The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has congratulated the Governor of Enugu State, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, on his victory at the Enugu State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal on Friday, describing it as victory for the people of the State.
Reacting to the verdict, he stressed that it is a reaffirmation of the overwhelming popularity of the Governor and the strength of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Enugu State in particular and the South East in general.
Senator Ekweremadu further observed that the decision of the Tribunal did not come as a surprise to the people of Enugu State and realistic political pundits around the country because Enugu State remained an indisputable stronghold of the PDP.
He added: “Some petitions are sheer fulfillment of all political righteousness. The volume of Ugwanyi’s goodwill and popularity among the political class and the masses as a governorship aspirant, candidate, and now an incumbent governor is unprecedented. So, we made the right choice and what the Tribunal has just done is to confirm that our choice was fairly, freely, and credibly made in compliance with the electoral laws.
“More important, although the Governor Ugwuanyi administration is still too young, but looking at the political peace he has brought to the State as well as his policy directions and several cardinal steps by his government towards living up to his campaign promises, one can confidently say that he has so far justified the confidence reposed in him because a job well begun is half done”.
He called on the people of Enugu State to continue to support and pray for the Governor in his development efforts.
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Uche Anichukwu
Special Adviser (Media) to Deputy President of the Senate
The National Auditor of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) Chief George N. Moghalu, has disassociated himself from some groups engaging in media campaigns on his behalf to be appointed into the yet to be constituted President Muhammadu Buhari’s led federal executive council.
Chief Moghalu therefore declared that he has engaged the services of any persons or groups to lobby on his behalf either covertly or overtly, adding that his antecedents over many years in politics are sufficient to speak for him if ever the need arose.
A statement he personally signed on Friday in Abuja, the APC National Auditor stated that appointments into the Executive arm of the Federal Government are the sole prerogative of the President Muhammadu Buhari, which he believed the President will nominate for appointment best qualified to execute the duties of the office they are assigned.
The statement reads: “It has been brought to my notice that certain groups have embarked on a media campaign to lobby for my appointment into the Federal Executive. Let it be on the record that these persons are acting of their own accord. I have not, and I do not intend to engage the services of any persons or groups to lobby on my behalf either covertly or overtly. I believe that my antecedents over many years in politics are sufficient to speak for me if ever the need arose.
“If I am called to serve, I will do so to the best of my abilities. Till then, I will continue to serve my party and my country in my present capacity as National Auditor and member of the National Working Committee (NWC) of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“In over three decades in politics and public service, I have never been associated with any acts that will suggest unseemly clamour for political office. I do not desire to change that record now.
“I advise these self appointed lobbyists to disengage from their activities forthwith. The challenges of nation building at this critical time are too big for us to get distracted by the pursuit of individual ambitions.” Moghalu stated.
By Amos Igbebe
The Service Chiefs recently fired by President Muhammadu Buhari may not be unconnected with the officers’ denial of his certificate being in custody of the Nigeria Army during the 2015 electioneering campaigns.
A police source in Delta State, who declined to state his name and rank for security reasons, Friday, revealed that the sack of the service chiefs by the President was the offshoot of the army’s comments regarding the whereabouts of his West African School Certificate as the campaign became tense from both the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressive Congress (APC).
During the campaign preceding the March 28 Presidential election, the PDP under immediate past President Goodluck Jonathan, had accused Buhari of campaigning for the office of the President without the possession of a school certificate.
Hence, Buhari told Nigerians that his certificate was in the custody of the Nigeria Army Headquarters but on investigation, it was revealed by the army headquarters that Buhari’s certificate was not in the custody of the army, leaving bewildered Nigerians wondering on the credibility of Buhari for the Presidential race.
The officer said Buhari would not have fired the service chiefs if they had agreed that his certificate was in the Army headquarters, a development which would have silenced the agitating Nigerians.
The officer also accused the police force, especially those in the accounts and finance department, of being in complicity with the Central Bank of Nigeria and other high ranking officers in the financial sector to defraud the police officers of their due entitlement.
The source alleged that the accounts department at the headquarters has two vouchers for accounts, one direct from the Central Bank of Nigeria, containing the exact salary structure for the officers which is higher than the amount paid to them, the other is the fabricated one which contains the reduction in the salary of the police officers.
The source said high ranking officers and the CBN are aware of the deal but because the senior officers and CBN have mutual benefit from the fraudulent act, it is impossible to track down the illicit act and bring the perpetrators to justice so that officers could receive their actual salaries.
