Fubara Commends Tinubu for Intervening in Political Crisis

Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has extended his gratitude towards President Bola Tinubu for his decisive intervention in the recent political turmoil gripping the state. In a statement on Monday, Fubara credited Tinubu’s efforts for ushering in a lasting peace amidst the crisis, emphasizing the President’s dedication to the welfare of Rivers State. “With the mantra of our administration being continuity and consolidation, we remain steadfast in delivering the dividends of democracy to our people,” Governor Fubara reiterated.  He expressed profound appreciation for the unwavering support received during the challenging times, both locally and internationally. Acknowledging President Tinubu’s instrumental role, Fubara highlighted the significance of Tinubu’s Presidential Peace Proclamation on December 18, 2023, as a testament to Tinubu’s commitment to fostering enduring peace within the state. “Let me also use this opportunity to express our profound gratitude to our dear President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, His Excellency, President Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, GCFR, for wading into the near-crisis that almost punctuated the prevailing peace in our dear State. “Indeed, by this singular effort, our dear President has demonstrated that he loves Rivers State and cherishes nothing short of a reign of perfect peace in our state with his Presidential Peace Proclamation on the 18th of December 2023”, Fubara said.

Alleged $6.3m CBN looting: Boss Mustapha describes report as malicious, calls for probe

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, has vehemently denied a report alleging his involvement in the alleged illegal withdrawal of $6.3 million from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) during Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. The report, published by an online newspaper, claimed that a special investigator appointed by President Bola Tinubu uncovered the alleged theft, which supposedly occurred on February 8, 2023, weeks before the presidential election. The report further alleged that Mustapha, along with the embattled former CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, authorized the removal of the cash from the bank’s vault under the guise of funding foreign election observer missions. The investigator’s report, as quoted by the publication, claimed CCTV footage captured how the money was moved out of the apex bank. However, Mustapha, in a strongly worded statement made available to journalists on Saturday, categorically refuted the accusations, calling them “outrageous and unsubstantiated.” He described the article as a “malicious fabrication” and an “orchestrated” attempt to assassinate my character and besmirch my reputation.” The former SGF stressed that he lacked knowledge of the purported “Presidential Directive” cited in the report as justification for the withdrawal. He also stated that he was never involved in discussions or transactions related to any payments for foreign election observers. Furthermore, Mustapha questioned the timing of the allegations, pointing to the sensitive pre-Christmas period as a deliberate attempt to exploit public sentiment and sow seeds of doubt. The former SGF demanded a thorough and transparent investigation into the matter, urging the authorities to probe the source of the fabricated documents and expose those behind the “smear” campaign.” Mustapha also appealed to the public and media to exercise critical thinking and not succumb to misinformation. Part of his response reads: “The article hinges on the dubious premise of forged documents and a misleading narrative. It claims that $6.3 million was withdrawn from the CBN vaults based on a purported “Presidential Directive” bearing the signature of President Buhari. This document, unsurprisingly, has not been presented for public scrutiny. In fact, I have no knowledge of such a directive, nor was I ever involved in any discussions or transactions regarding the alleged payment to foreign election observers. “I demand a thorough and transparent investigation into this matter. Let the relevant authorities probe the source of these fabricated documents and expose those responsible for this malicious attempt to damage my reputation. I have nothing to hide and welcome any legitimate investigation that sheds light on the truth. “Throughout my career in public service, I have always upheld the highest standards of integrity and ethical conduct. I have served with dedication and transparency, and my record speaks for itself. I will not allow this baseless and defamatory attack to go unchallenged. I will defend my reputation vigorously and ensure that the truth prevails. “This is not just about me; it is about upholding the integrity of public service and safeguarding the reputation of those who have served this country with honour. I trust that the Nigerian people will see through this orchestrated attack and recognize it for what it truly is: a desperate attempt to silence a voice of reason and integrity.”

