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Appeal Court Sacks SamDaddy, Installs Okoye As PDP National Secretary

By
Suleiman Anyalewechi
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Senator Samuel Anyanwu and Rt Hon Ude Okoye

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

Opposition Lawmakers Hail Verdict

The Court of Appeal has, finally, sacked the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, popular as Samdaddy. He was sacked on Friday, December, 20, 2024.

Anyanwu’s sack has been hailed by the Coalition of Opposition Lawmakers at the National Assembly.

The Coalition expressed satisfaction with the Appeal Court sack of Anyanwu as the Secretary of the PDP.

A statement from the Coalition Leader, Hon Ikenga Ugochinyere, described the development as representing a new dawn for the troubled PDP.

According to the statement, Justice Rilwan Abdullahi, in the lead judgment by the Enugu Appeal Court panel, declared Rt Hon Ude Okoye as the authentic National Secretary of the Party.

The Appeal Court justices, also ordered Okoye to complete the remaining tenure of Samuel Anyanwu, following his exit to participate in the November 11,2023 ,Imo State Gubernatorial race.

The Source reports that Anyanwu was the PDP flag bearer in the election that also featured Governor Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressive Congress APC, Senator Athan Achonu of the Labour Party, LP, and others.

APC’s Governor Uzodinma won the election to secure his second term in office.

However, for failing to quit his position as the National Secretary of the PDP after securing the party’s gubernatorial ticket, Anyanwu was subsequently dragged to a Federal High Court sitting in Enugu.

The High Court earlier had declared null and void the continued claim of Anyanwu as the National Secretary. The High Court  also recognized Okoye as the rightful National Secretary after being duly nominated by the South East Caucus to replace Anyanwu.

The Appeal Court, in affirming the earlier decision of the High Court ,described the continued claim of Anyanwu as the Secretary, even after clinching the PDP Imo gubernatorial ticket as a  grave violation of the party’s Constitution.

Subsequently, the Appellate Court ,dismissed his (Anyanwu’s ) appeal against the judgment of the High Court for lacking in merit .

The Coalition of opposition party Lawmakers ,in its statement expressed total agreement with the Appeal Court verdict.

“We want to salute the courage of the Appeal Court to have ended this madness by first of all upholding the judgment of the High Court Enugu that recognizes the decision of South East PDP leaders that nominated Ude Okoye as the substantive National Secretary to complete the remaining tenure created by the vacancy in the office by the resignation of Samuel Anyanwu as the National Secretary when he went to run for governorship.

The Appeal Court has restated the principle of the PDP’s Constitution that anyone elected to the executive committee of the party at any level may resign his or her office by giving 30 days notice in writing to the executive committee, except in cases of vying for an elective office which shall be effective within the period stipulated by NEC.

“The law has said that you should resign. When you choose to run for the election, you have chosen to resign.

“We thank the Appeal Court. The opposition law makers are one hundred percent with our National Secretary Ude Okoye”, the statement noted.

Budget: Stop Yearly Appropriation For Forks, Vehicles, Computers; They Don’t Expire, El-Rufai Slams FG

By
James Orji
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Mohammed Bello El-Rufai

The lawmaker representing Kaduna state in the House of Representatives, Mohammed Bello El-Rufai has called on the federal government to stop appropriating funds for items such as spoons, forks, vehicles, and others every year.

The House member, the son of a former Governor of Kaduna state, Nasir El-Rufai said those items ‘don’t expire’ and as such should not be budgeted for yearly.

El-Rufai said the act does not show that government is serious about its austerity policy, which forces Nigerians to endure the current hardship to enjoy in the future as being promised by the administration of Bola Tinubu.

The administration has introduced serious economic measures which has pushed many Nigerians into serious poverty, even as it enjoined the citizens to endure more.

El-Rufai who made the remark, on Friday, during the House’s debate on the 2025 Appropriation Bill said the government must show that it’s prepared to make sacrificse for the country like Nigerian are currently doing.

