Politics
Ex-Ebonyi Commissioner Returns To PDP
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Abia Onyike, has dumped the ruling party to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.
Onyike’s return to the PDP was contained in a statement, titled, “Why I am going back to the PDP”, which was made available to journalists, in Abakaliki, yesterday.
The statement read in part, “After a critical review of the current political scenario in Ebonyi State, especially since November 19, 2020, when Governor David Umahi decamped from PDP to APC, I, Abia Onyike, have decided to return back to the Peoples Democratic Party. My decision to return to PDP is based on the following reasons:
“That Governor David Umahi is not prepared to turn a new leaf in his leadership style in the governance of Ebonyi State, a situation that has unleashed mass poverty and mass impoverishment on Ebonyi citizenry. In my own Afikpo South LGA, Governor Umahi has failed the people through his continuous support and singular empowerment for a political block.
“I will remain opposed to Umahi’s government because of his approach to governance and administration. Take note that from 2015 to 2019, Governor Umahi ran the state without Permanent Secretaries.
“The PDP in Ebonyi State must be used as a liberation movement to rescue Ebonyians.”
In another development, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti, Olumuyiwa Filani, has announced his resignation as a member of the party in the state.
He expressed disappointment in APC, saying he could not continue to be in a party where citizens are not given equal treatment and described big political parties and leaders in the country as ‘forest of failures.’
He lamented the low percent of youth involvement in governance, high unemployment rate and security challenges bedevilling the country.
Filani announced his renunciation in his country home in Ward 4, Ikole Local Government Area of the state.
“I joined APC in 2010 with membership serial number ‘3’ which I have returned to the party chairman at Ward 4, Ikole council in line with the party’s constitution.
“I became a member of the party with hopes of creating a political power that would serve the needs of the people of Nigeria, envisioned a country where all people are treated equally regardless of colour, tribe, religion and be given chance of a good life.
“Unfortunately, this is not the case and I can no longer standby and watch helplessly. It is obvious and, indeed, unfortunate that all big parties and our political elders’ generations have failed us and our country.
“I am now convinced that the problem of Nigeria is above what APC and People’s Democratic Party could solve, that is why I am now pitching my tent against APC.
“Our youths, they say, are the future of tomorrow, but in this nation, the youths are not encouraged, unemployment is now the order of the day, insecurity has taken over and gradually our lives are becoming exactly the opposite of that which we expect,” he said.
Filani said it is important for people to speak out, saying otherwise, it could be disastrous.
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.