Flowerbud News

Month: November 2023

  • Osun APC threatens suit over dissolution of statutory commissions

    Osun APC threatens suit over dissolution of statutory commissions

    The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has faulted the dissolution of the statutory commissions by the State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, saying the dissolution would be challenged in court.

     

    Adeleke had on Monday announced the dissolution of the State Civil Service Commission, the Judicial Service Commission, the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, and the Osun State House of Assembly Service Commission.

     

    Reacting, Osun APC chairman, Mr. Tajudeen Lawal, in a statement obtained in Osogbo on Wednesday, said the dissolution of the tenured statutory commissions was a ‘flagrant act of an illegality and crass exhibition of administrative ignorance which won’t see the light ofday

     

    He said, “With this dissolution of the statutory commissions, Adeleke is making the state a laughing stock among the comity of states nationwide.

     

    “Let it be known that this shenanigan and an arrant display of an act of lawlessness by Governor Adeleke and his co-travelers would not be allowed to go unchallenged through legal means.

     

    “If Adeleke does not rescind the illegal decision to dissolve the statutory commissions with his obnoxious executive order, he should be prepared to face the music as Osun State is not a private enterprise that can be run according to the whims and caprices of an individual.”

     

     

  • Photos: OAU students storm EFCC office, Ibadan

    Photos: OAU students storm EFCC office, Ibadan

    Students of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, stormed the Ibadan zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, protesting the arrest of their students

    The anti-graft agency operatives raided two off-campus hostels, arresting over 70 students in the process.

    The students’ Union leadership led other students to occupy the commission office in a bid to secure the release of the student.

     

    Akinremi Abass, the Students Union President, said the students would not leave the premises of the commission if the arrested students were not released

  • FCTA introduces e-booking, ticketing of vehicles to block revenue leakages

    FCTA introduces e-booking, ticketing of vehicles to block revenue leakages

    By Philip Yatai

    The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has introduced e-booking and e-ticketing of vehicles in the Federal Capital City, Abuja, to block revenue leakages.

    Dr Abdulateef Bello, Director, Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS), FCTA, made this known during a training of operational staff of the directorate on e-booking and e-billing systems in Abuja on Wednesday.

    Bello explained that the move was to curb revenue leakages, promote transparency, accountability, and effectiveness in the FCT traffic management system.

    He said that the implementation of the e-ticketing system would begin in the city centre due to the heavy traffic before it would be extended to the suburbs in days to come.

    The director explained that the system would allow offenders to appeal or protest unsatisfactory bookings to ensure justice and address discrepancies.

    “This evolution will empower DRTS officers to serve the public better by delivering services that are not only seamless but efficient and transparent.

    “The new paperless system exemplifies our commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology to serve our community with unparalleled efficiency and integrity.

    “This will equally eliminate the challenges associated with manual systems. It will also help us to manage fines and ticketing systems while minimizing revenue leakages,” he said.

    Bello said that with the e-platforms in place, the directorate would be able to have a comprehensive record of all transactions.

    This, he said, would ensure that every money due to the government goes to the government and accounted for.

    He added that the systems offer seamless payment options for offenders and would enhance their overall experience while interacting with the officials of the directorates.

    “It provides easy access to penalty records from various endpoints, audit trail history and other related data analytics.

    “This will ensure accountability and informed decision-making,” he added.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training was attended by all operational staff from the 22 commands of the directorates.

    NAN

  • CSOs condemn arrest of NLC President

    CSOs condemn arrest of NLC President

    A coalition of civil society groups under the aegis of United Action Front of Civil Society has condemned Wednesday’s arrest of the President, of Nigeria Labour Congress NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, warning that nothing untoward must happen to him in custody.

    Head, National Coordinating Secretariat, United Action Front of Civil Society of Nigeria, Olawale ‘Veteran Che’ Okunniyi gave the warning in a State of the Nation address issued in Abuja.

    He said, “Hope Uzodinma, the Governor of Imo State today shot himself in the leg as anticipated, and will never know rest” for ordering the arrest of the NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, the leader of the entire workforce and masses of Nigeria and will never know rest again.