The magazine reported that President Tinubu presented the 2025 financial estimates of N49.7 trillion before the Joint Session of the National Assembly on Thursday.

Speaking, the lawmaker said “My humbled contribution to the 2025 Appropriation Bill. The bill was deliberated upon at great length in a day that turned out to be very long. In summary, there are certain budget line items that Ministries and MDA’s should not be earmarking anymore.

“These include the new vehicles, furniture, stationeries and other equipments like computers and printers on an annual basis among others. These could last for years if managed well.

“As we continue to enact reforms that will shape Nigeria’s sustainable development, it is imperative for public officials in the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government to keep in mind that these are dire times for our people.

“We should be at the front of line of making the necessary sacrifices, not the citizens,” he said.

The administration has not been spared by not a few Nigerians for alleged ostentatious lifestyles of many government officials, despite the serious poverty in the country.

Ibadan Stampede: NGF, House Call For Investigation

By
Ayodele Oni
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Ibadan Children party stampede

By Ayodele Oni

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and the House of Representatives have expressed deep sorrow over the tragic loss of over 30 children in a stampede at a Christmas event in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen,  expressed sadness over the death of children due to a stampede at a funfair in Ibadan, Oyo State. He described the incident as unfortunate.

The incident, which also injured many others, took place at a party attended by students. The organizer was, allegedly, the former wife of the Ooni of Ife.

Among those involved were the school principal and event organizers.

Governor Seyi Makinde, the NGF Vice Chairman, received condolences from the forum, as well as from the families affected by the tragedy.

President Bola Tinubu has called for a thorough investigation into the event.

The NGF has offered its condolences to the victims’ families and the people of Oyo State, wishing them strength as they cope with the loss.

The forum has also backed the investigation, urging actions to prevent future incidents like this.

Speaker Abbas, in his condolence message issued through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, commiserated with the Government and the people of Oyo State, especially the families of the victims.

The Speaker, while calling for a thorough investigation of the incident to forestall a recurrence, called for caution during the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Nigerians React Angrily After Police Threatened To Jail Those Who Curse Or Abuse Govt

By
James Orji
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Kayode Egbetokun - IGP

Many Nigerians are not taking, lightly, the recent threat by the Nigerian Police Force, NPF, to the effect that public attack and raining curses on the government would no longer be tolerated, as such act will be punished under the law.

Muyiwa Adejobi, the Public Relations Officer of the Force, had while reacting to criticisms that greeted the arraignment in court, of a woman activist  Olamide Abiodun Thomas by the police on Friday, warned that Nigerians who attack or abuse the government will no longer be overlooked by the police.

The police spokesman made the threat on X.

The magazine reported that Thomas was arrested, last week, in Lagos by the operatives of the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team, IRT for allegedly raining curses on President Tinubu during the August endbadgovernance protests across the country.

The activist, reports claimed was arraigned today at an Abuja Federal High court presided over by Justice Emeka Ngige barely a week after she was picked up in Lagos.

Following her arraignment, Adejobi advised critics of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration to desist from the act or face the consequence of prosecution, describing the act as “cyberbullying’ and  “a criminal offence and punishable,” under the Nigerian law.

“Raining direct curses on someone online is cyber bullying, not expression of freedom or criticism.

He said, “And cyberbullying, which is even different from defamation, is a criminal offence and punishable. Be guided.”

But the critics of the Force are not taking the threat with a pinch of salt, as some described it to be against freedom of speech and expression as guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution, adding that it’s another way by the government, which has been accused of intolerant of critics to silent those who speak against it.

Reacting Ogundele Olamilekan8 @OGUNDELEOLAMIL8 “Y is the man talking like this..does he have any integrity left in him?. The same man that said people should ignore MC Oluomo talk, and take his threat as a joke, is now here saying cursing people online is a crime. “Nigeria and its criminal justice system.”