It added that President Buhari had ordered the police to pay the officers their actual salaries so that the police officers could be well taken care of and perform their duties optimally.
The officer said the coming of Buhari to the office of the President had, in many ways, transformed the police force, saying many irregularities in the force are being corrected by the President.
The source added the poor remuneration being paid to members of the force was the cause of corrupt practices among the police.
It called members of the force to allow President Buhari reform the force so as to boost the security status of Nigeria.
Concerned Citizens Of Ningi/Warji Federal Constituency Of Bauchi State, Nigeria.
08036812304, 08031126478
July 30, 2015
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In line with the posture of the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari through the doctrine of change from the old order and the various public statements of the Inspector-General of Police on crime prevention and the need for Nigeria to be a decent society, we forward this petition in our collective resolve to correct some of the ills bedeviling the society most especially in our immediate environment of Ningi/Warji Federal Constituency of Bauchi State where a fraudster is masquerading as an elected member of the Federal House of Representatives.
Despite the on-going crusade by President Muhammadu Buhari to restore the lost glory of Nigeria and fight corrupt practices and other related offences in all facets of our national life, a politician from the APC extraction who was sacked from the National Assembly in 2007 for fraud by the Jos Division Federal Court of Appeal, ‘Honorable’ Salisu Zakari (a.k.a Slow) presided by Justice Alfred P. Eyewumi Awala, has suddenly resurfaced in the National Assembly as the duly elected representative of Ningi/Warji Federal Constituency.
Salisu Zakari was on June 5, 2008 sacked from the National Assembly where he paraded himself as the representative of Ningi/Warji Federal Constituency on the strength of a petition against him by Honorable Abdul Ahmed Ningi, PDP candidate for Ningi/Warji 2007 House of Representatives election.
In the petition that finally nailed Zakari and threw him back to the labor market, Abdul stated that Salisu Zakari was indicted by a Military panel (Regimental) of inquiry on January 6, 1992 and dismissed from the Army by virtue of the Nigeria Army Act, Cap 294 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990.
That Salisu Zakari was a public servant in the service of Bauchi State Government who did not retire, withdraw or resigned before contesting the said election as stipulated by Law, 30 days before the said 2007 elections contrary to section 66 (1) (F) of the 1999 Constitution (amended) and that by virtue of the provisions of section 34 (1) of the Electoral Act, 2006, ANPP as the political platform Salisu Zakari used was bound to inform INEC of any change of contesting candidate in the election not later than 60 days before the election that was by February 13, 2007 latest.
It is to exclude persons of doubtful or questionable character and people lacking in integrity from elective office and thereby ensure transparency and probity in governance.
“On the whole therefore, I hold that this appeal is meritorious. It is allowed and I make an order directing INEC to issue a Certificate of Return forthwith to Honorable Abdul Ahmed Ningi as the duly elected member of the National Assembly (House of Representatives) for Ningi/Warji Federal Constituency of Bauchi State. The decision of the lower tribunal in petition NAGLH/BA/19/07 is overturned.
The judgment sent Salisu Zakari back home and mistakenly, Governor Isa Yuguda for political ‘stability’ offered him the exalted position of an Honorable Commissioner as compensation which later backfired for incompetence and alleged financial malfeasance. He was reduced to a Special Adviser and later advised to honorably resign or be kicked out. Zakari opted to resign to cover shame. It was later discovered from Yelwan Tudu secondary school, a suburb of Bauchi metropolis where Salisu once served as a classroom teacher that he had a case of sexual scandal with one of his pupils that led to her pregnancy.
As he was booted out from the National Assembly and appointed an Honorable Commissioner in Bauchi state, it became a level ground for him to approach the banks for loan. He operated a Current Account No. 601- 386408 – 110 with Guaranty Trust Bank, GTB which he used to obtain a loan facility of N99, 358, 822.36 (ninety nine million, three hunfred and fifty eight thousand, eight hundred and twenty two naira, thirty six kobo) from its Bauchi branch at the interest rate of 22.5% per annum. The loan facility was obtained vide office letter dated May 11, 2009 and that despite numerous entreaties, Zakari failed and neglected to service and or repay the facility which compelled the financial house to drag him before Honorable Justice Kunaza N. Hamidu of Bauchi High Court 5 on July 31, 2013 for possible repay.
