Imo/Zamfara Review: Fear Of Fine Grips PDP, APC As S’Court Rules Today [LEADERSHIP]
After the Supreme Court imposed N60million fine on two All Progressives Congress (APC) lawyers for filing frivolous appeals to reverse its own judgement on sacked Bayelsa State governor-elect,David Lyon and deputy governor-elect, Degi Eremienyo case, fear has gripped both the ruling party and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on their separate requests for the apex court to revisit its verdicts on Imo and Zamfara States’ electoral disputes.
The PDP and APC are worried that the Supreme Court may today wield the big stick as it did last week in the Bayelsa matter.
The apex court will today decide the fate of Emeka Ihedioha who was sacked by the same court as the governor of Imo State and all the elected APC candidates in Zamfara State, who suffered a similar fate.
Both Ihedioha and the Zamfara APC had separately approached the apex court to review its earlier judgements which were not in their favour.
About two weeks ago when the case came up before the apex court, the court fixed today for the hearing of Ihedioha and the PDP applications.
Barring any last minute change, the apex court may consequently deliver its judgement after the hearing of both the Imo and Zamfara cases today
The Supreme Court had on February 18, 2020, adjourned till today the hearing of Ihedioha’s application seeking the review of the January 14, 2020 judgment which sacked him as Imo State governor and installed Hope Uzodinma of the APC as his replacement.
The apex court also adjourned till today the hearing of the APC application seeking the review of the May 24, 2019 judgment which nullified the victory of all the party’s candidates at the 2019 general elections in Zamfara State.
In the Imo matter, the seven-man panel of the apex court led by the chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Tanko Muhammad, adjourned the hearing after Ihedioha’s counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), told the court that processes were still being filed.
He had said: „My lords, processes are still coming in. Till this morning, we were still receiving processes. We, therefore, apply for an adjournment to enable all the processes to come in.“
The counsel to Uzodinma and the APC, Damian Dodo (SAN) and that of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Taminu Inuwa SAN, did not oppose the application for adjournment.
Consequently, the CJN-led panel adjourned the case till today for hearing.
Justice Kekere-Ekun, who read the lead judgment, had upheld Uzodinma’s appeal, ruling that the votes polled in 388 of the 3,523 polling units were excluded in the final results declared by INEC in the state.
The apex court ruled that Uzodinma won the election after the addition of the excluded votes.
But Ihedioha, through Agabi, a former attorney-general of the federation (AGF), had on February 5, 2020, filed an application before the court seeking “an order setting aside as a nullity” the January 14 judgment.
Coronavirus: PMB Warns Against Panic [LEADERSHIP]
43 Quarantined In Plateau
Amidst growing worries among Nigerians over coronavirus spread, President Muhammadu Buhari has cautioned against unnecessary panic,especially over the first index case. He, however, expressed sadness over the recent confirmation of a case of Covid-19 infection outbreak in Lagos State.
The president made his feelings known in a statement issued by his senior special assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja, yesterday.
Buhari noted that the carrier of the virus arrived Nigeria in spite of the ardent efforts of the government regarding preparedness and response measures put in place in the nation’s borders and beyond.
He, however, commended the Federal Ministry of Health and other relevant agencies which diligence and efficiency enabled the case to be detected, diagnosed and isolated quickly.
The president noted the swift measures being taken to identify and follow up on those with whom the index patient had contact with and commended the Federal Ministry of Health and governments of Lagos and Ogun States as well as other relevant agencies for their responses to the reported incident.
The president further called for vigilance on the part of all citizens and the appropriate government agencies.
Buhari further urged Nigerians not to panic about the news of the first case of Covid-19 in the country, saying “undue alarm would do us more harm than good.
”Instead, Nigerians should strictly observe the advisories disseminated by the Ministry of Health, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and the World Health Organisation (WHO) on the best way to prevent infection. This information is being broadcast in all available media by the Federal Ministry of Information,” he said.
Address Nigerians Now, PDP Tells Buhari
Before the president issued the statement last night, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had expressed worry at President Buhari’s delay in addressing the country on what it called ”heightening national anxieties” since the detection of the deadly COVID-19 in the country.