    By Omeiza Ajayi

     

    A coalition of civil society groups under the aegis of United Action Front of Civil Society has condemned Wednesday’s arrest of the President, of Nigeria Labour Congress NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, warning that nothing untoward must happen to him in custody.

    Head, National Coordinating Secretariat, United Action Front of Civil Society of Nigeria, Olawale ‘Veteran Che’ Okunniyi gave the warning in a State of the Nation address issued in Abuja.

     

     

    He said, “Hope Uzodinma, the Governor of Imo State today shot himself in the leg as anticipated, and will never know rest” for ordering the arrest of the NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, the leader of the entire workforce and masses of Nigeria and will never know rest again.

     

     

     

    “It will therefore be in the interest of the Governor of Imo State that nothing happens to Ajaero in his illegal custody to avoid total shut down of Abuja and Nigeria as the Nigerian people are being pushed by those in power towards mass action”.

     

    On the recent Supreme Court judgment, which affirmed President Bola Tinubu as president, the coalition said as rightly noted by Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, the court “ended up legitimizing illegality, including forgery, identity theft, and perjury”.

     

    “Therefore, the United Action Front of Civil Society wishes to unequivocally assert that the Supreme Court failed to live up to the expectation of making justice count as the final arbiter; as it ended up delivering judgements spiced with verbosity and embellishment of technicalities. It is therefore highly disappointing that the Supreme Court in its judgements gave the impression that electoral fraud could be justified and endorsed within the spirit and letter of the Nigerian constitution and electoral law by simply relying on Technicalities. The United Action Front of Civil Society considers it rather curious that both the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) and the Supreme Court endorsed the flagrant flouting of electoral guidelines by INEC and the electoral heists perpetrated across the country by State Captors during the 2023 Presidential elections.

     

    “The United Action Front of Civil Society considers it utterly worrisome that the Supreme Court which ought to be the guardian of the sanctity of the Nigerian Constitution and its Electoral Law has become the very tool for legitimizing illegality, impunity and perjury. Regrettably, the danger inherent in the decision of the Supreme Court is to the effect that future elections may be fraught with greater impunity, manipulation, banditry and violence as the faith reposed in the judiciary to freely and fairly adjudicate in election disputes has been gravely eroded.

     

    “The United Action Front of Civil Society is therefore disturbed by the implicit reality of undermined faith of the Citizens in the judiciary, which signposts danger for the future of democracy in Nigeria. It is in that regard that we are further perturbed by the revelations made by retiring Justice Musa Dattijo Mohammad against the background of elaborate public perception, which speaks eloquently to the worrisome state of the Nigerian judiciary as reality rather than mere apprehension regarding perversion of justice in Nigeria.

     

    “The United Action Front of Civil Society therefore calls on Nigerians to remain resolute and steadfast in the defence of democracy, which must be demonstrated through relentless commitment to the demand for justice notwithstanding political and judicial intimidation. We therefore align with the position of the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar that Nigerians must choose freedom over servitude and therefore wish to reiterate his call that the judiciary must never lend itself to politicization as it is currently the norm with nearly every institution in Nigeria. More importantly, however, is the need for Nigerians to brace up for the challenges ahead which demand vigilance, mass resistance, constructive opposition and dogged commitment to the cause of genuine democracy, credible elections, rule of law and justice as the aftermath of the Supreme Court Judgement has clearly shown that Nigeria requires an urgent people’s driven constitutional political and electoral surgery to survive as a democracy.

     

    “We wish to call on leading opposition leaders in the country such as Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Mr Peter Obi, and Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso among others to immediately rise and unite to rally opposition forces in Nigeria to resist heightening impunity and recklessness in the governance of Nigeria, especially in defence of the future of the country’s democracy as done in other advanced democracies around the world. We wish to reaffirm that unless political opposition becomes formidable, engaging and active in any country, popular governance will shrink and die, especially as the FBI begins to release the Files of the President today in far away United States of America

    .

