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Constitutional Crisis Engulfs Edo …As Reps Move To Shut State Assembly …Senate Meets Oshiomhole Over Crisis …You Lack Powers To Shut State Assembly, Edo Govt Tells Reps …PDP Condemns Move, Blasts APC
As a major constitutional crisis hits Edo State over move to control the State House of Assembly, the Edo State Government has described the move by the House of Representatives to shut down the Edo State House of Assembly as unconstitutional.
Our correspondent reports that the House of Representatives had threatened to take over the Edo Assembly if the state governor, Obaseki failed to inaugurate the House within seven days.
In a statement in Benin City, Secretary to Edo State Government, Osarodion Ogie, Esq., said that the Nigerian Constitution does not in any way stipulate that the House of Representatives or even the National Assembly has the right or power to shut down a State House of Assembly.”
He said such power is expressly excluded by the constitution.
“The Government and people of Edo State are appalled and disappointed at the gross illegality and abuse of process by the House of Representatives.
“It must first of all be pointed out that the emergency supervisory powers over the activities of State Houses of Assembly which are contained in Section 11 of the Constitution of our Republic are expressly donated to “The National Assembly” and not one individual arm of it.
“These powers certainly do not extend to issuing directives to a duly elected State Governor to unlawfully repeat an act which has already been fully carried out in line with the Constitution.
“It has further not been alleged or concluded by anyone that the Edo State House of Assembly is unable to sit.
“In fact, whenever the ‘self-exiled’ members-elect so choose, they can join their colleagues in plenary in Benin City.
“Suffice it to say, however, that there is nowhere in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, where the House of Representatives or even the National Assembly for that matter, is granted the right or power to shut down a State House of Assembly, in point of fact such power is expressly excluded by the Constitution,” the SSG said.
The state government further advised “those interested parties who sit in positions of authority in Abuja and are using their offices to influence the House of Representatives to take note that we all ultimately owe a debt of accountability to the good people of Edo State for our actions.
Ogie added: “We must state that the final verdict in this matter will ultimately be rendered by the good people of Edo State, for whose benefit Government exists. We are certain therefore that this illegality will not stand.”
Worried by the development, the Senate ad hoc committee investigating the crisis rocking the Edo State House of Assembly yesterday met with the lawmakers being supported by the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress.
At the meeting, which held at the Senate New Building, National Assembly Complex in Abuja, were 12 of the 14 members-elect loyal to APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole.
It would be recalled that on June 17, 2019, 10 out of the 24-member Assembly were inaugurated under controversial circumstances.
The inaugurated lawmakers were said to be loyal to Governor Godwin Obaseki, while the 14 lawmakers-elect that were left out of the inauguration ceremony have the backing of APC chairman, Oshiomhole.
Speaking on behalf of the aggrieved members-elect at the meeting, Washington Osifo, member-elect representing Uhunwonde State Constituency, said they did not receive any communication from the Clerk on the inauguration.
While accusing the governor of “unleashing terror” on them using state apparatus, Osifo claimed that one of the lawmakers-elect has been kidnapped.
According to Osifo, the new lawmakers have been residing in Abuja for about one month now, even as he called on the Senate to intervene in the matter.
Among the members-elect at the meeting was Seidu Oshiomhole, younger brother to the APC National Chairman.
Chairman of the committee and Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (APC, Niger), called for calm, assuring that the upper legislative chamber is only interested in restoring public peace and order in the state Assembly.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says the order by the House of Representatives asking the Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) to shut down the Edo State House of Assembly is unconstitutional.
The party in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, yesterday in Abuja also described the order as provocative, saying it has no place in a democratic dispensation.
Ologbondiyan cautioned the leadership of House of Representatives to desist from actions that violate the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and could trigger a constitutional crisis in Edo and the nation at large.
He also criticized the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership over its inability to manage its “avarice and internal strife” playing out in Edo.
The statement read: “The PDP states that no section of the 1999 Constitution confers the House of Representatives with the powers to issue orders to a state governor or direct the shutdown of a sitting State House of Assembly.
“Whether in language or action, such is only obtainable in a military system.
“The PDP hereby invites Nigerians to note that section 11 of the 1999 Constitution, upon which the House of Representatives anchored its decision, does not in any way empower the House of Representatives to shut down a functioning state legislature.’’
