governments in Nigeria.’ | LG AUTONOMY; NASS; SENATE; SUPREME COURT | VANGUARD | ||
| DAILY TRUST | 10-Oct-24 | FG claims they are not responsible for the petrol price hike | The Federal Government has said it is not responsible for the hike in the pump price of petrol. On Wednesday, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) raised the pump price of fuel from N897 per litre to N1, 030 in Abuja; from N855 to N998 in Lagos; N1, 070 in North-East; N1,025 in other South-West states; N1,045 in South-East and N1,075 in South-South. This had triggered reactions among Nigerians who asked President Bola Tinubu to work towards reversing the increment. But the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the government should not be held responsible for the latest hike in petrol price. The minister explained that the NNPCL made the decision in response to prevailing circumstances in the energy industry, emphasising that it did not act on any instruction from the federal government, as the government can no longer fix prices of petroleum products, in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA). He said with the subsidy regime ending since May 2023, the NNPCL had only been paying differential to keep the price within the range it had been, but the company said it could no longer absorb the losses. The minister urged Nigerians to continue to show understanding with the NNPCL and the government, assuring that in the long run the prices would ultimately come down. | FG; FUEL SUBSIDY; PETROL HIKE; NNPC | DAILYTRUST | ||
| DAILY TRUST | 10-Oct-24 | PDP Crisis: 'North East can’t hold two positions,' Chairmanship aspirant attacks Damagum | A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairmanship aspirant, Engineer Conrad Utaan, aiming to take over from Ambassador Umar Damagum has said the party needs a fresh start to defeat the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027. The PDP has been engulfed in crisis since the conduct of the last Presidential primary which produced former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the candidate of the party. The lingering crisis led to the defeat of the party by the APC, eventual suspension of Dr Iyorchia Ayu as the National Chairman of the party and elevation of Umar Damagum as Acting National Chairman. In an interactive session with journalists on Wednesday in Abuja, Utaan stated that it was unfair for Damagum to hold on the Deputy National Chairman, North and acting Chairman of the party at the same time. Utaan who said he did not begrudge Damagum for holding the position as acting Chairman because it is constitutional, however said it is unfair for him to occupy two positions while the North Central has none. He also warned the PDP to put their house in order to prevent the ruling APC from winning the 2027 election. Utaan said though the present administration is not running on a popular mandate, the”confusion in the PDP is worrisome and if care is not taken, “APC, as much as we hate to take it”, may just stroll into another term. “If the PDP continues this way, that is the reason why we are in this to salvage the situation.” | PDP; NORTH EAST; CHAIRMANSHIP; ELECTION | DAILYTRUST | ||
| THIS DAY | 11-Oct-24 | PDP Clash of Factions: Faction suspends Damagum & Anyanwu as embattled Chair suspends National Legal Adviser & Publicity Secretary | The crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has deepened as two factions have emerged. This has led to the factions suspending each other. The Damagum led faction first suspended the National Legal Adviser, Adeyemi Ajibade, and the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, and set up a committee to probe their disloyalty to the party. Similarly, the Ajibade faction countered by suspending the acting national chairman Damagum and the national secretary, Samuel Anyanwu. In a statement this morning, Ibrahim Abdullahi Manga , Ag. National Publicity Secretary, said. “Arising from its 593rd meeting,10th October, 2024, the National Working Committee has suspended the National Publicity Secretary and the National Legal Adviser of the Party, pending the determination of allegations of disloyalty and Insubordination levelled against the duo. “In the meantime, the Deputies in the respective Directorates, Ibrahim Abdullahi and Barr Okechukwu Osuoha, have stepped-in in acting capacity.” In reaction by the suspended National Publicity Secretary, Ologunagba, titled, “Press Release on the Decision of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP on the Reported Anti-Party Activity by the Acting National Chairman, Amb. Illiya Damagum and National Secretary, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu." | PDP; DAMAGUM; NATIONAL CHAIRMAN | THISDAY | ||
| THIS DAY | 11-Oct-24 | Hon. Kingsley Chinda moves motion for immediate suspension of new tax initiatives on poor Nigerians | The House of Representatives has called for the immediate suspension of the new tax initiate that disproportionately affects the low-income population until a comprehensive review of their impact is conducted. The resolution of the House followed the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance moved at the plenary on Thursday by Hon. Kingsley Chinda and five others. Moving the motion, Chinda decried the current economic situation of the country, characterised by rising inflation, unemployment, and the increasing cost of living, which has led to widespread hardship for the masses. The lawmaker stressed that the imposition of multiple taxes, levies, and charges at various levels of government only serves to exacerbate the financial strain on citizens, particularly those in low-income brackets, many of whom are already struggling to meet basic needs such as food, healthcare, housing and education. Chinda added that government’s primary responsibility is to alleviate the economic challenges faced by the masses, ensuring policies that promote economic development, social welfare and prosperity for all citizens. He expressed concern that the introduction of additional and sometimes unnecessary taxes, including consumption taxes, service taxes and levies on essential goods and services, places an undue burden on the masses, further widening the inequality gap. | HOUSE OF REPS; TAX; POVERTY | THISDAY | ||
