#Former Yobe Governor

[truetellsnigeria1]

Former Yobe Governor, Bukar Abba Dies In Saudi Arabia

The former governor of Yobe State, Bukar Abba Ibrahim has died. He died in Saudi Arabia after a protracted illness, a source told SaharaReporters on Sunday. He was 73 years old. Another source close to the family posted on his Facebook page: “Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajiun. “Sen. Bukar Abba Ibrahim has passed away just now in Makkah. May Allah grant him peaceful repose and Jannatul Firdaus…

[hardynwa]

Uzodinma, 14 other governors under scrutiny for LGA Administration breach

At least 15 governors are in breach of Section 7 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, DAILY POST findings have shown. They include Benue, Kwara, Cross River, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Abia, Kogi, Osun, Plateau, Imo, Ondo, Bayelsa, Yobe, Bauchi and Sokoto states. Section 7 of the Constitution aptly provides that “The system of local government by democratically elected local government councils is under this Constitution guaranteed; and accordingly, the government of every state shall, subject to Section 8 of this Constitution, ensure their existence under a Law which provides for the establishment, structure, composition, finance and functions of such councils.” DAILY POST findings show that at the moment, no fewer than 14 governors obtained approvals from their respective state Houses of Assembly and constituted caretaker committees in place of elected chairmen. Late last year, the Senate asked the Federal Government to block statutory allocations to any local government council not democratically elected. The Red Chamber unanimously resolved that this move would deter the dictatorial tendencies of state governors. The resolution was sequel to a motion moved by Sen. Abba Moro on the urgent need to halt the erosion of democracy vis-a-vis the dissolution of elected councils in Benue State. The lawmakers argued that the placement of Caretaker Committees to replace Elected Councils is an aberration, undemocratic and a breach of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). Senator Victor Umeh (representing Anambra Senatorial district), who seconded the motion, lamented that the issue has continued to undermine the local government system in Nigeria. Consequently, the Senate condemned the arbitrary dissolution of democratically elected local government councils in Benue and other federation states. To save the face of Nigeria’s democracy, the Senate urged Alia to adhere to his oath of office, obey the rule of law, review the constitution of caretaker committees, and reinstate the elected councils. But Alia is not alone on this. Many of his colleagues are involved in the said unlawful act. Many concerned Nigerians are worried that despite the clear provision of the constitution and even court judgements, the governors have continued to observe that section in breach. Several court pronouncements have held that the use of caretaker committees was in conflict with section 7(1) of the 1999 constitution. However, even some of the governors who used the conduct of local government elections as part of their campaign promises, reneged once they got elected into office. This is not the first time efforts have been made to preserve the constitutional roles of the local government councils. It could be recalled that former president Muhammadu Buhari had at a time signed an executive bill mandating the direct payment of statutory allocation to the state judiciary, legislature and the local government councils. Till date, many state governors are hellbent on running the council areas with caretaker committees. Evidence of corporate malfeasance is said to abound in the handling of LG funds by many governors, with the local government chairmen always crying in silence for fear of victimization. The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, does not agree less. Like many other Nigerians, it is worried over the level of financial sleaze being perpetrated with the local government system. In a Freedom of Information, FOI, request signed by SERAP’s deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation is urging the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to investigate the actual disbursement and spending of federal allocations meant for local governments in the states and the FCT since May 1999. SERAP also agreed that the governors pocket a larger chunk of the money allocated to the LGAs on a monthly basis. It expressed sadness that “allegations of corruption and mismanagement of federal allocations meant for local governments have contributed to widespread poverty, underdevelopment and lack of access to public goods and services in several states. “According to our information, the 36 states in Nigeria and the federal capital territory, Abuja, have collected over N40 trillion federal allocations meant for the 774 local governments areas in the country and FCT. “SERAP notes that former president Muhammadu Buhari recently alleged that state governors routinely pocket or divert federal allocations meant for local governments areas in their states. “According to Buhari, ‘If the money from the Federation Account to the State is about N100 million, N50 million will be sent to the chairman but he will sign that he received N100 million. The chairman will pocket the balance and share it with whoever he wants to share it with.’” However, many Nigerians, including the Senate, feel the time has come for the federal government to take decisive action against the recalcitrant governors. Some observers say the Houses of Assembly deserve more knocks as they aid and abet the illegality instead of chastising the governors. Professor Frank Asogwa of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUT, has strong words for the governors. The professor of law described the action of the state chief executives as an affront to the constitution, stressing that it stifles democracy. “It is not just unconstitutional but illegal in the sense that the Supreme Court has made a pronouncement on that issue and declared caretaker committees of local government areas illegal,” he told DAILY POST in an interview. Asogwa added that, “If you do not have a democratically elected local government system, then you are in breach of Section 7, which says that a democratically elected system of local government must at all times be maintained. “You cannot have democracy at the federal level, democracy at the state level and fail to also have democracy at the third tier of government, even though as an academic I don’t believe there is a third tier of government. “There are just two tiers- federal and state governments, because the other one is an appendage of state, that is why the constitution said a democratically elected local government system must be assured by who- by the state government. “That’s why the state governor appoints the chairman of the state electoral commission and this chairman in consultation with the governor, who is the chief executive, determines when, how and if local government elections will be held. “So, it is not right actually because it stifles democracy at that level. “Elections at the federal and state levels do not depend on the whims and caprices of who is the head of state, the president of Nigeria or who is the governor. “There is an independent umpire we know as INEC that organises elections for both federal and state. So, why is SIECs not that independent to say after two years, depending on the state, we are going to conduct an election in the local government?” The university don, who served as commissioner for local government during the administration of ex-governor Sullivan Chime in Enugu State, equally blamed the sad development on governors’ desire to divert funds meant for the local governments. He said, “The other reason which is not always spelt out is that the governors who don’t hold elections find it convenient to divert local government funds. “There has been so much talk about the autonomy of the local government, not just in terms of exercise of power, but autonomy in terms of budgetary provisions and allocations coming straight from the FAAC. “But some governors opposed it; they don’t want it, because it is convenient for them that the money comes into a central purse and then they decide what goes to the local governments; for some, they allow the funds go to the local governments and determine how much they pay back to the state coffers and they call it joint account or whatever, which is unconstitutional. “The constitutional thing is what I did when I was commissioner for local government in Enugu State. The law established the State Economic Planning Commission. “All the local government chairmen are supposed to be members because the law is there; I was there as a member of that commission by virtue of my portfolio as local government commissioner; we had the commissioner for finance, the commissioner for works, we had commissioner for planning Enugu State and other commissioners who were relevant to the development of the local government system. “At that level, we took decisions on projects affecting local governments; that was how the Nike-Ugwuogo-Opi-Ikem Road was built, because Nsukka, Isi-Uzo and Enugu East Local Government contributed 10 per cent of the fund for the building of that road and the state government contributed 70 per cent. “I did a memo to the state executive council that time suggesting this ratio and it was approved. “If any governor is sincere about local government funds, he should go through the Economic Planning Commission, where the local government chairmen are also members and introduce projects. “So many governors are reluctant to remove their grip on the local government system in spite of what the constitution says. “In different fora, I have asked this question to state representatives- how would you feel if the federal government strangles the state governments the way they are doing the local system? And they have no answer.” He, however, said the Senate motion was not enough to end the illegal activities of