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Ikoyi Building Collapse: LASBCA Alleges Osibona Threatened Officials With Dogs To Prevent Entry

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Building 20-Storey Collapsed in Lagos

By Akinwale Kasali

Months after the fatal collapse of the 21-Storey Building owned by Late Femi Osibona, Managing Director of Fourscore Heights Limited in Ikoyi, Lagos, the Lagos State Building Control Authority, LASBCA, has claimed that Osibona prevented its officials from gaining access to the construction site.

Further indicting the Late Osibona, LASBCA, at an Ikeja Coroner sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, alleged that Osibona used security dogs to prevent its officials from gaining access into the construction site.

Assistant Director in charge of the Inspectorate of Quality Control of LASBCA, Oluseun Randle, made this disclosure on Friday, February 11th, 2022, before the Coroner.

Randle was the officer overseeing Eti-Osa, Victoria, Island, Surulere, Yaba, Lagos Mainland and Ikoyi, the area where the collapsed the 21-storey building was located.

While being cross-examined by Ola Adeosun, the Counsel to Prowess Engineering Nigeria Limited, the Structural Engineering Consultant to Osibona who had withdrawn its services over a dispute on how the project was structurally executed, Randle noted that one of the duties of LABSCA was identification and possible removal of non-conforming structures in Lagos.

She said to the best of her knowledge, LASBCA had visited the site of the building collapse to check the level of compliance on three occasions.

“An officer first visited on Feb. 13, 2019, he peered through a small opening in the gate and observed piling equipment.

“He moved closer to observe the piling operation and to gain access to the premises. The security operatives manning the premises did not allow him entry.

“He was only asked to wait outside of the gate for the developer (Osibona). After some minutes, the developer came and the officer told him he wanted to serve a notice.

“He (Osibona) told him that he could not go in and if tried to forcefully gain entry he would tell the security to release dogs.

“The monitoring officer served a Contravention Notice and Stop Work Order dated Feb. 13, 2019 on the structure. The notice and order is to be complied with within 48-hours,” she said.

She added that LASBCA officer returned to the site for the second time on Feb. 21, 2019 and pasted and Seal Up Notice on the fence and left.

On the second visit, Randle said the monitoring officer did not observe any construction work on the site except for the locked gate.

She furthermore stressed that sometime in June 2019, LASBCA received a notification from a sister agency, the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority, LASPPPA, over a permit given to Fourscore Heights Ltd, which was an approval drawing was for three blocks of 15-floors.

Randle said with that (the permit) LASBCA had a reprieve over the matter.

She noted that for the rest of 2019, officers of the agency did not observe any construction work at the site except for the locked gate.

“I don’t know if it was possible for an individual to forge a LASBCA approval document, as I could not recall if a developer had ever forged LASBCA documents”, she said.

Adeosun queried further that as at February 2020, two 15-storey structures were already standing on the site before the Covid-19 lockdown. He added that the construction of the third building which was the one that collapsed was already at the third floor stage was surprising.

While being cross-examined by Ahmed Gbadamosi, a counsel to the family of Samuel Iwelu, one of the victims of the building collapse, the witness revealed that Osibona was arrested on June 10, 2020.

“He was arrested alongside his wife and staff for contravening certification and planning laws.

“They were arrested by a joint enforcement team of LASCA and LASPPPA. The security men at the gate put up an attitude by resisting the team’s access to the property. He was found to be in contravention of the law,” she said.

On his enquiry about events that transpired after Osibona’s arrest, Randle told Gbadamosi to make his enquiry via correspondence to the General Manager of LABSCA.

Gbadamosi noted that in Paragraph 27 of Randle’s Statement on Oath to the Coroner’s Court, she said Osibona had continued construction on the property until it collapsed on Nov. 1, 2021.

Was this particular developer beyond the control of your agency, why was the developer who was arrested by the taskforce, taken to an unknown location by the police only to go back to continue developing the property? he asked.

Randle responded saying, “No developer is beyond LASBCA. The agency was not aware that he went back to the site.