| PREMIUM TIMES | 11-Oct-24 | Fubara replies to Appeal Court judgment, insists pro-Wike lawmakers’ seats remain vacant | Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State said the Appeal Court judgement did not reinstate the pro-Wike lawmakers whose seats were declared vacant in the Rivers House of Assembly. The appellate court in Abuja on Thursday affirmed the trial court’s judgement voiding Rivers State’s N800 billion 2024 budget. Mr Fubara presented the budget to a four-member Rivers Assembly last December after the seats of the pro-Wike lawmakers were declared vacant following their defection from the PDP to the APC. The four-member assembly led by Edison Ehie considered the budget, passed it, and Governor Fubara assented to it within 24 hours. The pro-Wike lawmakers challenged the legitimacy of the budget and eventually got a Federal High Court in Abuja to void it in January. Dissatisfied with the trial court verdict, Mr Fubara appealed the judgement. A three-member panel of the Appeal Court, led by Joseph Oyewole, affirmed the trial court decision on the budget. The appellate court also stated that the pro-Wike lawmakers led by Martin Amaewhule as the speaker is the only House of Assembly known by law. However, Rivers State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dagogo Iboroma, in a statement on Thursday, said the issue of defection was not before the court for determination. | FUBARA; APPEAL COURT; WIKE | PREMIUMTIMES | ||
| DAILY TRUST | 11-Oct-24 | #Edo2024: PDP BoT accuses APC Of plotting a one-party state with the outcome of the Edo Governorship election. | The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has raised an alarm over what it perceives as a plot by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to impose a one-party system in Nigeria, following the controversial outcome of the Edo State governorship election. The BoT therefore called on Nigerians to resist any attempt to undermine democracy and urged the PDP to take legal action to reclaim its mandate. Speaking after the BoT’s meeting at the PDP headquarters in Abuja, the chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, voiced concerns over the country’s deteriorating socio-economic situation, which he blamed on APC policies. He decried the worsening economic hardship, food crisis, and general misery in the country, saying the APC government must urgently revise its policies. “The BoT demands that the APC administration immediately review its policies and reduce fuel prices. It must also make investments to boost food production and revamp the manufacturing sector to create jobs and reduce the suffering of Nigerians,” Wabara stated. The BoT also condemned what it termed the “brazen rigging” of the September 21, 2024 Edo governorship election, accusing the APC of colluding with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and some police officers to manipulate the results. Wabara said the PDP’s candidate, Dr Asue Ighodalo, was the legitimate winner based on votes from polling units, and the party would explore all legal avenues to recover its mandate. “The manipulation of the Edo election is part of the APC’s plot to create a one-party system and totalitarian rule in Nigeria. This must be firmly resisted,” he added. | #EDO2024; GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION; PDP; APC | DAILYTRUST | ||
| THE CABLE | 11-Oct-24 | INEC postpones inspection of Edo election materials indefinitely after PDP, APC supporters clash | The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has postponed the inspection of election materials used in the Edo governorship election indefinitely. The postponement was sequel to a clash between supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the commission’s secretariat in the state. The electoral commission initially fixed the inspection for Wednesday after the PDP alleged it was prevented from inspecting the materials on Monday. Thereafter, INEC fixed Thursday for the inspection following an objection by the APC. The party alleged that the bimodal voter accreditation system (BVAS) were brought to INEC’s secretariat in vehicles owned by the Edo government, adding that it did not get enough notice before the inspection was to commence on Wednesday. Goodluck Osaretin, one of the representatives of the PDP, described APC’s objection as “desperation to prevent us from inspecting the BVAS machines”. “We are not surprised by what is happening,” Osaretin said. However, when the inspection was to commence on Thursday, violence broke out. Gunshots could be heard and that forced INEC to postpone the inspection of election materials indefinitely. Inspecting the election materials is a prerequisite for the PDP to file its case at the Edo governorship election tribunal. Asue Ighodalo, candidate of the PDP, is challenging the victory of Monday Okpebholo, Edo governor-elect. | #EDO2024; GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION; PDP; APC | THECABLE | ||
| THIS DAY | 14-Oct-24 | PDP IMPLOSION: Ahmed Mohammed accepts to replace Damagum as PDP National Chairman. Recall that Damagum was suspended last week by a faction of the PDP NWC. | Efforts to resolve the leadership crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), seemed to have taken a turn for the worse as Alhaji Ahmed Yayari Mohammed, yesterday, accepted an earlier appointment as replacement to the embattled National Chairman of the party, Illya Damagum. This was in spite of the directive by governors of the party to all camps to sheathe their swords, following their intervention last Friday. | PDP; DAMAGUM; NATIONAL CHAIRMAN | THISDAY | ||
| THIS DAY | 14-Oct-24 | LG Autonomy: Violence takes centre stage as unidentified men murder APC Councillorship candidate for Ward 15, Abeokuta South, Ogun State. | Yet-to-be-identified assailants have killed Adeleke Adeyinka, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Ward 15, Abeokuta South in the November Local Government elections in Ogun State. Adeyinka, a former Ward 15 Youth Leader, in Abeokuta South, was gruesomely murdered in the Jide Jones area of Abeokuta Central Business District within the State capital on Saturday. It was learnt that the attackers who rode in a car with tinted glasses trailed Adeyinka to the Jide Jones area and stoned him to death after they shot him. However, efforts to contact the Police spokesperson in Ogun State, Superintendent of Police (SP), Omolola Odutola, for reaction were not successful. The Ogun Youth Leaders’ Forum strongly condemned the incident, saying the horrific act has left their community shaken and grieving. | LG AUTONOMY; OGUN; APC | THISDAY | ||