The party described as absolute leadership failure that the president had not considered it imperative to show concern by directly addressing a panic-stricken nation even in the face of escalated national trepidations and conflicting reports.
In a statement issued by its national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP charged Buhari to wake up and treat the COVID-19, deservedly, as a looming national disaster, which requires a prompt and full presidential involvement at the top level.
The party noted that ”at a critical time like this, Mr. President ought to be at the forefront in shouldering responsibility, stressing that a presidential address would have reassured the people, reinforced government direction and multi-sectoral intervention for concerted effort to contain the scourge.”
Stocks Market Investment Declines By N1.199trn [LEADERSHIP]
Nigerian stocks market investment declined by N1.199 trillion last month as it was characterised by continued bear run.
Consequently, the gains recorded in January were wiped out. This made the market year to date loss as at February 28, 2020 to stand at 2.33 per cent due to sellout pressure, following the adjustment of the Cash Reserve Requirement (CRR) by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
There were also negative reactions to the 2019 full-year results and despite the high payouts from several companies, share prices continued to go south.
Analysts, however, agreed that the continued slide reflects the lack of liquidity in the market as well as buying interests in the equity space, irrespective of the compelling value and high yields on offer.
They stated that “the mixed global economic outlook and the ravaging Coronavirus have triggered panic sell-offs in advanced and emerging markets, as funds flow into bonds and commodities for the safety of their capital, amidst fears that the outbreak could hit the operations of some big companies and earnings performance.”
Reviewing stock market activities in February, the basic indicators of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), All-Share Index shed 9.11 per cent to close on February 28, 2020, at 26,216.46 basis points, from 28,843.53 points at which it opened for the month. Market capitalisation declined by N1.199 trillion to close the month at N13.658 trillion from N14.857 trillion at which it opened for the month.
On the sectoral indices, the NSE’s Industrial Goods index recorded the highest rise during the month, with a gain of 12.92 per cent, NSE Premium index up by 6.32 per cent, while NSE Lotus II appreciated by 1.75 per cent. On the other side, Consumer Goods index shed 22.74 per cent; followed by the NSE Banking down by 11.59 per cent, while NSE Oil and Gas depreciated by 10.87 per cent.
NSE Insurance, Pension, and NSE 30 recorded a monthly decline of 7.57 per cent, 6.67 per cent and 2.53 per cent, respectively.
The chief executive officer (CEO), Sofunix Investment and Communications, Mr Sola Oni, said that “market can never be static. In the middle of January, there was spike following the new policy on Open Market Operation (OMO) which prompted speculators to move money from unattractive interest rates in the money market to the capital market. Expectedly, the All-Share Index was upbeat. But shortly after, many investors were realising their profits and this led to bear run. It is all about understanding market psychology.”
He noted that companies were beginning to announce their full year results, stating that investors should move closer to stockbrokers for advice on asset allocation.
He added that the mood of economy would determine what trend to expect in March as the market basically serves as a barometer for the economy.
However, Oni said that market fundamentals remain strong and discerning investors can take position through proper investment advice.
Also, head, Securities Dealing Desk of Golden Securities Limited, Mr Azeez Bello, said that on the domestic front, the decline in NSE-All Share index may be attributed to possible flight to safety into dollar assets by investors on the back of apparent fear around a possible devaluation of the naira.
He added that “we may also be experiencing a contagion from decline in indices across global markets as the impact of COVID-19 has continued to rattle economies around the world.”
Bello asked astute investors to be on the lookout for positioning in fundamentally sound stocks as all of these markets unfriendly news may not last for too long.
The chief operating officer of InvestData Consulting Limited, Mr Ambrose Omordion, said that February downturn has wiped away the previous month gains on negative sentiments and persisted selloffs that beset the equities’ market in the period under review despite the prevailing low rates and declining yields in the money and fixed income markets as economic performance indices remain mixed.
Omordion said that equity prices nosedived on the floor of the NSE during the period to close lower, which followed the adjustments of the CRR by the CBN.