It was the report of the collapse of the 21-storey building that gave us an insight on the height and type of the structure at the time of the collapse.”

Responding to questions from Yusuf Lawan, the counsel to the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Randle said LABSCA was unaware that Osibona had returned to the construction site after his arrest.

She said the monitoring officers were not going to the site because of the COVID-19 lockdown, then #EndSARS occured.

“All our monitoring officers fell under the category of those asked to stay at home,” Randle stated.

The three high-rise buildings (Blocks A, B and C) which were situated on Gerard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, Block B (21-storeys) collapsed on November 1, 2021, killing 46 persons including Osibona, while 15 persons were rescued alive.

Oluwo Of Iwo Denies Soliciting N20m From Gov. Oyetola For Royal Wedding

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Oluwo of Iwo

By Akinwale Kasali

On Friday 11th February 2021, Social Media Platforms were awash with the news of the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, soliciting for N20 million funds from the Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, to finance his Royal Wedding to one of King Ado Bayero’s daughter in the Kano Emirate.

In a letter addressed to the Governor with the Oluwo of Iwo’s letter head, duly stamped and received by the Special Adviser to Governor Oyetola at the Ministry of Local Council and Chieftaincy Affairs, it solicited for the said Sum to finance the Royal Wedding.

Reactions, however, trailed the letter from different quarters. The reactions tongue-lashed the Olu of Iwo  and criticized him for soliciting for such assistance that has no economic value to his subjects, the State and the Country at large.

But the Oluwo of Iwo has denied requesting the sum of N20 million from Oyetola  to fund his Royal wedding.

A statement from the Oluwo Palace clarified that Oba Akanbi never asked for such financial assistance from Governor Oyetola but that he only said the ceremony is capital intensive and that it would cost around N20 million.

According to the Statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to Oba Akanbi, Alli Ibraheem, “As at the date on the letter, the Oluwo was not in the State and  his secretary has no audacity, whatsoever, to sign on his behalf.

“The said letter lacks basic in-house styles of Oluwo’s Palace correspondence. Oluwo always append his personal signature while writing the government. Equally, the font in the letter is not our official style.

“At the said date on the letter, Oluwo was not in the state up till now. And his secretary has no audacity, whatsoever to sign on behalf of His Majesty while communicating with the government.

“The letter was orchestrated by mischievous people whose mission is to discredit the palace. Marriage is a personal affairs. There is no marriage venture too big for Oluwo to finance on his own,” the statement reads.

The Oluwo’s Palace did not, however, deny the fact that Oba Akanbi is planning on

getting married to a Princess of Ado Bayero dynasty from Kano Emirate, but it vehemently denied that the Letter was from the Oluwo himself.

The Osun State Government, in its reaction, signed by the Commissioner for Information, Funke Egbemode, dismissed the alleged letter by the Olowu to the Governor as the handiwork of political miscreants, sadists and mischief makers. The statement said such mischief, which the Olowu  has denied, is coming up because the Governorship election is drawing near. It, however, insisted that neither the Governor, nor the Government is moved by the mischief.

2023: APC Will Present Consensus Candidate – Governor Zulum

By
Akinwale Kasali
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By Akinwale Kasali

As the 2023 Presidential Election takes centre stage, and as different persons in the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, indicating their interest in taking over from President Muhammadu Buhari, Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has disclosed that the APC is bent on choosing a consensus candidate to ensure Nigeria’s unity.

Professor Zulum said that critical stakeholders, within and outside the APC are working tirelessly towards a consensus that would present an acceptable and credible candidate to consolidate national unity in the forthcoming presidential primaries and other elections.

Zulum made this assertion when members of the Progressive Consolidation Group, PCG, paid him a courtesy visit in his office on Friday in Maiduguri, Borno State Capital.

Governor of the Boko Haram ravaged State said, “We have to identify the right individuals to lead the nation and the task requires Governors, party hierarchy and the President working together in concert.”

He his State’s readiness to work with the Party hierarchy, members of the National Assembly and Leaders at ward and state levels to ensure the actualisation of decisions set to be made by President Muhammadu Buhari who is acknowledged as the party’s de facto leader.