Also, LIONESS @powerful12222  said “Face to face curses is not a criminal offence, going to juju to curse someone is not offence but doing it online is offence,  you better remove that uniform and look for another job.”

HENRY NBD @HBDNKEMAKONAM urged the police to please “Please back your submission with constitutional provisions?The Nigerian law is not ambiguous, just as the BAIL is free in theory but opposite in practice.”

Olayinka Oderinde, PhD., MRSC @OlayinkaOderin1, said,  “Please, may I ask if “curse” has anything to do with Nigerian Constitution or stated anywhere in any law of the federal Republic of Nigeria?”

Ṣeyi@ThreeLeftThumbs wrote “It is  clear that the police have a very limited understanding of the laws that they are meant to uphold.”

ogoh Italian @OsakwuniCaleb in his reaction, said, “police brutality, politicians looting, unfair justice system is a criminal offence. So it’s getting to you people abi, una never start.”

On his part,  Godspower Ekpulu (PhD) @gp6liveth said “You protect the criminal political class and want to go after aggrieved citizens who are already in captivity of the prison called Nigeria. Be ready to jail everyone.”

While Afolabi Bamidele@temyj4real said “You too should stop doing what will make people curse you, whether online or offline.”

Recall that the Sultan of Sokoto Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar III had recently warned Nigerians to stop curing the government urging them to pray for its success instead.

The traditiobal ruler said, “Don’t curse your leaders, no matter how bad they may be, but pray for them. Never talk ill of your leaders. Even if a leader is bad, pray for him

“If you pray for him/her, Almighty Allah can make him/her turn a new leaf and make him/her a better person that you will enjoy. Don’t condemn your leaders. No matter how bad they are, pray for them”, the Sultan, who is the head of the Muslim Community in the country, counselled.”

Ondo: Trailer Crushes Three Police Officers, One Female Suspect

By
Ayodele Oni
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Police Officer

By Ayodele Oni

A reckless truck driver in Ondo state has crushed to death three Police officers attached to the State Police Command alongside a female suspect. One policeman, however, survived.

The tragedy happened in Ore, Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, as the vehicle the deceased persons were travelling in was crushed by the over-speeding truch driver.

The incident occurred on Thursday  when the trailer driver lost control, crossed the median, and rammed into the police van conveying the officers and the suspect.

According to eyewitnesses, the Police Officers were from the Monitoring Unit of the Ondo State Police Command and had traveled from Akure to make an arrest in the area.

The surviving officer, who sustained serious injuries, was rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention.

The Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ondo State, Samuel Ibitoye, confirmed that the accident was caused by over-speeding on the part of the trailer driver.

The remains of the dead have been deposited at the state health facility’s morgue in Ore.

The incident was also confirmed by the Ondo State Police Command’s spokesperson, Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, who expressed condolences to the families of the deceased officers.

“Enough Of Deceit, Exit Us From Contributory Pension Scheme,” Rtd Police Officers

By
Ayodele Oni
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Police on Patrol

By Ayodele Oni

Kaduna State Chapter of the Union of Retired Police Officers, has kicked against the Contributory Pension Scheme, (CPS) which members say is enslaving them.

The Chairman of the State Chapter, CSP Mannir Lawal Zaria, and the Secretary, ASP Danladi Maigamo, who made the remark in a press release, appealed to President Bola Tinubu to save their members from the slavery.

The Union said for the sake of justice and equity, President Tinubu should come to the aid of the police retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme by removing them and also pay them their pending unpaid allowances and palliatives.

It also issued a warning to the National Assembly “as our patience is already exhausted, if by the end of January 2025, the Nigeria Police are not removed from CPS, we would have no alternative than to occupy the National Assembly.

“But this time is not going to be easy, because we would carry our mattresses, mats, cooking utensils, as well as all our domestic needs to the National Assembly.

