Politics
State Of Nation: Bishops Knock Buhari … Laud INEC Over Improved Electoral Process
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has presented a critical review of the Buhari administration, urging the regime to do more in ameliorating challenges of insecurity, poor economy, amongst others.
The group made the call in a communiqué issued at the end of its second plenary meeting at Orlu, near Owerri.
The communique was signed by the President of CBCN and Archbishop of Owerri, Most Rev. Lucius Ugorji and Secretary/Bishop of Uromi, Most Rev. Donatus Ogun.
The bishops stated that the government had not lived up to its duties with regard to security.
“We observe that even when suspects have been arrested, there is not even diligent prosecution of the culprits of these nefarious acts, leaving the citizenry helpless and despairing,” they said.
The clergy pointed out that “Owing to mismanagement and a failing economy with an ever increasing debt burden, there is poverty and hunger in our land, in spite of our huge human and natural resources.”
They called for adequate policies and provide the enabling environment for the creation of more jobs by both the government and the private sector to reduce the level of insecurity in the country.
On the lingering industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, the Catholics charged the federal government to quickly reach a truce with the striking lecturers.
“We renew our call on the Federal Government and ASUU to find a quicker and better way of resolving the matters under contention so that public universities will reopen.”
The clerics therefore called on Nigerians, particularly the youths, to sharpen their participation in the 2023 electoral process.
“We call on all our citizens and institutions to work towards responsible political behaviour and informed choices.
“In consonance with the principles of the Social Teaching of the Church, our people should be made aware of the duty to be both good leaders and followers.
“Only when the people are enlightened to take cognisance of their duties to the nation and their rights in it, can they escape the servitude of political manipulation and ignorance in their electoral habits,” they said.
They commended the National Assembly and President Mohammadu Buhari for enacting and signing into law the Electoral Bill 2022.
“We acknowledge the President’s commitment to ensuring a level-playing ground for all candidates in the elections.
“Furthermore, we commend the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its innovations, especially in the area of technology, to ensure free, fair and credible elections.
“We, however, enjoin the commission to ensure that this technology is transparently deployed, to increase the confidence of the people in the electoral process,” the group advised.
“We, therefore, renew our call on all our faithful, laity and clergy alike, to come out en masse to vote for people of unassailable integrity.”
They asked Nigerians to vote for people of good character, capacity and track record to lead the nation out of the present socio-political and economic doldrums, irrespective of party, religious and ethnic affiliations.
They noted that it was through the right political choices that the current situation in the country could be ameliorated.
The group also commended Pope Francis for creating another Cardinal in the person of His Eminence, Cardinal Peter Okpaleke, the Bishop of Ekwulobia Diocese.
They called on Nigerians to turn their attention to God in prayer and fasting for the country to get it right.
“We call on our citizens to continue fasting and prayers to prepare for smooth and peaceful elections.
“In campaigning and canvassing for votes, we urge politicians to eschew the politics of bitterness, divisiveness and religious bigotry.
“If we succeed in doing these things, we shall indeed cross the threshold into a new dawn in our country,” they noted.
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.