Delivering judgment, Justice Kunaza said, “That Salisu Zakari should liquidate the said N99, 358, 822.36 being the principal sum of the loan facility (restructured) granted to him by GTB on his request and that he should also pay the sum of N45, 304, 915.40 as interest accrued on the facility at 22% interest from May 11, 2009 when it was granted until the date of judgment, and thereafter 10% interest charge on the judgment debt until it is fully liquidated.
The above judgment had therefore declared Salisu Zakari bankrupt and not eligible to contest any elective position until he attains financial solvency through the court.
But in 2015, determined to be in the National Assembly by any means, Salisu deceived his party, All Progressives Congress (APC), INEC and security agencies with falsehood to contest the election which he won through the influence of President Muhammadu Buhari, the personality Salisu had earlier insulted and abused on the podium. He repeated the 2007 drama that gave PDP a cheap victory at the Court of Appeal and ANPP was denied its victory caused by Salisu’s fraud.
Determined to protect and restore the glory of Ningi/Warji Federal Constituency from fraudsters and their collaborators, one Shehu Jamilu from the Federal Constituency had cause to rush to the Federal High in Bauchi to challenge the eligibility of Salisu Zakari to contesting the 2015 Federal House of Representatives Elections based on some of the reasons that featured at the Federal Appeal Court that nailed Salisu Zakari and still stands. The case is on-going in the Federal High Court, Bauchi.
In Bauchi State Magistrate Court 3, Bauchi, the same Salisu Zakari who as a politician that is expected to lead by example and protect the interest of the people, he is presently standing trial for a case of criminal intimation and threat to life. In his characteristic style of doing things, he maintains a horde of miscreants to deal with perceived and identified opponents. It was also alleged that he was instrumental to the death of several opponents through the use of his gang of ‘criminals’ in Ningi and Bauchi that he maintains with loans from banks.
In its effort to have its money back with accrued interest, Unity Bank has also dragged Salisu Zakari to Bauchi High Court 4 seeking for repay of over N100million he collected on request as loan. As the case was mentioned penultimate Thursday, Salisu who was conspicuously absent in court complained of being ‘sick’ and the Honorable Judge on compassionate ground adjourned the case to allow Salisu ‘treatment’.
Having enumerated some of the celebrated cases involving ‘Honorable’ Salisu Zakari apart from his dismissal for financial malfeasance in Nigeria Agricultural and Cooperative Bank, NACB and the case of swindling over N45million entrusted Bauchi state contingents allowances to KADA in 2009, in his INEC FORM C.F 001 of Affidavit in support of personal particulars of persons seeking election to the office/membership…….in 2015 as submitted and stamped Certified True Copy by Ibrahim K. Bawa Esq for INEC dated March 11, 2015, Salisu fraudulent misled the Electoral body to believing falsehood as contained in section E. General of the Form by stating that he was never sentenced to any offence of dishonesty or fraud or any offence imposed by a Court or Tribunal. Forgetting that, the Jos Federal Appeal Court had found him guilty of fraud for collecting illegal salaries from Bauchi State Government while contesting an election in 2007 and formed part of his sack from the National Assembly apart from his case of deserting the Army and his subsequent dismissal.
According to the letter from the Nigerian Army Military Police Headquarters, 1 Division Provost Group, 1 Division Nigerian Army Dalot Barracks, Kawo, Kaduna dated June 12, 2007 signed by the Commander, Colonel A.S Shinga, 79/NA/26450 Lcpl Salisu Zakari was enlisted into the Nigerian Army on November 11, 1987 and aged 20 years as of 1987.
That the soldier left his place of duty without official, leave (AWOL) while serving in 1 Provost Company, Kaduna on November 8, 1991. A Board of inquiry was constituted and his name was stroke off strength which implies the soldier deserter. This was not stated in his INEC form for deceit.
Again, in 1987 according to the letter from the Nigerian Army, Salisu Zakari enlisted at the age of 20 if properly calculated from 1987 to 2015 Salisu Zakari shoud be 48 years old or thereabout. But in his INEC FORM, he declared on oath that he was born on April 4, 1969 which implies he is 46 years old. This is another glaring case of falsehood that should not be ignored for the society to regain its lost glory .
