News
Nigeria Distressed Under Buhari -Secondus …As PDP Slams Contempt Charge Against INEC
National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince UcheSecondus has said Nigeria since the assumption of office by President Muhammadu Buhari has remained distressed; assuring however that the pains would be over if the party regains victory at the election tribunal.
Receiving a delegation of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, CPU, led by its Deputy Director General, Zhou Guohui at the party’s national secretariat, Abuja yesterday, Secondus said Nigeria is battling a legion of challenges especially in the areas of economy and security, saying the problems in the country were due largely to the failure of governance.
A statement signed by his media adviser, Ike Abonyi, quoted Secondus as telling his guests that Nigeria and China share a lot in common especially in the areas of population where China with over 1.4 billion persons houses the largest concentration of human beings in the world while Nigeria with over 200 million people is home to the largest concentration of blacks in the world.
Secondus added that China’s population makes it imperative that no nation can ignore her given the volume of trade involved in economic relations with the Asian powerhouse.
He commended Chinese government for earmarking about $60billion dollars for the development of Africa even as he expressed hope that Nigeria will benefit handsomely from the fund.
Meanwhile, the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are in a war of wits as the opposition PDP has now filed a petition before the Governorship Election Tribunal against the Commission alleging denial to access elections materials.
The PDP is accusing INEC of alleged violation of orders of the court, which instructed the commission to allow them access to electoral materials.
In the petition, PDP accused the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Kano, Professor Risqua Shehu Arabic of alleged contempt of court for refusing them access to electoral materials.
The tribunal on 7th of May, 2019 granted PDP access to inspect the electoral materials.
Counsel to PDP, Barrister Bashir Umar told journalists that upon granting the order, the tribunal urged all parties involved, including APC, INEC, PDP to draft schedule within which the inspection of materials begins and completed.
Bashir regretted that INEC has slowed down the process of issuance of the electoral material while failing to meet the 22nd May, 2019 deadline.
“ We have written the legal adviser of INEC, J.B Daudu, SAN to notify the chamber of the deliberate attempt to deny us the documents and to further draw public attention. The PDP governorship candidate also paid an unscheduled visit to INEC office in Kano for on-the-spot assessment, yet the condition did not change.
“That was why we were left with no option than to file form 48, which queries the disobedience of INEC to obey orders of tribunal filed on 8th of June, 2019, otherwise, they will be committed to contempt of court.
“ We subsequently filed form 49 after there was no response, for the commission to come before the tribunal to explain why it will not be punished for violating or refusing to obey orders of the court,” Bashir explained.
The tribunal has fixed Wednesday 19th June, 2019 for hearing of the PDP application.
President Bola Tinubu has approved the nomination of four new members to the Governing Council of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement yesterday, said the appointment is to fill existing vacancies and strengthen the board’s capacity.
The statement said the approved nominees are Mr. Olusegun Omosehin of the National Insurance Commission and Engr. Wole Ogunsanya of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria.
Tinubu also endorsed the nomination of Sam Onyechi, who represents the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum and Barrister Owei Oyanbo from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
The President encouraged the new members to leverage their expertise and dedication to enhance local content development within Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
It added, “The nominations arose from the exit of previous institutional representatives from the Governing Council.
“The NCDMB Governing Council, established under Section 69 of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, 2010, comprises representatives from key institutions.
“These include the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria, the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum, and the National Insurance Commission.”
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has announced plans to construct additional hostels, rehabilitate roads, and enhance power supply in the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT).
NDDC’s Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, disclosed this during a visit to the commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, yesterday by a delegation from the UNIPORT’s Governing Council.
Ogbuku stated that the NDDC had committed to upgrading facilities at UNIPORT as part of efforts to foster partnership with educational institutions across the Niger Delta.
According to him, the implementation of additional projects at the university forms part of a broader strategy to improve education standards in the region.
“Aside from the construction of new hostel blocks and installation of a 300 KVA solar inverter system, the NDDC will also facilitate more projects in the university.
“The commission will also deploy its engineers to assess the condition of UNIPORT’s roads and hostels for potential rehabilitation,” he said.
Ogbuku noted that upon completion, the projects would add to various initiatives previously undertaken by the commission at the university.
“These and other projects reflect our commitment to actualising President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda in the Niger Delta region,” he added.
He reaffirmed the NDDC’s dedication to fostering development and strengthening partnerships across the region.
Earlier, Sen. Mao Ohuanbunwa, Chairman of UNIPORT’s Governing Council, who led the delegation commended the current leadership of the NDDC for its achievements in accelerating development in the Niger Delta.
He highlighted the university’s infrastructural challenges, noting that it lacked adequate facilities to accommodate its growing student population, and appealed for the NDDC’s support in addressing the shortfall.
“Currently, UNIPORT has a total student population of about 50,000, while its hostel accommodation capacity can only cater for 5,000 students.
“We therefore urge the NDDC to assist in the construction of additional hostels, improve transportation facilities, and facilitate the acquisition of gas turbines to enhance power supply for our students,” Ohuanbunwa pleaded.
The Vice Chancellor of UNIPORT, Prof. Owunari Georgewill, commended NDDC for its impactful projects across the Niger Delta and extended an invitation to the commission to participate in the institution’s forthcoming 50th anniversary celebrations.
The Senate has rejected a motion to rename the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters after the former chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission, late Prof Humphrey Nwosu.
Nwosu presided over the June 12, 1993, presidential election, which was truncated by the former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd).
The election which was won by the late business mogul, Chief MKO Abiola, was adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the electoral history of Nigeria.
The motion to rename INEC after Nwosu was re-sponsored by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe yesterday after lawmakers threw it out last Wednesday.
Abaribe called for posthumous national honours to be conferred on Nwosu in recognition of his role in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.
However, the proposal sparked a heated debate once again, with lawmakers deeply divided over Nwosu’s legacy.
Senator Osita Ngwu acknowledged that Nwosu operated under a military regime, which restricted his ability to announce the results.
He argued that “there was no way he would have announced the results with a gun to his head. That doesn’t change the fact that some of us see him as a hero.”
Senator Austin Akobundu, however, described it as most uncharitable for lawmakers to dismiss Nwosu’s contributions, insisting that he deserved a place in Nigeria’s hall of honour.
On the other hand, several senators like Senator Jimoh Ibrahim dismissed the idea outright, questioning why the Senate should honour someone who failed to announce the results insisting that “nothing should be named after him”.
Senator Cyril Fasuyi argued that history does not reward efforts, but only results.
“As long as he did not announce the result, whether under duress or not, I am against naming INEC headquarters after him,” he submitted.
Also, Senator Sunday Karimi criticised Nwosu for lacking the courage to speak out, while Senator Afolabi Salisu warned that immortalising him would undermine the memory of MKO Abiola, the widely accepted winner of the June 12, 1993, annulled election.
“Any attempt to do anything beyond a one-minute silence is to rubbish Abiola’s legacy,” he tendered.
After intense deliberation, most senators rejected the motion through a voice vote.
They, however, agreed to honour him with a one-minute silence and extend condolences to his family, effectively dismissing the other prayers to immortalise Nwosu.