Ologbondiyan also cautioned the federal legislature to note that such imperial stance against a legislative house; a symbol of the sovereignty of the people was self-destruct.
He added that it also opened the fundamentals of the nation’s democracy to unwarranted attacks.
Ologbondiyan said that was particularly as there were already apprehensions across the country that the shutdown order was a prelude to an autocratic.
“The PDP, therefore, counsels against any arm of government overreaching itself to take actions that undermine our constitution.
“It encourages dictatorial tendencies against our institutions of democracy and the essentials of personal freedom and rights of citizens in our nation,’’ he added.
President Bola Tinubu yesterday signed into law four tax reform bills aimed at transforming Nigeria’s fiscal and revenue framework.
The four bills include: the Nigeria Tax Bill, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill.
They were passed by the National Assembly after months of consultations with various interest groups and stakeholders.
The ceremony took place at the Presidential Villa, yesterday.
The ceremony was witnessed by the leadership of the National Assembly and some legislators, governors, ministers, and aides of the President.
The presidency had earlier stated that the laws would transform tax administration in the country, increase revenue generation, improve the business environment, and give a boost to domestic and foreign investments.
“When the new tax laws become operational, they are expected to significantly transform tax administration in the country, leading to increased revenue generation, improved business environment, and a boost in domestic and foreign investments,” Special Adviser to the President on Media, Bayo Onanuga said on Wednesday.
Before the signing of the four bills, President Tinubu had earlier yesterday, said the tax reform bills will reset Nigeria’s economic trajectory and simplify its complex fiscal landscape.
Announcing the development via his official X handle, yesterday, the President declared, “In a few hours, I will sign four landmark tax reform bills into law, ushering in a bold new era of economic governance in our country.”
Tinubu made a call to investors and citizens alike, saying, “Let the world know that Nigeria is open for business, and this time, everyone has a fair shot.”
He described the bills as not just technical adjustments but a direct intervention to ease burdens on struggling Nigerians.
“These reforms go beyond streamlining tax codes. They deliver the first major, pro-people tax cuts in a generation, targeted relief for low-income earners, small businesses, and families working hard to make ends meet,” Tinubu wrote.
According to the President, “They will unify our fragmented tax system, eliminate wasteful duplications, cut red tape, restore investor confidence, and entrench transparency and coordination at every level.”
He added that the long-standing burden of Nigeria’s tax structure had unfairly weighed down the vulnerable while enabling inefficiency.
The tax reforms, first introduced in October 2024, were part of Tinubu’s post-subsidy-removal recovery plan, aimed at expanding revenue without stifling productivity.
However, the bills faced turbulence at the National Assembly and amongst some state governors who rejected its passing in 2024.
At the NASS, the bills sparked heated debate, particularly around the revenue-sharing structure, which governors from the North opposed.
They warned that a shift toward derivation-based allocations, especially with VAT, could tilt fiscal balance in favour of southern states with stronger consumption bases.
After prolonged dialogue, the VAT rate remained at 7.5 per cent, and a new exemption was introduced to shield minimum wage earners from personal income tax.
By May 2025, the National Assembly passed the harmonised versions with broad support, driven in part by pressure from economic stakeholders and international observers who welcomed the clarity and efficiency the reforms promised.
In his tweet, Tinubu stressed that this is just the beginning of Nigeria’s tax evolution.
“We are laying the foundation for a tax regime that is fair, transparent, and fit for a modern, ambitious Nigeria.
“A tax regime that rewards enterprise, protects the vulnerable, and mobilises revenue without punishing productivity,” he stated.
He further acknowledged the contributions of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Committee, the National Assembly, and Nigeria’s subnational governments.
The President added, “We are not just signing tax bills but rewriting the social contract.
“We are not there yet, but we are firmly on the road.”
The Senate has issued a 10-day ultimatum to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) over its failure to appear before the Senate Committee on Public Accounts probing alleged financial discrepancies amounting to over ?210 trillion in its audited reports from 2017 to 2023.
Despite being summoned, no officials or external auditors from NNPCL showed up yesterday.
However, representatives from the representatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and Department of State Services were present.
Angered by the NNPCL’s absence, the committee, yesterday, issued a 10-day ultimatum, demanding the company’s top executives to appear before the panel by July 10 or face constitutional sanctions.