“Borno state under me will promote unity and all efforts to ensure the success of APC, we shall work with the party hierarchy, our leaders at the National Assembly and our party leaders at ward and state levels, to arrive at best solutions for taking the country forward,” Zulum said.

He added that, “Individual aspirations may have to be downplayed because we all have to concur with the decision of the leader of our party.”

In the same vein, Aliyu Rabiu Kurfi, Chairman of the PCG, urged Zulum and his colleagues in the APC fold to facilitate a consensus towards making Professor Yemi Osinbajo Nigeria’s next President because of his leadership qualities, good self-discipline, moral qualities and competency demonstrated, most especially during Buhari’s absence.

According to Kurfi, “Make Osinbajo the APC Consensus Candidate, he is the best candidate for APC’s presidential ticket.”

Buhari Urged To Allow El Zakzaky, Wife Travel For Medicals, Says He Is Limping, Wife In Wheel Chair

By
The Source
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By Akinwale Kasali

President Muhammadu Buhari has been urged by a Group under the aegis of The Advocate for Social Justice, to grant Shiites Islamic Movement Leader, Sheikh Ibraheem El Zakzaky and his Wife, Malama Zeenatuddin Ibrahim access to good health care by giving them their travel documents to travel for proper medical attention.

The Group lamented the plight of the Religious Leader and the psychological and emotional trauma the couple have undergone since their incarceration by the President Buhari administration, stressing that the couple was discharged and acquitted by Kaduna State High Court and, therefore, should be given their traveling documents for the  treatment of various ailments.

In a statement signed by the Group’s Publicity Secretary, Segun Fanimo, it said even President Muhammadu Buhari took time off from duty to attend to his Health situation outside Nigeria, so there is no justification to deny the Shiite leader to go to any country to attend to his worsening Health condition.

The statement reads: “As you are aware, it has been over six months since the leader of the Islamic Movement, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky and his wife were acquitted and discharged by Kaduna State High Court, after spending almost six years in illegal detention.

“Judge Gideon Kurada had, in his ruling, delivered on July 30, 2021, upheld the no case submission by the Counsel to the defendant, Femi Falana, SAN.

“Their medical situation was not good  in addition to their mismanaged life, threatening gunshot injuries, and numerous health complications that require serious intervention; as a result of which their health condition woefully deteriorated from bad to worse.

“Information available indicates that their Health condition is deteriorating as Sheikh could be seen limping, and his wife, Malama Zeenatuddin Ibrahim, confined to a wheelchair.

“We call on President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Justice of the Federation to release the Sheikh and his wife’s  travel documents so that they can seek for medical attention abroad.”

The Group also faulted the All Progressives Congress, APC, led government to have, on several occasions, disrespected Court order and not respect the Rule of Law, calling on President Buhari to rescind his decision and allow the Islamic Leader and his Wife to have access to medical attention abroad.

2023: MBF Endorses Southern Presidency

By
Uche Mbah
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Middle Belt Nigeria

By Uche Mbah

The Middle Belt Forum, MBF, said they will put their weight behind a President of  Nigeria from the Southern part of the Country in the interest of fairness, justice and equity.

Though there has been clamor for a Southern President to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari come 2023, none of the two major political parties has officially zoned the presidency to the South.

But the leader of the forum, Dr. Bitrus Pogu who stated this while fielding questions from Journalists as guest of Morning Show, a programme on Arise Television, said they have officially communicated the Southern Governors forum of their position.

“We visited the Governor of Ondo state, who is the chairman of the Southern Governors Forum to tell him that we started a movement and that movement started at Awka where we decided to do two things: to declare our support for emergence of Southern Government so that the rotation principles established in this country be adhered to and we believe that would address many of our problems”, he said.

“At the Awka meeting, we also decided that we should launch a program that would sensitize the youth of this country and we called it the Forty Million Ballot Movement. The youths who constitute the majority of our voting population would key into this new development that would transform Nigeria.