“We would remain there until we are exited out of CPS. This time around, no more acceptance of any promise due to the fact that we have accepted many unfulfilled promises. We are determined to fight for our rights and dignity.”

The union held its monthly meeting on December 18, 2024. The meeting discussed critical issues, including the public hearings on the establishment of the Nigeria Police Pension Board.

“The committee that conducted the public hearings was given one week to submit it’s report, but unfortunately, nothing has been heard about the report.

“The union is concerned about the delay, which has left police retirees under the CPS in abject poverty, leading to rampant deaths.

“The union also discussed the Federal Government’s abandonment of retired police officers under the CPS. Despite the President’s prompt response to other security agencies’ pension concerns, police retirees under the CPS have been denied exit, payment of unpaid allowances, and palliatives.

“Why are police retirees are being treated unfairly, despite having top-ranking officials, including the Inspector General of Police, Minister for Police Affairs, and National Security Adviser, who is a retired police officer.”

The union also addressed the propaganda spread by PENCOM, NPF Pension, Central Bank, and the National Union of Pensioners (NUP), claiming that “the Federal Government would spend N3 trillion to settle police pension if they exit the CPS”.

The union debunked the claim, stating that the overall strength of the Nigeria Police is about 350,000, and not all would retire at the same time.

“PENCOM confirmed having money and assets worth about twenty-one trillion naira. Therefore, out of that, if the sum of three trillion is removed to settle the police exit, PENCOM would still have a balance of about eighteen trillion naira”.

Police Arrests Rivers Abduction Lord, Rescues Ten Year Old Victim

By
Suleiman Anyalewechi
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Nigerian Police

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Rivers State Police Command has announced the arrest of one of  the  dare devil kidnap kingpins terrorizing residents of the State.

Nwile Bete was arrested by the operatives of the Rivers State Anti-kidnapping squad in the Rumuekeni area of Port Harcourt, the State capital.

A statement from the Command’s spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko on Friday December 20, 2024  informed that a 10-year old abducted by Bete was, also , rescued in the operation.

The Police Command described the arrest of Bete as a significant break-through in the renewed fight against terrorism and other criminal activities in Rivers State.

The arrest, according to the Statement, followed the receipt of actionable intelligence by operatives which led to the operation.

The Police spokesperson noted that after the kidnap of the 10-year old boy on November, 25, 2024, and the subsequent demand for a ransom of five million Naira, the mother reported to the Police.

The Command, she said swiftly, switched into action, through the State’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit.

“Based on credible intelligence, operatives tracked Bete to Rumuekeni School Road in Rumuekeni Town, Port Harcourt where he was apprehended.

While in Custody , Bete confessed to the crime and subsequently led operatives to Sogho Village in Khana area where the boy was rescued unharmed.

The victim has since been debriefed and united with his family, while the suspect remains in custody”, the Police statement noted .

Koko assured that the suspect will be arraigned as soon the ongoing investigation is concluded.

BREAKING: Farotimi Granted N30 Million Bail

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Dele Farotimi

By Akinwale Kasali

Dele Farotimi, Human Rights Activist and Lawyer has been granted Bail in the tune of N30 Million by the Ekiti Magistrate Court.

This development was disclosed by Omoyele Sowore, Publisher, Sahara Reporter, and also the 2023 Presidential Candidate of African Action Congress, via his X (Twitter) handle on Friday.

The bail conditions include a N30 million bond, two sureties (one of whom must be a property owner), the submission of his passport, and a restriction on granting media interviews.

It would be recalled that Farotimi had been at loggerheads with Legal Luminary and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Afe Babalola, who alleged that he was defamed by Farotimi in his book.

Both parties have engaged in legal fireworks for months, which has led to Farotimi been remanded at the Ado Ekiti Correctional Centre, Ekiti State.

Details Later…..