A letter from NNPCL’s Chief Financial Officer, Dapo Segun, dated June 25, was read at the session.
It cited an ongoing management retreat and requested a two-month extension to prepare necessary documents and responses.
The letter partly read, “Having carefully reviewed your request, we hereby request your kind consideration to reschedule the engagement for a period of two months from now to enable us to collate the requested information and documentation.
“Furthermore, members of the Board and the senior management team of NNPC Limited are currently out of the office for a retreat, which makes it difficult to attend the rescheduled session on Thursday, 26th June, 2025.
“While appreciating the opportunity provided and the importance of this engagement, we reassure you of our commitment to the success of this exercise. Please accept the assurances of our highest regards.”
But lawmakers rejected the request.
The Committee Chairman, Senator Aliyu Wadada, said NNPCL was not expected to submit documents, but rather provide verbal responses to 11 key questions previously sent.
“For an institution like NNPCL to ask for two months to respond to questions from its own audited records is unacceptable,” Wadada stated.
“If they fail to show up by July 10, we will invoke our constitutional powers. The Nigerian people deserve answers,” he warned.
Other lawmakers echoed similar frustrations.
Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) insisted that NNPCL’s Group CEO, Bayo Ojulari, must personally lead the delegation at the next hearing.
The Tide reports that Ojulari took over from Mele Kyari on April 2, 2025.
Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi (Ebonyi North) said the two-month request suggested the company had no answers, but the committee would still grant a fair hearing by reconvening on July 10.
Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) warned the NNPCL against undermining the Senate, saying, “If they fail to appear again, Nigerians will know the Senate is not a toothless bulldog.”
Last week, the Senate panel grilled Segun and other top executives over what they described as “mind-boggling” irregularities in NNPCL’s financial statements.
The Senate flagged ?103 trillion in accrued expenses, including ?600 billion in retention fees, legal, and auditing costs—without supporting documentation.
Also questioned was another ?103 trillion listed under receivables. Just before the hearing, NNPCL submitted a revised report contradicting the previously published figures, raising more concerns.
The committee has demanded detailed answers to 11 specific queries and warned that failure to comply could trigger legislative consequences.
The National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA) said over 17 million Nigerians travelled out between 2023 and 2024.
This is as the association announced that it would be organising a maiden edition of Eastern Travel Market 2025 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital from 27th to 30th August, 2025.
Vice Chairman of NANTA, Eastern Zone, Hope Ehiogie, disclosed this during a news briefing in Port Harcourt.
Ehiogie explained that the event aims to bring together over 1,000 travel professionals to discuss the future of the industry in the nation and give visibility to airlines, hospitality firms, hospitals and institutions in the South-South and South-East, tagged Eastern Zone.
He stated that the 17 million number marks a significant increase in overseas travel and tours.
According to him, “Nigerian travel industry has seen significant growth, with 17 million people traveling out of the country in 2023”.
Ehiogie further said the potential of tourism and travel would bring in over $12 million into the nation’s economy by 2026, saying it would be a major spike in the sector, as 2024 recorded about $4 million.
“The potential of tourism and travel is that it can generate about $12 million for the nation’s economy by 2026. Last year it was $4 million.
“In the area of travels, over 17 million Nigerians traveled out of the country two years ago for different purposes. This included, health, religious purposes, visit, education and others,” Ehiogie said.
While highlighting the potential of Nigeria’s tourism, he said the hospitality industry in Nigeria has come of age, saying it is now second to none.
The Vice Chairman of NANTA, Eastern Zone further said, “We are not creating an enabling environment for business to thrive. We need to support the industry and provide the necessary infrastructure for growth.”
He said the country has a lot of tourism potential, especially as the government is now showing interest in and supporting the sector.
Ehiogie emphasized that NANTA has been working to support the industry with initiatives such as training schools and platforms for airlines and hotels to sell their products.
He added, “We now have about four to five training schools in the region, and within two years, the first set of students will graduate. We are helping airlines sell tickets and hotels sell their rooms.”
Also speaking, former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of NANTA, Stephen Isokariari of Dial Travels, called for more support from the industry.
Isokariari stated, “We need to work together to grow the industry and contribute to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.
“With the right support and infrastructure, the Nigerian travel industry has the potential to make a significant contribution to the nation’s economy.”