Politics

Falana Urges Buhari To Sack Ministers

Published

4 years ago

May 18, 2022

Lagos based lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has insisted that President Muhammadu Buhari should summon and sack ministers involved in politics, including those who failed to submit their letters of resignation.
Recall that the Minister of Labour and Employment Media Office had dismissed claims by Falana that the Minister, Chris Ngige, withdrew his resignation letter after the valedictory session with President Buhari, last Friday.
In a statement in Abuja, the Minister’s office said the minister neither wrote nor submitted a resignation letter, adding that “Falana is embarrassing the public with a bad harvest of his bumper imagination.”
The lawyer Falana had faulted Ngige and the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami’s decision to drop their political aspirations in the 2023 general elections in order to remain members of the cabinet of Buhari.
Falana made the revelation in a statement released on Monday.
The statement read in part: “On Friday, May 13, 2022 President Muhammadu Buhari summoned the ministers who had submitted their resignation letters to a valedictory programme at the Villa. Equally invited to the programme were the other ministers involved in politics but who had failed to submit their letters of resignation.
“At the brief ceremony the President thanked the outgoing Ministers for their invaluable services to the nation through their contributions as Cabinet members. While giving them a pat on the back the President said: “I wish you success in the upcoming elections and in your future endeavours.
“While responding on behalf of the outgoing Ministers, Mr. Godswill Akpabio thanked the President for giving them the opportunity to serve and contribute their quota to nation-building.
He described working with the President as a fantastic and knowledgeable experience, adding that as they step aside they would continue to be great disciples of President Buhari. “After the farewell ceremony the Presidency published the names of the 9 Ministers who had left the cabinet together with the farewell picture taken with the President.
In the circumstances, the former ministers are stopped from denying their exit from the Cabinet.
“In opposing my views, Professor N.O. Obiaraeri was reported to have said that “There is no evidence of a written acknowledgment of the letter and acceptance of the letter of resignation by the person to whom it was addressed.” With respect to the learned Professor, the Constitution does not provide for “a written acknowledgment of the letter and acceptance of the letter of resignation”.
As far as the Constitution is concerned, the resignation of a Minister takes effect once the letter of resignation is received by the appointing authority. For the avoidance of doubt, section 306 (2) thereof provides that “The resignation of any person from any office established by this Constitution shall take effect when the writing signifying the resignation is received by the authority or person to whom it is addressed or by any person authorised by that authority or person to receive it.
“Apart from the direct and express provision of the Constitution, this is also the position as judicially proclaimed in several cases. In Benson v. Onitiri (1960) SCNLR 177 @189-190; Sunday v. Olugbenga & ors (2008) LPELR-4995 (CA); WAEC V. Oshienebo (2006) 12 NWLR (Pt. 994) 258 it was held that resignation or voluntary retirement takes immediate effect, once received by the employer or agent of the employer. In Yesufu v Governor of Edo State & Ors (2001) LPELR-3526 (SC) it was held that resignation needs not be formally “accepted”.
“From the foregoing, the implication of inviting the outgoing Ministers to the valedictory ceremony was that President Buhari had made up his mind to dispense with their services with effect from May 16, 2022. And the participation of the ministers in the valedictory ceremony without any protest whatsoever meant that they had accepted their exit from the cabinet. Having regards to the facts and circumstances of the exit of the Ministers.
“But two ministers have announced their plans to sit tight in office and thereby expose the country to undeserved ridicule. While wishing them well in their dream world, it is hoped that the Federal Government will call them to order without any further delay.”

Politics

LP Crisis: Ex-NWC Member Dumps Dumps Abure Faction

Published

2 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

A former National Organising Secretary of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Clement Ojukwu, has expressed regret that the several legal cases brought against the party since the 2023 general elections have impacted the party’s performance.

Mr Ojukwu, who recently returned to the interim National Working Committee led by Senator Esther Nenadi Usman, noted that the party had 34 elected members in the House of Representatives, eight Senators, and 80 members at the state Houses of Assembly after the 2023 general elections.

“Now we lost all of them,” he said. “I don’t think we have as many as five members in the National Assembly.”

The former national officer of the LP talked to journalists in Abuja and said he chose to join the caretaker committee led by Senator Nenadi-Usman because they are now the officially recognized leaders of the Party.

“I chose to work with the caretaker committee to help save the Labour Party, for the benefit of the party. I also want to use this chance to ask my colleagues at the national, state, and local government levels to come together and help rebuild our party.

“Another election is around the corner. We lost everything we have. They have left to other political parties. So I’ll reach out to all my friends in the other group to get together and work on making this party stronger again.

“The caretaker committee has formed a reconciliation committee. Let’s come together and talk so that we can restore the first opposition political party in Nigeria.”

Mr Ojukwu, who was part of the Julius Abure’s group, said there are no more factions in the LP.

He added, “There is a court ruling, and since it is valid, the right people are in the correct positions.”

He urged Barr Abure and others to drop the legal cases they have filed because they are not helping the party.