“We also decided that we should launch a program that would sensitize the youth of this country and we called it the Forty Million Ballot Movement. The youths who constitute the majority of our voting population would key into this new development that would transform Nigeria.

“We told Mr. Governor that we met, that is, the socio-cultural groups comprising Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Pan Niger Delta Forum, Afenifere and the Middle Belt Forum at Abuja on the 13th January, 2022, and we also endorsed that same position that we would want to see the emergence of a president by 2023 of southern extraction.

“We went further to say that if any political party decides to fill a governor of northern extraction, we will campaign against such political party and the political parties should know that we are determined in that. We went to show solidarity and to tell him our position and that he may as the President or chairman of Southern Governors’ Forum convey the message to his colleagues that we support the emergence of a President of Southern extraction.”

The Southern Governors Forum has kept insisting that the Presidential seat, in 2023, rotates to  Southern Nigeria.

Truce As Aggrieved APC Aspirants Resolve Not To Seek Legal Redress Over Gov Primary

By
Ayodele Oni
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APC Party
APC Party

By Ayodele Oni

There is hope for reconciliation among aspirants that contested for the Governorship ticket of the All Progressive Congress, (APC), in Ekiti State as two of them move to withdraw court case challenging the outcome of the primary election.

Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, representing Ekiti Central at the Red Chamber, hinted on Friday that he would discontinue with the Court case.

Also, Mr Femi Bamisile, a member of the House of Representatives said he would no longer challenge the legality of the primary election.

Senator Bamidele had earlier boasted that he would use everything within his power to ensure that illegalities recorded in the exercise are corrected.

To the surprise of his numerous supporters, the Senator also restates his resolve to remain in APC, contrary to the position of his  admirers.

This was coming just as the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) released names of Candidates and their Deputies for the June poll, thus putting to rest that Biodun Oyebanji, candidate of APC has not  been cleared.

This was contained in INEC Form EC9 filled by Biodun Oyebanji as candidate of the APC and pasted on the Notice Board of the Commission offices in the 16 Local Government of Ekiti State.

In the letter, Senator Bamidele explained that the steps he took was in the best interest of the party and his supporters.

He maintained that he was not prepared to work for the victory of the APC in the election as neither the candidate or his backers has met him for discussion.

“I have not asked us to work for BAO or anyone for that matter. I have only addressed two issues: I am not going to Court (for reasons whose details will be made known later) and, on behalf of all of us, that we are not defecting from APC as being insinuated in some quarters.

“I didn’t think any of our leaders in the group would receive this news with ease because, even for me, it is one of the toughest decisions I have taken in the course of my political career!

“I have not had anything to do with Oyebanji on this matter and neither have I sat down with him or any of his sponsors up till this moment.

“There is nothing anyone can use to cajole me again in life to do what I don’t believe in by the Grace of God. We remain in the party. It is two weeks to its National Convention.

“That could have implications for the political career of everyone of us. This is not about BAO or anyone else. After the convention, we will all sit down to discuss our future as a political family.”

2023: Tambuwal Asks Nigerians To Throw Out APC

By
Akinwale Kasali
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By Akinwale Kasali

Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State has asked Nigerians to throw out the All Progressives Congress, APC, to avoid a complete collapse of the economy.

The former Speaker of the House of Representatives said that the nation’s economy and security will collapse if the APC is allowed to remain in the saddle spearheading the affairs of the country beyond 2023.

Tambuwal stressed that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC government has brought insecurity, economic downturn and debilitating healthcare system to Nigeria, foreseeing the Nation perishing if it remains in power beyond 2023.

Lamenting the economic State of the Nation, coupled with the level of insecurity that has brought the Nation to its toes, the Presidential Aspirant of the PDP said the Nation will perish if the APC continues running the affairs of the country.

He made this assertion in the home State of President Buhari, Katsina State, where he had gone to make consultations with the party’s stakeholders on his Presidential bid.

He added that the people of Katsina State were in a better position to inform other Nigerians about the prevailing security challenges.

“We must all work together to form a united front that will take over from the current administration in Nigeria. We must unite as a people and as a party and work together assidously to rescue the country from the APC.

