2023: Amaechi Good Presidential Material, Has Received Enough Bullet For APC — Group

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March 25, 2022

President Buhari Rejects State Police Again — President Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has advised operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to avoid being used for partisan politics, or get dragged into personal disputes.

The President gave the advice Friday while speaking at the Unveiling of the EFCC Standard Operating Procedures, Policies and Manuals, at the State House, Abuja.

Buhari, who also cautioned them to resist the temptation of being influenced by political actors for personal gains or to score political points, implored those working in the commission to focus on serving the nation to entrench good governance.

The President commended the performance of the leadership of the EFCC in securing 2,220 convictions within one year and recovering over N152billion and $385m.

He expressed gladness that the war against corruption was being strengthened through the institutionalization of operational procedures as they formed the building blocks of transparency and accountability in administration and public expenditure.

President Buhari, in a statement issued by his spokesman, Femi Adesina, also lauded the EFCC Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, for efforts to further institutionalize the commission by developing 26 Standard Operating Procedures and 25 Policies and Manuals for the Departments, Units and Staff of the Commission.

The President said, “Ladies and Gentlemen, these outstanding feats achieved are being unveiled today and I would like to use this opportunity to encourage other Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government, especially Law Enforcement Agencies to also ensure the standardization of their processes within the extant laws and regulations as provided in our statutes.

“I need not underscore the importance of today’s occasion but let me remind you that the stakes are high but national expectations are higher. Therefore, we must continue to strive and deal decisively with matters in accordance with the rule of law.

“On the part of the Government, we shall continue to accord all necessary support to MDAs in order to ensure the sustainability of the initiatives already commenced in actualizing our vision of a corrupt free society.

“Let me conclude by saying that the fight against economic and financial crimes in Nigeria is a collective responsibility of all Nigerians if we are to make meaningful progress as a nation. I invite you all to fight corruption in all its ramifications and join us to entrench good governance values and integrity within all our systems. As I have often said, “If we do not kill corruption, corruption will kill us as a nation.”

Buhari said the development of the Standards demonstrate the commitment of this administration to the fight against corruption and the acceptance of transparency and willingness to be subjected to scrutiny against set standards by services.

The President assured of a rules-based-system in Government business while providing the necessary enabling environment for effective implementation.

In his remarks, the Chairman of EFCC noted that the institution was undergoing various phases of reforms to reposition it for the task of fighting financial crimes in the country, with production of policies and manuals.

Bawa said departments had been reorganised and upgraded, including intelligence gathering, training and the academic institutions, to meet the demands of the job, adding that a software had been developed for operations, and a mobile app, “The Evil Eye’’, deployed for ease of reporting economic and financial crimes from the comfort of homes.

He said the EFCC already had a five-year strategic plan, 2021-2025, with clear and measurable targets, based on five objectives, which include improving public engagement to fight crimes, systems and processes for prevention, intelligence gathering, prosecution and law enforcement.

“I will lead an agency that will be the pride of our country, Nigeria,’’ he said.

Avoid Being Used For Partisan Politics, Buhari Tells EFCC

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March 25, 2022

President Muhammadu Buhari has advised operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to avoid being used for partisan politics or get dragged into personal disputes.

Avoid Being Used For Partisan Politics, Buhari Tells EFCC — President Buhari

The President gave the advice Friday while speaking at the Unveiling of the EFCC Standard Operating Procedures, Policies and Manuals, at the State House, Abuja.

Buhari, who also cautioned them to resist the temptation of being influenced by political actors for personal gains or to score political points, implored those working in the commission to focus on serving the nation to entrench good governance.

The President commended the performance of the leadership of the EFCC in securing 2,220 convictions within one year and recovering over N152billion and $385m.

He expressed gladness that the war against corruption was being strengthened through the institutionalization of operational procedures as they formed the building blocks of transparency and accountability in administration and public expenditure.

President Buhari, in a statement issued by his spokesman, Femi Adesina, also lauded the EFCC Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, for efforts to further institutionalize the commission by developing 26 Standard Operating Procedures and 25 Policies and Manuals for the Departments, Units and Staff of the Commission.

