Fed/State Govt Relations should lead to development - Tambuwal
Bar Aminu Tambuwal has stated that his government will initiate mechanisms that will make Inter-governmental relations among the variou teirs of government development oriented .
The former Speaker of the Federal House of Reps said this in Akwanga , Nasarawa State, yesterday when he met PDP delegates from the state. He observed that Nasarawa State 's geographical location will be fully maximized for the benefit of Nasarawa people and Nigeria .
"The time has come for us to convert the closeness of Nasarawa State to the seat of power into real economic and developmental gains for the people of the state. I am here today to tell you that the privilege of proximity to the seat of power will give you the reward of deserved gains under my leadership "
Tambuwal regretted that the state is currently under tension and that the current Federal Government seems not to have solution . He said that his government will do everything possible to ensure that peace reigns all over Nigeria .
"Our Strength as a Nation lies in our diversity and we must use it to become one of the greatest countries of the world . I am that leader that will make Nigerians proud on the International scene " he said.
On his part , the Nasarawa State PDP Chairman, Hon. Francis Inokila , stated that Tambuwal's antecedents recommend him for National leadership .
" Your antecedents recommend you for National leadership . Your former colleague who is here with us , has confirmed that you are one dependable Nigerian who always seeks the common good and Who is focused on the National interest ", he said.
Tambuwal also met with will the Benue State delegates at Markudi last night, in continuation of his quest to clinch PDP Presidential ticket for 2019 tge Presidential elections .
Nzuko Umunna an Igbo Think Tank organization proudly felicitates with the Igbo Nation on the success of the just concluded restructuring summit held at Awka. With the Ekwueme Square 2018 declaration, Ndigbo through the instrumentality of its Apex sociocultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo made their demand open with great sense of direction. We see this initiative as a step in the right direction as this necessary call for the urgent restructuring of the country has been replicated across the various regions of the country with the apparent unworkability of the status quo.
We commend the exemplary leadership of the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, in particular the host Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, who showed great leadership and patriotism by hosting the world class summit, other South East Governors, the Deputy senate president, Prof Ike Ekweremadu and Distinguished Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe for leading members of the National assembly to the historic program, clergies, the planning committee of the summit headed by the erudite Prof. Charles Soludo, leaders of the various Igbo organizations who put in enormous efforts and resources to ensure the success of the summit. Your sacrifices are great prices you pay to ensure a fair, just, inclusive and restructured Nigeria for us all.
We are strongly optimistic that all hands would be on deck in consolidating the gains of this summit and sustaining efforts towards the eventual restructuring of the country.
Nzuko Umunna equally extend our heartfelt gratitude to all who attended the summit especially the guests from various regions of the country who came to express their solidarity and support to our demand. That the summit massively attracted the leaders and people of other regions from the Middle Belt, South West and South-South shows that we share similar position on the problems we face and the solutions we proffer to the past and recent happenings that threaten the very existence of our country Nigeria.
Finally, Nzuko Umunna use this opportunity once more to call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to feel the pulse of the people, listen to their demands and expedite necessary actions towards the restructuring of the country as this remains the irreducible minimum in ensuring a united Nigeria and an environment for massive economic development across the various regions of the country. We also seize this medium in appreciating the church for the peaceful protest conducted against herdsmen killing and we send our condolences to the families of victims all over the federation.
Signed:
Paschal Mbanefo
General Secretary
Ngozi Odumuko
Convener
May Day : Workers are the engine room of our Nation - Chris Azubogu
... Calls for synergy among stakeholders towards improvement of workers welfare and service delivery
The member representing Nnewi North /South /Ekwusigo Constituency in Federal House of Representative , Hon Chris Emeka Azubogu while facilitating with the Nigerian workers on the Worker's Day celebration today , stated that " Nigeria Workers are the engine room of our Nation 's Economy" .
According to the Nnewi , Anambra State born Engineer ,we should lay emphasis on policies that strengthen relationship among stakeholders towards improvement of workers' welfare and productivity .
" With synergy among stakeholders, there will be improvement on workers welfare and service delivery which will benefit our economy and her people " he said .
