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Jonathan Tasks Nigerian Leaders On Unity

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Former President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has urged political leaders to unite in order to save Nigeria from imminent disintegration.
He spoke at the 2nd Igbo Nsukka Zik Annual Merit Award in Abuja with the theme: ‘Preserving Zik’s Legacies for National Unity’.
While extolling late nationalist, Rt. Hon. Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, for placing premium on a united Nigeria during his lifetime, Jonathan said “I believe that the ideals, philosophy, and wisdom of the late Zik are very relevant now, as we seek to chart a way forward for our beloved country at this particular moment in our nationhood.
“While most political pundits insist that the potential for Nigeria’s greatness remains potent, our nation has continued to grapple with the consequences of poor management of our diversity and differences.
“When I convened the 2014 National Conference as President, my intention was to create an environment that would enable our citizens to dispassionately address these issues that are pushing us towards divisive politics and sowing seeds of discord in our polity.
“I believe that, in a complex and divisive country like ours, the journey of nationhood and march to greatness is not a sprint but a marathon. However, to get it right, we need to do much more to unite our people and integrate our society, in order to build a nation of selfless patriots. That is the kind of country envisioned by our nationalists; that is the only way to turn our huge population, rich diversity, and outstanding resourcefulness of our people into a positive force that would transform and enhance the greatness of our dear country.”
Also speaking, a former Governor of Anambra, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, said Nigeria had the potential to be the greatest black nation on earth, but lamented that the country was on the verge of failure because of the parochial tendencies of some political leaders.
According to him, “Nnamdi Azikiwe refused to leave Nigeria, because he was well-concerned about a united Nigeria, and saw the country as a nation that will make all black men proud. If the late Zik were to come back to life today, he cannot recognise Nigeria. He will see the country as a colossal and monumental failure.
“But do we continue in failure? I think God has prepared a new Nigeria. Very soon, the Almighty will send someone who will make us happy again. We will do it, and when we are dead our children will make Nigeria so great.”
In his remarks, Senator Rochas Okorocha posited that the late Zik of Africa would never have supported the separatist agitation by the Indigenous People of Biafra.
Nonetheless, he urged the government to dialogue with and forgive the youths for what he described as their ‘misplaced demand’.
In urging Nigerians to vote for a detribalised leader as President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor, the ex-Imo governor said: “In choosing your leaders for 2023, don’t vote any politician on the basis of what they said they will do but on the track record of what they have done in the past.
“The tribe or religion of who governs is immaterial. If a man has not shown a sign of peace in the times past, he will not show it as the president of Nigeria.
“It is disheartening that we don’t see the frontiers of our brotherhood in this country today rather we see separations. I am sure Zik will condemn in its entirety any call for secession.
“I am wondering what Zik will say to IPOB. I am certain he will say: ‘My sons and daughters the Biafra agitation is an ill-wind which will blow nobody any good. So, let us embrace one another and ensure that peace will reign.’
“I am equally sure Zik will say to the Federal Government to embrace the youths and forgive them for they know not what they do.”
The highlight of the event was the presentation of awards of excellence to some notable Nigerians for following in the footsteps of the late Azikiwe in seeking the oneness of all Nigerians and also improving on the socio-economic and political development of Nigeria.
Some of the Zik award recipients include: ex-President Goodluck Jonathan; the Etsu Nupe, HRH Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar; the Minister of Transport, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi; Kogi Governor, Yahaya Bello; former Minister of Women Affairs, Chief Mrs. Josephine Anenih; former State House CSO, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha (rtd), amongst others.

 

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APC Lawyers Express Security Concerns At Benue LG Polls Tribunal Venues

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Lawyers representing the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the ongoing local government election tribunals in Benue State have written to the panels’ chairmen over growing security concerns at the tribunal venues.
The lawyers expressed their fears in three separate letters signed by Matthew Burkaa (SAN), Mohammed Ndarani (SAN), and Sunday Ameh (SAN) for Zone A, B and C senatorial districts, addressed to the tribunal chairpersons and made available to journalists in Makurdi.
The local government councils election petitions tribunals were all sitting in Makurdi, the state capital.
In their letters titled “Re: Notice of Tribunal Sitting on Monday 24th February 2025, and Our Security Concerns”, the lawyers urged the court not to sit because of the security concerns.
Mr Burkaa, who is representing the Zone B senatorial district in his letter, said he and his team were representing 294 respondents in all the pending 104 petitions before the tribunal in the zone.
He stated that they received notice through the tribunal secretary, Emmanuel Awuhe, via the ‘Local Government Petition Tribunal Makurdi’ WhatsApp group of the tribunal’s intention to sit on February 24.
Mr Burkaa said the lawyers had received a directive that the tribunal would not sit on February 21, the initially scheduled date and would be heard Monday, February 24.
“We hereby, with regard to the hearing notice against Monday, state our reservation against the said sitting of the tribunal on the following grounds:
“We have noted the brewing tense security situation around the court premises and within the state in the past few days.
“The state of affairs has created a serious security concern for us, as we fear for the safety of our team of lawyers and our clients should they attend the sitting on the said date.
“Consequent upon the above, we hereby respectfully request that the tribunal sitting be adjourned to a further and tentative date when adequate security measures would have been put in place to guarantee our collective security.
“We will be delighted if our request is granted with immediate and adequate consideration,” he said.
Also, Mr Ndarani, representing respondents in the 93 petitions pending before the Zone A senatorial district tribunal, aligned completely with Mr Burkaa.
Mr Ameh, counsel for Zone C respondents in the pending petitions at the tribunal, said the issue of security raised in his letter was a serious one.