The President said, “Ladies and Gentlemen, these outstanding feats achieved are being unveiled today and I would like to use this opportunity to encourage other Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government, especially Law Enforcement Agencies to also ensure the standardization of their processes within the extant laws and regulations as provided in our statutes.

“I need not underscore the importance of today’s occasion but let me remind you that the stakes are high but national expectations are higher. Therefore, we must continue to strive and deal decisively with matters in accordance with the rule of law.

“On the part of the Government, we shall continue to accord all necessary support to MDAs in order to ensure the sustainability of the initiatives already commenced in actualizing our vision of a corrupt-free society.

“Let me conclude by saying that the fight against economic and financial crimes in Nigeria is a collective responsibility of all Nigerians if we are to make meaningful progress as a nation. I invite you all to fight corruption in all its ramifications and join us to entrench good governance values and integrity within all our systems. As I have often said, “If we do not kill corruption, corruption will kill us as a nation.”

Buhari said the development of the Standards demonstrate the commitment of this administration to the fight against corruption and the acceptance of transparency and willingness to be subjected to scrutiny against set standards by services.

The President assured of a rules-based system in Government business while providing the necessary enabling environment for effective implementation.

In his remarks, the Chairman of EFCC noted that the institution was undergoing various phases of reforms to reposition it for the task of fighting financial crimes in the country, with production of policies and manuals.

Bawa said departments had been reorganised and upgraded, including intelligence gathering, training, and the academic institutions, to meet the demands of the job, adding that a software had been developed for operations, and a mobile app, “The Evil Eye’’, deployed for ease of reporting economic and financial crimes from the comfort of homes.

He said the EFCC already had a five-year strategic plan, 2021-2025, with clear and measurable targets, based on five objectives, which include improving public engagement to fight crimes, systems and processes for prevention, intelligence gathering, prosecution, and law enforcement.

“I will lead an agency that will be the pride of our country, Nigeria,’’ he said.

APC Convention A Joke, Don’t Monitor It, PDP Tells INEC

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March 25, 2022

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has cautioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against monitoring or supervising the All Progressives Congress (APC) national convention holding on Saturday.

PDP, in a statement, signed by the national publicity secretary, Hon Debo Ologunagba, forewarned that INEC would be going outside its statutory mandate under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and the Electoral Act 2022 by attending or monitoring the purported APC National Convention.

“INEC, being a government agency set up by law, that also draws from the budgetary allocation of the country with respect to superintending over electoral processes and management of political parties, can only superintend over and monitor bodies over which it has mandate to supervise. This presupposes that any such body must be legally operating as a political party under INEC rules and guidelines.

“The APC, having been defunct on December 8, 2020 when it dissolved its national, state as well as local government structures ceases, in the eyes of the law, to be a political party and as such cannot be subject of INEC’s regulations with particular reference to its supposed National Convention.

“For emphasis, the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) was established for the singular purpose of organizing the APC National Convention in 2020. The Committee violated the Constitution and the Electoral Act by engaging in party administration, conducting congresses to produce officers at the various state Chapters as well as delegates for APC national convention.

“In any event, the CECPC by its composition with a state governor, H.E Mai Mala Buni as Chairman is illegal and unconstitutional by reason of Section 183 of the Nigerian Constitution which bars a sitting governor from holding “any other executive office in any capacity whatsoever”.

“Article 14 (i) of the APC Constitution, clearly states that the Chairman of the APC “shall be the “Chief Executive…” of the party.

“In going beyond its mandate, the CECPC acted ultra vires and all administrative acts purportedly done or deemed to have been done by this Committee are null and void and void ab-initio.

“To this effect, delegates to the APC purported National Convention produced by congresses conducted by the CECPC are at best handicapped delegates with leprous fingers who cannot deliver any vote to produce a valid and legal political leadership for the APC. INEC should therefore not waste public resources to monitor a jamboree that would be of no legal or electoral effect under our laws.”

PDP said if the APC had listened to one its members, the minister of state for Labour, Festus Keyamo, SAN, who had cautioned that the “competence of Governor Mai Mala Buni to organise the congresses has been called to question by the Supreme Court”, it would not have been in this quagmire.

“Our Party for the umpteenth time cautions Nigerians who intend to participate in the electoral process under the APC to be guided as they are on a voyage that leads to nowhere,” the PDP said.

