Home Blog Page 3320

Defection: Court Orders 37 APC Lawmakers To Vacate Seats

Editorial
-
0
Defection: Court Orders 37 APC Lawmakers To Vacate Seats

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has asked the 37 Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, lawmakers in the House of Representatives who defected to the All Progressive Congress, APC, to vacate their seats and the House.

Justice Adeniyi Ademola gave the order Monday while delivering judgment in a suit filed against the defected lawmakers by the PDP by the ruling party.

The judge said the lawmakers no longer had any business, morally and legally in the Assembly and so should resign.

“Having perused the arguments of counsel and the constitutional provisions, it is clear and unambiguous that the defendants were sponsored by the PDP and won the election on its platform. It is also the court’s opinion that their tenure has not expired and there is no division in the PDP,” Justice Ademola said.

He added: “The defendants are, therefore, not competent to vote or contribute to any proceedings in the House of Representatives. An order of perpetual injunction is, hereby, ordered, restraining them from altering or attempting to change the leadership of the House of Reps.”

In January 2014, PDP instituted a suit against the defected lawmakers who attempted to cause an alteration in the leadership of the House of Representative.

But the minority leader of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, said they would appeal the judgement which in his view is “a product of error of the court”, at a higher court.

In a statement issued and signed by his personal research assistant, Wasiu Olanrewaju-Smart, the lawmaker said “The judgment is strange and will be appealed; no person can be compelled by law to stay in an association against his or her wishes.”

Gbajabiamila said this negates a fundamental right of association of every citizen that is inalienable, adding that “Section 68 of the constitution has been turned on its head and the error of the court is manifest.”

Al-Jazeera Journalists In Egypt Deny Links With Muslim Brotherhood

Editorial
-
0
Al-Jazeera Journalists In Egypt Deny Links With Muslim Brotherhood

Al-Jazeera reporter Peter Greste accused of supporting the banned Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, has denied any links to the group, saying that he and other journalists from the television network pose no threat to Egypt.

Greste, an Australian, and seven co-defendants are on trial on charges of spreading false news and supporting the blacklisted Muslim Brotherhood movement of deposed Islamist president Mohamed Morsi.

He and fellow journalist Mohamed Fadel Fahmy, a Canadian Egyptian, were arrested on December 29 in a Cairo hotel suite they used as a bureau after their offices were raided by police.

“The idea that I have a connection with the Muslim Brotherhood is frankly preposterous,” Greste, dressed in white prison uniform, told the judges from outside a caged dock.

“I would like to emphasise that we pose no risk to either the state of Egypt or any individual,” he said.

Defence lawyer Mokhles El-Salhy said his clients had been doing their “job professionally and objectively” when they were arrested.

“They were covering violent clashes between protesters and security forces, as were all other channels. They didn’t make it up or fabricate it,” he told journalists before Monday’s hearing.

But prosecutors insist that Greste and fellow jailed Al-Jazeera journalists colluded with the Brotherhood, now designated a “terrorist” group, and falsely sought to portray Egypt in a state of “civil war”.

The has been adjourned to April 10.

Their trial has sparked an international outcry and fuelled fears of a media crackdown by the military-installed authorities.

Confab Delegates Adopts 70% Voting Mode

Editorial
-
0
Confab Delegates Adopts 70% Voting Mode

The ongoing National Conference on Monday adopted 70 per cent majority as the voting mode to be used in arriving at decisions at the conference.

This followed a motion by Iyorchia Ayu, representing the former Senators forum, which was seconded by former Akwa Ibom governor, Obong Victor Attah, representing the former governors’ forum.

The delegates adopted the resolution at the resumption of plenary in Abuja.

Proceedings at the conference were stalled last week as delegates failed to reach consensus on whether or not to adopt 66 per cent or 75 per cent majority as the voting mode on decisions taken at the conference.

The particular issue in contention was Order VI Rule 3 of the Procedure Rule, which provides that any decision in the conference shall be decided by at least a three-quarter majority.