Another case of falsehood discovered in his submitted FORM to INEC is where he vehemently refused to state that he once worked with Nigeria Agricultural and Cooperative Bank, NACB where he was dismissed for fraud. Instead, he stated that his first place of work was Bauchi State Ministry of Education in 2001. Fraudulently, he also refused to state that from 2007 – 2008, he was a Member of the Federal House of Representatives that was to avoid any further enquiry from INEC that could lead to his timely disqualification from the contest. He instead stated that from 2008 – 2010 he was in the employment of Bauchi State Government when he served as an Honorable Commissioner and never stated correctly why he left. At first, from his form, he had wanted to state that he was dropped from Commissionership to Special Adviser on Tourism in a cabinet reshufflement, but he quickly smelt a rat and canceled the obvious to maintain falsehood and deceit.
Although, his victory at the election is not the issue at stake but his eligibility to even contest the election is the crux of the matter that is now a subject of discourse within and outside the Federal Constituency most especially as his hatred for President Buhari is known to all.
Reacting to the fraud, a member of Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM), Musa Abas, who contested the election along with Salisu said, “APC was deceived with fake documents to have allowed Salisu Zakari to contest the election. He was sacked from the National Assembly in 2008 and still the APC allowed him to contest on its platform. There must be something wrong somewhere”, he said
Jamilu Shehu, a retired immigration officer and political activist from Ningi opined that, “Salisu is a huge disgrace to the youths. He has brought shame and ridicule to Ningi/Warji federal constituency. He is a school dropout, a fraudster who falsified documents to contest an election. He is proud to be a fraudster and a miscreant. Commercial Banks and other financial houses should be watchful while dealing with the guy. They should learn from what happened with GTB and Unity Bank
“We are making desperate efforts to chase him out of the national assembly to restore the lost glory of our federal constituency”, he said.
Meanwhile, concerned citizens of the area have petitioned the Inspector-General of Police to cause an in-depth investigation into the fraudulent actions of the ‘Honorable’ member
The Supreme Court of Senegal on Thursday rejected an appeal filed by the lawyer representing Karim Wade, son of former Senegalese president Abdoulaye Wade.
The verdict means he will serve out his six-year prison sentence on corruption charges also dashing the opposition’s hopes that Wade could be able to run in the presidential election in 2017.
Wade in March was sentenced to six years in prison and ordered to pay a fine of 138 million CFA francs (24 million dollars).
The 46-year-old was taken into custody two years ago under suspicion of having siphoned off about 200 million dollars in state funds while he served as super minister in his father’s government.
Among his duties were overseeing several financially healthy portfolios, including the ministries for development cooperation, air transport, infrastructure and energy.
While he has consistently denied allegations of corruption, members of his Senegalese Democratic Party have referred to the case as politically motivated.
“We are not surprised that the Supreme Court rejected the appeal, this is a political affair and we will set up a political response to all our detractors, ‘’ Farba Senghor, member of the party, said.
Senghor further said that President Macky Sall was behind it all to restrict public freedoms.
The Nigerian tax system has faced several challenges in recent times. Under current Nigerian law, taxation is enforced by the 3 tiers of government, i.e. federal, state, and local governments, with each having its sphere clearly spelt out in the Taxes and Levies (approved list for Collection) Decree, 1998.
Several contentious issues have plagued taxation in Nigeria in recent years, among them is the issue of the appropriate tax authority to administer several taxes, also there is the issue of multiple taxes administered by all the three tiers of government which sometimes imposes welfare cost.
Furthermore, the issue of the paucity of a data base, which contributes to tax avoidance in the country. The issue of corruption is still a perennial issue in the country; this reduces the confidence and trust of the taxpayers in discharging their civic duty. The issue of infrastructural development is also a crucial issue, in Nigeria, the level of infrastructural facilities is in a deplorable state, most of the facilities are often privately sourced, thus a number of people wonder what the taxes collected are used for, hence the tendency to evade tax payment. Furthermore, the problem of the tax language that is legally codified makes it difficult for an average Nigerian to understand.
The tax collector
A tax collector is a person who collects unpaid taxes from other people or corporations. Tax collectors are often portrayed in fiction as being fierce and cruel people who collect taxes by all means, but in the real sense, most people do not like to pay taxes, others need a fierce and cruel tax collector who will compel them to do their civic responsibility.
For many people living in Lagos, the name Tunde Fowler sends jitters through the spines of individuals and corporate concerns in the State.
But a closer look reveals that Mr Fowler is disarmingly harmless, unassuming and charming. A sharp contrast to the fiercesome look, usually the trademark of tax collectors by the way.