Workers with poor welfare incentives , will generate poor result which will end up reducing supposed economic growth with poor productivity "
The Anambra State born Federal Lawmaker went further to add " I therefore call for more efforts from all the arms and tiers of the Government of our country , to consider workers welfare as priority "
Private employers of labour must also improve their relationship and working conditions of workers so that we all can March together towards achieving all-round improved growth result " Azubogu said .
Azubogu also stated that " Our Challenge in Parliament is not only to create law for improvement of worker's welfare , but also to create Parliamentary Policy interventions that will produce enabling environment for Job creation for our youthful population "
" As I facilitate with our workers today , I see our working population taking the lead in kick starting new economic narrative of our Nation as the engine room of our Nation's economy that they are " Azubogu concludes .
The attempt to recall the Senator Dino Melaye of Kogi West flopped on Saturday following a low turn-out for the signature the verification. Results announced by INEC at the end of the exercise showed that only 18,742 signatories to the recall petition were verified out of the 189,870 signatories on the petition.
BY NANAPR
The attempt to recall the Senator Dino Melaye of Kogi West flopped on Saturday following a low turn-out for the signature the verification.
Results announced by INEC at the end of the exercise showed that only 18,742 signatories to the recall petition were verified out of the 189,870 signatories on the petition.
The verified signatories fell well below the requirement of the law that 50 per cent and one of the signatories must be verified before the recall process can continue.
Consequently, the embattled Senator Melaye who is in the hospital owing to the drama that followed his arrest has survived the recall attempt.
Here is how the verification exercise turned out in the seven local government areas in the senatorial district, which has 351,146 registered voters.
KOTON KARFE LGA:
TOTAL NUMBERS OF REGISTERED VOTERS – 46,727.
TOTAL NUMBERS OF SIGNATURES ON THE PETITIONS – 24,459.
TOTAL NUMBERS OF SIGNATURES AT VERIFICATION – 2,566.
TOTAL NUMBERS OF SIGNATURES VERIFIED – 2, 335.
KABBA BUNU LGA:
TOTAL NUMBERS OF REGISTERED VOTERS – 59,319
TOTAL NUMBERS OF SIGNATURES ON THE PETITIONS – 27,910
TOTAL NUMBERS OF SIGNATORIES AT VERIFICATION – 2,151
TOTAL NUMBERS OF SIGNAT7S VERIFIED – 2,085.
IJUMU LGA :
TOTAL NUMBERS OF REGISTERED VOTERS – 46,810.
TOTAL NUMBERS OF SIGNATURE ON THE PETITION – 24,389.
TOTAL NUMBERS OF SIGNATURES AT VERIFICATION – 2,811.
TOTAL NUMBERS OF SIGNATURES VERIFIED – 2,664.
YAGBA EAST :
TOTAL NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS – 35,329.
TOTAL NUMBERS OF SIGNATURE ON THE PETITION – 18,229.
TOTAL NUMBERS OF SIGNATURES AT VERIFICATION – 3,580.
TOTAL NUMBERS OF SIGNATURES VERIFIED – 3,506.
MOPA AMURO LGA :
TOTAL NUMBERS OF REGISTERED VOTERS – 18, 350
TOTAL NUMBERS OF SIGNATURES ON THE PETITION – 9,173.
TOTAL NUMBERS OF SIGNATURES AT VERIFICATION – 729.
TOTAL NUMBERS OF SIGNATARIES VERIFIED – 710.
There was violence in Mopa Amuro towards the end of the exercise. Six polling units were reportedly affected. As a result, the exercise in six out of the 10 wards in the LGA were cancelled.
YAGBA WEST LGA:
TOTAL NUMBERS OF REGISTERED VOTERS – 35,506
TOTAL NUMBERS OF SIGNATURES ON THE PETITION – 19,444
TOTAL NUMBERS OF SIGNATURES AT VERIFICATION – 4,221
TOTAL NUMBERS OF SIGNATORIES VERIFIED – 3,729.