Deregistration Of 22 Political Parties By INEC In Order, Supreme Court Rules

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March 25, 2022

Supreme Court Cancels Rivers Local Government Elections — Supreme court

The Supreme Court has upheld the de-registration of 22 political parties by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The 22 parties were among the 74 de-registered in 2020 by INEC following their poor performances in elections.

Justice Ejembi Eko of the apex court voided and set aside a judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, which had nullified the de-registration.

Justice Eko held that the Court Appeal on its own (suo motu) raised the issue of lack of fair hearing in favour of the 22 scrapped parties and arrived at a conclusion without hearing from other parties in the matter.

“This appeal by INEC is meritorious and is hereby allowed. The decision of the court below is set aside,” he ruled.

The apex court held that the Court of Appeal took out the issue of fair hearing out of the contemplations of the notice of appeal filed by the political parties but refused to do the needful in order to be fair to others in the matter.

‘No Pension, No Votes In 2023’ – Pensioners Threaten Governors

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March 25, 2022

The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), SouthWest zone, on Thursday, directed all its members not to vote for any governor or government that is owing pensioners their entitlements in the forthcoming 2023 general elections.

The directive was part of the resolutions made at the end of the quarterly meeting of the union in the zone, held in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

The body disclosed that the accumulation of pension funds being owed by Nigerian governors “are in the region of a trillion naira.”

The union also directed its members in the zone to embark on protests over the non-implementation of consequential adjustment in pensions arising from the implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage.

The meeting was attended by chairmen and secretaries of Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, Osun, Lagos and Ekiti states chapter of the union.

Addressing journalists shortly after the meeting, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of NUP, SouthWest zone, Olusegun Abatan, lamented that the governors in the zone were owing pensioners their gratuities and pensions running into trillions of nairas.

“We want to advise our members to please shine their eyes and should not be carried away by the sentiment of the politicians. We will not succumb to the pittance the politicians are going to give us.

“The meeting has decided that pensioners in the SouthWest would have to have a rethink on who they will give their votes to.

“And as such, the meeting has decided that pensioners in the SouthWest should not vote governors and governments that are owing them their entitlements, notably gratuities and pensions.

“What is progressive and democratic in a government that is owing pensioners a humongous amount of money running into billions of naira?” he said.

Abatan urged members not to mistake the directive for an election boycott, stressing: “We are not saying that we are going to boycott the election, we are not saying that we are not going to vote, but what we are saying is that pensioners should not vote those governors and governments that are owing them.

“The implication of what we are saying is that we are going to have a trial of another government.

“This is not a matter of disenfranchisement, should we vote for somebody who is owing so that he can continue to impoverish us?”

Convention: APC To Release Unity List Today

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March 25, 2022

The Chairman National Convention Media and Publicity Sub-Committee of the ruling All Progressives Congress ( APC) and Nasarawa Governor Abdullahi Sule, has said that the unity list for tomorrow’s party convention will be ready today.

Sule confirmed that some geopolitical zones have already agreed on the list which will be put together today.

Addressing a pre-convention conference on Friday in Abuja, Sule also confirmed that the Consensus arrangement remains the first option to elect the new leaders of the party.

APC Convention: Senator Kalu Backs Dayo Israel for Nat’l Youth Leader

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March 25, 2022

Ahead of the much awaited National convention of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, slated for March 26, Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Kalu has given his backing to the candidature of Dayo Israel to emerge as the National Youth Leader of the APC.

The frontline Aspirant for the National Youth Leadership position received Orji Kalu’s endorsement when he visited the former governor at his private residence in Aso-Villa, Abuja on Thursday evening.

Dayo and his entourage arrived at Kalu’s residence at about 7:47pm and was accompanied by other prominent leaders of various youth leadership groups in the party which included; SA to Kwara state Governor on New Media , Olayinka M Solace, Pigo Hedliger, Hon Mathias. Also in the delegation was the Abia North Zonal Youth Leader, Comrade Okoroafor Kingsley Nduoma who presented the envoy to Senator Kalu.