However, you will let down your guard at your own peril if you underrate him.
Mr. William Babatunde Fowler who was the Tax Collector- in- Chief for Lagos State Government was on on Thursday, August 20, 2015, appointed by President Buhari as the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
Mr. Fowler was the Chief Executive Officer/Executive Chairman of the Lagos State Board of Internal Revenue from 2005 to 2014.
Fowler is taking over as chairman with an enviable Resume. Under his leadership, the Lagos State Board of Internal Revenue reportedly achieved a sharp increase in internally generated revenue from an average of N3.6. billion per month in January 2006, to an average of about N20.5 billion per month in 2013.
How Fowler changed the game
An average Nigerians does not believe in taxation, he/she thinks the government will not put their money to good use, so they find it difficult to part with their money in the name of taxes.
But with the Lagos example, Fowler changed the game, Lagosians have since seen what their taxes have delivered in terms of development and are more encouraged to pay taxes.
Lagos State have also gotten to the point whereby even the pepper seller or bus conductor paying taxes understand and see what the taxes are doing for them, through the several infrastructural developments under the Fashola administration.
Lagos State currently receives an average of N8billion from the Federation Account on a monthly basis. Out of this, N6billion is spent on the payment of salaries, After salaries are paid, Lagos State will be left with only N2billion, but through Fowler Lagos state was able to generate an average of N20.5 billion per month, just imagine what Lagos will be without these taxes.
Imagine the recent Ebola outbreak in Lagos and the way the Lagos State Government sucessfully dealt with it. Imagine a Lagos State without the financial might to curtail the virus?
Imagine a Lagos state being listed among the states that owed salaries of workers?
Imagine the effect it will have on the socio-economic development of Lagos.
Lagos State’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of N384.25 billion in 2013 exceeded the total sum generated by 19 states put together, analysis of data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has shown.
A recent updated data released by the NBS on IGR at State level showed that a total of 20 states generated about N671.32 billion in 2013 out of which Lagos State had the lion’s share.
The analysis showed that the total IGRs of Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Delta, Edo, Enugu, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Ondo, Plateau, Rivers, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara states was N287.07 billion. Lagos is about N97.18 billion ahead of the total IGRs of the19 States combined, followed at a distance by Rivers States with a total of N87.91 billion.
Further analysis showed that Lagos generated a total of N722.62 billion from 2008 to 2011. Comparatively, Kano generated a total of N23.11 billion over the same period.
So, every government needs funds through taxes, the fall of oil prices is affecting the economy of Nigeria, so, the only way to sustain development is to depend on taxation, which the government can plan with.
Fowler was able to serve Lagos state by generating revenue for the state and empowering the government as the Chief Executive Officer/Executive Chairman of the Lagos State Board of Internal Revenue from 2005 to 2014.
Considering the fact that many people don’t want to pay taxes, Fowler developed a tough skin and no friends and tormented the ‘Big Men’ in Lagos by making sure they paid their taxes.
He was despised by many, just like many tax collectors, but it was indeed very rare to see a tax man being liked by so many people.
Infact, if a tax man is well liked then it means there is something wrong somewhere.
Today, Lagos is held up as a model in tax administration, Fowler indeed changed the game.
What should we expect from Fowler?
In these trying times for Nigeria, when the fall in world oil prices has reduced Nigeria to a broke nation, we therefore need to look inwards and generate revenue.
With the success from The Lagos Internal Revenue Service, Babatunde Fowler is no doubt the most experienced man for the job.
Fowler will also ensure mutual cooperation among different government agencies and parastatals, this collaboration should enhance exchange of information, and reduce the incidence of tax evasion as well as fraudulent tax practices.
To elicit voluntary compliance, the government should be more responsive to the welfare needs of the citizens. The Nigerian tax system can effectively generate more revenue when the citizens have trust and confidence in the authority. Lagos state under Fowler generated huge revenue due to the fact that many corporate bodies and individuals feel that they can visibly feel the development impact of their contributions.
In most developed countries, tax payment is considered a moral and civic responsibility, thus tax avoidance is frowned upon. This implies that once the new government starts to give citizens dividends of democracy, they will in-turn demonstrate patriotism through timely payment of their taxes and discharging other civic duties.
In Nigeria, most of the citizens are religious and faithful people. Thus, with religious provisions that explicitly support fulfilling religious obligations, tax payment could be enhanced. For instance, the Biblical saying of “Give unto Caesar, what is for Caesar and to God what is for God” is apt and relevant to the Christians while the Qur’an calls on the Muslims thus: “O you who believe, fulfil all obligations” (Q5:1).