Breaking: Rivers elders drag Tinubu, Fubara, INEC, others to court

Six elders from the Rivers State, have instituted a legal action against President Bola Tinubu, for allegedly compelling Governor Siminilaya Fubara, to enter into an unconstitutional agreement, signed December 18. The matter before the Federal High Court, Abuja, maintained that the agreement was not only illegal but amounted to an usurpation, nullification, and undermining of the extant/binding relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution, as amended The suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1718/2023, mentioned the Rivers State House of Assembly representing Bonny State Constituency, Victor Jumbo, are Senator Bennett Birabi, Senator Andrew Uchendu, Rear Admiral O. P. Fingesi, Ann Kio Briggs and Emmanuel Deinma as the Plaintiffs. Specifically they want the court to, among other things, determine whether President Tinubu, Governor Fubara, and the Rivers State Assembly have the rights and are entitled to enter into any agreement that has the effect of nullifying or undermining the constitutional/legal potency of the provisions of Section 109(I)(g) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended. They contended that neither President Tinubu nor Governor Fubara has the statutory powers to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from conducting fresh elections to replace the 27 Rivers State lawmakers. The said lawmakers defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC. Others are the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Governor Fubara, the Rivers Assembly, Speaker of the Rivers State Assembly, and the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.

Enugu Guber: Supreme Court Upholds Mbah’s Victory

The Supreme Court of Nigeria, Friday, affirmed the election of Peter Mbah as the governor of Enugu State. The Apex Court aligned with the decisions of the court of appeal Lagos and that of the Enugu state Election Petition Tribunal which upheld the election of Mbah as governor. The five-man panel of the justices, lead by Justice Muhammed Garba, resolved the issues canvased by the appellant who is the candidate of Labour Party (LP) Mr. Edeoga Chijioke Jonathan against him. The Labour Paper(LP) candidate has prayed that, Mbah was not qualified to participate in the election because he failed the basic eligibility test by filing a forged NYSC discharge Certificate under oath. They also contested that the election was not conducted in substantial compliance with the Electoral Act, with respect to the non-use of BVAS machines for accreditation, inter-changing of LP’s results in 19 PUs at the Ward Collation Centre in Udenu LGA , electoral violence and. Also, that the election result was not counted in accordance with the law due to over-voting, wrong tabulations especially in Mbah’s Owo Ward and Ugbawka 1 Ward, both of Nkanu East LGA, etc. At the court of Appeal, sitting in Lagos, led by Tani Yusuf-Hassan, the appallate court held that the Labour Party (LP) and its governorship candidate failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove that Mr Mbah was not qualified to contest the election. On the allegation of over-voting, Mrs Hassan said in her lead judgement that voters’ registers were not presented before the lower tribunal. She, therefore, ruled that the appeal failed because the petitioners failed to submit the voters’ registers for the disputed areas to substantiate the over-voting allegation. The court also determined that the witnesses presented by the Labour Party did not sufficiently prove the existence of over-voting in the governorship election. Consequently, the court dismissed the case for lacking in merit and upheld the judgement of the election tribunal, which had earlier affirmed INEC’s declaration of Mr Mbah as the winner of the 18 March governorship election. Moreso, the Supreme Court on the issue of non qualification of Governor Mbah, held that, the allegations by Jonathan have laid without proof at all and liable to be truck out. “There is merit in the argument of the appellant and lacks merit.” On the complain of lack of proper evaluation or counting of results in accordance with the law by the appellant, the court held that, the Tribunal was right to hold that the evidences were merely hearsay as they are not substantiated. “The Appeal lacks merit and the decision of the of appeal is affirmed in its entirety.” The Court held. “All parties bear their respective costs.” The Court added. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Governor Mbah as winner of the governorship election with 160,895 votes. Mr Edeoga of the LP came second with 157,552 votes, while Frank Nweke of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) polled 17, 983 votes to place third. Dissatisfied with the results, Mr Edeoga and his party filed a petition, challenging Mr Mbah’s victory, asking that he should be declared as winner on the grounds that he and the party, polled the highest number of valid votes. Counsel to Governor Mbah Mr. Damian Dodo SAN while reacting on the judgment said it was in line with the law.