Coronavirus: Facilities In FCT, Ogun, Others Not Ready, FG Deploys More Doctors In Airports [PUNCH]
- Abuja facility still under construction, say Resident Doctors
- We need FG’s help to upgrade our centre in OOUTH –Ogun
- Govt must provide protective equipment for doctors, insists NMA
Isolation centres for potential patients suffering from the coronavirus disease are not ready in the Federal Capital Territory and some states such as Kano, Rivers and Ogun, The PUNCH’s investigations have revealed.
Our correspondents’ findings in the FCT and the states showed that while some of the centres were still under construction, others lacked necessary equipment for patients and medical personnel that would work in the centres.
It was also gathered that the Federal Government had posted more medical personnel to international airports to assist in the screening of passengers.
Nigeria recorded its first coronavirus case on Thursday when an Italian businessman, who was on a visit to Lafarge Africa Plc, Ewekoro, Ogun State, was diagnosed with the disease.
The Italian, who arrived in Lagos on Monday aboard a Turkish Airlines flight, was said to have spent the night in a hotel around the airport before he was driven in a Lafarge vehicle to Ewekoro on Tuesday morning.
When he fell ill on Wednesday, he went to the company clinic, where he tested negative for malaria and he was subsequently referred to Lagos, where he tested positive to coronavirus.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, had on Saturday said the Italian was clinically stable.
Both the Lagos and Ogun state governments have identified no fewer than 100 people who had contact with the index case. At least 39 of them are being quarantined in Ogun State.
FCT isolation centre still under construction—Resident doctors
In the FCT, when one of our correspondents visited the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada on Sunday, he observed that the proposed isolation centre was actually under construction with low dry grass surrounding part of the premises.
Although there were no construction workers on site, an employee of the hospital said they were present until Saturday evening and that they only rested on Sunday. She said they would resume work on the site on Monday.
Doctors at the teaching hospital said the health institution was not ready to serve as an isolation centre in the event of coronavirus cases.
As part of its preparedness for coronavirus, the Federal Government said some isolation centres had been identified across the country, with one of the facilities said to have been located at the UATH.
It said in case any passenger developed coronavirus symptom at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, the person would be housed at the teaching hospital in Gwagwalada, Abuja.
The Chairman of the Association of Resident Doctors in the hospital, Dr Bob Abbah, in an interview with The PUNCH, said the level of preparation was low and that the hospital management did not involve resident doctors in any preparation for coronavirus.
He said, “There is a building on the premises that has yet to be completed; that is the proposed isolation centre. People are talking about the hospital as an isolation centre (for coronavirus); that is how we heard about it. Nobody has called us (doctors) to inform us or involve us in any discussion or preparation that a centre has been put in place.
“We heard that the uncompleted building is an isolation centre but we have not been briefed on any modality or (handling of) equipment in the centre. We do not know what equipment has been brought in to work with.
“In fact, when I heard that there was a patient with haemorrhagic viral fever and that he was to be referred to the teaching hospital, I was wondering where he would be taken to (isolated) because the isolation centre I know is the one under construction.”
Catholics Protest, Say Buhari’s Silence Sowing Seeds Of Mistrust [PUNCH]
Catholics bishops took to the streets on Sunday in Abuja to protest against the serial killings of Nigerians by Boko Haram terrorists and kidnappers.
The protesters, including Catholic faithful, all dressed in black, defied the day’s light showers and proceeded on a peaceful march from the Ecumenical Centre to the Our Lady Queen of Nigeria in Area 3, praying and seeking God’s divine intervention.
They said the protest was on behalf of over the 50 million Catholics and over 100 million Christians in Nigeria.
The President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, Archbishop Augustine Akubueze, who led the protesters, accused the Federal Government of being insensitive to the plights of victims of insurgency.
Akubueze said Nigerians were tired of the serial claims by the Federal Government that Boko Haram, which had continued to kill innocent Nigerians, had been technically defeated.
He said, “The killing of God’s children is evil; the failure to protect innocent people from the relentless attacks is evil, the lack of prosecution of terrorists is evil, our government’s response to terrorist attack is, for lack of better words, far below average.