LOKOJA LGA:
TOTAL NUMBERS OF REGISTERED VOTERS – 109,105
TOTAL NUMBERS OF SIGNATURES ON THE PETITION – 66,266.
TOTAL NUMBERS OF SIGNATURES AT VERIFICATION – 4,810.
TOTAL NUMBERS OF SIGNATARIES VERIFIED – 3,763.
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had earlier assured the people that it was only concerned with transparency in the exercise and could not be held responsible for the poor turnout of petitioners.
The INEC Federal Commissioner in-charge of Kogi, Kwara and Nasarawa states, Alhaji Mohammed Haruna, made the statement in Lokoja shortly after the end of the exercise.
Haruna said that the main concern of INEC was to ensure transparency in the process, insisting that the organisation was neutral in the bid to recall Melaye from the Senate.
“Turnout is not our problem; turnout is the problem of parties concerned, ours is to ensure transparency,” Haruna said.
Commenting on insinuations that INEC might tamper with the wish of the people, the commissioner said that nothing like that would happen, stressing that the agency had no interest in who won or lost in the matter.
“Nothing untoward will happen, I assure you . Whatever happened at the polling units is what INEC will announce,” he stated.
Commenting on the mix up in the list of petitioners, Haruna said that mistakes in such exercise was normal but gave an assurance that the mistakes would be corrected.
He lauded the peaceful conduct of the people before and during the exercise.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that in Koton Karfe and Lokoja, the people conducted themselves well, although the turnout was poor.
During the exercise, there was no case of malfunctioning of card reader machines while security personnel adequately manned the polling centres.
Credit Sahara Reporters
By Ikechukwu Emeka Onyia
Shifting from Democratic set up to autocratic regime , start from taking steps . Looking as President Buhari led regime is shifting towards autocratic regime that started with the arrest of opposition Spokesman in November 2015 :
(1) Buhari regime arrested The Opposition Spokesman Barr Olisa Metuh under spurious allegations in November 2015 . Gullible Nigerians believed that he was fighting Corruption not knowing that it was a deliberate agenda to kill opposition for him to drive the country without question .Many said sir , that is good for Metuh after all he is of PDP .
(2) He moved against Elzazaky , many said that was good after all he was a Muslim and a Shi'ite .
(3) He moved against Journalists and started arresting them ... Many believed that it is non of their business after all journalists are on their own .
(4) He moved against IPOB and Nnamdi KANU , many stated : that fits them after all , we are not members of IPOB .
(5) Buhari then moved against Judges , most of us clapped for him even when disciplining of judges remain within the exclusive jurisdiction of the NJC .
(6) Buhari regime moved to National Assembly , their resolutions became worthless to the executive . Many of us celebrated this against the National Assembly .
(7) President Buhari took $462million from Excess Crude Account in name of buying jets without National Assembly appropriating it inline with our law , some still clap for this build up to anarchy .
(8) Thugs went to Senate Chamber and forcefully took the Senate Mace and Nigeria Security under the executive control could not stop them ... Yet we still clapped.
(9) They Moved against Sen Dino Melaye , we clapped and many said after all he is also an APC chieftain .
(10) President Ordered IGP to relocate to Benue and he refused , we still clapped .
(11) Death of innocents Nigerians across Benue , Nasarawa , Taraba , Zamfara etc keeps increasing everywhere and yet no head of security has been sacked or questioned , we still celebrated after all it is not my state .
(12) He is gradually moving against Saraki , many of us are watching and celebrating .
(13) He goes against Senator Ike Ekweremadu , we still clapped .
(14) When they move against Sen Shehu Sani , many will still clap after all he is of APC .
(15) When Buhari moves against Sen Anyinnaya Abaribe , some will still clap , saying ' that PDP senator ... '
(16) Today , the entire Nation has been enveloped in fear and we are still clapping ...
(17 ) What started with Olisa Metuh is gradually enveloping the entire Nation .
Of course in building tyranny based regime , one needs to cripple all known opposition and institutions of democracy
... But , I see anger building up .
I see Nigerians resist this autocratic regime build up .
Tension is building up every day . Institutions of Democracy are dismantled .
Danger is building up !
I am worried !