“We have never had, and ever seen the level of abject poverty in this country as to what we are seeing today. The economy has gone so bad, security is no more there. The people of Katsina State are in a better position to tell other Nigerians what security is to them if at all there is any in this state.

“We must all work together to fight this threat otherwise if APC should come back in 2023, this country will be on its way to total collapse. The economy and security of the country will collapse if we allow them to come,” he said.

Tambuwal  promised to run a transparent and all-inclusive Government and provide an enabling environment for businesses to grow if given the opportunity to serve in the capacity as President of the Nation.

He said the government would galvanise the private sector and provide security and other necessary requirements for Nigerian farmers to go back to their farms.

“We will ensure that we have an enabling environment for farmers and they will be supported, not this Anchor Borrowers Scheme that is a scam”, Tambuwal said.

Group Urges EFCC To Investigate Senator Bwacha For AllegedFraudulent Activities

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Emmanuel Bwacha

By Akinwale Kasali

Senator Emmanuel Bwacha representing Taraba South Senatorial District is in the eye of the storm. He has come under strong criticism from his constituents for allegedly  being  involved in fraudulent activities.

A Group under the aegis of Southern Taraba Concerned Citizens has urged the  Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to investigate the Lawmaker  for allegedly  converting Constituency Projects to personal use.

In a Statement by the Group during a Press Conference held in Abuja, it said the illicit and fraudulent activities of Senator Bwacha has become worrisome and it is affecting the Zone and Southern Taraba people in general.

The Group said the people of the Zone have experienced long suffering as a result of the fraudulent activities and poor performances by Senator Bwacha.

Hon. Daniel Likam, the Coordinator of the Group said that Senator Bwacha can be described as a lucky and blessed politician who has been judiciously rewarded by the nations nascent democracy since 1999.

Likam said since 1999, Bwacha has always held political offices, sadly, he does not have any reasonable capital project he executed to his credit in his constituency considering the number of years he has been in office and the tax payers money that he has been given to work with or even supervise its usage .

The statement reads; “He has over the last 30 something years been actively involved in the politics of Taraba state and he has not deem it fit to  groom or mentor any one aside giving employment opportunities to   his immediate family members only and at very least his kinsmen from his tribe and village  only without considering the other local governments areas under his Constituency.

“If at all, the senator out of 52 wards under him he  decides to always site  70 percent of all his mini projects to his own ward which Is Mararaba ward in Donga local government area.

“Having been a ranking Senator and Principal Officer in the Senate Chamber after his term in the Federal House Of Representatives, he has not been doing anything to show Southern Taraba that he has been given funds by the Federal Government as part of intervention and constituency development funds like other principal officers to work for their people.

“ And we want to put it on record to the press and the world today  that we as a concern group from his senatorial district have compiled a list of  all zonal intervention projects and funds running into billions of Naira over the years which he and his close allies siphoned to themselves and never executed them and we have the records in facts and figures to back up our case.

“We can also authoritatively tell you  a copy of our petitions has been with  the EFCC and action has since begun.  To this end, we must commend the current leadership of the EFCC under AbdulRasheed Bawa who has so far used his good offices to send his operatives to our zone to see things for themselves and investigate properly last year despite the effort of the senator to stop them. This is coming after same Senator used his political powers to frustrate the investigations of the ICPC.

“Few amongst the project he  has converted for personal use is the proposed multi million naira Suntai Dam which the senator  converted to a certain Rig drilling company called Shimo  Community Rig which he initially said it was for the use of the zone but we have it on good authority he has converted it to commercial  use and working around Taraba and neighboring  states as a private business.

“Another of such is a fake MOU with the Federal University Wukari Staff School which he dubiously signed with the Management to personally manage the school for as long as 28 years using his companies and allies in the  arrangement that has subjected the  school and heritage of our people to become his personal property  for self-enrichment and enslaved our people the more.

“It is no longer news that the senator prefers to share or distribute motor bikes popularly called okada to the people while keeping to himself and his close friends and family members most the funds meant for bigger intervention programs and projects in our constituency.