The Rule reads: “Any questions proposed for decision in the conference shall be determined by consensus and when this is not achievable, by a three-quarter majority of the delegates present and voting.”

While some delegates wanted the conventional two-third majority to be adopted in arriving at decisions, others wanted the three-quarter majority to be retained.

This necessitated the setting up of the 50-man consensus group by the delegates, to confer with the principal officers, so as to break the deadlock.

Consequently, the conference adjourned plenary on Wednesday till today, to enable the consensus group and the principal officers engage in wider consultation on the matter.

At the resumed plenary on Monday, the deputy chairman of the conference, Bolaji Akinyemi, presented the report of the outcome of the consultative meeting to the house.

“The committee met on the 25th and 26th March, 2014. Deliberations during these meetings were cordial. Delegates worked in harmony to develop and put into effective use the spirit of consensus building with the national interest at heart. At the conclusion of deliberations, members reached a decision to amend Order VI Paragrapgh 4, XI paragraph 2 and XII paragraph 4 (e) as follows:

“In the case of failure to reach consensus, the matter shall be decided by majority vote of 70 per cent of delegates present and voting. That is the recommendation which that committee is bringing to you, distinguished delegates,” he said.

After his presentation, Akinyemi then called for discussions, but there was overwhelming call for a motion on the recommendation of the consensus group.

Following the unanimous decision of the delegates, Ayu moved for the adoption of the motion and was seconded by Attah and when the motion was put to voice vote, the delegates overwhelmingly chorused “ayes”.

Consequently, the vice-chairman ruled in favour of the motion to adopt 70 per cent majority as the voting mode for the conference.

Blame President Jonathan For Insecurity – Gov Nyako

Editorial
-
0
Blame President Jonathan For Insecurity – Gov Nyako

The governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako, said Sunday that Nigerians should hold the President Goodluck Jonathan administration responsible for all the security challenges in the country including insurgency, oil theft, kidnapping for ransom and armed robbery.

Governor Nyako’s statement came in sharp response to President Jonathan’s remarks on Saturday at a rally held at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium in Bauchi by the north-east zone of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to bring together members of the party and create the enabling environment for healing after the party had experienced a fratricidal crisis.

The President had blamed the security situation in the country’s North-east on the opposition governors in the region whom he said have failed to deliver good governance to the people by depriving them of education and social services.

“The current security challenges are the handiwork of governors in the opposition parties who have not performed. Governors that have not performed created the situation for insurrection, and, instead of facing them, they are talking of bad leadership. The states of Borno and Yobe have not done anything in terms of providing social services to the people… This insurgency is madness and is caused by those who have nothing to offer the people. It is the handiwork of miscreants who recruit illiterates into insurgency,” Jonathan said.

Slamming back at the President, Nyako, through his director of press and public affairs, Ahmad Sajoh, said that “if there is any proof of bad governance, it will be located in the way and manner the President executes his priorities and the kind of statements he and his spokespersons make.”

The governor who was apparently pained by the words of the President, said that state chief executives in the region cannot be held responsible for security challenges which they have no control over, but that blames should go to Jonathan who is the Commander-in-Chief with powers over the armed forces, police and other security agencies.

Nyako said that Jonathan has been misled into believing that his administration has achieved much in the north when in actual fact the average citizen thinks worse of his government.

He also challenged the Presidency to institute an independent professional enquiry into the sources of weapons used by the insurgents, insinuating that the financing may be coming indirectly from the federal government through leakages it has failed to block.

The governor said it amounted to pure blackmail for Jonathan to always blame others for arming the insurgents when all the security, intelligence and diplomatic apparatus are in the hands of the President to deploy in fishing out their sponsors, financiers and strategic commanders of the terrorists.

“We do not have the resources to cover the level of sophistication displayed by the insurgents in their operations. We do not have command over the Military as to deploy them away from strategic targets of the insurgents or allow the insurgents safe passage during curfew hours…moreover, we do not have the moral burden of missing monies not accounted for on our heads as is the case with the Federal Government,’ he said.