Not many people know that there is much more to the new Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Babatunde Fowler‘s life or daily activities beyond tax or revenue collection.
Fowler divulges the secret that stands him out amongst others as a unique being in a recent interview to a Christian-based magazine, Harp Applause.
Fowler spent 21 years in the banking profession, holding various managerial post before leaving the banking hall as a general manager to take up the challenge being thrust at his feet by former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to drive the tax revenue of the state, having being a specialist in revenue generation.
The silent philanthropist does not embark on any mission or accept any challenges without consulting and hearing from God. It is his believe according to his words “The truth is that when God changes your direction, he changes it for a purpose. I have found myself in the position where I could directly impact positively into the lives of people, because when you collect revenue for government, you are empowering the government to do more for the people. Today, I can tell you that I am fulfilled in what I am doing. I can feel and see the impact of what I am doing in the lives of the people than when I was a banker.
The once upon a time wannabe teenage chorister, who later became an usher at the Redeemed Christian Church of God before being ordained pastor, traced the secret of his success to a special request he made for the wisdom of Solomon. Not only did God grant his request while still a boy in the secondary school, he has remained his Consultant.
On Wednesday August 19, 2015, angry Staff of the Imo State House of Assembly shut down power supply in the Assembly complex, switching off electrical appliances and leaving the hallowed chambers in a pitch darkness while lawmakers were in plenary.
The action virtually locked in the lawmakers who resorted to using their phone light to access their various offices and collect their personal effects.
The reason for the shut down was the nonpayment of five months salary arrears owed the staff by the State government.
However, the main reason was that one of the workers whose baby was sick could not get any money to take the baby to any private hospital. This is even as none of the general hospitals owned by the state was working while the federal medical centre Owerri is as expensive as any private hospital.
The woman whose baby was dying in convulsion as a result of excessive fever, decided to bring the dying baby to the House of Assembly complex where she cried to the leadership of Parliamentary Staff Association Of Nigeria, PASAN, who immediately ordered the workers out of their offices.
On seeing the condition of the baby, the staff contributed some money for the baby to be taken to the hospital while the rest started chanting solidarity songs against the state government and the speaker for abandoning them to die in hunger while they (house members) were busy drawing their own salaries and taking care of their families.
The workers’ anger was aggravated by the promise made to them by the speaker the previous week that he would do his best to get them paid at least one month salary before that Wednesday.
While this was happening, the lawmakers were gathering to sit for plenary. This led the staff to down tools immediately without notice as those in charge of various departments locked down their offices including electrical departments.
This forced the speaker to abruptly adjourn plenary and rushed out to address the workers.
He appealed to them to continue to bear with the leadership of the house as according to him, the governor was not in the state.
He again promised to get the governor to pay the workers as soon as possible
However, as early as 8am the next day Thursday, the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and angry House of Assembly workers barricaded the entrance to the Assembly complex denying lawmakers access to their offices and legislative chambers.
This it was learnt was because the promise made to them by the speaker that he would get Governor ROchas Okorocha to pay them their salary arrears.
Our reporter learnt that the workers would commence full strike action today Friday.
A chieftain of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), in Ebonyi State, Mr. Jerry Obasi has lamented what he described as the huge indebtedness of the states being controlled by the All Progressive Congress, (APC) to its workforce, stressing that the development contradicts the change slogan of the party.
In a chat with 247ureports.com in Abakaliki, Obasi who spoke on the basis of the bailout funds being offered to states to pay salaries insisted that some of the governors, particularly those on their second term, should be asked what they did with the monthly allocations that accrued to their states in the recent past.
“Im worried about the issue of bailout and the huge indebtedness of some states to their workers. The most baffling aspect of this bailout is that it is the APC controlled states that are highly indebted to their workforce. In Osun state, Gov. Rauf Aregbesola is indebted to his workers up to 6 months. It is the same situation in Imo state; Im beginning to believe President Buhari agreed to this bailout formula to save the face of these APC governors.