| DAILY TRUST | 14-Oct-24 | Criticisms trail move by House of Representatives to pass a Bill to establish the Bola Ahmed Tinubu University | The House of Representatives has passed for first reading a bill to establish the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Federal University of Nigerian Languages. The bill aims to promote the learning of Nigerian languages. It is sponsored by Benjamin Kalu, the Deputy Speaker, and eight other lawmakers: Inuwa Garba, Nasiru Shehu, Alex Ikwechegh, Bako Useni, Amobi Ogah, Akin Rotimi, Halims Abdullahi, and Felix Nwaeke. The university, which is to be located in Aba, Abia state, aims to promote the study and use of Nigerian languages and culture for national development. The institution will offer academic and professional programmes, including diplomas, degrees, and postgraduate research with a focus on Nigerian languages and cultures. It also seeks to develop academic and professional programs that lead to diplomas, degrees, and postgraduate research, focusing on practical skills in Nigerian languages and cultures to foster national development. According to Section II, Part I of the bill, the university will “encourage the advancement of learning and provide opportunities for all individuals, regardless of race, creed, sex, or political beliefs, to acquire higher education in Nigerian languages and cultures.” Section 14(2) of the bill states that the president will be the “visitor” of the university. “The Visitor shall as often as the circumstances may require, not being less than once every five years, conduct a visitation of the University or direct that such a visitation be conducted by such person or persons as the Visitor may deem fit and in respect of any of the affairs of the University,” the bill states. The bill will need to pass a second reading, public hearing, third reading, and Senate concurrence before it is sent to the president for assent. | HOUSE OF REPS; BOLA AHMED TINUBU; SENATE | DAILYTRUST | ||
| PREMIUM TIMES | 14-Oct-24 | #Ondo2024: APC, PDP trade words over use of venue for flag-off campaign | The Ondo State Peoples Democratic Party Governorship Campaign Organisation has cried out for being allegedly denied access to Democracy Park for its campaign flag-off slated for 15 October. The party blamed their predicament on the state governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, accusing him of pettiness. The governorship election is slated for 16 November, and the various candidates have started their campaigns. Mr Aiyedatiwa formally kicked off his campaign on Saturday at Ondo town where he outlined his vision for the state if elected governor come 16 November. But the PDP says the governor is frustrating its efforts to secure a venue for the flag-off of its campaign next week. The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the campaign organisation, Ayo Fadaka, who made the allegations on Saturday, said the campaign organisation had applied for the use of the venue for the event slated for 15 October. He said Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s administration had decided to deny the PDP the use of the park. Mr Fadaka said: “To say we did not anticipate this pedestrian action will only indicate that we have not taken deep cognizance of the indecorous approach of Governor Aiyedatiwa to governance. “We recall that in years late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu was in power, not once was any political party denied use of public space, that was a statesman, now Ondo State is unlucky to have a worse variant in its saddle, this degeneracy must be taken care of. | #ONDO2024; APC; PDP; GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION; CAMPAIGN | PREMIUMTIMES | ||
| VANGUARD | 14-Oct-24 | #EDO2024: Edo government charges Okpebholo to form a transition team, fixes today, 14 Oct 2024 for inaugural meeting of both PDP and APC Transition Committees. | THE Edo State Government has written to the governor-elect Senator Monday Okpebholo to initiate the formation of his transition team to interface with the transition team of the outgoing administration. In a letter dated October 10, 2024, Secretary to the State Government, Joseph Eboigbe, said, establishing the team will allow both parties to have meaningful discussions and share vital information that would ensure a seamless transfer of responsibilities and continuity of governance. Governor Godwin Obaseki had in July inaugurated a 20-member transition committee chaired by the now Secretary to State Government (SSG) who was the Special Adviser on Finance to him, Mr. Joseph Eboigbe, to pilot the smooth transition of power and knowledge to the next administration. The letter reads: “I hope this message finds you in great spirits. As we prepare for the transition of power, we believe it is crucial to establish a smooth and effective collaboration between your team and our current administration. “To facilitate this process, we invite you and your party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), to initiate the formation of your transition team at your earliest convenience. “Establishing this team will allow us to begin meaningful discussions and share vital information that will ensure a seamless transfer of responsibilities and continuity of governance.” “We are committed to providing you with the necessary support and resources to make this transition as effective and efficient as possible. Consequently, 14th October 2024 is proposed for the inaugural meeting for members of both Transition Committees.” | #EDO2024; GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION; PDP; APC | VANGUARD | ||
| THIS DAY | 15-Oct-24 | #Ondo2024: INEC to begin PVC distribution this Thursday | Ahead of the Ondo State governorship election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that the collection of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) in all the 203 wards of the state will commence on Thursday. INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, in a statement Monday appealed to registered voters in the state to pick up their PVCs in person on the approved dates. The commission reiterated its policy that no cards would be collected by proxy. Olumekun said: “The PVCs for all categories of applicants will be available for collection in 221 centres across the state at two levels. “First, in all the 203 wards from Thursday, 17th to Monday, 21st October 2024. Secondly, in our 18 LGA offices from Wednesday, 23rd to Tuesday, 29th October 2024 from 9.00am to 5.00pm daily (including weekends).” The commission stressed that during the period, the backlog of uncollected PVCs from previous registrations would also be available for collection at the designated centres. Olumekun added that the commission was pleased to announce that following the conclusion of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in Ondo State and the cleaning up of the data, PVCs have been printed for all certified registrants and already delivered to the commission’s state office in Akure for collection by eligible voters. | #ONDO2024; APC; PDP; GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION; INEC; PVC | THISDAY | ||