The governor said that no matter what the President says or does, his government has failed Nigerians and has turned out to be a “government of impunity by the incompetent for the advancement of corruption”.

“The signs of incompetence are everywhere,” Nyako stressed.

Labour Kicks Against Commercialisation of FG-Owned Media, Privatisation Of Refineries

Editorial
-
0
Labour Kicks Against Commercialisation of FG-Owned Media, Privatisation Of Refineries

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has advised the federal government against the proposed plan to commercialise the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, and the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN.

The labour union also kicked against the privatisation of the countries refineries, saying that the haste with which government seemed determined to sell off public properties under the guise of making them more efficient was alarming.

In a statement signed by its President, Abdulwaheed Omar on Sunday, the NLC said it was disturbed by the announcement by the director-general of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, Benjamin Dikki, that plans had been concluded to privatise the refineries.

Other establishments to be commercialised include the Nigeria Films Corporation, Skypower Catering and Hotels Services, the Commodities and Exchange Commission and National Parks.

The NLC statement said BPE also announced the partial privatisation of the Bank of Agriculture (BoA) and the Bank of Industries (BOI).

The Congress said there was the need for caution because these properties belong to the Nigerian people and as such, proper consultations must be made to ensure that the peoples’ interests are put into consideration.

The NLC reminded that the most recent privatisation which witnessed the unbundling of the country’s electricity sector has not yielded the desired results and electricity supply to consumers has been worsened by it, in spite of the higher tariffs demanded by the new companies.

“Government should not abdicate its social responsibilities by selling off everything that delivers services to the people. This is unwarranted, especially in a country where poverty and unemployment have become endemic, coupled with the collapse of industries,” the congress said.

The NLC noted that while private individuals may be allowed to build and own refineries, government must reactivate, maintain and take full charge of existing public refineries and also build new ones.

It therefore advised the BPE to stop the proposed sales and called on the National Assembly to probe all previous sales and retrieve public properties which may have been sold to private interests.

Reps To Conduct Public Hearing On FCT Parking Policy

Editorial
-
0
Reps To Conduct Public Hearing On FCT Parking Policy

Over a year after the www.icirnigeria.org published an expose on the new park and pay system for motorists in Abuja, the House of Representatives has passed a resolution mandating its committee on the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, to conduct public hearing on the sham policy.

In February last year, www.icirnigeria.org conducted an investigation into the illegal and dubious electronic parking policy which generates revenue for the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, by robbing residents.

Now, the House has decided to investigate the process of the award of contracts and operation of the policy in the territory and its FCT committee is expected to furnish it with its recommendations within three weeks.

The resolution followed a motion moved by Bitrus Kaze (PDP-Plateau), which was unanimously adopted when put to vote by the Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal.

In his motion entitled: “Need to investigate the concession of Park-and-Pay Policy in Abuja Metropolis” Kaze expressed concern over the “harassment and unruly” conduct of agents of the companies in the discharge of their duties.

He said the policy which was introduced in 2012 required motorists to pay fees ranging from N50 and N100 to park their vehicles on designated streets for periods ranging from 30 minutes upwards between 7 a.m. to 7p.m.

He explained that the implementation of the policy was contracted to privately owned companies such as Integrated Parking Systems Limited and Automaten Technik Haumann Limited, whose agents indiscriminately clamped and towed vehicles which could only be reclaimed on the payment of “huge sums” of money.

The lawmaker said the policy had metamorphosed into an avenue of exploitation, fraud and other forms of sharp practice.

He said also that the concession, management and operation of the electronic ticketing and parking regime were being implemented without clear and defined legislation.

Kaze said that the minister of the FCT, Bala Mohammed, had pledged to review the policy following the petitions and outcry of Abuja residents and urged the House to intervene in the matter to instil sanity, integrity and accountability in the implementation of the policy.