During the course of his address to the Chief Whip of the Senate , Dayo, an Executive Permanent Board Member of the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board, eulogised the Abia North Senator and commended his leadership strides in the South-East and the Nation.

Dayo further disclosed his admiration for Orji Kalu recalling his achievements during his tenure as Governor and currently as Lawmaker in the Ninth Senate , describing him as the “Lion of the Southeast “.

On his ambition Dayo intimated Kalu on his plans and objectives of eventually being elected into office, he outlined his experiences and achievements in the leadership spheres. According to him, aside from being a member of the British Council Global Changemakers Network and Alumnus of the US State Department International Visitors Leadership Program, Dayo also told Kalu about his contributions to the party’s activities prior to the convention exercise.

Giving the Senate Chief Whip an update on his campaign endeavours , the Nat’l Youth Leader hopeful disclosed that he had received the endorsement of his State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and other notable leaders from the Southwest to be the candidate for the Youth Leadership position from the region.

He said, “Your excellency sir , as you would have already been aware the position of the National Youth Leader is one of the positions micro zoned to the South West. I am glad to tell you that I have received the backing of my state Governor Babajide Sanwolu and I have also gone ahead to consult other leaders from our region and beyond, which is one of the reasons we are here to seek your support”.

“You’re a leader of not just the South-East but across the nation and that is why I and my team are here to seek your support”.

In his response; Orji Kalu appreciated Dayo and his team for the visit, on his ambition Kalu assured Israel of his support, stating that he had no reason to deny him of his endorsement.

” You are from Lagos , and if I tell you how deep rooted the relationship I have with Bola Tinubu you will be amazed so there’s no reason we shouldn’t support you , because you are one of our own. 43% of voting strength in Lagos are made of Igbos il talking of registered voters. We have Sanwo-Olu’s back and we shall support him and we shall also support you too. If you need any help and you cannot reach me directly you can meet any of my Aides, you have my blessings. You are just seeking my assistance for the South-East when you should be talking about Northern Nigeria where they will listen to me”, Kalu said.

Assuring Dayo his support, Orji Kalu also added to mobilise more support for the youth leadership, hopefully beyond the SouthEast Region.

His words, “You should be talking about Northwest , North East and North Central where I will do a lot of favour for you”. I will do a lot of favour for you, For this singular respect that you have paid to us. If you have any problems tell me I will intervene, be rest assured I am with you”.

Court Shifts Judgement Till April 6 On PDPs Suit Seeking Ayade’s Sack Over Defection To APC

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March 25, 2022

The Federal High Court in Abuja has postponed its judgement on the suit filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seeking to declare the seat of the Cross River State Governor, Professor Ben Ayade, and his deputy, Ivara Esu, vacant.

The main opposition party filed the suit following the defection of the duo to the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).

Justice Taiwo Taiwo, who initially fixed Friday to decide on the case, has now postponed the judgement in the suit until April 6.

Although the court did not adduce any reason why it postponed the verdict, it notified the parties about the new date through the cause list.

Justice Taiwo had in a judgement he delivered on Monday sacked 20 lawmakers from Cross River following their defection from the PDP to the APC.

The affected lawmakers comprised two members of the House federal lawmakers and 18 members of the Cross River State House of Assembly.

In its prayers, the PDP had asked the court to sack both Ayade and Esu, contending that the duo, having abandoned the political party that sponsored their re-election, ought to vacate their respective offices.

It also among others sought a declaration that votes at the election and other elections were won by political parties, and not the candidate or the candidates sponsored at the election by the political parties.

The main opposition party predicated its position on the provisions of Section 221 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), and the democratic system of governance operated in Nigeria.

It prayed the court to order the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately receive the names of its candidates to replace Ayade and Esu, from it.

The party explained that this became necessary to utilise the lawful votes cast in favour of the plaintiff.

In the alternative, it asked the court to direct the first defendant (INEC) to hold a governorship election in Cross River State, in accordance with Section 177 of the Constitution.

The PDP, however, wants the third and fourth defendants (Ayada and Esu) to be excluded from the poll, stressing that they have been disqualified from participating in the election.

Fear Grips APC As Gov. Ikpeazu, Deputy, Others Storm Uturu To Receive Amobi Ogah, Supporters To PDP

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March 25, 2022