| DAILY TRUST | 15-Oct-24 | Crisis hits Kano NNPP as party suspends SSG & Transport Commissioner | The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Kano has announced the suspension of the State Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Abdullahi Baffa Bichi, and the Commissioner of transportation, Muhammad Diggol. The State party Chairman, Hashim Sulaiman Dungurawa, confirmed this to our reporter late Monday. Earlier, an audio clip where he announced the suspension of the two key chieftains of the party had gone viral. He said the duo were suspended over disloyalty and abuse of power and creating chaos in the party. “We are announcing today that we have suspended the SSG Abdullahi Baffa Bichi and the commissioner of transportation, Muhammad Diggol over abuse of power, office and disloyalty to the party. We are commending the leadership of the party from their wards and the Local Government confirmed to us. They are all from Bichi north where they all came from for bringing the issue to us in written. In our capacity as leaders of the party, we sat and consider that this is the best decision to take until we are done investigation on the issue.” | KANO; NNPP; | DAILYTRUST | ||
| DAILY TRUST | 15-Oct-24 | #Ondo2024: PDP attacks Aiyedatiwa’s N73,000 minimum wage offer on campaign ground, says ‘It’s Greek Gift.' | The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State has faulted the newly approved minimum wage for civil servants by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa. Aiyedatiwa had on Saturday during his governorship campaign flag-off held in Ondo city, announced the new salary wage of N73,000 for government workers in the state. The amount was a top-up of the N70,000 minimum wage agreed for workers between the federal government and organised labour in September. In a statement issued on Monday, the PDP described the increment of the new minimum wage approved by Aiyedatiwa as a “Greek gift.” The statement signed by Ayo Fadaka, the Special Adviser Media and Publicity of the PDP Campaign Organisation, asked civil servants in the state to avoid being hoodwinked by Aiyedatiwa in voting him during the November governorship election. The statement read, “It is disrespectful to announce the new minimum wage of dignified and decorous Ondo State workers on the podium of the electioneering, thereby politicising the welfare and well-being of the state civil service to gain undue political mileage in the forthcoming gubernatorial election slated for November 16. | #ONDO2024; APC; PDP; GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION; CAMPAIGN | DAILYTRUST | ||
| VANGUARD | 15-Oct-24 | PDP IMPLOSION: Crisis deepens as Damagum-led NWC invite security agencies upon allegations that he is APC's puppet for a Tinubu Presidency in 2027. | The crisis which engulfed the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, took a turn for the worse yesterday as the Amb. Umar Damagum-led National Working Committee, NWC, invited security agencies into the fight. Acting National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Ibrahim Abdullahi, made this public in an interactive session with journalists at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja. His revelations about the party’s invitation of security agencies into the crisis came amid allegations by supporters of the Yayari Mohammed-led faction that the Damagum-led NWC was doing the bidding of the All Progressives Congress, APC, to keep the PDP on its knees, so that President Bola Tinubu could enjoy a smooth sail in 2027. Abdullahi explained that the Damagum-led executive was compelled to invite security agencies to enforce the rule of law since those aligned with Yayari Mohammed were still laying claim to the party’s leadership. According to him, the actions of the renegade faction is in total disregard of a subsisting court order restraining the PDP Board of Trustees, BoT and National Executive Council, NEC, from removing Damagum from office as acting national chairman. Abdullahi said: “In the face of this reckless violation of a subsisting court order, we are hereby left with no option but to deploy the services of security agencies in the enforcement of the Rule of Law. “We call you here to further clarify the ongoing imbroglio in our great party, the PDP in the past three days and to state unequivocally that these acts of vituperation against our party’s corporate existence are not amusing but condemnable. “This is, therefore, a clarion call to all concerned to see to it that the PDP is not destroyed due to avoidable conflicts. | PDP; DAMAGUM; NATIONAL CHAIRMAN | VANGUARD | ||
| DAILY TRUST | 16-Oct-24 | Hardship worsens as fire guts 94 and injures 50 who dare to scoop spilled fuel off petrol tanker | A petrol tanker has exploded in Majia town, Taura Local Government Area of Jigawa State, killing 94 persons and leaving 50 others injured. It was learnt that the tragic incident happened on Tuesday, around 11 pm, when the tanker driver lost control of the vehicle and crashed it. As the contents spilled into the surrounding areas, locals trooped out to scoop the fuel. Shortly afterwards, the tanker was said to have exploded. Daily Trust gathered that the tanker, with the number plate KMC 6412 F driven by one Yusuf Mohammad, had taken off from Kano heading for Nguru in Yobe State. DSP Lawan Shiisu Adam, the Police Public Relations Officer in Jigawa, confirmed the incident to newsmen in Dutse on Wednesday, adding that the injured had been taken to Ringim General Hospital for medical attention. “The residents were scooping fuel from the overturned tanker when the explosion occurred, sparking a massive inferno that killed 94 people on the spot. “The incident left another 50 people severely injured, who were then rushed to Ringim and Hadejia General Hospitals for treatment,” he said. | JIGAWA; FG; PETROL; FUEL SUBSIDY | DAILYTRUST | ||
| VANGUARD | 16-Oct-24 | Temporary Truce? PDP Governors wade into crisis, nullify suspensions and order return to status quo | GOVERNORS elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have decisively stepped into the leadership crisis of the party. In clear terms, they nullified the suspension and counter-suspensions issued by feuding factions of the party’s National Working Committee, NWC, last week, and asked the warring acting chairmen to return to status quo until a permanent solution was found to the feud. Chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum, who is also the governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, announced this at the end of a two-day meeting, yesterday. Trouble started after the Amb. Umar Damagum-led NWC suspended the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba and National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade SAN, for alleged abuse of office and insurbordination. In response, Ologunagba and Ajibade announced the suspension of Damagum and the party’s National Secretary, Senator Samual Anyanwu, over alleged anti-party activities and their role in the political crisis in Rivers State between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike. | PDP; DAMAGUM; NATIONAL CHAIRMAN | https://www.vanguardngr.com/2024/10/pdp-crisis-why-govs-nullified-suspensions-ordered-return-to-status-quo/ | ||