Our investigation last year revealed that each of the companies operating the park and pay policy generates between N750, 000 and a million naira daily from issuing parking tickets to motorists in the metropolis but remits little to government coffers.

The investigative report titled “How FCT Robs Residents Through Illegal Parking Policy” revealed that only one of the four companies registered for the business has any experience or track record in e-ticketing or electronic parking.

It was also discovered that the FCT administration operated the policy without any legislation backing it up.

21 Killed In DSS HQ Jail Break Attempt

Editorial
-
0
21 Killed In DSS HQ Jail Break Attempt

No fewer than 21 persons believed to be detained members of the deadly Boko Haram sect were killed in Sunday’s jail break attempt at the Department of State Services, DSS, headquarters in Abuja.

Although there is no official confirmation of the involvement of the group, spokeswoman for the DSS, Marilyn Ogar, confirmed the deaths in a statement after she initially downplayed the event.

Ogar, in a previous statement said that “At 0715 hours, the Service suspect handler went to the detention facility within the Headquarters to feed the suspects. One of the suspects attempted to disarm him by hitting him at the back of his head with his handcuff.”

She said his attempt to escape drew the attention of other guards at the facility who fired some shots to warn and deter others.

However, in a later statement, the DSS spokeswoman confirmed that 21 detainees died while two security men sustained serious injuries.

“It has been established that 18 casualties were recorded, while two service personnel sustained serious injuries. Three other detainees who sustained gunshot injuries during the incident have also died. Meanwhile, (an) investigation is still ongoing to ascertain the immediate and remote causes,” she said.

She added: “What happened at the SSS HQs has nothing to do with the (Presidential) Villa. President Jonathan is safe & well. Thank you for your concern & support.”

It is believed that an operative had against the rules went to the holding cell where Boko Haram insurgents were been detained alone and was successfully disarmed, attacked and injured. The inmates then proceeded to attempt an escape, and in the process got killed.

It is still not known how they got guns with which they engaged security men in a gun battle that residents of the area said lasted several hours.

A visit to the DSS headquarters and the Presidential Villa area Sunday afternoon did not show any indication of any serious breach of security.

However, security was beefed up at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, venue of ongoing 7th meeting of African Finance Ministers and other strategic locations in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

The additional armed men, seen within the vicinity of the hotel, include soldiers, police and officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC.

The armed men were supported by sniffer dogs as they took positions within and outside the hotel.

Security was also beefed up in and around military and other security offices, the Shehu Shagari Road, where the Force Headquarters is located, had been barricaded with armoured personnel carrier, same for the Ministry of Defence, Area 10, Garki, Abuja.

Attempted Jail Break Foiled At SSS Headquarters

Editorial
-
0
Attempted Jail Break Foiled At SSS Headquarters

The Department of State Security has said that an attempted jail break by an inmate its headquarters in Abuja was foiled on Sunday morning.

Earlier media reports had said that sustained gunshots were heard around the DSS headquarters and the entrance to the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock in Abuja, leading to speculations of a possible terrorist attack.

However, a statement by the DSS spokesperson, Marilyn Ogar, explained that the gunshots heard followed attempts by a detainee to disarm his handler and escape and that shots by operatives of the Service and nearby military troops brought the situation under control.

The statement read:

“At 0715 hours, the Service suspect handler went to the detention facility within the Headquarters to feed the suspects. One of the suspects attempted to disarm him by hitting him at the back of his head with his handcuff. His attempt to escape drew the attention of other guards at the facility who fired some shots to warn and deter others.

The gun shots attracted the attention of the military with whom we have an understanding of mutual assistance in the event of any threat. The Army immediately deployed a team to reinforce our perimeter guards to forestall any external collaborators. The situation has since been brought under control.”

According to the agency, the situation has since been brought under control,  but residents of Aso Drive, close to the DSS headquarters, do not believe the account of the Service, especially with the sustained nature of the shooting.

Military patrol vehicles with troops quickly mobilized to the area just as helicopters were deployed to the skies.