INEC Releases Timetable for Bye-Elections and Court-Ordered Re-Run Elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has unveiled its comprehensive timetable and schedule of activities for upcoming bye-elections and court-ordered re-run elections across various constituencies in Nigeria. This was contained in a release signed by Mr. Sam Olumekun, National Commissioner & Chairman, Information Voter Education Committee in Abuja. The vacancies, arising from the resignation or demise of Members of the National and State Houses of Assembly, have been declared by the Presiding Officers, including the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Speakers of State Houses of Assembly. These electoral vacancies span two Senatorial Districts, four Federal Constituencies, and three State Constituencies, affecting nine States of the Federation. The commission according to the release is set to conduct re-run elections as directed by various Election Petition Appeal Tribunals, encompassing 35 Constituencies resulting from the 2023 General Election. While three cover entire constituencies, others involve select Polling Units. The simultaneous conduct of both categories of elections is scheduled to occur on Saturday, 3rd February 2024, in all affected constituencies. To ensure transparency and accessibility, the Commission has uploaded the Timetable for the elections and detailed delimitation data, including registration areas, polling unit names, the number of registered voters, and PVCs collected, on its official website and social media platforms. INEC emphasizes the importance of political parties and candidates adhering strictly to the specified timelines for the seamless conduct of these elections. For further details, the timetable, and other election-related information, visit the INEC website and official social media channels.

Bongos Ikwue: Ofu K’Idoma, Abuja Celebrates the Legend

Intended to be another party to celebrate the end of what was for many Nigerians a difficulty year, the members Ofu K’Idoma Development Association, Abuja and their families got the value of two for the price of one as the gathering assumed a different charge upon the arrival of music icon and living legend, Mr. Bongos Ikwue. Sensing the mood of the reveling crowd the Disc Jockey (DJ) played several memorable tunes of the music icon that is noted for his soul searching and nostalgic classics. In a magical transfiguration, the once noisy and busy crowd of families exchanging pleasantries and banter coalesced into a dance troupe of some sort miming, dancing and milling around Mr. Ikwue who was seated at the centre of the large crowd of dancers. Ofu K’Idoma Development Association is a socio-cultural group comprising the crème de la crème of Idoma sons and daughters domicile in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Apart from gathering to create a bond of unity and taking care of members in need, the association focuses more on in indigent members of the Idoma community in the entire Benue South or Zone ‘C’. The 2023 end of year party was chaired by Mr. Sonny T. Echono, the Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TERTFUND). The fun atmosphere notwithstanding, the organisers of the party did not fail to take advantage of the large gathering of both the young and old to pass a message or two about life opportunities and challenges. In a brief remark, the Chairman appreciated Mr. Ikwue for accepting the invitation to grace the occasion. He also advised young Nigerians to always have a clear vision about their purpose in life. He urged the young adults at the event to emulate the good example of the music legend by daring to dream and living their dreams. He also enjoined members with the means, to grant others a helping hand at their times of need. He also made a token donation as seed money for a capacity building initiative in support of the youth. Now 81, Bongos Ikwue, in his custom soft, soothing velvet voice advised the audience to always be prayerful in all of life’s quest. Apart from the members, who are accomplished professionals in the private sector and public service, the armed forces, business and academia, the gathering witnessed a deluge of other notable Idoma people who came as invited guests. The Chairman of the Association, Mr. Emmanuel Abechi in an address of welcome informed the gathering that the Ofu K’Idoma end of year party holds every other year, in alternate sequence with the community development year. During the latter period, the association selects a number of projects for intervention at the home front. The Association had intervened in the areas of healthcare delivery, oil palm plantation, provisioning for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), social mobilization and political awareness; just to mention a few.

Why I Don’t Have NYSC Certificate Despite Serving Nigeria – Sowore

Omoyele Sowore, the AAC presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, has revealed the tough and rough journey he faced during his university days marked by activism at the University of Lagos (UNILAG). This resulted in his expulsion twice due to his staunch advocacy for human rights. Speaking at THE PUNCH’s 50th anniversary and the launch of “Our Punch Years” book, Sowore recounted his challenging academic experience and the subsequent denial of his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate despite completing the mandatory service year. Recalling his tenure at UNILAG, Sowore emphasized the pivotal role played by media outlets like Punch Newspaper and Vanguard in supporting their cause during his expulsion struggles.  He spent six years instead of the usual four at the university due to these confrontations. Regarding his NYSC service in Adamawa State, he detailed how he was arrested and detained by the military under the regime of Sani Abacha on allegations of plotting to overthrow the government.  This occurred after reporting the death of King Saro Wiwa during his work as a journalist at ATV Yola. Despite completing his service, Sowore was never issued his NYSC certificate.  He credited a Punch reporter, Stanley Yakubu, for bringing attention to his unjust detention, acknowledging that without this intervention, he might have been forgotten and left to perish in the military facility. Reflecting on the ordeal, Sowore asserted that despite not possessing the NYSC certificate, he believes his extensive service and contributions to the country far exceed that of an average corps member. “Till today, I was never given my NYSC certificate. I don’t have my NYSC certificate as I speak, but I don’t need it anymore because I have served the country more than any corps member.”