| PREMIUM TIMES | 16-Oct-24 | Gov. Soludo opposes 'absolute' LG autonomy in Anambra as he signs bill for LG to remit a portion of their federal allocation to State | Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State says granting “absolute” autonomy to local governments in Nigeria could lead to “humongous chaos.” Mr Soludo stated this on Tuesday at the Governor’s Lodge in Awka, after signing the Anambra State Local Government Administration Bill into law. The bill, submitted to the Anambra State House of Assembly last Thursday, was signed into law despite stiff opposition by some state lawmakers. The law compels local governments in the state to remit a portion of their federal allocations into a consolidated account controlled by the state government. Observers said the law was at variance with a recent Supreme Court ruling which affirmed the financial autonomy of the country’s local governments. Mr Soludo, after signing the bill into law, stressed that local governments are not usually considered as federal units. The governor said that although the Supreme Court ruling affirming local government autonomy was intended for transparency, granting absolute autonomy to the local governments would breed chaos. “Absolute autonomy would mean that each LG would have its own primary education policy, employ its own teachers, and pay them whatever it can afford and whenever it can do so, etc. “This would be a recipe for humongous chaos, not only for the administration of local government and pensions but more so in the primary education and primary health sectors,” he said. He argued that the new local government law in Anambra was not at variance with the Supreme Court ruling. Mr Soludo explained that Section 7 of the Nigerian Constitution empowers the State legislatures to make laws for the management of local government finances. “The new law by Anambra House of Assembly is therefore consequential to give operational life to the Supreme Court judgment and not to undermine it,” he argued. The governor suggested that the new law was intended to prevent local government chairpersons from mismanaging their finances. | SOLUDO; ANAMBRA; LOCAL GOVERNMENT | PREMIUMTIMES | ||
| THIS DAY | 18-Oct-24 | House Passes Independent Candidacy Bill for Second Reading | The House of Representatives has passed the Independent Candidacy Bill for second reading. The bill, titled “Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Alteration) Bill, 2024” was sponsored by Hon. Akin Rotimi. The bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended), to provide for independent candidacy. This crucial legislation, which is a legacy bill from previous assemblies, was reintroduced for consideration following its first reading on Thursday, September 26, 2024. In a statement issued Thursday, Rotimi said the bill would expand Nigeria’s democratic space. He said: “Today, the bill was recommitted to the House Committee on Constitution Review for further comprehensive consideration and legislative action. “This legislative action is pivotal for the continued evolution of our democracy. It recognizes the constitutional significance of offering citizens the option to run for public office independently, thereby ensuring greater inclusivity. | HOUSE OF REPS; INDEPENDENT CANDIDACY; NASS | THISDAY | ||
| THIS DAY | 18-Oct-24 | INEC fixes Anambra Governorship election for November 2025 | The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that the Anambra State governorship election will take place on Saturday, November 8, 2025. INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja at the fourth regular consultative meeting with political parties. He explained that Section 28(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 requires the commission to issue the notice for elections not later than 360 days before the date of the election, adding that this applies to the general as well as off-cycle governorship elections. Yakubu stated: “As you are aware, the last governorship election in Anambra State was held on 6th November 2021. By the effluxion of time, the governorship election is due next year. Consequently, the commission has approved that the 2025 Anambra State governorship election will hold on Saturday 8th November 2025. “In compliance with the mandatory requirement of 360 days, the formal notice for the election will be published on 13th November 2024. Party primaries will be held from 20th March 2025 to 10th April 2025. The candidate nomination portal will open at 9.00am on 18th April 2025 and close at 6.00pm on 12th May 2025. The final list of candidates will be published on 9th June 2025. Campaigns in public by political parties will commence on 11th June 2025 and end at midnight of Thursday 6th November 2025." | INEC; ANAMBRA; GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION | THISDAY | ||
| THIS DAY | 21-Oct-24 | APC strategizes as Ganduje brags on plans to capture all Southwest states. Read more: shorturl.at/dVi1z | Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has declared that the ruling party will capture the SouthWest by winning the November 16 off-cycle governorship election in Ondo State. Ganduje declared this when he led members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC to a stakeholders’ meeting in Akure, the state capital, on Sunday. Speaking at the meeting, Ganduje said the ruling party is working very hard to ensure it spread its tentacles ahead of the 2027 general election. He stressed that both Oyo and Osun states must also be under the capture of the progressive party to boost President Bola Tinubu’s support, especially in the south. While stating that the party would not reveal its strategy in winning the states in the region, Ganduje urged leaders of the APC to close ranks and ensure unity among members and followers of the party. He said the governorship election in Ondo is a walkover for the APC, adding that all the leaders at the national level have thrown their support for incumbent Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa. | APC; SOUTH WEST; GANDUJE; ONDO2024; | THISDAY | ||
