Impeachment Of Rivers’ Majority Leader, 4 Others Won’t Stand – Gov Fubara

Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara has declared the removal of the majority leader of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Edison Ehie, and four other lawmakers as “null and void.”  Earlier on Monday, the police fired tear gas to ward off protesters who were clamouring for the impeachment of the governor. The crisis in the state Assembly escalated after the House leader was ousted. A portion of the Assembly Complex was also gutted by fire. Reacting to the development, Fubara said the removal of the five lawmakers would not be recognized.  He further said that security operatives allowed arsonists to launch an attack on the assembly complex the previous night, resulting in extensive damage to the property. 

As Nigeria Turns 63: No Quick Road To Nirvana

The President in his Independence Day speech on Sunday 1st October, painted the picture of a nation bent in the knee by the weight of its challenges but one nonetheless, that remains unbowed and undeterred from the task of building a virile nation worthy of its destiny. The president delivered a balanced, sobering yet hopeful message that Nigerians expect from their president.  He reiterated his commitment to his reform agenda. He rightfully acknowledged the excruciating pain it is imposing on the citizenry, and announced new palliatives to ease it, principally due to fuel subsidy removal and the mind-numbing, wealth-devouring currency devaluation associated with ongoing effort to rejig the foreign exchange mechanism. The president therefore deserves our commendation for delivering a speech which is aimed at giving us a much-needed shot in the arm to bear the pain a little longer, with the hope for a future payoff in a better Nigeria.  It is obvious that the speech writers did a lot of research into past U.S. Presidential state of the union speech particularly JFK and Reagan if one critically examines its tonality, inflection and substance.   However, the President missed a great opportunity to prepare Nigerians for the long haul.  He should have emphasized that given the gargantuan project of rebuilding a badly dilapidated house that his government is taking on, that diligence, patience and long forbearance, not speed must be the watchwords.  The president who was a key player in installing his predecessor who did so much damage to the country might have been uncomfortable to acknowledge that the damage to our country has been long, systemic and all-encompassing.  It would have amounted to accepting his own culpability (directly or indirectly) had the had the courage to admit that neither the political system, the civil service, the civil society, the clergy, religious nor our traditional institutions have been spared from our national rot and decadence. It would have taken tremendous courage for the president to tell the nation that what the country is embarking on is not the kind of patch work that can be done in days. Politicians by their trade after all, are often short term focussed, looking as the clock speeds up to another looming election. Telling the electorate to expect long term pain in the hope of a better future is not a speech that is often associated with practicing politicians.  It is the reason, the “I have a dream speech” was given by Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. and not be a JFK.  No savvy politician will tell the electorate he has gone to the mountaintop and seen a brighter future but that he might not get there with them like King prophetically said in his speech.  For politicians, pain is a dish served in small bites and intermittently.  But if truth be told, Nigerians must face the reality that the road to Nirvana will not be easy nor quick.  We didn’t get to this Hobbesian state of existence by leapfrogging and neither will we get out by it.  Our suffering and pain might endure a long while but without it we have no chance. What we must do is to hold this government’s feet to fire to ensure that it stays focussed, on track and committed to its promises.  This government must also take on this difficult task of holding accountable those who have egregiously plundered our country and pauperized the most vulnerable of us.  There can be no way forward without the atonement for, at the minimum the most egregious sin.  The president himself laid down the marker by singling out in his speech, the ongoing investigation into the CBN and the egregious criminality that was perpetrated by its previous governor.  Yes, it is true that very few if any in the political class can be absolved of culpability in the decimation of our country.  However, the abuses that have been revealed in the management of the CBN are so egregious that they cannot and must not be swept under the carpet.  There must be severe consequences for their criminality even if it amounts to scapegoating.  The many Nigerians whose lives were destroyed and the many who literally lost theirs due to the action of the former governor, deserve and demand it. Happy 63rd Independence Day to us all.

