Politics
Wike Intervenes To Save ONELGA
Last week’s first Christmas Carol is still reverberating
across the nooks and crannies of the State after the State Government and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) staged the first State Government organised Carol. Governor Nyesom Wike with other top state officials attended at the Gen. Gowon Stadium, Elekahia, Port Harcourt.
Last Monday, Governor Wike felicitated with his Deputy Dr, Ipalibo Harry-Banigo on her birthday. The governor commended Dr Harry-Banigo for being a reliable partner in the transformation of Rivers State in line with the New Rivers Development Blueprint.
The governor further opined that the deputy has earned herself a place in the history of the State following her record of service in the civil service, health care sector and now as deputy governor of the State.
On Tuesday, the governor through his Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Mr. Simeon Nwakaudu announced the appointment of a new Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA). Mr Lawrence Macaulay Pepple was appointed to lead the agency after it was shut down last month. Mr Pepple’s appointment took effect from Monday 21st December, 2015.
On Wednesday, shortly after returning from an official trip to the Federal Capital Territory, the governor inaugurated two Caretaker Committee Chairmen for Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni (ONELGA) and Etche Local Government Areas.
The governor submitted that the security reports in ONELGA indicated that the former chairman had relapsed while security deteriorated in the area. He noted that security reports indicated that there was need to intervene and enthrone rule of law in ONELGA.
He therefore directed the new CTC Chairman of ONELGA, Prince Isaac Umejere to make security a top priority and restore peace in the Omoku, Egi communities. “You have to collaborate with security agencies to fight crime and cultism in ONELGA.” Wike charged him.
On the same Wednesday, deputy governor, Dr Ipalibo Harry-Banigo honoured 10 staffers who retired after a meritorious service in Government House as part of a Christmas Carol, end of Year Party and Sendforth for staff and retirees and expressed appreciation to them following their dedication and sacrifice while serving the State in various capacities.
Ahead of the Christmas, celebration on December 25, Governor Wike on Thursday sent out a yuletide message to the people of the State. In a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, he urged Christians to remain committed to the worthy ideals demonstrated by God in the birth of Jesus Christ.
He also called on the people to pray for Rivers State and Nigeria as a whole. The governor assured that the state will continue to grow from strength to strength as his administration was rooted on God and the will of the people.
On Christmas day, the governor’s wife, Her Excellency Justice Eberechi Nyesom Wike celebrated with the less privileged in the society. She began the day with a visit to the Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital (BMH) where she gave gifts to babies born on Christmas Day.
Justice Nyesom Wike said, “I am happy that we have our Christmas babies. I am happy that the three mothers delivered their babies safely. These babies represent the future and God’s miracle to mankind.”
On Saturday, Governor Wike swore-in more 15 special Advisers in Government House. He said the new aides will be the last batch in the year as he called on them to join hands in the implementation of the development agenda of the administration.
On Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed, through a second reading, a bill seeking to retain immunity for the Office of the President and remove immunity from the Vice President, the Governors and the Deputy Governors.
The bill was one of the 42 considered and passed through the second reading stage during plenary presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Mr Benjamin Kalu, in Abuja.
Sponsored by Hon. Solomon Bob (Rivers PDP), the bill is seeking the amendment of Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution to guard against abuse of office and to ensure transparency in governance.
The long title of the proposed legislation read: “A Bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to qualify the immunity conferred on the President, remove the immunity conferred on the Vice President, the Governors and their deputies, in order to curb corruption, eradicate impunity and enhance accountability in public office and for related matters.”
Key amendments include changes to Section 308 of the Constitution, which currently grants immunity to the president, vice president, governors, and deputy governors while in office.
The proposed bill will amend subsection 3 to ensure that immunity only applies to the President and the vice president when acting as President under Section 145 of the Constitution.
Additionally, a new subsection 4 will be introduced to make the immunity clause inapplicable if the office holder is acting in an unofficial capacity, engaging in actions beyond the powers of the office, or involved in criminal conduct.
“The bill seeks to foster transparency and strengthen the fight against corruption by making public officials more accountable for their actions, both in and out of office.”
“Section 308 of the principal Act is amended by:(a) substituting a new subsection (3) as follows: “(3) This section applies to a person holding the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Vice President only when acting as President, in line with Section 145 of this Constitution.
Creating sub section (4) thereto as follows:”(4) The foregoing provisions of this section shall be inapplicable where the person to whom this section applies is acting in an unofficial capacity or where the conduct of the person is beyond the powers of his office or the conduct is criminal in nature.
“This Bill may be cited as the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Act 2024.
The bill is currently awaiting further debate and consideration by the National Assembly.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has written to notify Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi Central, about the petition by constituents seeking her recall from the national assembly.
INEC said it has also received the contact details of the petitioners.
“Pursuant to section 69 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, I write to notify you of the receipt of a petition from representatives of registered voters in your constituency seeking your recall from the senate.
“The notification is in line with the provisions of clause 2 (a) of the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024.
“This letter is also copied to the presiding officer of the senate and simultaneously published on the commission’s website. Thank you”, the letter read.
The letter was signed by Ruth Oriaran Anthony, secretary to the commission.
Meanwhile, in a statement issued on Wednesday, INEC said it has now received the updated contact details from representatives of petitioners seeking to recall the senator.
In the statement, Sam Olumekun, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education, said a letter notifying the senator of the petition has been delivered to her official address, copied to the senate presiding officer, and published on the commission’s website.
“The next step is to scrutinise the list of signatories submitted by the petitioners to ascertain that the petition is signed by more than one half (over 50%) of the registered voters in the constituency. This will be done in the coming days.
“The outcome, which will be made public, shall determine the next step to be taken by the Commission. We once again reassure Nigerians that the process will be open and transparent”, Mr Olumekun said.
Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan had recently accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexually harassing her.
The allegation came in the wake of seating arrangement related altercation between Senator. Akpabio and the Kogi Central senator at the red chamber
She was subsequently suspended from the senate for six months for “gross misconduct” over the incident.
The constituents behind the recall move also accused her of “gross misconduct, abuse of office, and deceitful behaviour”.
The senator has denied wrongdoing and called the recall effort a “coordinated suppression” of her voice.
The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed the second reading of a bill to upgrade the Lagos State 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) to full-fledged Local Government Areas (LGAs ).
The bill, was sponsored by James Faleke, Babajimi Benson, Enitan Badru, and 19 other lawmakers.
The bill is titled “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) to Accommodate the Thirty-Seven (37) Development Area Councils of Lagos State as Full-Fledged Local Government Areas, Increasing the Total Number of Local Government Areas in the Federation to Eight Hundred and Eleven (811), and for Related Matters (HB. 1498),”
Once fully enacted, Nigeria’s total number of LGAs will rise from 774 to 811, with Lagos overtaking Kano and Katsina, which currently have 44 and 34 LGAs, respectively.
Proponents of the bill argue that granting full LGA status to the LCDAs would bring governance closer to the people. The 37 LCDAs were created by President Bola Tinubu in 2003 when he was governor of Lagos State.
However, it’s worth noting that the Lagos State House of Assembly has been working on a bill to replace the 37 LCDAs with newly designated administrative areas.