“Even with the bailout funds, most of these governors may pay one or two months salaries out of the 7or 8 months arrears owed workers and divert the remaining funds to other uses. You can see that these debtor governors now cruise in private jets and engaging in frivolities while their states burn. Some of them like Gov. Rochas Okorocha hardly spend two days in their states. In Owerri, there are reports of daily protests about salaries. So, what is the assurance that the bailout funds won’t be misappropriated? President Buhari should have analyzed the situation state by state to know what each did with its allocation over years. It is inexplicable for a governor to owe such number of salaries even when they continue to receive monthly allocations from the federation.”
He condemned the slashing of salaries by governors and the President, insisting that any public officer interested in the welfare of the people should reduce his huge security votes rather than salaries.
“How much is the salary of a president or governor that they now say they are slashing it by half” This is just to deceive the people; it is ridiculous to give something with the right hand and collect it through the left hand. Is this not what we call Greek gift? If they are serious, let them forfeit or reduce their huge security votes and other allowances which are up to N1 billion or N750 million in some states like Abia. There should be a change in the way our public officers manage funds entrusted to them. Buhari should strive to enthrone an enduring culture of transparency in the management of public offices in the country.”
As the administration of General Mohammed Buhari suddenly draws close to the end of its honeymoon (first 100 days in office), it is becoming clearer that Nigeria is threading a new part of nationhood. Technically, the new pattern of governance is not entirely new, but the creepy circumstances are quietly creeping into the National subconscious culture. It is gradually gaining acceptance amongst those who are caught up in the band wagon of collective amnesia. It is definitely not a constitutional democracy; not a diarchy; not the usual military rule by Decrees, and but by all ramifications, a convincing government of “Body Language”.
In the run up to the 2015 Presidential elections, Buhari had told Nigerians that he was now a refurbished civilian – a converted democrat who believed in multiparty democracy. Nigerians believed. Powered by the demonization of the Jonathan Administration, the change Campaigners flooded the Nigeria with the message of change. The word “Jonathanian” was introduced into the National lexicon by Mallam Nasir El-Rufai (now the Kaduna State governor). “Clueless” became the most shared term both in the print and social media.
Since the inauguration of the Buhari Presidency on May 29, however, Nigeria’s constitution has been violated more than observed. The first Salvo from Buhari was to disappoint his entire party on the formation of a cabinet as required by this constitution. The framers of our constitution had envisaged a cabinet to help in the daily running of government to realise the hopes and aspiration of its people. It has now gone down in history that Buhari has been the only President since independence to govern without a cabinet for almost months, under a constitutional democracy.
Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to President Buhari on Media through a press statement had informed Nigerians that President Buhari will appoint a Cabinet in the fullness of time. Soon after, President Buhari informed the world that amongst all the nominees for ministerial positions, who are predominantly his party members – the All Progressive Congress (APC), he has not found one individual worthy to serve as a minister. The puzzling questions are: did the APC as a political party decided not to form a cabinet four months in government? Would Asiwaju Tinubu have supported and sponsored Buhari if he knew he wasn’t going to form a government until September? Is this cabinet impasse a party decision or the body language of a maximum ruler?
Section 147 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended provides that “There shall be such offices of Ministers of the Government of the Federation as may be established by the President”. But the Buhari supporters would always be quick to misinterpret this statutory passage, with a pointless argument that cabinet appointment is discretionary. The provision of the constitution actually permits the President to decide the number of aides he would work with, and Buhari had reportedly reduced the current ministerial positions. But the appointment of ministers in a timely manner remains obligatory. For example, the word “shall” as used by the law gives no room for any discretion. But in complete revolt of the oath of the office he took, President Buhari has remained in utter violation.
With the dwindling oil prices and the reckless spending by State governments during the last general elections, President Buhari was confronted with months of unpaid workers’ across various states of country. Without the benefit of financial advice especially from a Finance Minister, President Buhari had embarked on a bailout mission for the States against the spirit and letters of the Constitution. It must be stated here that workers deserve their wages. The longsuffering Nigerian workers deserve to get more than their current take home pay. However the process of financial bailout for States is clearly spelt out in Section 164(1) of the 1999 constitution that, “Federation may make grants to a State to supplement the revenue of that state in such sum and subject to such terms and condition as may be prescribed by the National Assembly”.
Firstly, the “Federation” the law considers here does not apply to the President. Secondly, any grant or bail out by the federation must be appropriated by the National Assembly. But in protest to his sworn oath of office, President Buhari unilaterally approved and appropriated funds while the National Assembly was on recess. And since resumption of plenary by the National Assembly, no letter, motion or request has been brought before the National Assembly for ratification. Are we still running a democracy?