“Litigations are killing political parties”, he said. “They’ve seen many political parties disappear because of legal battles, and the Labor Party is losing support every day, which makes me feel sad.”

Mr Ojukwu said he did not think joining the Senator Nenadi-Usman’s NWC was a betrayal of the Abure group, describing himself as “the oxygen” of that faction.

“I’m with this group because of the verdict. But I never betrayed anybody. Rather, I was betrayed,” he added.

Politics

2027: NIGERIANS FAULT INEC ON DIGITAL MEMBERSHIP REGISTER DIRECTIVE

Published

2 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

A number of Nigerians have strongly criticized the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its directive to all political parties in the country to submit digitalized membership register within 32 days.

It would be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following it’s reversed timetable, directed all political parties in the country to submit their digitalized membership registers within 32 days.

Speaking on the reversed timetable in an interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt, respondents said the directive amounted to disqualifying opposition political parties from fielding candidates in all the elections next year.

They said if the directives by the commission is implemented, only the All Progressives Congress (APC) would participate in the elections since it started it’s digital membership registration since February, last year.

Responding, an elder statesman in Rivers State, Chief Sunnie Chukumele, said the revised timetable was okay, but the timeframe for submission of digital membership register was being made at the wrong time.

Chief Chukumele said, for the past two years, all opposition political parties have been battling various issues in court, adding that they did not have the time to embark on membership drive, talk less of digitalizing their membership registers.

“My reaction is that the only issue with this revised timetable is the timeframe given by INEC for parties to submit digitalize memberships register in all the states of the federation, while giving notice of Congresses and convention. That is not possible”, he said.

He said only the ruling APC is likely to meet up with the directive, since it began its registration since last year.

Chief Chukumele, who is also the National Coordinator of Coalition of Rivers State Leaders of Thought (CORSLOT), alleged that the directive of the electoral body may have been targeted to prevent other parties from fielding candidates for the elections next year.

“When you say all the parties should submit digitalized registers of membership in 32 days, how will that be possible to conclude it in 32 days”, he queried.

He noted that “APC used one year ago to do, so APC has one year in the kitty plus 30 days. This is highly regrettable”.

The CORSLOT national leader urged the election umpire to do away with stringent conditions that will make it hard for opposition political parties to field candidates in the elections.

Also speaking, Mr Jacob Enware from Edo State queried the rationale behind the directive, especially when some opposition political parties are still having cases in court.

In his words, ”What opposition political parties are you talking about, is Labour Party not in court or PDP that is yet to resolve their issues?

”For me, INEC should provide a level playing field for all, because aside the APC, no party can meet up this criteria.”

In his own response, Mr Nathaniel Ebere said he was not prepared to vote for anybody whether INEC provides a level playing field or not.

He alleged that his vote would not count, “so I will not waste my time”.

By: John Bibor

Politics

IT’S A LIE, G-5 GOVS DIDN’T WIN ELECTION FOR TINUBU – SOWUNMI

Published

2 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Convener of The Alternative, Otunba Segun Sowunmi, has expressed reservations about the political stance of Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, while calling for reconciliation among key party figures.

Otunba Sowunmi made the remarks during a television interview on Saturday, when asked about the relationship between Gov. Makinde and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike.

He said, “I don’t believe Seyi Makinde. Because I know them all. I’ve been in this party since it was registered. And I’ve been loyal, faithful, diligent with this party from the get-go, and I’ve never left.”

He underscored his longstanding commitment to the PDP, referencing prominent figures who had exited the party at different times: “I’ve had the grace, and the honor, and the dignity of watching even my father, Obasanjo, shed his card. As much as I love him, I didn’t leave the party”.

He added, “I’ve had the privilege of watching my beloved senior brother, Governor Gbenga Daniel, leave the party a few times. As much as I respect his vision and his ideas, I’ve never left. I’ve watched my former principal, Atiku Abubakar, leave a few times. I’ve never left.”

Otunba Sowunmi stressed that his comments were rooted in deep involvement with the party: “So when I talk about PDP, I’m not talking as an outsider, I’m talking as one of their totems, who was actually carrying them.”

He disclosed that he wrote to Makinde during the governor’s last birthday, urging reconciliation among a bloc of five governors who had formed a movement during the 2023 elections.

“At Governor Seyi Makinde’s last birthday, I wrote him a letter where I tried to say, look, you guys, the five of you, succeeded to the extent of creating a movement of your own”, he said.

He added, “And you fought very hard to make a point in the 2023 election. Although I don’t believe you won the election for the president, that’s a lie. They contributed, but I hate when people take the glory of other people’s work.”

Otunba Sowunmi warned that unresolved differences among the group could weaken the party: “You guys, you must go back to your four friends, your five friends, and you guys go and sort it out. Because not sorting it out with your five friends is going to leave the party worse off.”

He added, “But now that you’re fighting, or you’re not agreeing with yourselves, why don’t you go back to that same energy that allowed you to agree, so that you can use that energy inside to agree, and then we can lead the party.”