“There have been too many mass burials, too many kidnappings of schoolchildren, travellers, invasion of peoples homes, invasion of sacred places like churches, mosques, seminaries.
“We sometimes hear or read of our government sending condolence messages to western countries when there is a terrorist attack which has led to the death of one or two persons.
“We commend the Federal Government for doing this, but we are surprised that in Nigeria, the Federal Government will not even send a condolence message to families that have suffered fatalities in the hands of Boko Haram. Our President rarely visits or speak to Nigerians when there are terrorists’ attacks.
“Your silence is sowing and breeding seeds of mistrust and the longer it stays this way, the more you lose those who could have given you the benefit of the doubt. As things stand now, it appears only a few Nigerians can defend you with reasons, only few Nigerians can argue that your silence is not an endorsement of the barbaric actions of the terrorists and criminals.
“We cannot understand why the government’s reaction to the beheading of Rev. Lawan Andimi (Michika LG CAN chairman) has not shown that there is going to be any consequences for those responsible.
“Nigerians are tired of reading of such killings as that of an orphan seminarian who was just 18 years old and of a young wife and mother. Nigerians are tired of hearing of the inexcusable actions of the government in their response to these and many other sad cases.
“As we match, pray and protest today, we want all Catholics in Nigeria not to be hopeless, we want Catholics and other well-meaning patriotic Nigerians to stand together and fight this terrorism.”
Reps Probe $1bn Spent On Tucano Jets, Others [PUNCH]
The House of Representatives has begun investigation into how the Federal Government spent the $1bn special security fund approved for it by the National Assembly.
Part of the money was used to acquire 12 Super Tucano fighter aircraft from the United States.
The House is carrying out the probe as it is considering a five-year funding plan for Nigerian Armed Forces in their fight against insecurity.
The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), had in 2017 sought the approval of the National Assembly for the withdrawal of $1bn from the Excess Crude Account for the fight against insecurity.
Buhari, who told the national parliament that the National Economic Council had approved withdrawal, had announced that he had already ordered $496m payment to the United States government for the Tucano aircraft ahead of legislative approval.
The jets are billed for delivery in 2022.
Several members of the Senate and House of Representatives had at various times in 2018 described the anticipatory approval by the retired general as an impeachable offence.
The House particularly on November 27, 2018 resolved to investigate the finances of the Nigerian military, including how the $1bn was spent as well as the implementation of releases to the military under the 2018 Appropriation Act.
The matter had reared its head in the House on Thursday, during the second reading of the ‘The Nigerian Armed Forces Support Fund Bill,’ which sought to create additional funds for the fight against insurgency, banditry, kidnappings and other crimes across the country, over a period of five years.
The Chairmen of House Committees on Defence, Babajimi Benson; on Army, Abdulrazaq Namdas; on Air Force, Shehu Koko; on Navy, Yusuf Gagdi; on National Security and Intelligence, Shaban Sharada; and on Police Affairs, Bello Kumo; and Deputy Chairman, Committee on Defence, Makki Yalleman, had made the proposal.
Several members queried the previous security funds approved by the National Assembly.
While one of them asked how the $1bn security fund requested by the Federal Government was spent, others asked why the Armed Forces would need more funds after claiming to have decimated Boko Haram.
Speaking to our correspondent on Sunday, Benson disclosed that the House was already probing into the expenditure, noting that the discoveries so far were satisfactory.
COVID-19: When Nigeria Gets On The Virus Watch List [THE NATION]
When COVID-19 (Coronavirus) broke out in the WUHAN Province of China on December 30, 2019, the question on the lips of stakeholders was not if, but when it will, like others before it, berth in Nigeria.
Though the Federal Government through its National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) had set up emergency control centres across the states with special attention on strategic entry points, including Lagos, which equally boosted its preparedness with the setting up of an Incidence Monitoring Committee headed by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the nation did not have to wait much longer as it recorded its index case of the virus last Friday, February 28.