the governors. According to him, “the Senate should back it up with a law; the local government system is a creation of law so you cannot by resolution dictate what should happen to them. It will be illegal also to do so; two wrongs cannot make a right. “If the National Assembly feels very strongly about what the governors are doing, let somebody propose a bill which should be passed at both the Senate and the House of Representatives. “It’s just like local government autonomy, let them have a strong law backing it up. When that happens, a local government can challenge a governor if he does anyhow, but they cannot do it now for fear of being removed. “In my conclusion, I repeat that the practice of not holding local government elections is unconstitutional, it is illegal and an affront to democracy in this country.” Also Airing his views, a former member of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Chinedu Nwamba told DAILY POST that it was wrong for governors to remove elected chairmen and councillors merely because they are not from the same political party. He equally said the conduct of local government elections was mandatory except in special circumstances. While using Enugu as a case study, Nwamba said, “there is a court order, for other states, I don’t know what the problem is. “But in Enugu, from the time of Sullivan Chime, there has always been elected local government chairmen, it only happened in a few cases during the Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi administration when there was a little break and they had caretaker for a few months and after that, election was conducted. “I’m sure the incumbent governor will also conduct local government elections. “Coming to other states, I don’t know the reasons given to the Houses of Assembly to expressly approve caretaker committees; their own case might be different from that of Enugu. “Another school of thought says the governors may want to be in control of the funds of the local governments and that is why they are using caretaker, because once there are elected chairmen and councillors, the councillors now approve the budget of the local government. “The constitution said the state government through the House of Assembly should supervise the local governments but that should not amount to non-conduct of elections; they also have a joint account, which is JAAC; apart from that, I will say that the local government should fully be on their own, that is where the lacuna is.” He also said the dissolution of elected chairmen by new governors was equally illegal. “It is totally unconstitutional and the Houses of Assembly should not approve of it; if an elected local government chairman is in office and a governor comes in, maybe they are not from the same political party, and the governor dissolves them, it is not right. “There are reasons for an elected chairman to be removed and there are procedures and measures. It is either through impeachment, resignation by himself or he got another appointment. “So, it is not constitutional to remove an elected chairman or councillor just because the person is not in the same political party with the governor.” On his part, a rights activist, Barr Olu Omotayo accused the various state Houses of Assembly of promoting illegality. Omotayo, the President of the Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network, CRRAN, said the state lawmakers err in law when they approve caretaker committees for governors despite the clear provisions of the constitution and the Supreme Court judgements. The lawyer was concerned that the state lawmakers who should sanction the governors for breaching Section 7 of the Constitution were the same ones approving the illegal caretaker committees. He advocated for citizens’ awareness and action. According to him, “some of these things, the citizens have concentrated so much attention on the federal unlike in advanced countries, where people focus more on the grassroots “So, the mentality over the years, we used to focus on the federal government without asking questions, forgetting that development only comes from the grassroots. “Democracy was brought, this federalism was brought so that from the grassroots it goes up, but we are turning it upside down, we believe it is from up to down. “And the American model we are using, it is from down you go up; many people in America don’t even know who is their president but they know their councillor; if they have any complaint, they go to their councillor. “Until we change that mentality and start asking questions, local governments will not function. “It is a constitutional provision; postponing elections when there is a constitutional provision that there must be local government is a grave infraction on the constitution. “Only that the citizens have not been living up to expectations in this democracy; the constitutional provision is mandatory, the democratically elected local governments must be there. “When you postpone elections, who will be operating? The Supreme Court has ruled that caretaker committees they are appointing are unknown to law. “You cannot continue illegality in a democracy and think that things will work well.” On the role of the state lawmakers, Omotayo said, “whatever they are doing is illegal because if the constitution says there must be elected local government, if they make a law or approvals contradictory to the constitution, the position of the law is that the constitution must prevail. “Whatever law they make is null and void to the extent of its inconsistency with the constitution. So, whatever they are making is unlawful and unconstitutional.” Reinforcing this stand, the President of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, Ambali Akeem Olatunji, identified corruption as the primary impediment to the realisation of local government autonomy in the country. Olatunji, who spoke during his visit to Taraba State attributed the resistance to change to those benefiting from corruption. He emphasised that the persistent challenges in local government administration stem from certain political actors in states who engage in the pilfering, diversion, and theft of local government allocations. He also identified a flaw in the 1999 Constitution, which he said placed the local government areas under the state Houses of Assembly. He accused state legislatures of being coerced by various state governments to enact illegal laws. Highlighting the constitutional guarantee of democratically elected leaders, Olatunji denounced the appointment of caretakers. He said, “NULGE is now advocating for federal intervention in states that refuse to conduct local government elections. “We are proposing the seizure of local government allocations by the federal government.” He said salaries should be directly deposited into workers’ accounts using the National Identification Number, NIN. DAILY POST reports that some of the states running the local government councils with elected chairmen include- Ebonyi, Enugu, Delta, Kaduna, Adamawa, Niger, Nasarawa, Lagos, Ogun, Yobe, Kebbi, Jigawa, Katsina, Kano, Rivers, Oyo, Edo, Delta, Borno and Ekiti. Below are some of the governors who seem unwilling to conduct council polls: ANAMBRA Anambra is one of the worst states in terms of non-conduct of local government elections. No wonder the people of the state were delighted when the incumbent governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, while campaigning for the position in 2021, promised a speedy conduct of elections at the grassroots. The last local government election in the state was held during the twilight of the Peter Obi administration in January 2014. Many had blamed him for remembering to do so only when his administration was winding up, but at least he did. For eight years, former governor, Chief Willie Obiano failed to conduct the election, heightening the quest for it. During the last governorship election in the state, it was obvious that only one who supported the conduct of the election may get the people’s votes. Prof Soludo cashed in on that. He promised that if elected, the local government election would be one of his priorities. On March 17, Soludo will be two years in office. There has been constant prodding by opposition parties for the governor to hold election, but many believe that there is nothing on ground to show that Soludo is ready for it. While there is no constituted electoral body, the lawmaker representing Awka South 1 constituency in the House of Assembly, Henry Mbachu, during the presentation of the 2024 budget, lamented the absence of budgetary allocation for the conduct of LG polls. He said: “Going through the budget estimate presented, it is glaring that there are no intentions of conducting LGA elections next year (2024). “On page 475, the budget for the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission for this current year was N89,120,000, while the projected estimate for the incoming year is N129,120,000. “You find out that there’s no feasibility or readiness for local government elections for the incoming year. I worry so much because this tier of government has suffered so much because of a lack of local government elections.” Meanwhile, a human rights activist, Mr Kenechukwu Kodili, who spoke to DAILY POST, lamented that Soludo was already disappointing the people by reneging on the conduct of local government elections in the state. He said: “For close to two years of being the governor, all he (Soludo) does is renew the tenure of the caretaker local government chairmen every three months. “That was not what he promised the people. He was himself elected into the governorship seat, he should also conduct elections to elect local government chairmen, not to keep renewing the appointment of those he appointed.” KWARA For the past four years, the Kwara State government has administered local government areas with caretaker committees. It could be recalled that the democratically-elected council chairmen were sacked in 2019 by the All Progressives Congress-led government, triggering a legal dispute that terminated at the Supreme Court. Read the full article