| THE CABLE | 21-Oct-24 | DSS replaces Tinubu’s Chief Security Officer (CSO), deploys new CSO | The Department of State Services (DSS) has replaced Adegboyega Fasasi as chief security officer (CSO) to President Bola Tinubu. Reports have it that the DSS has deployed Rasheed Lawal, a deputy director within the secret police, as the president’s new CSO. A State House source said the request for the replacement reportedly came from Tosin Ajayi, the director-general (DG) of DSS, who sought President Tinubu’s approval for Fasasi’s temporary reassignment. The source said the replacement will allow Fasasi, who has worked with Tinubu since he became president, to proceed on a professional course. “I heard he has been replaced with another officer because he is being sent on a professional training course,” the source said. “At least there is a reason for his removal, and you can’t really premise that on any particular scandal. Though you can’t entirely rule out that there might have been a misgiving somewhere, it happens. | DSS; CSO; TINUBU; SECURITY | CABLE | ||
| THE CABLE | 21-Oct-24 | #ONDO2024: 'We will not redeploy Ondo REC," INEC replies PDP, says there is no evidence of unethical activity against her | The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rejected a request from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo. The party had asked for the redeployment of Toyin Babalola, the Ondo resident electoral commissioner (REC), ahead of the state’s governorship election billed for November 16. Last week, INEC had denied an allegation by Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo, that the REC was an indigene of Ondo. In a recent letter addressed to Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman, the PDP said even if it is true that Babalola is not an indigene of the state, she has been residing in Ondo for more than three decades. he party said this makes her unfit for the role of umpire in the forthcoming election. “A diligent check on the background of the REC would have revealed to you that, not only did she grow up in Ondo State, but that she currently also lives in her parents’ house which is No. 3, Majekodunmi Street, Ijoka Area, Akure town, the state capital,” the letter reads. “Even if she were not of Ondo state origin by birth, the constitution of Nigeria makes it quite clear, that anyone who has lived in a particular place for 10 years, statutorily qualifies for recognition as an indigene. | INEC; #ONDO2024; GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION; PDP | CABLE | ||
| THE CABLE | 23-Oct-24 | Bill to split Oyo into two states scales second reading at the House of Representatives | A bill seeking to split Oyo into two new states has passed the second reading at the house of representatives. The constitutional amendment bill, co-sponsored by Akeem Adeyemi from Oyo and six other lawmakers, passed the second reading during the plenary session on Tuesday. The bill intends to establish New Oyo state with Oyo town as the capital. It also proposes a consequential renaming of the remaining part of Oyo state as Ibadan state and Ibadan city as its capital. The bill, which was not debated by the lawmakers, was unanimously adopted when it was put to a voice by Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the house. Abbas referred the bill to the committee on constitutional review for further legislative action. | OYO; HOUSE OF REPS; SECOND READING; STATE CREATION | CABLE | ||
| GUARDIAN | 23-Oct-24 | Senate to NDLEA: "Ashiru doesn’t consume alcohol, let alone drugs." A six-member committee has been set up to investigate the allegation. Citizens raise questions about whether drug use is necessary to be complicit in drug peddling. Read more: shorturl.at/dVi1z | The Senate on Tuesday set up an ad hoc committee to investigate alleged corrupt practices in the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) as raised by Senator Oyelola Ashiru (APC, Kwara). The committee is also to probe the allegations of drug peddling against Ashiru and ensure that the NDLEA provides sufficient proof, failure of which will attract drastic action from the Senate. The resolution emerged just 24 hours after the NDLEA disclosed that Ashiru’s house was used to warehouse illicit drugs. The NDLEA also claimed that Ashiru’s recent attack was borne out of vendetta rather than national interest, adding that some of the aides of the lawmaker were arrested in the raid on his residence and are currently being prosecuted, with one of them already sentenced to jail. Adopting a motion raised by Ashiru in the hallowed chamber, the Senate set up a six-member committee led by Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe (APGA, Abia South). The Senate charged the leadership of the NDLEA to urgently appear to explain the allegations of corrupt practices against it. But ahead of the committee’s investigation, the Senate condemned the NDLEA for allegedly breaching Ashiru’s rights and privileges. President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, said: “I believe the NDLEA’s actions are in response to his comments during the debate on the rehabilitation centre for drug users. If the NDLEA truly thought he was a drug baron, they should have acted long ago, not now, after his Senate contributions.” On the alleged breach of Ashiru’s privileges by the NDLEA, Akpabio stated: “Nigerians may not be aware, but everything said in the Senate is privileged and immune from external debate, whether on radio or TV.” He noted that Senator Ashiru has never been charged or invited by the NDLEA, adding that the Senate see him as a gentleman who does not consume alcohol, let alone drugs. Calling on other lawmakers to rally around Ashiru against the NDLEA, Akpabio stressed that the agency must be called to order, noting that an “Injury to one is injury to all.” | SENATE; NDLEA; DRUG ABUSE | GUARDIAN | ||