An Italian, who entered Lagos, via the Turkish Airlines and proceeded to AGIP Saipem Head-office on Banana Island, on Thursday, before heading to Larfarge Production plant at Ewekoro, in Ogun State, had suddenly taken ill with symptoms similar to Coronavirus. He had since been diagnosed of Coronavirus and quarantined at the Bio-security facility at Yaba.
The Chief Incident Commander and the State Governor, Mr. Sanwo-Olu, who paid a visit to the centre on Sunday again allayed fears of residents on spread of the virus.
The Governor also offered more information on how the patient was identified, said the patient, is an Ogun State-based expatriate who flew into Lagos from Milan in Italy via Istanbul, Turkey last Monday evening. The Governor said the patient, whose name was not disclosed, remained in stable condition at the bio-security facility in Yaba, Lagos Mainland, where he is being isolated.
It was gathered that the patient, although, tested positive to COVID-19 virus, is yet to show any respiratory symptoms at press time. He complained of fever and body pain, which prompted his transfer from Ogun State to Lagos for advanced medical investigation.
Sanwo-Olu said all those who had physical contact with the patient before the virus was diagnosed, are being traced, while others are currently being examined for possible symptoms. He said: “At 10pm on Thursday, I got a call from the Commissioner of Health, who reported possible identification of patient with coronavirus in Ogun State. Immediately, we triggered all levels of bio-security responses and containment facilities. After series of laboratory examination, the patient was confirmed to have tested positive to the virus in early hours of today (Friday) and we immediately alerted the federal authorities, including the President and everybody who needs to be aware. We are in constant touch with the company where the patient was engaged. The management and personnel of the company have been cooperative.
Naira Devaluation Fears Create Bottlenecks On Dollar Deals [THE NATION]
Bassey Enoh, a Lagos-based fund manager is handling new investment advisory services to clients seeking his view on the future of the naira.
Enoh, who was one of the market analysts that predicted the 2015 devaluation of the naira, now has new task to advise his customers on what to expect as Nigeria is in a crossroads on the right pricing for the local currency as dollar earnings dip.
For him, the naira will, in the second half of the year, come under intense pressure that its devaluation would be imminent.
He sees the decline in Nigeria’s current account balances and the slower pace with which foreign capital has been flowing into the country as red signals.
“We have seen weakness in our current account basically. For the first time since 2015, we have three quarters of consecutive weaknesses in the current account balance, which is a sort of precursor to what you would expect around exchange rate stability,” he predicted.
But Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele has vowed to keep the naira steady for now, insisting that the slide in foreign reserves is not a cause for concern.
CBN’s commitment to naira stability is accompanied with new policies and bottlenecks meant to reduce dollar spending and meet critical obligations.
The CBN, in February, introduced new domiciliary account rules in which it directed that customers can deposit dollar into their domiciliary accounts but are not allowed to transfer it to another party. Also, only electronic fund transfers into domiciliary accounts can be transferred from such accounts to third parties while cash deposits into such accounts can only be withdrawn in cash.
Another policy encourages foreign portfolio investors to invest in high yielding Open Market Operation (OMO) bills at 14 per cent while local investors are restricted. Foreign holdings of OMO bills (CBN’s investment instrument to control liquidity) account for over $5 billion of the $37.3 billion foreign reserves.
Besides, it restricted importers of milk from accessing foreign exchange from official market. It limited the importation of milk and other dairy products to six firms- FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria; Chi Limited; TG Arla Dairy Products Limited; Promasidor Nigeria Limited; Nestle Nigeria PLC (MSK only), and Integrated Dairies Limited.
According to the policy guideline, all Forms ‘M’ for the importation of milk and its derivatives will only be allowed for the aforementioned companies.
There is a standing rule that Personal Travel Allowance (PTA) and Business Travel Allowance (BTA) purchases must be on quarterly basis. Travelers submit their Bank Verification Number (BVN) and evidence of tickets among other documents to ensure they do not buy more than once per quarter.
On the domiciliary account policy, CBN Director, Trade and Exchange Department, Ozoemena Nnaji, said all ordinary domiciliary account holders could utilise cash deposits not exceeding $10,000 or its equivalent by telegraphic transfers to fund eligible transactions. He insisted that the CBN had not prohibited the acceptance of foreign currency cash deposits by commercial banks.