[crimechannels]

By • Olalekan Fagbade Akpabio, nine former Governors taken to court allegedly for collecting Salaries, Pension simultaneously Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and nine other former governors in the 10th Senate over their collection of both salaries and pensions as senators. Joined in the suit as Respondents are the following: Abdulaziz Yari; Aminu Tambuwal; Adamu Aliero; Adams Oshiomole; Ibrahim Gaidam; Seriake Dickson; Ibrahim Dankwambo; Aliyu Wammako; Gbenga Daniel, and Dave Umahi. In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1360/2023 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, SERAP is seeking: “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr Akpabio, nine other senators and Mr Umahi to stop collecting both salaries and pensions, and to return any pensions collected to their respective state treasuries.” The organization is also seeking an order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr Akpabio, nine other senators and Mr Umahi to clarify and disclose if they have collected and/or currently collecting both salaries and pensions as former governors. In the suit, SERAP is arguing that: “The Seventh Schedule to the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended) requires the former governors to stop collecting both salaries and pensions and to return any pensions collected.” SERAP is arguing that, “Unless the reliefs sought are granted, the former governors would continue to both enjoy life pension packages, and collect salaries as serving public officers, and the travesty and private self-interest would continue.” The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare and Ms Valentina Adegoke, read in part: “The UN Convention against Corruption requires public officials to discharge a public duty truthfully and faithfully. “The UN Convention also implicitly prohibits large severance benefits for public officials. The convention specifically in article 8 requires public officers to promote integrity and responsibility in the management of public resources. “Paragraph 2 (a) of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers in the Fifth Schedule, Part 1 of the Nigerian Constitution provides in part: ‘a public officer shall not receive or be paid the emoluments of any public office at the same time as he receives or is paid the emoluments of any other public office.’ “According to reports, there are fourteen former governors in the Senate and as ministers who may be collecting pensions running into billions of naira from their states. The former governors include: Godswill Akpabio (Akwa-Ibom State); Adams Oshiomhole (Edo State); Adamu Aliero (Kebbi State); Dave Umahi (Ebonyi State); Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto State); and Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger State). “Others are: Ibrahim Danwkambo (Gombe State); Danjuma Goje (Gombe State); Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara State); Gbenga Daniel (Ogun State); Aliyu Wammako (Sokoto State); Orji Kalu (Abia State); Ibrahim Gaidam (Yobe State); and Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa State). Also, there are at least seven former governors in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet who may be collecting both salaries and pensions.” No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

[legalattorneyblog]

Former Borno SSG Shuwa Laid to Rest.

