Politics
CNPP Warns FG, States On Consequences Of Lockdown Extension
The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has warned of the consequences of extending the COVID-19 lockdown beyond 14 days without proper palliative measures, urging the federal and state governments to make provisions for food and other basic necessities if the extension would be required. In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by its Secretary-General, Chief Willy Ezugwu, CNPP also drew the attention of the federal government to the need to support local production of medical equipment and drugs to manage the Coronavirus pandemic rather than depending on the Chinese government for equipment and personal protective gears.
“When the federal government announced a 14-day lockdown in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lagos and Ogun States as part of measures aimed at containing the spread of Coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria, we were fully in support of the efforts.
“We supported the initiative by President Muhammadu Buhari after his broadcast to the nation because the government had a palliative plan for citizens during the period.
“However, the events of last few days have clearly shown that the government at both the federal and state levels is totally as unprepared to mitigate the pains of the lockdown as Nigerians themselves.
“Having closely monitored the distribution of palliative packages, including federal government’s conditional cash transfer, we are totally disappointed that the citizens have continued to endure pains and hardships, including severe hunger, in hope that the pandemic will be contained within the 14 days of lockdown.
“But we are shocked by insinuations from the federal and state governments of possible extension of the lockdown and we warn that any extension of the COVID-19 lockdown may meet a brick wall if the shoddy soothing of the pains of citizens occasioned by hunger was not addressed.
“We are afraid that from the fillers we are getting, the masses may resort to civil disobedience in event of extension of the lockdown, which may make enforcement of the order very difficult. As they say, a hungry man is an angry man.
“More and more Nigerians have exhausted their little provisions and food stuff and keeping them at home longer than 14 days in the manner many citizens have endured in the last one week will be extremely difficult, particularly with most members of the population depending on daily incomes to survive,’’ the CNPP stated.
“We also urge the federal government to look inward for procurement of basic equipment and protective gears for medical personnel as we continue to confront the COVID-19 infection.
“We have, in the last one week, received the news of Nigerians producing the much needed face masks in Aba, Abia State and we strongly urge the federal and state governments to support such local manufacturing of disposables as other countries of the world also need same preventive kits.
“Nigeria is well endowed with capable medical personnel and the invitation of the Chinese to help us combat the coronavirus pandemic is more like passing a vote of no confidence on the Nigerian medical professionals, no matter how the government explains it.
“One lesson we must learn from the coronavirus disease experience is that it’s high time we heavily invested in our national and state healthcare system.
“We have seen that medical tourism has failed as nations have shut down their borders and airspace to control the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus. We must now support local production of healthcare equipment as we urge the government to rejig Nigeria’s medical architecture”, the CNPP stated.
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.