“We are also aware and want to tell the world that as a ranking senator and former minority leader there are privileges and opportunities that comes with such offices and the senator from our findings have nothing on ground  in the form of a capital projects on behalf southern Taraba and he never executed perfectly even the mini projects he claims to have done neither did he make or create  opportunities open his, constituent to benefit but just to himself and his cronies as contractors.

“Furthermore, we want to make it very clear to the world that contrary to the speculation that he left the PDP in Taraba because he was not welcomed anymore in the party by our  Governor,  we must say that his exit from PDP Taraba is never a problem to worry about rather he decamped to the APC due to the pressure of EFCC   as other former corrupt PDP members did, a trend we are appealing to the President of Nigeria and APC national Leadership not to entertain and welcome to the ruling party people with such questionable records of financial misappropriation”.

The Group also alleged that the Senator has lost touch with the electorate who elected him.

“He is on his way out of politics and government that is why he is desperately  seeking for a soft Landing from prosecution by joining the ruling party to get political immunity from investigation by the hard working EFCC who are already closing in on his case.”

Likam added that that the Group is currently documenting all that the senator has done to the zone since he came to the National Assembly In terms of works, projects and programs.

It stressed that it has documented that projects that were not properly executed but diverted, manipulated and that do not reflect the terms and years he has spent representing southern Taraba compared to his fellow principal officers and some Senators.

It also appealed to the Media to beam their lights on the activities of the senator in Southern Taraba and also encourage  the EFCC to as a matter service to Southern Taraba senatorial district and the nation to continue with the good work of their deep investigation on the misappropriation of funds meant for southern Taraba senatorial district, as the Group is ready to assist the EFCC with facts, figures and even pictures to support its  allegations and petition aside the ones we have already submitted before now.

It would be recalled that Senator Bwacha recently defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC from the opposition, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the Group is alleging that he jumped ship so as to circumvent investigations against him.

The Senator, a few days ago, defected from PDP to the APC, citing Taraba Governor’s bad leadership in the State.

Adulterated Fuel: CNPP Urges NNPC GMD To Resign, Wants Importers Prosecuted

By
The Source
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0
Chief Willy Ezugwu

Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has called on the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mele Kyari, to resign.

The CNPP said this has become necessary after he admitted that ‘adulterated’ Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from Belgium got into the country undetected and passed the country’s standard specifications with quality inspectors failing to detect the high level of Methanol it contained, first at the point of import in Belgium and at the point of arrival in Nigeria.

The CNPP in a statement signed by its Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu, also, demanded the ban of all the companies that brought in the adulterated petrol from importing the commodity into the country and their immediate prosecution for economic crimes.

According to the  umbrella association of all registered political parties and political associations in Nigeria, “it amounts to double speaking for Mr. Kyari to have admitted that “as a standard practice for all PMS import to Nigeria, the cargoes were equally certified by inspection agent appointed by the Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority has met Nigerian specification”, and at the same time claiming that “usual quality inspection protocol employed in both the load port in Belgium and our discharge ports in Nigeria do not include the test for Percent methanol content”.

“The CNPP is, therefore, taken aback on the meaning of “quality inspection protocol” if detecting the level of additives like Methanol is not part of the practice.

“Therefore, by admitting that the petrol passed quality inspection protocol employed in both the load port in Belgium and our discharge ports in Nigeria, Mr. Kyari cleverly shifted blame from the NNPC and the Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority to the importers having failed in their duties as a company and regulators.

“We, therefore, demand the immediate resignation of the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mele Kyari, for admitting that the ill-fated cargoes had “quality certificates issued at load port” and at the same time  that the “gasoline complied with Nigerian Specification”, yet the presence of emulsion were later found to have had “particles in PMS cargoes shipped to Nigeria from Antwerp-Belgium,” as he said.

“We call on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately institute a public probe of the circumstances surrounding the clearance of the cargoes in Nigeria.

“It is time we stopped mouthing war against economic crimes and corruption.