Address good governance, alliance tells ECOWAS leaders

The Alliance for Deepening Democracy (A4DD) has called on leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to take urgent measures to address challenges to democracy principles and good governance in the region in order to stem the scourge of unconstitutional takeover of governments now afflicting some of its member countries. In a statement issued Monday/ in Abuja, the alliance of organizations working to advance democracy in Nigeria, strongly condemned the July 28, 2023 coup in which President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger Republic was removed from power in a military takeover but noted that the failure of leaders in many ECOWAS member states to adhere to the universally accepted norms of democratic practice and good governance principles had become a ready justification for insurgents and coup plotters undermining democratic governance, peace and stability of the region. The Alliance identified some of the challenges to good governance in West Africa as the failure of some leaders to respect constitutional term limits in their countries, the manipulation of electoral processes leading to the emergence of governments with dubious legitimacy from such flawed elections, widespread violation of human rights and constriction of civic space in many countries, the high level of corruption, lack of independence of the Judiciary, and the inability of governments to deliver basic public services to their citizens in countries across the region. Noting that the coup in Niger was the seventh coup attempt and fourth successful military takeover of power in West Africa since 2020, the Alliance said it was deeply concerned that a region that was once celebrated as demonstrating the strongest political will and leadership in advancing democratic governance, peace and stability is now referred to as “the coup belt of Africa”. It said although some of the coups are greeted with jubilations on the streets of the different countries, the reactions were not necessarily informed by the people’s love for military regimes but are frequently motivated by a growing frustration among the people about democratic governance, especially the failure of leaders to meet the collective and individual aspirations of their citizens. Insisting that ECOWAS leaders had a duty to ensure good governance and adherence to sound democratic principles and practices, the Alliance contended that since they have always cited the violation of the region’s Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance as the basis for their zero tolerance for military takeover of governments, it is imperative that they also abide by a key feature of the Protocol, which is the common and universal norms on democratic governance expected of member states through “constitutional convergence”. The Alliance argued that the failure of ECOWAS leaders to address other challenges to good governance and democracy while seeking to take decisive action against coups would only reinforce the impression that they are only interested in ensuring their continued stay in office and have no real desire to promote universally accepted democratic norms and good governance. The Deputy Chairperson of the Steering Committee of the Alliance, Ms Faith Waziri, who is also the Communications Officer of the Women in Politics Forum, said: “Sadly, experience from the past in some of the West African countries under military leadership has demonstrated that the military is no different to the political class they often claim to liberate the people from. Thus, if this dangerous precedent is not curtailed immediately, we are concerned that it may become an uncontrolled trend in the region, putting the freedom of the people at risk.” She said that “While we commend the region’s zero tolerance for military takeover, the conspicuous silence of ECOWAS leaders in the face of violations of the constitutional convergence principles as outlined in the Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Governance has raised legitimacy concerns and doubts over the sincerity of ECOWAS in championing democracy and good governance in the region.”

Alleged Graft: Kaduna Assembly suspends 3 LG chairmen

Kaduna State House of Assembly on Tuesday suspended three local government chairmen over alleged mismanagement of funds meant for projects in their localities. The three local government chairmen are Mr. Mathias Siman (PDP) Kaura, Mr. Nasara Rabo (APC) Kagarko, and Mr. Salasi Musa (PDP), Chikun. The decision followed the submission of an investigation report on the financial activities of five Local Government chairmen, earlier presented to the House. The report, which was presented by the Chairman of the Adhoc Committee, Mrs. Munira Tanimu (Lere East Constituency – APC), was unanimously adopted by the House. Tanimu alleged that the affected chairmen did not adhere to due process in the discharge of their official responsibilities, as provided in Section 35 (23) of the Kaduna State Public Procurement Law, 2016. “Recall that on July 18, 2023, the House mandated the ad-hoc committee on investigation, to as a matter of urgency, investigate the financial activities of five local governments. “This is as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. “The committee thoroughly investigated the financial activities, including the capital and recurrent expenditures of the five local governments, namely, Chikun, Kaura, Kagarko, Soba, and Birnin Gwari before writing its report,” she said. The three chairmen were suspended for six months, pending further investigation, while their Birnin Gwari and Soba counterparts who were absolved of wrongdoing are to maintain their seats. The suspended council’s chairmen were directed to vacate their offices and hand over to their vice chairmen. They were also ordered not to be seen within the vicinity of their local government secretariats, pending the outcome of the investigation. The Speaker of the Assembly, Mr Yusuf Liman, called on all political office holders to desist from embezzling public funds. Liman added that whoever was found wanting would be punished according to the law and without sentiment.