Head of Research, Afrinvest West Africa Limited, Abiodun Keripe, explained that it is the CBN that makes dollar payment for customers after their naira accounts are debited for transactions. But the CBN’s ability to pay dollar on customers’ behalf is dependent on the country’s available dollar reserves. The dollar reserves are dropping due to decline in crude oil prices. Brent crude fell to $50.749 per barrel representing a 14-month low.
Keripe said the new domiciliary account limit is a big challenge for businesses and individuals that needed to do dollar transactions.
Coronavirus: ‘More Than 100 Nigerians Met With Italian’ [THE NATION]
Buhari: don’t panic
43 quarantined in Plateau
Baby, dog get virus as new cases rise
Sanwo-Olu to meet governors, council chiefs
No fewer than 100 people had contacts with the Italian who is Nigeria’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) index case, the Lagos State government said on Sunday.
Commissioner for Health, Dr. Akin Abayomi, told Reuters: “It is around 100 people (that have been identified). He added that the number is increasing every minute.”
Dr. Abayomi explained that many of them have travelled to other parts of the country and some to Europe.
Another suspected case taken to Lagos from Ogun State on Sunday tested negative, Lagos State Governor Babajde Sanwo-Olu announced this last night when he spoke on a television programme
He declared the facilities at the Isolation centre adequate after his visit.
Sanwo-Olu said: “I was taken around the facility. I saw the entire incident control centre. I was gladly surprised by the level of preparedness of our team. It shows that we have Nigerians that take their jobs seriously.
“Regarding the index case, I did not enter the ward. I was told he was responding to treatment and that he was getting a whole lot better.
“They are monitoring him closely and everything is under control.
Sanwo-Olu said Lagos has a standard testing laboratory.
“The facility is first-class. Both local and international reporters, over 60 of them, were there to see the state of the infrastructure, which is comparable to any other facility we have in the country.”
On reports that the index case complained about the state of the facility, the governor said: “Where the patient was first tested was like a holding bay. It was only when they test positive that they will put them in the main quarantine facilities.
“So, there was a holding bay before you now move into the main quarantine facilities. The patient is well taken care of.”
Sanwo-Olu said more medical personnel had been deployed to entry points, such as the Nigerian Ports Authority and Murtala Mohammed International Airport.
“We are going to have interaction with local government chairmen, members of community development associations, transports owners and workers, market men and women to educate them on symptoms to look for.
“We are going to meet with our brother governors and commissioners for health in the Southwest so as to compare notes, on efforts to control Coronavirus,” the governor said.
Sanwo-Olu, in company with his deputy, Dr. Olatunji Hamzat, during his visit to the centre, said he was satisfied with the level of commitment by professionals at the centre.
He assured that his government would “continue to scale up advocacy with the various stakeholders” so that the public would be better informed on preventive measures.
The governor added that his government was in constant communication with “medical professionals, both national, international, regional as well as security agencies” to contain the virus.
Amotekun Bill Returns For Passage Wednesday [THE NATION]
The stage was set on Sunday night for the resumption of legislative works on the bill seeking to establish Amotekun Corps in the six Southwest states.
Lawmakers in Osun, Lagos, Ogun, Oyo and Ondo states will be finalising the process beginning from today.
Speakers and Attorneys-Generals of the states met in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, where they made observations, suggestions and cleared conflicting areas identified during the public hearings conducted by the states last week Monday.
They did a clause-by-clause deliberation on the issues raised at the public hearings that held simultaneously in the states.
At the meeting were Speakers Adebo Ogundoyin (Oyo), Timothy Owoeye (Osun), Bamidele David Oleyelogun (Ondo), Mudashiru Obasa (Lagos), Funminiyi Afuye (Ekiti) and Olakunle Oluomo (Ogun).
The speakers adopted a uniform law for the security outfit to ensure uniformity and ease of regional cooperation on training, equipment and intelligence sharing.
