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NASS excludes state police, restructuring from 68 amendments
State police and restructuring are not included in the 68 amendments proposed by the Joint Senate and House of Representatives’ Special Ad Hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution.
Also, powers granted by court to the states to collect Value Added Tax may be reversed as the National Assembly will vote on whether VAT should remain on the concurrent legislative list or be moved to the exclusive list.
Members of the National Assembly are billed to vote on the recommendations on Tuesday and Wednesday after which the proposal would be sent to the states for concurrence. At least 24 Houses of Assembly must concur for any provision to scale through.
The Punch reports that there were demands for restructuring and return to the regional system of government, with some Nigerians specifically seeking conversion of the six geopolitical zones or states to federating units.
But the National Assembly is only considering devolution of powers from the Federal Government to the state and local governments by moving some items from the exclusive legislative list to the concurrent list.
Some senior advocates who spoke to The PUNCH, however, argued that VAT should not be placed on the exclusive legislative list.
Adegoke Rasheed (SAN), said while the National Assembly could not be stopped from performing its constitutional duties, the process would not be successful, adding that two-thirds of states would not support the decision to put VAT on the exclusive list.
Adegoke said, “I would consider the mentality of our legislators to be unitary and not federal in nature. I don’t think there is any sense in it to include the collection of VAT in the exclusive list. To achieve what? To make more money available at the centre? It was the military intervention that made the government at the centre to be collecting VAT.
“Under the 1979 constitution, VAT was not different from the sales tax. It is better if we are going to assist the states to develop at their own pace and have the capacity to generate more IGR. It is better to designate the collection of VAT as residual matter rather than making it an item on the exclusive list. They should reject it. They should realise that they are from various states that are struggling to survive.”
He stated that the decision to bring the matter on the exclusive list was against the federalism we practise in the country, calling on the legislators to reject the bill.
Another Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa said the state governments who took the matter to court should notify the court if it would affect the matter, saying that the court cannot stop the legislators from making law.
He said, “The case pending is in court. There is nothing stopping them from discharging their legislative duties. Within the court generally, our understanding is that the court would not stop the legislature from performing constitutional responsibilities of lawmaking but if after they make the law and then parties that are in court feel that the law would overreach the case that is pending in court, they can bring the amendment before the supreme court to decide on it, but the court would not stop the assembly from performing its duties.”
Adegboruwa stressed that the purpose of devolution of power would be defeated if VAT was placed on the exclusive list.
Adegboruwa added, “My position is that VAT is a matter for the states. You cannot be approbating and reprobating. The purpose of this amendment is to achieve devolution of power by giving more powers to the state and shedding the federal government of its weight.
“Then moving VAT to the exclusive list would be drawing us back to the unitary system of government. There is an inconsistency on the part of the National Assembly if, on the one hand, it is seeking to remove matters such as electricity from the Federal Government and taking VAT to the Federal Government. VAT should be for the state generating the tax for itself. There’s no basis for voting VAT to be on the exclusive list.
“If they vote it to be on the exclusive list, it would be a matter for the Supreme Court to decide as to the effect of that, because the suit had commenced before the amendment took place. If the amendment succeeds, the matter would become more or less academic.”
Also speaking with The PUNCH, a human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), said states would not vote in support of the amendment.
He advised the National Assembly to await the outcome of the matter at the Supreme Court rather than amend the constitution.
He said, “The matter is pending before the Supreme Court, the National Assembly should wait. I would advise them to await the judgment of the court. Assuming the Supreme Court says the Federal High Court was wrong, so what would be the basis of amending the constitution?”
Falana said he was confident that the states would not concur with the National Assembly if VAT is placed on the exclusive list.
The Lagos State Government, which is one of the parties to the suit before the Supreme Court, also stated that VAT should be left for the states to collect.
The Commissioner for Information, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, disclosed this on Sunday during a phone interview with The PUNCH. He, however, has said the state government would abide by any decision made by the National Assembly.
He said, “I cannot dictate to the National Assembly, because we belong to the executive and the legislature has their own rules and regulations and their own powers. It is all about the separation of powers and democracy.
“But what we are after concerning VAT is that the states should be the ones to collect it, and any decision that the legislature or the judiciary makes about this, we will abide by it, so long as it has to do with equity, justice and fairness, so long as it is a matter of what is good for our democracy, and fiscal federalism.
“So I know that the National Assembly, being the home of lawmakers and lawmaking, will do the right thing – anything that will further the interest of democracy and true federalism, and in the interest of justice – and I think that is what they will do.”
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Mother, Six Children Kidnapped in Fresh Kaduna Bandit Attack
Mother, Six Children Kidnapped in Fresh Kaduna Bandit Attack
In a fresh wave of banditry in Kaduna State, a mother and six children were abducted from their home in Kurmin‑Uwa near Janjala community in Kagarko Local Government Area on Friday night. The attack comes less than 24 hours after suspected bandits kidnapped ten residents, including seven members of a single family, in Unguwar Sabon‑Titi, Katari.