Former Borno SSG Shuwa Laid to Rest. Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima was among the dignitaries that attended the funeral prayer of the immediate past Borno State Secretary to the State Government, Usman Jidda Shuwa. Other dignitaries present at the prayers include Governor Babagana Zulum and his Yobe state counterpart Mai Mala Buni, Senate President Ahmed Lawan, former Governor of Kebbi…

[zaraddeen-aliyu]

Strike-Free Universities: Tinubu's Vision for Nigeria

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu has unveiled his plans for the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) if elected president. At a campaign rally in Damaturu, Yobe State, Tinubu promised to prevent further ASUU strikes by creating stability within Nigeria's university system.

In addition to this promise, Tinubu pledged to provide loans for university students and also agro-credit facilities that would make the Northeast region an export zone. The loan scheme proposed by the former Lagos governor will be made available to all citizens regardless of financial background, so that all are able to pursue their dreams and create better opportunities for themselves and the nation.

With these commitments to investing in higher education and alleviating economic disparities across Nigeria, Tinubu hopes to fulfill his promises as he seeks the presidency of the All Progressives Congress.

He said: “I will extend the credit facilities to university students as loans. I will make our education system, especially the university education, more stable by dealing with the problem of ASUU strikes. There will be no more strikes in our universities.”

[apwmagazine]

Geidam Heads Yobe APC Campaign Council

Geidam Heads Yobe APC Campaign Council

dddd governor ibrahim geidam By Nabilu Balarabe The Yobe chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has constituted a nine-man campaign council for the 2023 general elections. This is contained in a statement by the state APC Secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Bakabe, in Damaturu on Friday. According to the Bakabe, Sen. Ibrahim Geidam, a former governor of the state, will chair the council, while…

[perfectlyperfectsheep]

Boko haram timeline of kidnapping girls and boys in Nigeria.

Timeline

Here are some of the cases of mass kidnapping of schoolchildren in Nigeria in the last seven years and the events around them .

April 14, 2014: Boko Haram terrorists abducted hundreds of schoolgirls from their dormitories in Chibok, Borno State at a time the students were writing their final year exams. About 57 of the girls manage to escape at different times while on transit with their abductors.

April 16, 2014: The military said soldiers had rescued over 100 of the Chibok schoolgirls but quickly withdrew the claim after the school principal, Asabe Kwambura, and many of the parents of the abducted girls refuted it.

May 12, 2014: Boko Haram releases the first video of the abducted girls, a development which confirmed that the girls were actually in the custody of the Abubakar Shekau-led terror group. Mr Shekau in the video threatened to marry the girls off or use them as part of his war booty.

May 20, 2014: The Borno State government set up a N150 million special fund for the rehabilitation of the 57 Chibok girls who had escaped.

October 16, 2014: The former Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh, an air vice-marshal, said the federal government had reached a ceasefire deal with leaders of Boko Haram and that the 216 girls in their captivity would soon be released. But Boko Haram leaders quickly denied the claim.

November 2, 2014: Boko Haram leader, Mr Shekau, released a video in which he declares that all the 216 girls in his custody had been converted to Islam and married off. He also denied ever negotiating with the federal government concerning the girls.

March 24, 2015: A woman who escaped from Boko Haram captivity said some of the Chibok girls were being held somewhere near Gwoza and that two of the girls had been killed during a military air strike on one of the terrorists’ locations.

May 29, 2015: President Muhammadu Buhari, in his inaugural speech, promised to end the Boko Haram insurgency and rescue the Chibok schoolgirls “within six months”.

August 29, 2015: President Buhari meets 90 of the parents of the abducted Chibok girls during which he restated his promise to rescue the girls.

November 30, 2015: President Buhari during a media chat said there is no “credible information” on the whereabouts of the Chibok girls, dashing hopes in their release.

May 18, 2016: One of the abducted Chibok girls, Amina Ali Nkeki, was found with her baby and a man she identified as her husband.

October 13, 2016: Boko Haram releases 21 Chibok girls following negotiations.

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January 5, 2017: Another Chibok girl, Rakiya Abubakar, is found with her baby, which brought to 23 the number of the abducted girls to have regained freedom.

May 2017: Another 82 girls are released in exchange for five Boko Haram commanders. Later that month, Boko Haram released a video in which a woman in a black veil claiming to be one of the Chibok girls brandishes a gun and proclaims loyalty to the group.

December 30, 2020: The Chibok community demands the release of the remaining schoolgirls in Boko Haram captivity.

February 18, 2018: Nearly 110 schoolgirls are kidnapped by Boko Haram terrorists in Dapchi town of Yobe State.

February 20, 2018: The Nigerian government confirms that 110 schoolgirls are missing.

February 21, 2018: The Yobe State government announces the rescue of some of the girls and says they are with the army.

February 22, 2018: The Yobe government retracts the statement and apologises for misleading the public, saying “No girl was rescued.”

February 23, 2018: President Buhari calls the abduction of schoolgirls in Dapchi a ‘national disaster’.

February 25, 2018: The Nigerian Air force announces the deployment of aircraft and additional personnel for search and rescue missions.

March 9, 2018: Women hold a protest in Abuja three weeks after the abduction of the Dapchi schoolgirls.

March 12, 2018: President Muhammadu Buhari announces plan to negotiate the girl’s release, rather than use military force.

March 14, 2018: Mr Buhari makes first visit to Dapchi, assuring parents of the missing schoolgirls that the government will rescue the students.

March 20, 2018: Amnesty International claims Nigerian Army ignored repeated warnings of an attack on Dapchi town, hours before the abductions.

March 21, 2018: The Nigerian government announces that 104 of the 110 schoolgirls have been freed.

December 11, 2020: Suspected gunmen attack Government Boys Science Secondary School in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State and abduct over 300 students.

December 16, 2020: Parents and guardians of the abducted schoolboys in Kankara said they were disappointed with President Buhari and Governor Aminu Masari, who they said had failed to ensure security in the state.

December 17, 2020: The abducted Kankara students regain freedom.

