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You can’t be NYSC member, minister same time, HURIWA tells Hannatu Musawa
You can’t be NYSC member, minister same time, HURIWA tells Hannatu Musawa
A pro-democracy and civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has condemned the Senate for asking Hannatu Musawa, to ‘bow and go’ during her screening as a ministerial nominee.
This, it said, was done despite currently being a youth corps member under the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC).
HURIWA alleged that the inaugurated Minister of Arts is actually a serving member of the NYSC somewhere in Wuse 2 Abuja in the current year (2023).
Musawa was the last nominee to show up for the Senate’s screening during plenary session.
HURIWA described as despicable what was a routine with the Godswill Akpabio-led Senate, in which the then ministerial nominee was asked to “take a bow and go” without being asked any questions about her academic qualifications, including the controversy surrounding her NYSC certificate.
HURIWA recalled that in 2020, the Ahmed Lawan-led 9th session of the Senate rejected Musawa’s nomination by former President Muhammadu Buhari as the Commissioner representing the North West at the National Pension Commission (PENCOM).
Her failure to submit her National Youth Service (NYSC) certificate was cited as reason for the rejection.
While it is compulsory for every Nigerian graduate to take part in the National Youths Service Corps for one year, graduates who are above 30 years are exempted from the national service.
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Section 13 of the National Youths Service Corps Act stipulates that any Nigerian graduate below 30 who refuses to make themselves available for the compulsory one-year service has committed an offence “and liable on conviction to a fine of N4,OOO or to imprisonment for a term of two years or to both such fine and imprisonment.”
HURIWA recalled too that a former Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, was forced to resign from President Buhari’s government after an online newspaper reported that she forged the NYSC exemption certificate used in securing her appointment as minister.
The group also condemned Musawa for her alleged display of illegality by spraying crispy N1,000 notes to some local Hausa musicians at an event in which she was reportedly being celebrated over her appointment as minister.
It therefore asked the Central Bank of Nigeria to order her investigation and possible arrest and prosecution for breaching the extant law prohibiting such abuse of the national currency of Nigeria.
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HURIWA also challenged the NYSC to compel the minister to choose between completing her engagement as a corper under the national service scheme or disengage from being a corper and then focus on her new task as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
It wondered why the correct status of Musawa was not made known to the members of the public before the Senate sensationally failed to screen her as it should.
HURIWA wondered the kind of scrutiny being conducted by the Department of State Services so much so that it was not disclosed that the minister is actually a youth corper.
The Rights group alleged that years back, Musawa abandoned her NYSC in Ebonyi State but later showed interest to complete it in which she was mobilised this year and posted to a law firm in Abuja before President Tinubu picked her as a ministerial nominee.
News
Just in: Tinubu swears in Rivers Sole Administrator Ibas
Just in: Tinubu swears in Rivers Sole Administrator Ibok-ete Ibas
President Bola Tinubu has sworn in Vice Vice Admiral Ibok-ete Ibas (Retd.) as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State.
The administrator was sworn in on Wednesday after a short meeting with the President.
Tinubu announced the appointment of the retired naval chief at a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, when he declared a state of emergency in Rivers State and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor, Ngozi Odu, and the state House of Assembly members.
The President said his decision was based on Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, saying he could not continue to watch the political situation in Rivers escalate without taking concrete action.
The suspension of Fubara and other elected representatives has been rejected and condemned by many eminent Nigerians, legal luminaries, groups such as Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Femi Falana, the Labour Party (LP), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Nigerian Bar Association.
However, the emergency rule has been praised by the pro-Nyesom Wike Assembly led by Martins Amaewhule, accusing Fubara of contravening the Supreme Court ruling on the political situation in the state.
Ibas was the Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021.
He is from Cross River State where he had his early education.
The new sole administrator went to the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1979 from where he proceeded to have a successful career in the Navy, rising through the ranks to the very top.
He is a member of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) and the Nigerian Institute of Management.
President Muhammadu Buhari who appointed him as Chief of Naval Staff conferred him with the National Honour of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) in 2022.
News
Breaking: Tinubu declares state of emergency in Rivers State
Breaking: Tinubu declares state of emergency in Rivers State
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday night declared a state of emergency in Rivers State following the protracted political crisis in the state.
Tinubu made the declaration during a nationwide broadcast, saying it is for six months.
He announced the suspension of the Executive Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy and all the members of the House of Assembly for six months.
He immediately named an administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Retd), to take charge of the affairs of the state for the six-month period.
Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution interprets a state of emergency as a situation of national danger or disaster in which a government suspends normal constitutional procedures to regain control.
A state of emergency allows the President to immediately make any desired regulations to secure public order and safety. (Channels TV)
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BREAKING: Tinubu addresses Nigerians on Rivers political crisis
BREAKING: Tinubu addresses Nigerians on Rivers political crisis
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday night will hold a nationwide broadcast to address the crisis in Rivers state.
Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, said the broadcast will be transmitted by the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN).
The broadcast is expected to be held by 7pm today.
Video: President Tinubu has declared state on emergency on Rivers state effective immediately, suspends Governor Fubara, his deputy governor and house of assembly members for six months.
He also nominated an administrator pic.twitter.com/jD1g9FHOez— Nigeria Stories (@NigeriaStories) March 18, 2025
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