| DAILY TRUST | 23-Oct-24 | Remember the House of Reps ad hoc committee investigating the national awards brawl? It recommends that the Senate President and Speaker alternate presiding roles at joint sessions for parity and that a NASS Service Award be established. What do you think? | The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a resolution calling for restructuring of joint sittings of the National Assembly to alternate the roles between the Senate President and the Speaker of the House to reflect parity between the two chambers. The lawmakers said this would allow the Speaker to open sessions while the Senate President would deliver closing remarks, and vice versa. The resolution of the House followed the consideration and adoption of the recommendations of the report of the adhoc committee on discrimination in National Honours Awards between the two chambers of the National Assembly as presented by the House Leader, Prof Julius Ihonvbere. The Senate President who is chairman of the National Assembly, usually presides joint sessions, taking the opening remarks while the Speaker usually takes the closing remarks. But of late, there have been raging debates among members of the House of Representatives following the award of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) to Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, a development that made the president to confer GCON on the Speaker. The House said restructuring the role at joint session aimed to promote equality and correct the long-held perception of one chamber’s superiority to the other. The committee highlighted the need to eliminate terms that imply superiority, such as referring to the Senate as the “Upper Chamber” and the House as the “Lower Chamber,” and the misnomer of a “Chairman of the National Assembly.” In addition, the House proposed the establishment of a National Assembly Service Award through legislation, inspired by the Congressional Gold Award of the United States, to honour excellence, service, and dedication within the legislative body. | SENATE; NASS; HOUSE OF REPS; NATIONAL AWARDS | DAILYTRUST | ||
| PUNCH | 23-Oct-24 | #ONDO2024: INEC records 55,859 PVC collections in 5 days at Ward level. This represents 62.2% of the total 89,777 PVCs. Collection at LGA level begins today and ends 29th October. Have you collected yours? | Ahead of the Ondo governorship election, the Independent National Electoral Commission, on Tuesday, announced that 55,859 Permanent Voter Cards were collected in the state over five days, representing 62.2 per cent of the 89,777 available PVCs. The Ondo governorship election is scheduled for November 16, 2024. The collection, which ran from October 17-21, 2024, took place in all 203 wards across the state. INEC, in a statement released by its National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, noted that this was the highest percentage of PVCs collected in such a short period since the Continuous Voter Registration process was introduced in 2015. “Over a period of five days (17-21 October 2024), the Commission made the Permanent Voters Cards from the last Continuous Voter Registration in Ondo State available for collection in all the 203 Wards across the State. “The commission is pleased to announce that at the end of the five days, 55,859 cards were personally collected by new registrants and applicants for transfer and replacement of lost or damaged cards as provided by law. “This figure represents 62.2 per cent of the 89,777 cards available for collection. This is the highest percentage of PVCs collected in five days in Ondo State since the Commission introduced the CVR in 2015,” the statement read in part. | #ONDO2024; APC; PDP; GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION; INEC; PVC | PUNCH | ||
| BREAKING NEWS | 23-Oct-24 | BREAKING NEWS | The FEC has scrapped the Niger Delta Ministry and Ministry of Sports Development. There will now be a Regional Development Ministry to oversee all State Development Commissions (NDDC, NWDC, SWDC, SEDC and NEDC) while the National Sports Commission will take over the role of the Ministry of Sports. Also, the Ministry of Tourism has been merged with the Ministry of Culture and Creative Economy. | TINUBU; APPOINTMENTS; FEC | |||
| BREAKING NEWS | 23-Oct-24 | BREAKING NEWS | BREAKING NEWS: The President has sacked 5 Ministers from his Cabinet - Minister of Women Affairs - Uju Ohaneye, Minister of Tourism - Lola Ade-John; Minister of Education - Prof. Tahir Mamman, Minister of State, Housing and Urban Development - Abdullahi Muhammad Gwarzo and Minister of Youth Development - Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim. | TINUBU; APPOINTMENTS; FEC | |||
| CHANNELS TV | 24-Oct-24 | As reactions trail Tinubu's sack of 5 ministers, reassignment of 10 and nomination of 7 new ministers, recall that by section 147 of the Constitution, these nominees must first be confirmed by the Senate. | Tinubu reassigned Uba Maigari Ahmadu as Minister of State, Regional Development, from his previous portfolio as Minister of State, Steel Development. The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite, was reassigned as Minister of State Finance to deputised the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun. Sports Minister John Enoh was reassigned as the new Minister of State, Trade and Investment. Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim was removed as Minister of State, Police Affairs and reassigned as Minister of Women Affairs. Ayodele Olawande was elevated as Minister of Youth Development from his initial portfolio as Minister of State for Youth Development. Minister of State, Environment, Iziak Salako was reassigned as Minister of State, Health. Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, appointed 48 ministers in August 2023, three months after his inauguration. The Senate immediately screened and confirmed the ministers. One of the ministers, Betta Edu, was suspended in January while another, Simon Lalong, moved to the Senate. There have been calls for the President to reshuffle his cabinet as many Nigerians have not been impressed by the performance of some of the ministers, especially in the face of unprecedented inflation, excruciating economic situation and rising insecurity. In September, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said the President would reshuffle his cabinet but didn’t give a time to the reorganisation. | TINUBU; APPOINTMENTS; FEC | CHANNELS | ||
| THE CABLE | 28-Oct-24 | ‘Stakeholders weren’t consulted’ – PANDEF condemns scrapping of Niger Delta ministry | The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has condemned the decision of the federal executive council (FEC) to scrap the federal ministry of Niger Delta affairs. On Wednesday, the FEC, chaired by President Bola Tinubu, scrapped the ministry and replaced it with a newly established ministry of regional development, which is expected to oversee all the regional development commissions. In a communiqué issued after a general assembly of PANDEF, the forum said “critical stakeholders” were not consulted before the decision was taken. “The assembly notes with serious concern the scrapping of the ministry of Niger Delta which was established to address specific issues bordering on the peculiar circumstances of the Niger Delta, it’s damaged environment and its overall importance to the national economy,” it reads. “The assembly further condemns that the ministry has been dissolved into a non-existing body without due consideration to those specific circumstances that led to its creation nor consultation with the critical stakeholders.” The forum said the federal government should engage stakeholders “with a view to addressing several specific concerns, especially at a time when the government is pursuing policies to radically increase oil production”. The body said the proposed South South Development Commission would “supplement existing federal agencies”. “However, the name of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NÐDC) should reflect its functions and the actual membership,” PANDEF said. | PANDEF; NIGER DELTA; NDDC; | CABLE | ||