In pursuit of his disdain and relegation of the constitution which he swore to protect, Buhari had abandoned Section 150 which provides that “There shall be an Attorney –General of the Federation who shall be the Chief Law Officer of the Federation and a Minister of the Government of the Federation.” Mr President further went ahead and appointed an unconstitutional Advisory Committee on Corruption which has no backing of law and which as a result would render all its actions, advice, and recommendations detrimentally unconstitutional.
All these aberrations and rape on our constitutional democracy have been termed the “body language” of Mr President. The Body Language of Buhari is gradually becoming the acceptable grundnorm of the Nigerian Nation. Consequently, the current body language is synonymous with the usual military disdain for constitutionality – which is Buhari’s major command trait.
Almost 100 days into the life of a new government, the body language of Mr President has not given a clear road map and a policy direction in the various sectors of the economy. With the continuous fall in price oil price, the body language of Mr President has not articulated a clear position on how to annex the inherent mineral resources that abound all over the country. All we hear are praise songs from very scary quarters urging Buhari to carry on with his body language.
Gradually, as Nigerians, we are beginning to forget that we operate a constitutional democracy. While we await signals coming from the body language of President Buhari in every area of our national life, we hope that that the body language will not translate into the kind of cult followership obtainable in rogue nations like Iran and North Korea where every utterance from the maximum ruler is law.
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Oshiokpekhai Utu-Orbih is an attorney, broadcaster and media consultant
Information reaching 247ureports indicate that Gov. Rochas Okorocha no longer ‘see eye to eye’ with the immediate past Speaker of the Imo state House of Assembly, Chief Ben Uwajumogu over debts and unfulfilled promises he made to the 2011 to 2015 set of legislators.
According to Imo Government House sources, Okorocha is worried that Uwajumogu has been pestering him to fulfill the many promises he made to his colleagues.
The governor is said to have directed security and his aides not to allow the former speaker access to Douglas House, which is the seat of power in the state.
The sources told 247ureports.com that the embattled former speaker is under intense pressure by his colleagues over the huge debts owed them including severance allowance and balance of the money for the impeachment of the former deputy governor, Chief Jude Agbaso, said to be amounting to N70 million, among others.
The lawmakers are also annoyed with Okorocha for failing to fulfill his promise to reward them for protecting him from the PDP in view of many impeachable offences he committed in office. During his tenure as Speaker, Uwajumogu was severally lobbied by the PDP to impeach Okorocha but he refused to play ball.
Majority of Uwajumogu’s colleagues are worried over Okorocha’s reputation of not keeping to promises and agreements he makes with people as some of them now feel used and dumped; regretting their support for the governor
247ureports.com gathered that Okorocha is reportedly annoyed with the former speaker for failing to help install his former deputy chief of staff, Mr. Chinedu Offor as the Speaker of the House of Assembly. Offor who was the governor’s choice for the speakership position was beaten to it by Chief Acho Ihim, a grassroots politician who enjoyed the support of both old and new members as Offor’s candidacy refused to fly. Okorocha is said not to have forgiven Uwajumogu for failing to sell Offor to the returning and fresh members of the House.
Sources at the Assembly at the Imo Assembly told our correspondent that Okorocha is not comfortable with Ihim as speaker despite the numerous assurances the latter has made to him during ‘peace meetings’ convened for the purpose. “Even Acho Ihim is aware that the governor does not trust him. Those who know Owelle well will tell you that it is only a matter of time before he installs Chinedu Offor as speaker.”
The governor is also angry with the former Speaker for losing the Imo North senatorial election to the PDP despite contesting as a sitting Speaker with a huge financial war chest made available to him. “Owelle is not happy that Ben Uwajumogu came third in the senatorial election despite government machinery being at his beck and call during the election. It pained Owelle that he came third behind Mazi Clement Owunna of APGA and the winner, Senator Athan Achonu of the PDP. You know Owelle is too smart and doesn’t keep promises, he is not happy that Uwajumogu is still reminding to settle the lawmakers,” the sources added.
Asked what will be Uwajumogu’s fate in Okorocha’s second term, the sources said they cannot tell but ruled out a ministerial position for the former speaker insisting that Okorocha is pushing his in-law and former Secretary to the Imo state government, Prof. Anthony Anwuka, for the position in the event of him missing the SGF position.
Efforts to reach Uwajumogu proved unsuccessful as his mobile number could not be reached as at the time of filing this report.
