Politics
Jega warns against revolutionary approach to restructuring
- Wants FG to relinquish more power, resources to states
Former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, has attributed the rising tension in the country to the enormous power and resources concentrated at the centre (with the Federal Government).
Even he stressed the need to urgently address the imbalance, he warned against revolutionary and destructive approach, saying it could be counterproductive.
Jega, also a former President of Academic Staff Union of Universities and ex-Vice Chancellor of Bayero University, spoke on a live television programme, The Morning Show on Arise TV on Friday.
He said, “Anybody who compares the Nigeria’s federal legislative list with the federal legislature in any federal country of the world will clearly see the imbalance. We should address that and begin to deconcentrate the power assigned to the Federal Government and reallocate it to the state governments.”
Jega noted that the current clamour for resource control would subside once more power and resources were transferred from the federal to the state level.
“Doing so will also mean taking those resources associated with those responsibilities from the Federal Government to the state level. If we do that, you will see the main reason why there is a lot of clamour for who controls of the Federal Government. Those who control our federal resources vandalise and privatise them.”
He lamented that the imbalance had caused not only disharmony and division among ethnic groups but crippled the economy, adding, “It will require careful planning, systematic planning and a time frame within when to address this.”
He, however, warned, “A revolutionary, destructive approach, in the sense that we have to do everything at the same time, will be counterproductive and the little history we have trying to fix constitutional amendment showed that it can’t work .”
Jega, now a chieftain of the People Redemption Party, also noted that there were other crucial steps that could be taken to bring peace to the country before the 2023 general elections.
He disagreed with the presidency’s position that aggrieved individuals could approach the national assembly for restructuring, saying with strong political will, the Federal Government could initiate moves that would address a lot of imbalance in the system.
According to him, one of such initiatives is to revisit the report of the two most recent constitutional conferences.
He said, “It is possible to push for restructuring and focus on the low-hanging fruits between now and 2023 and consolidate with other reforms and we ensure that post 2023, we’ll have better elected leaders whether at the federal or state level, people who respect democracy and those who will be selfless in the way they serve the people, people that manage resources and satisfy the yearnings and aspirations of the people.
“We will be able to avoid all those crises and conflicts we had in the First Republic. The problem was not limited to authoritarian and selfish disposition of leaders to the people but also to the issue of lack of respect for different opinions.”
Politics
El-Rufai given 48-hour ultimatum on NNPP crisis comment
El-Rufai given 48-hour ultimatum on NNPP crisis comment
The leadership of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the immediate past governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai over comments he made on the crisis rocking the party.
The NNPP condemned the former governor’s remark at the Social Democratic Party’s headquarters that the present government is responsible for the crisis rocking the opposition party.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the factional national chairman of the NNPP, Oginni Olaposi said El-Rufai lacks knowledge of the party workings and its challenges.
Also describing El-Rufai’s comment as unfounded, Olaposi urged the former governor to tender an unreserved apology to the NNPP or face legal action for such defamatory comment.
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He further asked the former governor to make efforts to find out from Rabiu Kwankwaso, the details of the crisis within the NNPP.
“We shall ask Mallam Nasir El Rufai to ask his friend (Kwankwaso) to answer the following questions before the allegations of interference or sponsorship by the federal government can be substantiated.
“Was it the federal government that asked Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to go to Dr. Boniface Okechukwu Aniebonam in February 2022 to prostrate and beg for NNPP’s platform in the company of Buba Galadima, Senator Hunkuyi, and others?
“Was it the federal government that asked Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to insult the founder of NNPP, Dr. Boniface Okechukwu Aniebonam?
“Was it the federal government that asked Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to institute a case against the leadership and founder of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) at the Kano State High Court to challenge his expulsion?
“Was it the federal government that stopped Kwankwaso and Governor Abba Yusuf from appearing before the disciplinary committee set up by the party for internal resolution of crisis within NNPP?” Olaposi queried.