December 18, 2020: The United States (U.S.) condemns the abduction of students, urging the Nigerian government to hold kidnappers accountable.

February 17, 2021: Suspected bandits abduct 27 students and 15 others at Government Science School, Kagara in Niger State.

February 17, 2021: The federal government promises to take ‘political and military’ steps to secure the release of college students.

February 17, 2021: The Nigerian Army said its troops were in ‘hot chase’ of the bandits behind the abductions in Kagara.

February 19, 2021: The governor of Niger State said negotiation for the release of the abducted persons is at the final stage.

February 24, 2021: Kidnappers demanded ransom from victims’ parents and warn that the students may starve to death if the ransom is not paid quickly.

February 25, 2021: The governor of Niger State said the Nigerian government is not ‘helping’ in the rescue of the abducted persons.

February 26, 2021: Bandits kidnap 317 female students of Government Girls Secondary School Jangebe, Zamfara State in an early morning raid on their school.

February 26, 2021: The Zamfara State government confirms the abduction.

February 26, 2021: The police confirm that 317 schoolgirls were abducted in Jangebe.

This kidnapping of girls have being going on for years and years to come .And even if the media hasn’t put enough light on this. I remember living in the north in Nigeria. Pls send your prayers.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/africa/beaten-with-guns-freed-nigerian-schoolgirls-recount-kidnap-ordeal-1.4498945

 Pls reblog

[alabingo]

APC has no senatorial candidate in Yobe north, Akwa Ibom north west - INEC

APC has no senatorial candidate in Yobe north, Akwa Ibom north west – INEC

By our reporter| The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday said the All Progressives Congress (APC) has no candidate for Yobe North and Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial Districts. Senate President Ahmed Lawan, who represents Yobe North is battling to get the party’s ticket after losing the APC presidential primary. A former Akwa Ibom governor Godswill Akpabio and immediate…

[mystackrock]

No APC Senatorial Candidate In Yobe North, Akwa Ibom North West - INEC

No APC Senatorial Candidate In Yobe North, Akwa Ibom North West – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says the All Progressives Congress (APC) has no candidate for Yobe North and Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial Districts. Senate President Ahmed Lawan, who represents Yobe North is battling to get the party’s ticket after losing the APC presidential primary. On the other hand, a former Akwa Ibom governor Godswill Akpabio is also in a tussle to…

[youthsloadedmedia]

Buni: Tinubu/shettima Ticket Is Victory For APC

Buni: Tinubu/shettima Ticket Is Victory For APC

Buni: Tinubu/shettima Ticket Is Victory For APC Yobe state Governor, Hon. Mai Mala Buni, has congratulated the APC Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for the choice of a worthy Vice Presidential candidate, Sen. Kashim Shettima. The Governor who was the former Chairman APC Caretaker Committee, described the Tinubu/Shettima ticket as a victory ticket for the party. He said the…

[hardynwa]