| THE CABLE | 28-Oct-24 | Ekiti PDP accuses Fayose of anti-party activities as he endorses Oyebanji, demands his resignation | The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti has asked Ayodele Fayose, former governor of the state, to tender his resignation from the party. Speaking on Sunday in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, Dare Adeleke, PDP caretaker chairman in the state, accused Fayose of anti-party activities. “It is important to address the salient issues affecting our party like anti-party activities of the former governor of Ekiti state, Mr Ayodele Fayose, and his cohort,” Adeleke said. “His public declarations and serial endorsement of the opposition are in a direct affront to the values and unity of our party. “I strongly condemn these actions and encourage him to take the bold and honest step of officially decamping.” Fayose had publicly endorsed Abiodun Oyebanji, governor of Ekiti and member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), for a second term. The next governorship election in the state is expected to take place in 2026. | EKITI; PDP; APC; FAYOSE; OYEBANJI; | CABLE | ||
| THE CABLE | 28-Oct-24 | Borno House of Assembly Speaker: Shettima urgently needs a new aircraft — his life is at risk | Abdulkarim Lawan, speaker of the Borno state house of assembly, says Vice-President Kashim Shettima needs a new aircraft urgently. On October 25, the vice-president aborted his trip to the 2024 Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, Samoa. Bayo Onanuga, the president’s special adviser on information and strategy, had said Shettima’s trip was cancelled due to damage to his aircraft. Onanuga said a “foreign object” damaged the cockpit’s windshield. The incident occurred during a stopover at the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, US. He said, “The life of the Vice President and that of his crew/officials stand at risk while using the old and faulty presidential aircraft. Therefore, there is an urgent need to acquire a new aircraft to Senator Kashim Shettima so as to avoid these recurrence of air mishaps.” | SHETTIMA; BORNO; HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY; TINUBU; AIRCRAFT | CABLE | ||
| VANGUARD | 31-Oct-24 | Court stops FG from releasing monthly allocations to Rivers in line with judgment directing Fubara to represent Appropriation Bill before the Amaewhule-led faction | The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday, barred the Federal Government from releasing further monthly allocations to Rivers State. The court, in the judgement that was delivered by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, specifically restrained the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, from allowing the state to draw funds from the consolidated revenue account. The judgement followed a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/984/24, which was brought before the court by the Hon. Martins Amaewhule-led faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly. Cited as defendants in the matter included the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Zenith Bank Plc, Access Bank Plc and the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF). Others are Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the Accountant-General of Rivers; Rivers Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC; Chief Judge of Rivers, Hon. Justice S.C. Amadi; Chairman of RSIEC, Hon. Justice Adolphus Enebeli (rtd.) and the Government of Rivers State. The plaintiffs had approached the court, praying it to withhold all federal monthly allocations meant for Rivers state. They predicated their case on the ground that Governor Fubara had yet to comply with the court order that directed him to represent the 2024 Appropriation Bill to the Amaewhule-led faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly. | FEDERAL HIGH COURT; APPROPRIATION BILL; RIVERS; FUBARA; AMAEWHULE | VANGUARD | ||
| PREMIUM TIMES | 31-Oct-24 | Tinubu appoints acting Chief of Army Staff as Lagbaja remains indisposed | President Bola Tinubu has appointed an acting chief of army staff pending the return of the indisposed substantive army chief, Taoreed Lagbaja. The president’s spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, announced on Wednesday that Olufemi Oluyede, a major general, has been appointed acting chief of army staff. Mr Lagbaja has been indisposed for a few weeks and has been reportedly receiving treatment abroad. The army, however, claimed that he was on leave and that his absence did not leave any vacuum in the supervision of the army. Mr Onanuga’s statement, however, suggests Mr Lagbaja’s absence may last for a while. Mr Onanuga stated thus: "President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, has appointed Major General Olufemi Oluyede as the acting Chief of Army Staff (COAS). Mr Oluyede will act in the position pending the return of the indisposed substantive Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja. Until his appointment, Oluyede served as the 56th Commander of the elite Infantry Corps of the Nigerian Army, based in Jaji, Kaduna." | CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF; TINUBU; | PREMIUMTIMES | ||
| CHANNELS TV | 31-Oct-24 | In line with section 147 of the Constitution, the Senate has confirmed Tinubu’s seven ministerial nominees | The Senate, yesterday, screened and confirmed the appointment of the seven ministerial nominees sent to it by President Bola Tinubu last week Thursday. The screening of the nominees and their approval was done at the committee of the whole while their appointments were confirmed at plenary. The ministers-designate and their ministries were Dr Nentawe Yilwatda (Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction); Muhammadu Dingyadi (Labour & Employment); Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu (Minister of State Foreign Affairs), and Dr Jumoke Oduwole (Industry, Trade and Investment). Others were Idi Mukhtar Maiha (Livestock Development); Yusuf Ata (State, Housing and Urban Development), and Dr. Suwaiba Ahmad (Minister of State Education). | SENATE; TINUBU; MINISTERS; CONSTITUTION; | CHANNELSTV | ||