It was learnt on Sunday that the Oyo State House of Assembly will tomorrow (Tuesday) pass into law the bill backing the establishment of the Oyo State Amotekun Corps.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Kazeem Olayanju, told The Nation that the bill, which has passed through Second Reading, will be passed into law at tomorrow’s plenary.
A source in the Assembly revealed that the request by Miyetti Allah to have its members recruited into the outfit was not accommodated in the bill to be passed.
The group made up of herdsmen, had during the public hearing requested that its members be recruited along with others into the security outfit.
The request was contained in its memorandum to the public hearing committee in Ibadan, the state capital last week.
In Lagos, the Tunde Braimoh-led Committee on Information, Strategy and Security of the Lagos State House of Assembly will tomorrow present its report on the proposed amendment to the Neighbourhood Safety Corp Agency Law 2019 at plenary.
The law is being amended to create Amotekun Corps in line with the region’s effort to tackle rising crime waves such as kidnapping for ransom, killings, robbery and banditry.
The House suspended its recess two weeks ago to consider an executive bill sent to it.
Information revealed that the House is resuming plenary tomorrow at 12noon.
According to the notice sent out to lawmakers and legislative staff, the bill will be laid and presented by the committee.
The notice reads: “At the plenary, the House shall consider laying and presentation of report on a bill for a law to amend the Neighborhood Safety Corps Agency Bill, 2020.”
Also in Akure, the Ondo State House of Assembly will tomorrow pass the Amotekun Corps’ Bill.
According to the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Gbenga Omole, the lawmakers had done what was required by organising a public hearing after cutting short their recess last week.
Omole said the lawmakers are ready to pass the bill tomorrow like their counterparts in other Southwest states.
The bill on the Osun State Security Network and Amotekun Corps will be passed into law on or before Wednesday, Speaker Timothy Owoeye told The Nation on Sunday night.
He told our reporter that he and his colleagues will resume legislative work on the constitution of the bill from today.
AI, SERAP, Others Fault Senate’s Bill To Send Ex-Boko Haram Overseas [SUN]
Condemnations, yesterday, trailed the Senate bill to send ‘repentant’ Boko Haram terrorists for training overseas.
Senator Ibrahim Gaidam, Yobe East, had sponsored ‘A Bill for the Establishment of the National Agency for the Education, Rehabilitation, De-radicalisation and Integration of Repentant Insurgents in Nigeria and for Other Connected Purposes’ where Section 5 of the bill, which has already passed the second reading at the Senate states that “the agency shall implement programmes geared towards the rehabilitation of beneficiaries; engage the services of offshore and Nigerian institutions in the pursuit of the educational needs of ex-agitators.”
However, some civil society organisations and rights groups have condemned the bill noting that the signal it sends to the international community was that some senators were behind the terrorist groups and the killings in the country.
They civil and rights groups include Amnesty International (AI) Nigeria; Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP); Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) Resource Centre; Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) and Centre for Corrections and Human Development (CCHD).
The groups condemned the bill as a misplaced priority, demanding that the Senate should instead dissipate time and energy in sponsoring a bill to take care of the thousands of victims of Boko Haram in the North East and other parts of Nigeria.
Chair of Amnesty International, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, told Daily Sun that the Senate was sending a wrong signal to Nigerians and the rest of the world with the bill.
“The Senators are talking about sending the so-called repentant Boko Haram abroad for training, what about the victims of the Boko Haram? The bill is condemnable and unacceptable. The whole thing gives the impression that somebody is benefiting from it. You also see these Boko Haram members in their centres while their victims are languishing in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps,” he said.
Don’t Panic, Buhari Tells Nigerians [SUN]
President Muhammadu Buhari has told Nigerians to remain calm, cautioning that panic over news of the first case of Covid-19 in the country, would only cause undue alarm and do more harm than good.
Buhari said rather than panic, Nigerians should strictly observe the advisories disseminated by the Ministry of Health, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and the World Health Organisation (WHO), on the best way to prevent infection.
“This information is being broadcast in all available media by the Federal Ministry of Information,” he said.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, in a statement, said Buhari expressed sadness over the confirmed case despite preparedness and response measures put in place in the country’s borders and beyond.