 

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PDP Member Wants Court To Declare Nwoko’s Senate Seat Vacant

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A member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Marvis Ossai, on Monday prayed a Federal High Court in Abuja to declare the Delta North Senatorial seat vacant, following the defection of Sen. Ned Nwoko to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Mr Ossai, filed the suit marked: FCH/ABJ/CS/325/2025, seeking the lawmaker’s removal, having defected from the party on which platform he came into the Senate.
The plaintiff also urged the court to direct the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to, within 60 days from the delivery of judgement in the matter, conduct a by-election into the Delta North Senatorial District.
Aside from Nwoko, the INEC, PDP and the Senate, were cited as defendants in the matter.
Specifically, the plaintiff, through his team of lawyers led by Mr. Johnmary Jideobi, posed a lone question for the determination of the court.
He prayed among other reliefs, for: “An order of this Honourable Court, directing the INEC (the 2nd defendant) to conduct a bye-election into the Delta North Senatorial District of the Nigerian Senate within sixty (60) days from the date of the delivery of judgment herein.
“An order of this Honourable Court declaring vacant the seat of Ned Munir Nwoko and cancelling his Certificate of Return issued to him by INEC.
“An order of this Honourable Court mandating the 1st Defendant, Nwoko, to refund into the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation, forthwith, all the salaries, emoluments and allowances received by him since January, 2025 until the date of the final judgment in this matter.
“An order disqualifying the 1st defendant from standing election into any elective post under the amended 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria until and unless he complies with every terms of the judgment in this suit.
“An order mandating the 4th defendant (Senate) to immediately give effect to the judgment of this Honourable Court.”
In a five-paragraph affidavit deposed to by one Ibrahim Isa, the plaintiff, told the court that Sen. Nwoko had on Jan. 30, resigned from the PDP which was the political party on whose platform he was elected to occupy the Delta North Senatorial seat till 2027.
According to the plaintiff, who told the court that he is from Oshimili North Local Government Area in Delta North Senatorial District, Sen. Nwoko’s continued stay in office after his defection, would amount to a gross violation of the constitution.
“That since when the 1st defendant decamped from the PDP up to the present moment of initiating the instant suit, there is never any division in the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“That the ideology of the 1st defendant’s new party, APC, to which the 1st defendant now fully subscribes, does not bear any similarity or represent the political philosophy of the PDP (which is the basis upon which the Plaintiff resolved to cast his vote for and elected the Defendant in 2023).
“That the conduct of the defendant in defecting from the PDP to APC has dealt a major blow to the fortunes of the plaintiff’s party, the PDP.
“That the conduct of the 1st defendant being challenged herein if not condemned and upturned by this Honourable Court will continue to encourage political harlotry, legislative rascality and destroys the reasons for the laws made to regulate the defection of National Assembly Members by the Constitution of Nigeria itself.
“That the continuous stay of the 1st defendant at the Federal Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria does no longer represent the Plaintiff’s interest or that of thousands of other members of our constituency who voted him in on the basis of our faith in our Party’s manifesto which they believed the 1st Defendant was capable of representing in the Federal Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“That the defendant is now representing adverse interests of the people who fought the Plaintiff’s party tooth and nail [in the year 2023] to forestall the emergence of the 1st Defendant as the Member Representing Delta North Senatorial District Federal Constituency on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP).
“That time is of the greatest essence in the instant application.
“It will be in the interest of justice for this Honourable Court to grant the prayers contained on the face of this Originating Summons,” the affidavit further read.
The suit is yet to be assigned to any judge for hearing.

 

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Tax Reform Bills To Shape Nigeria’s Economy -Akpabio

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President of the Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, on Monday, defended the tax reform bills introduced to the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu, saying that the bills would shape the future of the country’s economy.
He spoke in Abuja as the Senate Committee on Finance opened the long-awaited public hearing on the bills, urging all stakeholders to thoroughly examine the bills, considering the impact they would make on revenue generation and redistribution in the country.
The tax reform bills are, The Nigeria Tax Bill (NTB) 2024; The Nigeria Tax Administration Bill (NTAB) 2024; The Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill (NRSEB) 2024; and The Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill (JRBEB) 2024.
Sen. Akpabio noted that the misconceptions and fears about the bills were spread mostly by persons and groups that had hardly read the provisions.
He called all those opposing the bills to seize the opportunity of the public hearing to tell Nigerians why they believed the bills were bad for their well-being.
The Senate President stated, “The four bills, some leaders and elders have never read them. They only rush to the television to make comments.
“I call on all Nigerians, who are against the bills, to come and make their contributions. Don’t follow social media commentaries to act, read the bills.
“This is the future of Nigeria, these tax reform bills. All oversights by the Senate are suspended for now for us to devote enough time to the public hearing.”
Sen. Akpabio observed that while discussions or pronouncements about tax scare people, the truth remains that less than 30% of Nigerians pay taxes.
According to him, over-reliance on crude oil revenue has made many Nigerians to assume that paying taxes is unnecessary.
“At a time when oil revenue is dwindling, we have to think out of the box by sourcing money from other areas. This is a fact.
“I don’t think up to 30% of Nigerians pay tax. Yet, everyone wants good services and good governance.
“This is Nigeria. Nobody believes in the rule of law and nobody believes that tax works”, he added.
A long list of stakeholders attended the opening of the hearing on Monday.

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