    It is for this reason that the United Action Front of Civil Society shall be joining hands with the newly initiated National Intervention Group, NIG to facilitate a major National Political Summit of Eminent National Leaders, Statesmen and Women as well as Social Influencers, especially among the Youths of Nigeria proposed for Tuesday, 28th November 2023 at a venue to be announced soon in Memory of Nigeria’s departed constitutional icon, Prof Ben Nwabueze, SAN, w

  • Reps to investigate N200bn expenditure on postponed 2023 census

    Reps to investigate N200bn expenditure on postponed 2023 census

    By EricJames Ochigbo

    The House of Representatives, says it will investigate the N200 billion expended on the postponed 2023 census by the National Population Commission (NPC).

    The resolution to investigate the NPC’s expenditure was sequel to a unanimous adoption of a motion co-sponsored by Rep. Dominic Okafor (APGA- Anambra) and Rep. Patrick Umoh (APC-Akwa Ibom) at plenary on Wednesday.

    Okafor, who moved the motion, said “census provides accurate population data crucial for development planning, policy formulation, resource allocation, and government programme implementation.”

    He said that census was most necessary especially at a time when the Federal Government in conjunction with State Governments were working on giving palliatives to vulnerable citizens and also planning other social services.

    The Rep member said that the NPC had the mandate to conduct periodic census surveys, and other methods to enumerate the country’s population and to provide data for national planning and economic development.

    Okafor recalled that a national census was last conducted in Nigeria in 2006 and the 2023 census, but that the was to have held scheduled in May 2023, was postponed by the commission.

    According to him, the data collected in the 2006 census is far from reality today and cannot validly form a solid base for the formation of national economic policies that will aid the federal government in administering viable national planning.

    “The commission has admitted to having spent N200 billion of the N800 billion budgeted for the planning mid-execution of the 2023 population and housing census, which was postponed.

    “The financial investment in 2023 population census planning would have improved economic planning and distribution of palliatives in the country.

    “If the population and housing census fails to take place within 12 months, the information gathered across the country would become stale, a waste of resources and the country would have to increase costs of gathering fresh information,” he said.

    He said that the Chairman of the commission, Alhaji Nasir Kwarra, had expressed readiness to conduct a population and housing census during a visit to President Bola Tinubu on July 6, 2023.

    The green chambers urged President Bola Tinubu to declare a date for the conduction of 2023 population and housing census to facilitate accurate economic planning.

    The house urged the Federal Government to, upon fixing a date for the census, constitute Census Tribunals in designated centres in accordance with Section 28 of the National Population Commission, Act, 2004.

    The lawmakers charged the NPC not to relent in its preparation for the 2023 population and housing census.

    In his ruling, the Speaker of the house,  Tajudeen Abbas, mandated the Committee on Population to investigate the money expended on the postponed 2023 population.

    He asked the committee to  liaise with the NPC to ensure a successful population and housing census when proclaimed.

    NAN

  • Tinubu seeks Senate approval of 2022-2024 external borrowing plan of $7.8bn, €100m

    Tinubu seeks Senate approval of 2022-2024 external borrowing plan of $7.8bn, €100m

    By Kingsley Okoye

    President Bola Tinubu has sought the approval of Senate for the 2022-2024 external borrowing plan of 7.8 billion dollars and 100 million euros.

    Tinubu’s request was contained in a letter addressed to President of Senate, Godswill Akpabio and read at plenary on Wednesday.

    Tinubu in the letter said the past administration had approved the 2022-2024 borrowing plan at the Federal Executive council on May 15 .

    He said:

    “Following the removal of fuel subsidy and its impact on the economy in the country,Africa Development Bank (AFDB)and World Bank Group have indicated interest to assist the country in mitigating the economic shocks, and its recent reforms.

    “While the AFDB will assist the country with the sum of One billion dollars, the world bank will give two billion dollars in addition to the Federal Executive council approved 2023-2024 external borrowing plan.”

    Tinubu said the projects due to be utilised with the fund cut across all sectors with specific emphasis on infrastructure, agriculture, health , education, water supply, security and employment generation and financial management reforms.

    He said that the projects and programmes in the plan were selected based on technical economic evaluation and its expected contribution to the social economic development of the country.

    He listed the areas to include employment generation, skills acquisition , supporting the emergence of more entrepreneurs, poverty reduction and food security to improve the livelihood of an average Nigerian.