According to residents, the raid occurred around 10:23 p.m., with the assailants going directly to the targeted house before whisking away the victims, identified as Ladi Malachy, Patience Malachy, Promise Malachy, Inama Malachy, Peter Malachy, and Aboyi Malachy. Witnesses said the attackers fled into surrounding forests, leaving the community in fear.
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A local resident, Ibrahim Shehu, confirmed the abduction, while a community leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed he alerted security operatives immediately after learning about the raid. However, it remains unclear whether authorities responded promptly. Kurmin‑Uwa is located about two kilometres from Kagarko town, an area that has seen repeated bandit attacks on households.
Security sources indicate that search and rescue operations have been launched, as authorities work to locate the kidnappers and secure the release of the abducted family. Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Police Command has yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident.
The back‑to‑back kidnappings have heightened tension in rural Kaduna communities, with residents calling for intensified patrols, improved security presence, and faster emergency response to prevent further abductions. Analysts warn that without swift action, such violent raids may continue to terrorise villages across the state.
Mother, Six Children Kidnapped in Fresh Kaduna Bandit Attack
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INEC Warns ADC Against Holding Convention Without Supervision
INEC Warns ADC Against Holding Convention Without Supervision
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cautioned the African Democratic Congress (ADC) against proceeding with its planned congresses and national convention without proper supervision and in defiance of an existing court order.
Chairman Joash Amupitan issued the warning during an interview on Arise TV on Friday, after the ADC insisted on going ahead with its convention despite INEC’s derecognition of the leadership faction linked to David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola.
Amupitan stressed that INEC’s actions were guided by legal considerations, particularly a subsisting court order restraining the ADC from taking steps that could undermine ongoing legal proceedings. “Don’t do anything. Don’t take any step that will render any proceeding before the court nugatory,” he said.
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He explained that the ADC’s plan to conduct congresses and a national convention is already part of a pending legal process, with motions related to the activities yet to be determined by the court. Ignoring the court’s directive, he warned, could result in invalidated elections or nullified internal party decisions, citing precedents in Zamfara and Plateau states where failure to comply with court orders affected electoral outcomes.
Amupitan highlighted the risks of repeating past mistakes, stressing that while the ADC is free to act as it chooses, INEC would not risk supervising illegal or unauthorized party activities. He reinforced the importance of adhering to the Electoral Act and judicial directives to ensure that party events are legally recognised and free from future challenges.
The INEC Chairman’s warning comes amid heightened tension within the ADC, with the faction led by David Mark facing derecognition and ongoing litigation over the party’s legitimate leadership. Analysts note that the statement underscores INEC’s commitment to rule of law, legal compliance, and internal party democracy, especially as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections.
INEC Warns ADC Against Holding Convention Without Supervision
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Presidency Clarifies Why Tinubu Met Plateau Victims Only at Airport
Presidency Clarifies Why Tinubu Met Plateau Victims Only at Airport
The Presidency has clarified why President Bola Tinubu did not leave the airport during his recent visit to Jos, amid public criticism. Officials said the decision was driven by tight scheduling, logistical constraints, and aviation safety concerns.
President Tinubu visited Jos North Local Government Area, where he met with families of victims killed in the Angwan Rukuba attack. Speaking to the bereaved, he said, “You have no light at the airport, and I have to fly back within the next 10 minutes. To the victims, there’s nothing I can give you, whether it’s money in millions, but console you and promise you that this experience will not repeat itself.”
The visit was attended by political supporters, traditional rulers, security operatives, and other stakeholders. However, Tinubu’s airport-only engagement drew criticism, with some accusing him of insensitivity toward grieving families.
In response, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, explained that Tinubu’s schedule on Thursday included receiving Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno at the Presidential Villa before traveling to Iperu in Ogun State. Following a security briefing by Plateau Governor Caleb Mutfwang, the Ogun trip was canceled, and an emergency visit to Jos was arranged overnight.
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Officials said logistical challenges made a town visit impractical. The airport runway does not support night flights, and the road distance from the airport to Jos township is about 40 minutes. These factors made it unfeasible for the President to visit the conflict site, meet victims in town, and return to the airport safely before dusk.
To ensure engagement, representatives of affected communities were brought to a hall adjoining the airport, allowing Tinubu to meet directly with victims, local leaders, and security officials. Among attendees were the Minister of Defence, the Chief of Army Staff, and the Inspector General of Police, who had visited Rukuba to assess security operations.
During the meeting, the President consoled victims, listened to their concerns, and assured justice would be delivered. He also promised the deployment of 5,000 AI-enabled surveillance cameras to monitor the city and enhance the identification and arrest of troublemakers. Furthermore, he invited community leaders to Abuja for additional talks on long-term solutions to recurring violence in Plateau State.
The Presidency described the visit as a strategic, high-level engagement aimed at addressing the root causes of conflict, rather than a symbolic gesture. Officials emphasized that Tinubu’s approach prioritized safety, efficiency, and direct interaction with key stakeholders while adhering to flight and logistical constraints.
Despite the criticisms, the televised meeting was seen as reassuring by residents, signaling the President’s commitment to peace, security, and community-driven solutions in Plateau State.
Presidency Clarifies Why Tinubu Met Plateau Victims Only at Airport
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