However, a visit to the DSS headquarters and the Presidential Villa area in the afternoon did not show any indication of any serious breach of security. Security had not been beefed up either around the agency’s facilities and the gate leading to the Presidential Villa did not witness any extra security activity.

I’ll Be A More Responsible Governor – Fayose

Editorial
-
0
I’ll Be A More Responsible Governor – Fayose

Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the forthcoming June 21 governorship election in Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, who is facing corruption charges in court, is rallying support from party members with the promise to do better as Governor if given a second chance.

Fayose is being tried at the Federal High Court, Ado Ekiti for misappropriating over N400 million between 2003 and 2006 when he was governor of the state.

But, he he said at the national secretariat of PDP in Abuja when he went to collect his certificate of return that his emergence as the party’s candidate was a rare opportunity given by God for him to rule the state again and urged his fellow contestants in the primary to pardon him for whatever they considered as their grievance and support him to reclaim Ekiti for the PDP.

The former governor said his desire to rule the state again was aimed at improving the lot of the people and not to stand on the way of anybody.

“I want them to know that I am Ayo Fayose, 12 years older, more responsible, more experienced and I will listen to them and work with them,” he said.

National chairman of the party, Adamu Mu’azu, urged politicians to lay aside godfatherism and focus their attention on God in their bid to acquire political power.

He said that under his leadership, democracy would be deepened at all levels of the party and congratulated Fayose for emerging as the party’s candidate, while also appealing to those who contested with him to join the party and its candidate to win the election.

“I assure you that under my leadership, not only would we recognise your contributions and efforts, we will also make sure that you are rewarded,” he said.

Muazu expressed hope that PDP would reclaim Government House, Ado-Ekiti, if party members worked hard in unity.

Fayose emerged the party’s candidate at the party’s primary conducted in Ado-Ekiti on March 22.

Only last Thursday, the court in Ado Ekiti insisted that Fayose’s trial must continue, refusing a motion by his counsel to defer proceedings until July to allow the PDP flag bearer concentrate on his election campaign.

He has been facing trial since 2009 for stealing over N400 million belonging to Ekiti State through a bogus poultry scheme and other means.

Six Journalists Win Tobacco Control Reporting Grant

Editorial
-
0
Six Journalists Win Tobacco Control Reporting Grant

The Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, ERA/FoEN, and Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, CISLAC, have announced the six journalists who emerged successful in the second round of the Tobacco Control Investigative Journalism Fellowship.

They include Dayo Aiyetan of the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, ICIR, Franklin Alli of the Vanguard Newspaper and Nkoli Omohudu of the Africa Independent Television AIT.

Others are Ndubuisi Ozilo of Metro FM Lagos, Chinyere Joy Opia of Hot FM Abuja and Chizoba Nwobu of Newswatch Magazine.

Executive director of CISLAC, Auwal Rafsanjani, congratulated the successful journalists, stressing that they have expressed their determination to go beyond the surface activities of the tobacco corporations to “digging out” what have been consistently hidden from the public.

The director, corporate accountability & administration (ERA/FoEN), Akinbode Oluwafemi said that the naming of recipients of the second round of the fellowship “is an indication of our resolve to continue engaging the media in exposing the antics of the tobacco industry.”

The second round of the fellowship was announced on December 5, 2013, calling on practising journalists working with national print, electronic or online media organisations to send in story ideas revolving around Tobacco production and use.

The themes include tobacco farming, tobacco and health, marketing of tobacco to minors, tobacco smuggling, taxation, tobacco industry corporate social responsibility, tobacco prevalence and national tobacco control legislation..

The successful journalists will receive a grant to carry out their investigative pieces.

The fellowship, which is funded by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK), is aimed at building the capacity of the Nigerian media to report tobacco control from an informed perspective and stimulate policies and actions to reduce tobacco use and its deadly toll.

It is also targeted at building and improving the public’s awareness on tobacco control and its related issues.

1...3,3193,3203,321...3,440Page 3,320 of 3,440