    He said the projects and programs would be implemented in all 36 states of the Federation, and the FCT.

    “In view of the economic realities , facing the country, it has become imperative that the country resort to prudent external borrowing, to breach the financing gap which will be applied to key infrastructure projects including power , railway , health amongst others , given the nature of these facilities.

    ” In a quest to bring the country to normalcy, it has become exigent to request the senate consideration and approval of the 2022 -2024 external borrowing plan to enable the government deliver it’s responsibility to Nigerians through expeditious disbursement and efficient project implementation”.

    NAN

  • Appeal Court sacks Suswam from Senate

     

    By Taye Agbaje

    Abuja:. The Court of Appeal, Abuja, on Wednesday, nullified the election of former Governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, as senator representing North East Senatorial District of the state.

    The appellate court, in a unanimous decision by a three-member panel of justices, said it was satisfied that Suswam was not the valid winner of the senatorial election that held on Feb. 25.
    It faulted the judgement of the Benue State National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal which returned Suswam of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Senate, after it nullified the election victory of Emmanuel Udende of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    According to the appellate court, the tribunal wrongly evaluated the evidence that was presented before it by the parties in the matter and thereby arrived at an erroneous conclusion that upheld the petition Suswam filed to challenge Udende’s election victory.

    Consequently, the court voided the judgement of the tribunal, saying it found merit in the appeal that was lodged before it by the APC candidate.

    “The judgement of the tribunal delivered on 8th of September, 2023 is hereby set aside.
    “The return of the appellant as the winner of the Benue North East senatorial election that was held on February 25 is hereby affirmed.

    “Parties are to bear their respective cost,” the court held in its lead verdict that was delivered by Justice Abimbola Adejumo, who led the panel.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)!reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Udende as winner of the senatorial election after he polled a total of 135,573 votes to defeat Suswam who garnered 112,231 votes.
    Not satisfied with the outcome of the election, Suswam approached the tribunal on the ground that it was marred by over-voting, irregularities, alterations and falsification of results.
    In its judgement, the tribunal held that Suswam successfully established his case that irregularities took place in five out of seven LGAs in the senatorial district.
    The tribunal cancelled 51,895 votes entered for Udende and also cancelled 21,229 votes entered for Suswam.
    After subtracting the padded votes, Suswam was left with 90,590 while Udende scored 82,699 votes.
    The tribunal, headed by Justice Ori Zik-Ikeoha, entered judgment in Suswam’s favour, a decision that was vacated by the appellate court on Wednesday.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)/ Flowerbudnews

  • Be ready to perform or you leave us, Tinubu urges ministers

    Be ready to perform or you leave us, Tinubu urges ministers

     

     

    By Salisu Sani-Idris

    Abuja:  President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday in Abuja urged members of his cabinet to work assiduously towards achieving the mandate of their ministries or be ready to leave the government.

    Tinubu stated this in his address at 2023 Cabinet Retreat for Ministers, Presidential Aides, Permanent Secretaries and Top government functionaries.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the three-day retreat is, ” Delivering on the Renewed Hope Agenda.”

    The president reminded the ministers of their responsibility to served the people who entrusted their mandate on him.

    Tinubu reiterated the commitment of his administration to take 50 million Nigerians out of poverty, saying “poverty is not a shameful thing, it is only unacceptable.”

    ” And we have to banished it because it is unacceptable,” the president said.

    He also enjoined the ministers to focus on their ministries progress and come up with bold endeavours, stressing that his administration was determined to turn the nation’s population into an asset.

    ” That is why we established Results Delivery Units. At the end of this retreat you are going to sign a Bond of Understanding between the ministers, the Permanent Secretaries and myself.

    ” If you are performing there is nothing to fear. If you missed the objective, we review, if no performance you leave us. No one is an inland and the bunk stops on my desk.

    ” I assure you will have a free hand. you must be intellectually inquisitive to ask how? Why? When? and why it must be immediate.

    ” I have taken a young lady, very dynamic Hadiza Usman to Head that delivery units. If you have any complain about her see me. If you are ready to work with her stay there. Delivery yes! We must achieve it for the sake of the millions of the people.”

