Politics
Periscoping 2020 (3)
The United States Government indicted the Federal Government of Nigeria and security agencies of abuse of human rights, disregard for rule of law and exhibition of absolute impunity in a report tittle: “2019 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices on Nigeria”.
The report which clearly indicated that there was glaring evidence that the security agencies intimidated voters, election observers, and INEC officials, particularly in the Southern part of the country during the 2019 elections, was signed by the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo and released on Wednesday, March 11 but made public on Friday, March 13.
The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, on Monday, March 16, ordered a stay of execution of the Abuja High Court ruling that suspended Adams Oshiomhole as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The appellate court, in a ruling by a three-man panel of judges led by Justice Yahaoya Dattijo, also issued an interlocutory injunction restraining the respondents from taking steps to give effect to the high court ruling, pending the determination of appeals Oshiomhole filed before it.
On Thursday, March 29, the Senate announced the suspension of all public hearings with effect from March 24, over the COVID-19 pandemic.
President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, who made the announcement shortly after a closed door session that lasted for over one hour, also said the senate suspended admission of visitors into the gallery.
Former Nigerian Ambassador to South Korea, Engr. Desmond Akawor was elected the new chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State on Saturday, March 21.
Akawor was elected by party delegates during the PDP State Elective Congress held at the Obi Wali International Conference Centre, Port Harcourt.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) announced a total shut down of all activities for two weeks in their desperation to check the spread of Coronavirus pandemic on Monday, March 23.
In a statement signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, the commission warned that apart from shutting down, it “will no longer monitor the conventions, congresses, conferences and meetings of political parties until further notice”.
As the battle to contain the deadly coronavirus raged, the Federal Government suspended its weekly Federal Executive Council meetings as well as the proposed Council of State meeting earlier slated for March 26.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha made the announcement at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, March 23.
President Muhammadu Buhari ordered a two-week shutdown of all activities and movements in Lagos, Abuja and Ogun States on Sunday, March 29.
In a presidential broadcast, Buhari also ordered the payment of two-month conditional cash transfer to those considered the most vulnerable in the society.
Nigerian Senators, on Monday, March 30, agreed to contribute 50 per cent of their salaries to support the efforts to contain the spread and treatment of COVID-19 victims in the country.
Acting spokesman of the Senate, Senator Godiya Akwashiki, who confirmed this in a statement he released in Abuja, said the monthly donation would be “sustained” until the disease is wiped out of Nigeria.
The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, on Thursday, April 16, dismissed the appeal brought by the Action Peoples Party (APP) against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the exclusion of its candidates from participating in the 2019 governorship elections in Bayelsa and Kogi States.
Former Chief of Staff to president Muhammadu Buhari, Mallam Abba Kyari, died on Friday, April 17, after testing positive for COVID-19 in Lagos.
The late CoS was prayed for at the Defence Guest House in Maitama and interred at the Gudu Cemetery in Abuja on Saturday, April 18.
In a statement by Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, on Tuesday, April 21, President Buhari commiserated with the government and people of Oyo State over the passing on of former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Richard Akinjide.
Chief Akinjide, (SAN), who died in his Ibadan home at the age of 89 on Tuesday, April 21, was Minister of Education in the First Republic, Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation in the Second Republic and member of Judicial Systems sub-committee of the Constitution Drafting Committee of 1975-1977.
On Saturday, July 25, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flagged-off its governorship campaign for the September 19, 2020 Edo State governorship election at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City with the chaiman of the National Campaign Council and Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike declaring that the South-South geo-political zone completely belongs to the party.
The chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Walid Jibrin said, in a statement in Abuja on Monday, July 27, that former House of Representatives Speaker, Yakubu Dogara left the PDP because of his (Dogara) political ambition in 2023.
A former Minister of Commerce and Industry, Charles Ugwu emerged the Imo State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Saturday, August 1 state congress of the party held at the Kanu Nwankwo Soccer Centre, Oweri.
Northern Youths under the aegis of Arewa Youths for Peace and Security (AYPS), on Sunday, August 2, said the Southern part of the country should be allowed to produce the next president of the country because it will further unite Nigeria.
President of the group, Alhaji Salisu Magaji made the declaration in a statement rejecting arguments by influential nephew of President Muhammadu Buhari, Mallam Mamman Daura, that competence, and not zoning, should determine the next president come 2023.
The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, on Thursday, August 6, directed that used and unused materials for the 2019 general elections be disposed of the commission’s stores nationwide.
Prof Yakubu who spoke with journalists in Nasarawa when he inspected election materials for the Nasarawa Central State Constituency by-election, told the National Commissioner, Mohammed Haruna, to find a way in ensuring that the materials were properly disposed of.
Unknown assailants, on Sunday, August 9, stormed the residence of Mr Azubuike Ekwegbalu, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State on Security, leaving him dead after allegedly stabbing him with a kitchen knife.
The incident was said to have occurred in the early hours of the day at his residence at the Commissioners’ Quarters, Awka, a high brow area for government officials.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Saturday, August 8, began the use of its dedicated election results viewing portal known as “The INEC Result Viewing (IRev)” for publication of results from polling units.
Mr Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee of the commission said IReV would enable Nigerians view polling unit results in real time as voting ends on election day, adding that the innovation began from the Nasarawa Central State Constituency by-election in Nasarawa State on August 8.
It was reported that the by-election results for 26 out of 44 Wards, where the by-election took place were published on the portal as at 6:35pm same day.
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, who was serving a 12-year jail term, was released from prison on June 2.
He was convicted for embezzling N7.65 billion belonging to the Abia State Government, however, the Supreme Court ordered a retrial after it nullified his conviction.