Uzodinma, 14 other governors under scrutiny for LGA Administration breach

At least 15 governors are in breach of Section 7 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, DAILY POST findings have shown. They include Benue, Kwara, Cross River, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Abia, Kogi, Osun, Plateau, Imo, Ondo, Bayelsa, Yobe, Bauchi and Sokoto states. Section 7 of the Constitution aptly provides that “The system of local government by democratically elected local government councils is under this Constitution guaranteed; and accordingly, the government of every state shall, subject to Section 8 of this Constitution, ensure their existence under a Law which provides for the establishment, structure, composition, finance and functions of such councils.” DAILY POST findings show that at the moment, no fewer than 14 governors obtained approvals from their respective state Houses of Assembly and constituted caretaker committees in place of elected chairmen. Late last year, the Senate asked the Federal Government to block statutory allocations to any local government council not democratically elected. The Red Chamber unanimously resolved that this move would deter the dictatorial tendencies of state governors. The resolution was sequel to a motion moved by Sen. Abba Moro on the urgent need to halt the erosion of democracy vis-a-vis the dissolution of elected councils in Benue State. The lawmakers argued that the placement of Caretaker Committees to replace Elected Councils is an aberration, undemocratic and a breach of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). Senator Victor Umeh (representing Anambra Senatorial district), who seconded the motion, lamented that the issue has continued to undermine the local government system in Nigeria. Consequently, the Senate condemned the arbitrary dissolution of democratically elected local government councils in Benue and other federation states. To save the face of Nigeria’s democracy, the Senate urged Alia to adhere to his oath of office, obey the rule of law, review the constitution of caretaker committees, and reinstate the elected councils. But Alia is not alone on this. Many of his colleagues are involved in the said unlawful act. Many concerned Nigerians are worried that despite the clear provision of the constitution and even court judgements, the governors have continued to observe that section in breach. Several court pronouncements have held that the use of caretaker committees was in conflict with section 7(1) of the 1999 constitution. However, even some of the governors who used the conduct of local government elections as part of their campaign promises, reneged once they got elected into office. This is not the first time efforts have been made to preserve the constitutional roles of the local government councils. It could be recalled that former president Muhammadu Buhari had at a time signed an executive bill mandating the direct payment of statutory allocation to the state judiciary, legislature and the local government councils. Till date, many state governors are hellbent on running the council areas with caretaker committees. Evidence of corporate malfeasance is said to abound in the handling of LG funds by many governors, with the local government chairmen always crying in silence for fear of victimization. The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, does not agree less. Like many other Nigerians, it is worried over the level of financial sleaze being perpetrated with the local government system. In a Freedom of Information, FOI, request signed by SERAP’s deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation is urging the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to investigate the actual disbursement and spending of federal allocations meant for local governments in the states and the FCT since May 1999. SERAP also agreed that the governors pocket a larger chunk of the money allocated to the LGAs on a monthly basis. It expressed sadness that “allegations of corruption and mismanagement of federal allocations meant for local governments have contributed to widespread poverty, underdevelopment and lack of access to public goods and services in several states. “According to our information, the 36 states in Nigeria and the federal capital territory, Abuja, have collected over N40 trillion federal allocations meant for the 774 local governments areas in the country and FCT. “SERAP notes that former president Muhammadu Buhari recently alleged that state governors routinely pocket or divert federal allocations meant for local governments areas in their states. “According to Buhari, ‘If the money from the Federation Account to the State is about N100 million, N50 million will be sent to the chairman but he will sign that he received N100 million. The chairman will pocket the balance and share it with whoever he wants to share it with.’” However, many Nigerians, including the Senate, feel the time has come for the federal government to take decisive action against the recalcitrant governors. Some observers say the Houses of Assembly deserve more knocks as they aid and abet the illegality instead of chastising the governors. Professor Frank Asogwa of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUT, has strong words for the governors. The professor of law described the action of the state chief executives as an affront to the constitution, stressing that it stifles democracy. “It is not just unconstitutional but illegal in the sense that the Supreme Court has made a pronouncement on that issue and declared caretaker committees of local government areas illegal,” he told DAILY POST in an interview. Asogwa added that, “If you do not have a democratically elected local government system, then you are in breach of Section 7, which says that a democratically elected system of local government must at all times be maintained. “You cannot have democracy at the federal level, democracy at the state level and fail to also have democracy at the third tier of government, even though as an academic I don’t believe there is a third tier of government. “There are just two tiers- federal and state governments, because the other one is an appendage of state, that is why the constitution said a democratically elected local government system must be assured by who- by the state government. “That’s why the state governor appoints the chairman of the state electoral commission and this chairman in consultation with the governor, who is the chief executive, determines when, how and if local government elections will be held. “So, it is not right actually because it stifles democracy at that level. “Elections at the federal and state levels do not depend on the whims and caprices of who is the head of state, the president of Nigeria or who is the governor. “There is an independent umpire we know as INEC that organises elections for both federal and state. So, why is SIECs not that independent to say after two years, depending on the state, we are going to conduct an election in the local government?” The university don, who served as commissioner for local government during the administration of ex-governor Sullivan Chime in Enugu State, equally blamed the sad development on governors’ desire to divert funds meant for the local governments. He said, “The other reason which is not always spelt out is that the governors who don’t hold elections find it convenient to divert local government funds. “There has been so much talk about the autonomy of the local government, not just in terms of exercise of power, but autonomy in terms of budgetary provisions and allocations coming straight from the FAAC. “But some governors opposed it; they don’t want it, because it is convenient for them that the money comes into a central purse and then they decide what goes to the local governments; for some, they allow the funds go to the local governments and determine how much they pay back to the state coffers and they call it joint account or whatever, which is unconstitutional. “The constitutional thing is what I did when I was commissioner for local government in Enugu State. The law established the State Economic Planning Commission. “All the local government chairmen are supposed to be members because the law is there; I was there as a member of that commission by virtue of my portfolio as local government commissioner; we had the commissioner for finance, the commissioner for works, we had commissioner for planning Enugu State and other commissioners who were relevant to the development of the local government system. “At that level, we took decisions on projects affecting local governments; that was how the Nike-Ugwuogo-Opi-Ikem Road was built, because Nsukka, Isi-Uzo and Enugu East Local Government contributed 10 per cent of the fund for the building of that road and the state government contributed 70 per cent. “I did a memo to the state executive council that time suggesting this ratio and it was approved. “If any governor is sincere about local government funds, he should go through the Economic Planning Commission, where the local government chairmen are also members and introduce projects. “So many governors are reluctant to remove their grip on the local government system in spite of what the constitution says. “In different fora, I have asked this question to state representatives- how would you feel if the federal government strangles the state governments the way they are doing the local system? And they have no answer.” He, however, said the Senate motion was not enough to end the illegal activities of the governors. According to him, “the Senate should back it up with a law; the local government system is a creation of law so you cannot by resolution dictate what should happen to them. It will be illegal also to do so; two wrongs cannot make a right. “If the National