He, however, commended the Federal Ministry of Health and other relevant agencies whose diligence and efficiency enabled the case to be detected, diagnosed and isolated quickly, even while swift measures were taken to identify and follow up on those with whom the index patient came into contact.
He also commended the responses of the Federal Ministry of Health and Governments of Lagos and Ogun States as well as other relevant agencies to the reported incident and calls for vigilance on the part of all citizens and responsible government agencies.
This came shortly after the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) expressed worries that President Buhari had nor addressed Nigerians over the issue.
In a statement by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP said Buhari’s silence showed him as a failed as a leader.
“PDP is worried at President Muhammadu Buhari’s delay in standing up to the responsibilities of his office to address heightening national anxieties since the detection of the deadly COVID-19 in our country,” the statement read.
The party described as “absolute leadership failure that Mr. President has not considered it imperative to show concern by directly addressing a panic-stricken nation even in the face of escalated national trepidation and conflicting reports.”
“The PDP charges President Buhari to wake up and treat the COVID-19, deservedly, as a looming national disaster, which requires a prompt and full presidential involvement at the top level.”
Tension, Anxiety As Supreme Court Settles Imo Guber Today [SUN]
- IPOB demands fresh election
The Supreme Court will today hear and make pronouncements on the application by former governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha, urging it to set aside the January 14 judgment that ousted him from office in favour of Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressive Congress (APC).
The motion was filed by the legal team headed by Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN) for Mr. Ihedioha with the prayer that the apex court set aside its judgment as a nullity as it was obtained by fraud in a suit of appeals Nos: SC. 1462/2019; SC/1470/2019; CA/OW/GOV/05/2019 and petition No: EPT/GOV/IM/08/2019 between Senator Hope Uzodinma of the APC and Emeka Ihedioha, the Peoples Democratic Party and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
On this ground, Ihedioha submitted that “the Appellants/Respondents (Uzodinma), fraudulently misled this court into holding that a total of 213,495 votes were unlawfully excluded from the votes scored by the 1st appellant/respondent in the gubernatorial election of March 9, 2019 in Imo State. The first appellant/Respondent admitted under cross-examination that he was the person (and not the third Respondent [INEC] or any of its officials) who computed the result that gave him the 213,495 votes alleged to have been excluded from his total votes in the election.”
But responding, Uzodimma in his preliminary objection dated February 6, 2020, urged the court to strike it out the application by Ihedioha.
However, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has warned that nothing short of a fresh election would be acceptable.
Leader of IPOP, Nnamdi Kalu, in a broadcast on Radio Biafra, yesterday, counselled the judges to respect the wishes of the people and reverse the judgement or call for a fresh election.
“No matter what their plan is, Imo (Supreme Court )judgment must not stand. We are warning the whole world, I do not know who Emeka Ihedioha is; frankly speaking, I do not care, but what happens in Imo affects everybody. It must not be allowed to stand to avoid disaster and chaos.”
Kanu alleged that the only reason the APC-led Federal Government want to have Imo at all cost is to have the governor as stooge to perfect its secret plans in the state.
“It is very clear why they are not looking for any other place in Biafra land, but Owerri.
What they wish to occupy Owerri for is spiritual. Those of you who are blind in spirit cannot see that the caliphate needs Owerri very much, they believe they can strangle us. Bayelsa is not important to them, what they are looking for is Imo. I do not want people to be led astray by the judgment that was obtained in Bayelsa case,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Imo Diaspora Coalition for Justice and Democracy has asked the apex court to restore Ihedioha.
In a letter addressed to the Supreme Court justices, the group called for the restoration of Ihedioha’s mandate and the integrity of the judiciary.
The group told the Supreme Court that it was the last line of defence for preserving the integrity of the nation’s judiciary, sanctity of the ballot, the fledgling democracy and averting anarchy in the country.
“May God give you the courage to remain the bastion of justice for the common man. Do hearken to the supplication of Ndi Imo for the restoration of he who shares their values and whom they voted for- Emeka Ihedioha,” the coalition said.