Insecurity: Atiku Slams Reported Arrest Of NBS Statistician General By DSS

By
James Orji
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Atiku Abubakar

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has warned the federal government to stop politicise the data form the National Bureau of Statistic, NBS following the reported arrest of the Statistician General of the Federation by the Department of State Services, DSS, over its recent reports on the security situation in the country.

The former number two citizen spoke few days after a report released by the NBS to the effect that kidnappers raked  in over N2.2 trillion from their victims within 12 months.

The NBS report also revealed 51.89 million crime incidents occurred across Nigerian households during the said period.

Following the reports, critics of the government said the revelations is a pointer to the worsening state of insecurity in the country.

The attacks on the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu became more intensified, following reports that the Statistician-General of the Federation, Adeniran Adeyemi, had been  summoned for questioning by the Department of State Services, DSS over the issue. The NBS has denied the report.

The controversy was further exacerbated after claims that the NBS site has been hacked.

Responding Atiku, in a statement released by his office yesterday said the timing of the attack on NBS is suspicious considering its recent damning reports on the state of insecurity in the country. He said the development posed credibility problems of the NBS because Nigerians will begin to suspect any report form the agency, describing the hack as ‘unprecedented’ adding that the development is typical of the Tinubu administration.

The statement in part, “The development, which is coming on the heels of the recent data published on the website of the NBS on Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey, underscores the credibility crisis of the current administration.

“These are strange times in Nigeria, and it is hoped that the situation at hand is not an underhand attempt to pigeonhole the integrity of data majorly used for planning and development and research purposes.

“Subjecting data and statistics such as those harvested, analysed, and released by the NBS to sexing up or political considerations is counterproductive.

“That is why the claim that the website of the National Bureau of Statistics was hacked into, the very first time in its history, should be of concern to the fidelity of the stats it releases to the public.

“Moreover, the coincidence of this so-called hack, coming only shortly after the release of damning stats on security, is suspicious.

“We may be tempted to assume that every stats released by the Bureau is an outcome of a hack.”

Meanwhile, critics said the administration is obviously not happy with the NBS over the security report. The Tinubu administration has further worsened the situation by trying to do damage-control according to them.

AGF To Edo Govt: You Have No Power To Suspend LG Chairmen

By
James Orji
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Lateef Fagemi, the Minister of Justice Attorney General of the Federation has described the suspension of 18 local government chairmen in Edo state as illegal and unconstitutional.

The nation’s number one law officer said on Thursday, that the state House of Assembly has no longer  power to suspend LG chairmen, citing the July 2024 Supreme Court judgment.

The AGF response comes on the heels of the suspension of chairmen by the state Assembly based on a petition by the state governor, Monday Okpebholo that they disobeyed him.

The governor had four days ago written a letter to the Assembly complaining that his directive to the 18 LG chairmen to submit their financial positions to the state government , were not obeyed.

Governor Okpebholo, who accused the chairmen of subordination urged the Assembly to look into the matter, to determine the way forward on the issue. The Assembly followed up by suspending the chairmen for two months.

Reacting to the suspension, the AGF said the state government no longer have powers to suspend LG chief executives following the July 2024 landmark judgment of the supreme court which granted autonomy to the 776 LGAs in the country.

According to Fagbemi, the legislative arm of the LGAs are the ones empowered to remove the chairmen if any infraction is committed.

He explained that neither the the state governors nor State Houses of Assembly have powers to remove the chairmen based on the ruling of the nation’s apex court.

Fagbemi said,“I am aware that since July 11 when the Supreme Court delivered a landmark judgment, local government administration has taken a new turn, different from the old order.

“At any rate, we are still studying the situation but before final reaction, it must be stated categorically and emphatically that for now, local government chairmen can only be removed through the legislative arm of the local government itself and not the State House of Assembly.“

The magazine reported that the apex court had in a landmark judgment in July this year ruled that the positions of the 776 LGAs in the country are constitutionally guaranteed, following a suit filed by the AGF at the Supreme Court challenging the overbearing influence of state governments on the third tier of government.

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