Assembly feels very strongly about what the governors are doing, let somebody propose a bill which should be passed at both the Senate and the House of Representatives. “It’s just like local government autonomy, let them have a strong law backing it up. When that happens, a local government can challenge a governor if he does anyhow, but they cannot do it now for fear of being removed. “In my conclusion, I repeat that the practice of not holding local government elections is unconstitutional, it is illegal and an affront to democracy in this country.” Also Airing his views, a former member of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Chinedu Nwamba told DAILY POST that it was wrong for governors to remove elected chairmen and councillors merely because they are not from the same political party. He equally said the conduct of local government elections was mandatory except in special circumstances. While using Enugu as a case study, Nwamba said, “there is a court order, for other states, I don’t know what the problem is. “But in Enugu, from the time of Sullivan Chime, there has always been elected local government chairmen, it only happened in a few cases during the Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi administration when there was a little break and they had caretaker for a few months and after that, election was conducted. “I’m sure the incumbent governor will also conduct local government elections. “Coming to other states, I don’t know the reasons given to the Houses of Assembly to expressly approve caretaker committees; their own case might be different from that of Enugu. “Another school of thought says the governors may want to be in control of the funds of the local governments and that is why they are using caretaker, because once there are elected chairmen and councillors, the councillors now approve the budget of the local government. “The constitution said the state government through the House of Assembly should supervise the local governments but that should not amount to non-conduct of elections; they also have a joint account, which is JAAC; apart from that, I will say that the local government should fully be on their own, that is where the lacuna is.” He also said the dissolution of elected chairmen by new governors was equally illegal. “It is totally unconstitutional and the Houses of Assembly should not approve of it; if an elected local government chairman is in office and a governor comes in, maybe they are not from the same political party, and the governor dissolves them, it is not right. “There are reasons for an elected chairman to be removed and there are procedures and measures. It is either through impeachment, resignation by himself or he got another appointment. “So, it is not constitutional to remove an elected chairman or councillor just because the person is not in the same political party with the governor.” On his part, a rights activist, Barr Olu Omotayo accused the various state Houses of Assembly of promoting illegality. Omotayo, the President of the Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network, CRRAN, said the state lawmakers err in law when they approve caretaker committees for governors despite the clear provisions of the constitution and the Supreme Court judgements. The lawyer was concerned that the state lawmakers who should sanction the governors for breaching Section 7 of the Constitution were the same ones approving the illegal caretaker committees. He advocated for citizens’ awareness and action. According to him, “some of these things, the citizens have concentrated so much attention on the federal unlike in advanced countries, where people focus more on the grassroots “So, the mentality over the years, we used to focus on the federal government without asking questions, forgetting that development only comes from the grassroots. “Democracy was brought, this federalism was brought so that from the grassroots it goes up, but we are turning it upside down, we believe it is from up to down. “And the American model we are using, it is from down you go up; many people in America don’t even know who is their president but they know their councillor; if they have any complaint, they go to their councillor. “Until we change that mentality and start asking questions, local governments will not function. “It is a constitutional provision; postponing elections when there is a constitutional provision that there must be local government is a grave infraction on the constitution. “Only that the citizens have not been living up to expectations in this democracy; the constitutional provision is mandatory, the democratically elected local governments must be there. “When you postpone elections, who will be operating? The Supreme Court has ruled that caretaker committees they are appointing are unknown to law. “You cannot continue illegality in a democracy and think that things will work well.” On the role of the state lawmakers, Omotayo said, “whatever they are doing is illegal because if the constitution says there must be elected local government, if they make a law or approvals contradictory to the constitution, the position of the law is that the constitution must prevail. “Whatever law they make is null and void to the extent of its inconsistency with the constitution. So, whatever they are making is unlawful and unconstitutional.” Reinforcing this stand, the President of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, Ambali Akeem Olatunji, identified corruption as the primary impediment to the realisation of local government autonomy in the country. Olatunji, who spoke during his visit to Taraba State attributed the resistance to change to those benefiting from corruption. He emphasised that the persistent challenges in local government administration stem from certain political actors in states who engage in the pilfering, diversion, and theft of local government allocations. He also identified a flaw in the 1999 Constitution, which he said placed the local government areas under the state Houses of Assembly. He accused state legislatures of being coerced by various state governments to enact illegal laws. Highlighting the constitutional guarantee of democratically elected leaders, Olatunji denounced the appointment of caretakers. He said, “NULGE is now advocating for federal intervention in states that refuse to conduct local government elections. “We are proposing the seizure of local government allocations by the federal government.” He said salaries should be directly deposited into workers’ accounts using the National Identification Number, NIN. DAILY POST reports that some of the states running the local government councils with elected chairmen include- Ebonyi, Enugu, Delta, Kaduna, Adamawa, Niger, Nasarawa, Lagos, Ogun, Yobe, Kebbi, Jigawa, Katsina, Kano, Rivers, Oyo, Edo, Delta, Borno and Ekiti. Below are some of the governors who seem unwilling to conduct council polls: ANAMBRA Anambra is one of the worst states in terms of non-conduct of local government elections. No wonder the people of the state were delighted when the incumbent governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, while campaigning for the position in 2021, promised a speedy conduct of elections at the grassroots. The last local government election in the state was held during the twilight of the Peter Obi administration in January 2014. Many had blamed him for remembering to do so only when his administration was winding up, but at least he did. For eight years, former governor, Chief Willie Obiano failed to conduct the election, heightening the quest for it. During the last governorship election in the state, it was obvious that only one who supported the conduct of the election may get the people’s votes. Prof Soludo cashed in on that. He promised that if elected, the local government election would be one of his priorities. On March 17, Soludo will be two years in office. There has been constant prodding by opposition parties for the governor to hold election, but many believe that there is nothing on ground to show that Soludo is ready for it. While there is no constituted electoral body, the lawmaker representing Awka South 1 constituency in the House of Assembly, Henry Mbachu, during the presentation of the 2024 budget, lamented the absence of budgetary allocation for the conduct of LG polls. He said: “Going through the budget estimate presented, it is glaring that there are no intentions of conducting LGA elections next year (2024). “On page 475, the budget for the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission for this current year was N89,120,000, while the projected estimate for the incoming year is N129,120,000. “You find out that there’s no feasibility or readiness for local government elections for the incoming year. I worry so much because this tier of government has suffered so much because of a lack of local government elections.” Meanwhile, a human rights activist, Mr Kenechukwu Kodili, who spoke to DAILY POST, lamented that Soludo was already disappointing the people by reneging on the conduct of local government elections in the state. He said: “For close to two years of being the governor, all he (Soludo) does is renew the tenure of the caretaker local government chairmen every three months. “That was not what he promised the people. He was himself elected into the governorship seat, he should also conduct elections to elect local government chairmen, not to keep renewing the appointment of those he appointed.” KWARA For the past four years, the Kwara State government has administered local government areas with caretaker committees. It could be recalled that the democratically-elected council chairmen were sacked in 2019 by the All Progressives Congress-led government, triggering a legal dispute that terminated at the Supreme Court. Read the full article

