Politics
Fubara, Diri, Odili, Others Pay Tributes To Late Adeline Jaja
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara; his
Bayelsa State colleague, Senator. Douye Diri; Rivers State Deputy Governor, Prof Ngozi Odu; former Governor of Rivers State, Dr Peter Odili, his wife, Justice Mary Odili were among several other dignitaries from far and near who thronged Opobo Town last Saturday to pay their last respects to late Madam Adeline Jaja, mother in-law to the Rivers State Chief Executive.
Speaking at the funeral service held at St Paul’s Anglican Church, Opobo Town, Governor Fubara described his late mother in-law as a woman who lived a good life and made positive impact on the society.
The Governor, who declared that his administration is premised on the foundation of God, urged the living to borrow a cue from Mama’s life.
“We are here this afternoon to say bye-bye to Mama. I want us to take home something: how do we live our lives? Can we live in a way that when we’re no more, our name can open doors for our children? Mama lived a good life that opened doors for many”, he said.
In his remarks, the Governor of Bayelsa State, Sen Douye Diri, extended the deepest condolences of the government and people of Bayelsa State to the Rivers first family.
Governor Diri, who described life as transient, said humans should live a life of modesty and note that life is temporary and ultimate powers belong to God.
Delivering his sermon, the Bishop of Niger Delta Diocese, Rt Rev Oko Jaja, said Mama was a devout Christian of the Anglican faith who did her best before her passage from earthly existence, noting that death in Christ was a guarantee for eternity. Rt Rev Oko Jaja also expressed the condolences of the church to the bereaved family.
Wife of the Rivers State Governor, Lady Valerie Fubara read the only lesson at the funeral service which anchored on divine atonement and respite for those in grief.
The biography of the late matriarch, also read by Lady Fubara, was a testimony of a courageous leader who rose from a humble beginning and disciplined parentage to success, with a career in the Nigeria Police Force that spanned years of active service till her retirement in 1997.
The funeral ceremony was attended by dignitaries from all walks of life, including politics, business, traditional leadership, clergy, captains of industry, government ministries, departments, agencies and parastatals.
Earlier on Friday, a service of songs in honour of the late mother in-law to the number one citizen of Rivers State was held at St Andrew’s Anglican Church, Diobu, Port Harcourt.
In a related development, Governor Fubara, on Wednesday, declared that a major policy of his administration is to channel resources to the development of the educational sector.
Governor Fubara, who disclosed this during the inauguration of the newly constituted Governing Councils of the state-owned universities: Rivers State University and Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, and the Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic at Government House Port Harcourt, charged the council members to review the educational curriculum to address the deficits in our educational system to enhance the acquisition and application of functional skills.
The Rivers State Governor also approved the recommencement of the suspended Ignatius Ajuru University employment and cautioned against compromise in the employment process.
Governor Fubara flayed the critics of his administration over their warped sense of judgment, stating that he remained focused and determined to dispense good governance and democratic dividends in the state.
“There’s a lot of noise everywhere that we aren’t focused, that we are without direction, but I want to tell the world that if our energy is channeled to education, not just education but purposeful education that is creative and give you independence.
“We’ve left the world we’re we speak too much grammar, we are in a world were education is what you can do with your hand. I want you to bring back our academic programmes to ensure that at the end of study, you don’t need a job, you create a job and become employer of labour. Let’s add something different to the system, I want us to be remembered for standards, I believe that’s the only way we can overcome our challenges”, he said.
By: Beemene Taneh
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.