El-Rufai given 48-hour ultimatum on NNPP crisis comment
Politics
Defection: Sack Ned Nwoko from Senate, PDP tells court
Defection: Sack Ned Nwoko from Senate, PDP tells court
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has sued the Senator representing the people of Delta North Senatorial District, Senator Ned Munir Nwoko, over his recent defection to the All Progressive Congress (APC).
In the suit filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, the PDP prayed the court to declare vacant the Senator’s seat for leaving the party.
The PDP in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/454/2025, and filed through its Counsel, Dr. Ayo Asala, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, urged the court to immediately order the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a bye-election to fill the vacant position.
The originating summons dated February 27, 2025, had Nwoko, the President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the Independent National Electoral Commission as the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd defendants.
PDP also prayed the Court to direct Nwoko to return all salaries, allowances and other emoluments he received as a Senator from the date he defected from the PDP to the APC.
In the originating summons, PDP is asking the court to determine if Nwoko ought to have vacated his seat, having defected to another party after being sponsored by the PDP at the polls.
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The plaintiff sought the following reliefs; “A declaration that the 1st Defendant, having defected from the plaintiff being the political party(People’s Democratic Party) that sponsored him and on whose platform he was elected as a Senator representing the Delta North Senatorial District in the National Assembly to another political party which is the All Progressives Congress (APC), ought to have vacated his seat in the said National Assembly with immediate effect by virtue of Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,1999(As Amended).
“A declaration that the 2nd and 3rd Defendants are under constitution and legal duties by virtue of Section 68(1)(g) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,1999(As Amended) to declare the seat of the 1st Defendant as a Senator representing Delta North Senatorial District in the National Assembly vacant , the 1st Defendant, having defected from the plaintiff being the political party that sponsored him and on whose platform he was elected as a Senator representing Delta North Senatorial District in the National Assembly to another political party,being the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“An order declaring vacant the seat of Senator representing Delta North Senatorial District in the National Assembly currently occupied by the 1st Defendant and directing the 1st Defendant to with immediate effect, vacate the said seat by Virtue of Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,1999(As Amended). The 1st Defendant having defected from the plaintiff being the Political party(People’s Democratic Party)that sponsored him and on whose platform he was elected as a Senator representing the Delta North Senatorial District in the National Assembly to another political party namely, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“An order of this Honourable Court directing the 1st Defendant to immediately vacate his seat as a Senator representing the Delta North Senatorial District in the National Assembly,having defected from the plaintiff being the political party that sponsored him as a Senator representing the Delta North Senatorial District in the National Assembly to another political party to wit, All Progressives Congress (APC).
“An order of this Honourable Court directing the 4th Defendant to immediately conduct a by-election to fill the vacant seat of the Senator representing Delta North Senatorial District in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria upon declaring the seat vacant.
“An order this Honourable Court to directing the 1st Defendant to return all salaries, allowances and other emoluments received by him as a Senator representing the Delta North Senatorial District in the National Assembly from the date he defected from the plaintiff to another political party to wit,the All Progressives Congress (APC).” the PDP added.
Defection: Sack Ned Nwoko from Senate, PDP tells court
Politics
Obasa, Meranda, Lagos assembly members meet Tinubu in Villa
Obasa, Meranda, Lagos assembly members meet Tinubu in Villa
Reinstated Speaker of Lagos State Assembly, Hon Mudashiru Obasa, and ousted speaker, Mojisola Meranda, have arrived at the Presidential Villa, Abuja for a meeting with President Bola Tinubu.
Others sighted at Villa for the meeting are members of the State House of Assembly.
Speaker Obasa, arrived at about 2:50pm, while his colleagues had earlier arrived with Miranda in two coaster buses.
The meeting, it was learnt, had to do with the recent leadership crisis in the State House of Assembly.
Obasa was impeached by some of his colleagues but was later reinstated after the intervention of the political leaders especially the Governing Advisory Council (GAC).
Despite the Speaker’s reinstatement, it was gathered that the bad blood arising from his impeachment still persists.
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