“How can we, as a country, have favourable place in the global corruption index with this kind of doubtful deals, where at one time quality standards were met yet it is unusual to test for level additives in petrol imported into the country?

“Many innocent lives have been lost to kerosene and petrol related explosions in the country with no person or firm held to account.

“It is expedient that all the petroleum companies indicted in this particular deal be banned for life from importing petroleum products into the country and their owners diligently prosecuted”, the CNPP demanded.

Supreme Court Throws Buhari’ “Order 10” Under the Bus, Govs Jubilate

By
Bayo Bernard
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0
President Buhari

By James  Orji

The Supreme Court seriously  spanked  President Muhammadu Buhari,  on Friday, after it nullified the president’s Executive Order 10 which granted financial autonomy to state judiciary and legislature. Declaring as unlawful and unconstitutional, the apex  court ruled that the president lacked powers to issue orders concerning how state spend their funds.

Recall that President Buhari signed the order in May 2021, which granted financial autonomy to the key state’s  institution, despite protest by the state governors which later dragged the president to the court.

Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State and Deputy chairman  of the Nigerian Govrnors Forum, NGF had criticised the president for misusing his power, adding that the president was trying to usurped the powers of state governors.

He said “as Governors of the 36 States under the platform of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), let me state very clearly that we are unequivocally committed to the autonomy of the judiciary and the legislature.

“The recent misunderstanding on the financial autonomy of the Judiciary is predicated on the need to establish an implementation framework to the 4th Alteration of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Section 121(3). What we have questioned, and we have made this known at every opportunity, is the process of implementing this provision of the Constitution.

“As Governors, we will be failing in our responsibility if we refuse to draw the attention of the President, stakeholders and the country to grave concerns about the constitutionality of Executive Order 10 of 2020. That was the basis of the position that we took on the Executive Order 10.”

Ruling on the matter few minutes ago, a majority of the court’s seven-member panel agreed that the President exceeded his constitutional powers in issuing the EO10. Six out of the seven members of the panel proceeded to void and set aside the EO10 issued by President Muhammadu Buhari. The court, however, dismissed the N66 billion suit filed by the state governors against the Federal Government.

Abubakar Malawi,  the Attorney-General  and Ministerror of Justice had in a statement, after Buhari signed the order said the president exercised his power under  the constitution. By implications,  Malami said funds for the state judiciary  and legislature  will be deducted from the Federation Accounts Allocation from the money allocated to any State of the Federation that fails to release allocation meant for the State Legislature and State Judiciary in line with the financial autonomy guaranteed by Section 121(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as Amended).

“The President signed the Executive Order number 10 into law  based on the power vested in him as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under Section 5 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as Amended), which extends to the execution and maintenance of the Constitution, laws made by the National Assembly (including but not limited to Section 121(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as Amended), which guarantee financial autonomy of the State Legislature and State Judiciary”, the statement added.

“The Accountant-General of the Federation shall by this Order and such any other Orders, Regulations or Guidelines as may be issued by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, authorise the deduction from source in the course of Federation Accounts Allocation from the money allocated to any State of the Federation that fails to release allocation meant for the State Legislature and State Judiciary in line with the financial autonomy guaranteed by Section 121(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as Amended)”.

“Article 6 (1) provides that: “Notwithstanding the provisions of this Executive Order, in the first three years of its implementation, there shall be special extraordinary capital allocations for the Judiciary to undertake capital development of State Judiciary Complexes, High Court Complexes, Sharia Court of Appeal, Customary Court of Appeal and Court Complexes of other Courts befitting the status,” Malawi said in the statement.

The presidency had gone ahead to constitute a Presidential Implementation Committee to fashion out strategies and modalities for the implementation of the orer.

Meanwhile, the magazine lead that many state governors are now in celebration  mood following the judgment. An aide to one of the governors from the South south told the magazine in confidence that “the ruling is a welcome one as this will further give state governors strong impetus  to challenge any unlawful act of the president.

“The judiciary has shown itself to be the bastion of democracy and hope for the oppressed in Nigeria, we are really happy with the decision,” he said.

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