[areamediabase]

I won’t step down for Lawan, says winner of APC Yobe north senatorial ticket

I won’t step down for Lawan, says winner of APC Yobe north senatorial ticket

I won’t step down for Lawan, says winner of APC Yobe north senatorial ticket   Bashir Sheriff Machina, All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Yobe north senatorial election, says he will not step down for Senate President Ahmad Lawan.   Lawan contested the ruling party’s presidential ticket but lost to Bola Tinubu, former governor of Lagos.   Machina said he has been approached by some…

[crimechannels]

By • Olalekan Fagbade Group slams Atiku’s aide for accusing Vice-President Shettima of aiding Boko Haram MlThe Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has slammed Mr Phrank Shuaibu, an aide to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar for accusing Vice-President Kashim Shettima of aiding and abetting Boko Haram insurgents during his tenure as governor of Borno. Shuaibu had on Sept. 8 accused Shettima of aiding and abetting the insurgents during his tenure as governor of Borno. He specifically accused him of aiding the abduction of the Chibok girls. But, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, Executive Director, MURIC said in a statement on Monday in Abuja that the allegations were false, malicious, odious and insidious. “We are confounded both by the weight and intensity of these allegations, particularly against a sitting vice president. They are false, malicious, odious and insidious. They are simply lies from the pit of Jahannam. “Somebody must have locked the medulla oblongata of Shaibu and thrown the key away, otherwise he would not turn the pages of history upside down the way he has just done. How could any rational being accuse VP Shettima of aiding Boko Haram? “It is on record that former President Goodluck Jonathan threatened to withdraw federal troops from Borno when Shettima as the state governor complained of a glaring lackadaisical approach from the federal government to the Boko Haram saga. ‘’He asked if Shettima would be able to stay in the government house if he withdrew federal troops,’’ he said. Akintola added: “Jonathan’s exact words were, ‘I will pull them out for one month whether he (Shettima) will stay in that his Government House. But, if he thinks what he said is correct then I will pull out the armed forces for one month. “Shettima had complained to the visiting president that Boko Haram was gaining the upper hand in the region because Nigerian soldiers are not well armed. But an angry Jonathan gave him the cold response above. ‘’It was more than a response. It was a threat. It was like, ‘Behave, or I will unleash them on you. “We affirm that Shettima’s complaint was meant to attract better equipment for Nigerian soldiers so that they would be able to confront Boko Haram fighters more effectively.’’ ‘’We are of the humble opinion that a governor who is aiding the insurgents would not make such a request, instead, he would have joined the indifferent camp of looters of funds meant for the purchase of weapons for Nigerian soldiers. Shaibu’s allegation against VP Shettima is therefore frivolous, mischievous and lactiferous. “Of course events later proved Shettima right as reports of the 2.1 million dollars arms fund investigation later revealed that indeed Nigerian soldiers were deprived of weapons and money meant to buy them was shared among Jonathan’s party men. “We are equally miffed by Shuaibu’s allegation that Shettima aided the kidnapping of the Chibok girls. It is on record that former President Jonathan refused to act for nineteen (19) days after the abduction of the poor girls’’. ‘’It is therefore the zenith of mischief for Atiku’s aide to accuse Shettima of involvement in the ugly incident. “Official duplicity cannot be totally ignored. For example, in the case of Dapchi where 110 girls were abducted, the governor of Yobe at the time alleged that soldiers were withdrawn a week before the attack “MURIC admonishes Shuaibu to look elsewhere for those responsible for lapses in the attack on the Chibok girls. We have no doubt that he does not have to look far, behind his shoulders, perhaps.”(NAN)

[latestupdates2022]

Tinubu: Security will be top priority if I become president

Tinubu: Security will be top priority if I become president

Tinubu: Security will be top priority if I become president Former governor of Lagos and All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential hopeful, Bola Tinubu has stated that he will make the provision of security his major priority if he is elected as president. This was made known over the weekend by Tinubu when he visited Borno and Yobe states to consult with APC delegates on his presidential…

[newsieevents]

2023 presidency: Orji Kalu betrayed Igbo cause, says Edwin Clark Elder statesman and former Federal Information Commissioner, Chief Edwin Clark, has called out former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, describing him as a “traitor” and "betrayer" of his ethnicity, the Punch reports. The nonagenarian, while accusing Kalu of betraying the Igbo cause, noted that Kalu was one of the oldest vocal frontline politicians in the South-East, but, he doubted his sincerity and transparency. Clark, therefore, called on southeast leaders to “sanction any of their sons or daughters trying to betray them, otherwise, your case will be jeopardized from your home.” He expressed his surprise to see that not only did Kalu drop his ambition to contest the 2023 Presidential election, he went ahead to declare his support for the Presidential ambition of the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, from Yobe State in North East "on puerile and misinformed reasons that only South-East and North-East has not produced civilian Head of State in Nigeria . In a statement he titled, "Senator Orji Uzor Kalu is the betrayer of his ethnicity,”, Clark took Kalu to the cleaners. His statement read, “Recently, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, publicly announced to Nigerians that he will drop his Presidential ambition if the Presidential seat was not zone to the South East. He even went to the extent of floating an organization known as Njiko Igbo Movement, whose purpose is to help secure the Presidential seat for a Nigerian citizen of Igbo extraction, Because an Igbo has only held the position of a Head of State for 6 months since Nigeria’s Independence. “The Movement has branches and support groups throughout the Diaspora. Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, launched the organization together with former Nigerian Senator, Emmanuel Onwe, a human rights advocate and lawyer, earlier based in the United Kingdom. “Unexpectedly, the same Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, did not only drop his ambition to contest the Presidential election but also declared his support for the Presidential ambition Distinguished Senator, Ahmad Lawan, from Yobe State in North East on puerile and misinformed reasons that ..... Read More On www.newsie https://www.instagram.com/p/Cdb1rxuhHoj/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[newshubnaija]

Ovation as Buni returns to Yobe

Ovation as Buni returns to Yobe

The former caretaker chairman of the All Progressives Congress and the governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, was on Thursday welcomed with a resounding ovation by a mass of people as he returned to the state. Buni returned to his state a day after officially handing over office to the newly elected Chairman of… Read More