    He said that the country was blessed with great talents around the world, adding that Nigeria was the biggest intellectually sound country in Africa.

    ” Yes we have challenges in Sahel, we have challenges of climate change. South and North of Nigeria is battered, we’ve all seen such.

    ” You have desert encroachment in the north but we are still blessed with arable lands. We can do it, we can built our country.

    ” It is not about the theoreticians, it is about practical determinations and focus evaluation. Yes it is our country, we have no other one.

    ” Let be proud that we are Nigerians, that we can do it, you can show leadership. We can fight to make democracy a lasting reference for the rest of Africa.”

    The President, who enjoined ministers and other government officials not to be afraid in taken decisions, however, warned them against being antagonistic to their supervisor.

    ” If they are wrong debate it. I stand before you and I have clear several occasions and I will be saying today again as the President I can make mistakes.

    ” Point it to me I will resolve that conflict, that error, perfection is only that of Almighty God, but you are there to help me succeed. Success I must achieve by all means necessary.

    ” We have great minds, great intellects and all that we need. When we were discussing this retreat. I said other than members of diplomatic corps to give us goodwill and inspiration.

    ” Don’t invite any foreigner to give me lecture about governance. I have been through it and I believe in Nigeria.

    ” It started from the day I was sworn in that bold endeavor is only achieve through courage, determination and focus leadership.”

    Tinubu said that the country was going through a reform painfully, saying ” and we still have other challenges.

    ” Don’t be a clog in the will of Nigeria progress. Let us look forward. Let us be determined that corruption will go, progress will be achieve.

    ” Better living wages for our workers. We will transform the economy to work for millions of our citizens. We must take 50 million people out of poverty.

    ” We must built healthcare that

  • Absence of witness stalls Mompha’s alleged N6bn money laundering trial

    Absence of witness stalls Mompha’s alleged N6bn money laundering trial

    By Adenike Ayodele

    The trial of the social media celebrity, Ismaila Mustapha (alias Mompha), charged with six billion Naira money laundering, before an Ikeja Special Offences Court,  was stalled due to the absence of prosecution witness.

    When the case was called on Wednesday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Counsel, Mrs Bilikisu Buhari, informed the court that the prosecution’s next witness was not in the country.

    Buhari  also urged the court to allow the witness to give his evidence via virtual hearing.

    “My lord, we are sorry our witness could not make it to court today because he is out of the country for a training.

    “We, however, apply that the witnesses evidence be taken virtually,”she said

    The defence counsel, Mr Kolawole Salami, however objected to the prosecution submission.

    Salami argued that the prosecution had ample time to prepare and brought their witnesses.

    “My lord, the prosecution  had enough time to prepare and bring their witnesses only to make application for virtual hearing this morning without any notification.

    “We ask that their oral application be dismissed,”Salami said.

    Justice Mojisola Dada overruled the submission of the prosecution and adjourned the case until Dec. 19 for continuation of trial.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that EFCC had on Sept. 18 tendered some of documents through an Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent, Mr Ayotunde Solademi against Mompha.

    The documents were reports by the FBI and an investigative report on Mompha’s iPhone which the agency claimed was used for fraudulent activities.

    NAN also reports that Mompha’s trial in absentia started on June 3 when a compliance officer with Access Bank testified against him.

    Prosecution had informed the court on May 15 that it had secured his in collaboration with its international partners.

    The court, on Sept. 21 ordered the commencement of trial of the defendant in absentia after he failed to appear before it.

    The EFCC had, on Jan. 22, arraigned Mustapha alongside his company, Ismalob Global Investment Ltd., on eight counts bordering on six billion Naira laundering.

    The court had, on June 22, issued a bench warrant for his arrest following his absence in court.

    Dada also revoked the bail she granted the defendant.

    The social media celebrity was equally absent in court on June 16.

    On  June 10, EFCC accused him of flouting the court’s order by travelling to Dubai with a new international passport.

    The charges against Mompha include conspiracy to launder money obtained through unlawful activities, and laundering of money obtained through unlawful activities.

    The others are retention of proceeds of criminal conduct, use of property derived from an unlawful act, possession of a document containing false pretences, and failure to disclose assets.

    NAN