Federal Government Restores 8,000 Delisted Civil Servants to IPPIS

A whopping 8,000 civil servants previously delisted from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) have been restored to the payment portal. While announcing the decision, the federal government explained that their previous exclusion was due to alleged infractions. The disclosure of their reinstatement came from Mr. Joshua Apebo, the General Secretary of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), during a function in Lagos on Wednesday. Recall that earlier in September, the federal government had removed over 17,000 workers from the IPPIS platform, citing non-compliance with a verification process spanning five years. However, following the intervention of ASCSN, the government, facilitated by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, initiated the verification of the 17,000 civil servants in October. Mr. Apebo highlighted this new development, stating, “As of yesterday (Dec. 19, 2023), over 8,000 delisted civil servants have had their names reinstated on the IPPIS, and the government has pledged to pay their December salary along with three months’ arrears.” Moreover, he mentioned that the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria had submitted a list of committee members to the government for negotiating the minimum wage. The committee, according to Apebo, is set to be inaugurated in January 2024 to commence the negotiation process. “The last minimum wage was inaugurated in April 2019, and the regulation stipulates every five years for a review. By April 2024, it will be five years. Therefore, I hope that the negotiation will be concluded before then,” he affirmed.

US 2024 POLL: Donald Trump Disqualified

By Caroline Ameh The Colorado Supreme Court has barred former President Donald Trump from featuring on the primary ballot for the 2024 US presidential election in Colorado. This ruling, due to his involvement in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, invokes a rarely used constitutional provision preventing individuals engaged in “insurrection or rebellion” from holding public office. This historic ruling, likely to escalate to the U.S. Supreme Court, marks the first instance of a presidential candidate being declared ineligible for the presidency under this constitutional clause. While confined to Colorado’s Republican primary on March 5, the decision could impact Trump’s status for the general election, though forecasters anticipate Colorado to lean Democratic, potentially favoring President Joe Biden regardless of Trump’s ballot status. Trump has swiftly vowed to challenge the ruling at the U.S. Supreme Court, prompting the Colorado court to postpone the implementation of its decision until at least Jan. 4, 2024. This legal battle stands as a crucial test for broader efforts to disqualify Trump from state ballots under section 3 of the 14th Amendment, initially aimed at barring confederacy supporters from government positions post the Civil War. The Colorado court’s majority cited Trump’s role in instigating violence during the Capitol certification of the 2020 election results as grounds for his disqualification, acknowledging the weight of their unprecedented decision. “We do not reach these conclusions lightly,” emphasized the majority justices, underscoring their commitment to impartially apply the law, irrespective of public sentiment. Conversely, Trump’s campaign denounced the court’s decision as “undemocratic,” promising an immediate appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. Initiated by a group of Colorado voters with support from Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, the case contends that Trump should be barred from office for inciting the Capitol attack to disrupt the transfer of power to Biden. Noah Bookbinder, President of CREW, hailed the court’s decision as crucial to safeguarding democracy’s future in the country. While similar attempts in other states have failed, this ruling in Colorado may bolster broader disqualification efforts and potentially escalate to the U.S. Supreme Court. Trump’s legal defense centers on his speech to supporters being protected by free speech rights and argues that the 14th Amendment doesn’t apply to sitting U.S. presidents without a congressional vote for disqualification. Three justices dissented from Tuesday’s ruling, with Justice Carlos Samour highlighting due process concerns, emphasizing the need for procedural fairness before disqualifying an individual from public office. This ruling initiates a consequential legal battle that could redefine the criteria for presidential candidacy and has far-reaching implications for the 2024 election.

Rivers Crisis: Tinubu Meets Fubara, Odili In Aso Rock

President Bola Tinubu is currently holding a private discussion with Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. Fubara arrived at the seat of power accompanied by former Rivers State Governor Sir Peter Odili and other influential figures from the state. The President seems to be intervening to settle the dispute between the governor and his predecessor, Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike. Earlier, Wike was spotted at the State House. Sources from within the presidency confirmed that the meeting might be related to recent events in the state.  This includes the defection of 27 out of 32 members of the State House of Assembly, who are supporters of the FCT Minister, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Before the meeting commenced in earnest, Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima was observed attending the session.