God save Nigeria !
Autocratic set up will fail in Nigeria ...
Our history as a Country have it that Nigerians always defeated autocratic regime whenever it raises its head ... This one too will fail
Ikechukwu Emeka Onyia ©2018
Update :
Senator Dino Melaye Speaks... Police snatched my passport and snatched back from them - Senator Dino Melaye
“My self and the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and others were to be on an official trip to Morocco but while some have gone through the Lagos airport today, others are to depart tomorrow.
I got to this airport I was checked in and was already in the lounge waiting for departure. Immigration officers invited me that there is a directive from the police that I can’t travel; that I am on their watch list. And I said it was not true, that the INTERPOL said they had not issued an alert on me. I opened INTERPOL’s website and showed them the denial. But they insisted that it was based on the directive from the police.
I was disembarked and asked me to go to their office (at the airport). They snatched my passport but I snatched my thing back from them. I got it back! I’m still here with them. They circled me and said they were waiting for further instructions from the police.”
March 31, 2018
Press Statement
FG List: My Reply To The Media Trial - Metuh
My attention has been drawn to the recent release of names of 'looters' by the APC led Federal Government through the Minister of information, Lai Mohammed. By this publication the federal government has breached our constitution by seeking to burden me with two criminal trials on the same charge, one before Justice Okon Abang and the other before the media.
In response to the scandalous publication, I wish to state as follows :
1) Since my arrest on the 5th day of January 2016 and subsequent arraignment, I have refrained from publicly discussing my persecution and travails by the government because as a lawyer, trained in the finest traditions of the Bar, I know that it is wrong to discuss a matter that is subjudice. However the present action of the government leaves me no option than to defend my name and integrity. I have therefore decided to avail the public of the true state of the contrived case against me.
2) The charge against me is that I received the sum of N400 million from the Office of the National Security Adviser to carry out duties assigned to me as the then National Publicity Secretary of the PDP by then President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The major crux of the prosecution argument is that I ought to have known that the money was a part of an alleged and yet to be proven unlawful activity of Col Sambo Dasuki(rtd), former NSA to President Jonathan.
3) The charge was brought regardless of the fact that neither President Jonthan who gave me the assignment and directed the release of the funds nor Col Dasuki(rtd), who effected the release of the funds have ever been interrogated nor even interviewed in this regard. As a matter of fact, officers of the office of the National Security Adviser have testified in court that the payment made to me followed all due process usually observed in the establishment.
4) It is of interest to note that the prosecution has not alleged any mens rea or collusion on my part other than the suggestion that I 'ought to have known' of the alleged unlawful activity. Also the alleged illegality of the funds has neither been established in law nor in fact.
5) I have NEVER held a government office and/or position and could not therefore have had any access to government funds.
6) In view of the weakness of the case against me, the APC led Federal Government resorted to all kinds of dirty tactics to dehumanise and intimidate me.They have done everything humanly possible to ensure complete persecution starting from bringing me to court in handcuffs( and parading the capture of Nigeria's most wanted) to media trials and constant interference with my case.
7) I have been reliably informed that the Federal Government has ordered a conviction at all cost to ensure that the PDP is tainted before the elections. The government 's determination to achieve this objective is clearly highlighted by the refusal to allow me attend to my deteriorating health notwithstanding several expert medical opinion on the matter.
8)By going to the media to name me a looter(without cross-checking the definition and dictionary meaning of the word) the federal government has not only given a body language but has issued a direct intimidation and threat to the judiciary to get a compulsory conviction.
9) It is now clear that the APC led government that thrives in impunity and intimidation of other arms of government will not allow justice to be done in my matter. It is incontrovertible that our country has descended into the worst form of draconian rule where the executive arm directly interferes and seeks to control and determine matters within the purview of the legislature and the judiciary.
10) In view of this unprecedented executive rascality and lawlessness, I have asked my lawyers to review the implications of this latest attack by the government and take appropriate steps for redress
11) In all, my faith is firm in God that this tyranny will not last forever and that no mortal is omnipotent in my matter.
Signed:
Chief Olisa Metuh
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