The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, on Monday, August 10, set aside the judgment of a Federal High court in Abuja which had on June 11 held that Section 225 (a) of the constitution gives INEC the powers 70 deregister parties that failed to comply with the provisions of the constitution.
Reacting to the judgment obtained by 23 deregistered political parties, INEC said it would approach the Supreme Court over conflicting judgments by the Court of Appeal on the deregistered political parties.
The INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, recalled that on July 29, the Court of Appeal, Abuja Judicial Division, in an appeal filed by the National Unity Party (NUP) affirmed the power of the commission to deregister political parties that fail to meet the constitutional threshold in section 225 (A).
“After a joint meeting in Abakiliki on Sunday, August 16th, 2020, and after a fruitful deliberation then reached an agreement that, the Chairman of South-East Governors Forum and Ebonyi State Governor, Engr Dave Umahi, Minister of Transportation, Rt Hon. Chibuike Amaechi and Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonaya Onu are the best presidential materials and candidates”, according to the Ohanaeze Ndigbo youth Council.
The press statement issued by Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, President General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council and Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, Secretary, explained that the decisions were borne out of due consultations.
The Bayelsa State Governor, Senator, Douye Diri, on Tuesday, August 18 lodged 12 grounds of appeal at the Court of Appeal in Abuja challenging the Tribunal Judgment that sacked him from office and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to conduct a fresh election in the state within 90 days on Saturday, August 15.
In the Notice of Appeal, he filed through his team of lawyers led by Chief Chris Uche, SAN, Diri urged the appellate court to set aside the majority judgment of the Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal which nullified his election and uphold the minority verdict.
By: Opaka Dokubo
The Senate yesterday received the 2026-2028 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper from President Bola Tinubu, marking the formal launch of the 2026 federal budget cycle.
In a letter addressed to the upper chamber, Tinubu said the submission complies with statutory requirements and sets out the fiscal parameters that will guide the preparation of the 2026 Appropriation Bill.
He explained that the MTEF/FSP outlines the macroeconomic assumptions, revenue projections, and spending priorities that will shape Nigeria’s fiscal direction over the next three years.
The letter was read during plenary by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano North), who urged lawmakers to expedite consideration of the document.
“It is with pleasure that I forward the 2026 to 2028 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper for the kind consideration and approval of the Senate.
“The 2026 to 2028 MTEF and FSP were approved during the Federal Executive Council meeting of December 3, 2025, and the 2026 budget of the Federal Government will be prepared based on the parameters and fiscal assumptions therein,” the President stated.
Last week, the Federal Executive Council approved the fiscal projections, pegging the oil benchmark price at $64.85 per barrel and adopting a budget exchange rate of ?1,512/$1 for 2026—figures expected to significantly shape revenue forecasts and expenditure planning.
After reading the President’s letter, Jibrin referred the document to the Senate Committee on Finance, chaired by Senator Sani Musa (APC, Niger East), with a directive to submit its report by Wednesday, December 17.
The Senate adjourned shortly after to allow committees to commence scrutiny of the fiscal framework and continue the ongoing screening of ambassadorial nominees.
Tinubu’s communication to the Senate came less than 24 hours after he transmitted the same MTEF/FSP documents to the leadership of the House of Representatives.
The letter was read on the House floor by the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, who also urged timely legislative action as required by law.
The MTEF and FSP are statutory instruments mandated by the Fiscal Responsibility Act and serve as the blueprint for Nigeria’s annual budgets.
They outline the government’s fiscal stance, macroeconomic assumptions, revenue frameworks, projected deficits, and sectoral priorities over a three-year period.
The Tide reports that approval by the National Assembly is a prerequisite for the executive to present the Appropriation Bill for the next fiscal year.
In a statement on Saturday, the former Senate Leader stated that the allocation of nominees across states and geopolitical zones falls short of the constitutional requirement for fair representation in the composition of the Federal Government.
The ex-Senate Whip warned that allowing the list to pass could deepen ethnic suspicion at a time when the administration should be consolidating national unity.
He highlighted disparities in the spread of nominees, noting that while some states have three or four slots, others have none. He also cited the inclusion of Senator Adamu Garba Talba from Yobe, who reportedly died in July.
“The entire North-East states have seven nominees in the list. Further checks revealed that the South-West geo-political zone has 15 nominees, while North-West and South-East have 13 and 9, respectively.
“North-Central region has 10 nominees in the list of career and non-career ambassadorial nominee while South-South parades 12 nominees,” Senator Ndume said.
According to him, such imbalances could heighten tensions and undermine Section 14(3) of the Constitution.
“My sincere appeal to President Tinubu is to withdraw this list. At this critical juncture in his administration, he should avoid missteps that could undermine national unity and foster ethnic distrust.
“I know him to be a cosmopolitan leader who is at home with every segment and stakeholder in the country. He should withdraw that list and present a fresh set of nominees that will align with the spirit of the Constitution on the Federal Character Principle,” Senator Ndume added.
He accused the legislators of undermining the sanctity of the legislature and acting as instruments of destabilization.
“The members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have, by their actions since they assumed office, shown that they are political puppets and a clog in the wheels of democratic progress,” Comrade Ememobong stated, adding that “They will go down in history as enemies of democracy and those who made mockery of the legislature.”
“So the easiest way to describe their action is a defection from APC to APC,” he said.
Comrade Ememobong announced that the party would deploy constitutional provisions to reclaim its mandate from those who have “ignobly and surreptitiously” abandoned the platform on which they were elected.
“Consequently, the PDP will take legal steps to activate the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999 as amended) to recover the mandate gained under the banner of our party which these people have now switched to another platform,” he said.
He urged party members in Rivers State to remain calm and steadfast.
“We urge all party members in Rivers State to remain faithful and resolute, as efforts are underway to rebuild the party along the path of inclusiveness, fairness and equity,” Comrade Ememobong assured.
