Nigerian Politics: What Goes Around, Comes Around, By Eric Teniola

June 22, 2019

Dr. Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme (1932-2017), from Oko, Orumba North local Government Area of Anambra State, was the vice president of Nigeria between 1979 and 1983. Chief Edwin Ume Ezeoke (1935-2011), from Amichi, Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State, was speaker of the House of Representatives from 1979 to 1983. Professor Oluyemi Oluleke Osinbajo has been vice president of Nigeria since 2015. He was born into the family of Opeoluwa Osinbajo, who was the late treasurer of Our Saviours Anglican Church, Ikenne, Ogun State. Professor Osinbajo was born in Creek Hospital, Lagos. The vice president’s mother, Madam Olubisi Osinbajo’s parents are both from Ejigbo in Osun State and Ilaro in Ogun State. The speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Adefemi Akeem Gbajabiamila was born in Surulere, Lagos. Dr. Ekwueme, Chief Ezeoke, Professor Osinbajo and Femi Gbajabiamila are lawyers. Incidentally, Professor Osinbajo and Gbajabiamila are old boys of Igbobi College, Lagos. As they say, what goes around, comes around. Personal interest, not regional or religious interest, is the first priority of every politician.

While the election of Mr. Gbajabiamila of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as speaker was planned, that of Chief Ezeoke happened by accident forty years ago. On October 5, 1978, a meeting was held on the sixth floor of LAPAL HOUSE, in Igbosere, Lagos, which was the headquarters of Hacogen Company Limited. The company was then owned by Dr. Joseph Wayas. It was at that meeting that the National Party of Nigeria zoned offices. The presidency was zoned to the North, while the vice presidency was zoned to Anambra and Imo States. The presidency of the Senate was zoned to Bendel, Cross River and Rivers States. The chairmanship of the party was zoned to Lagos, Oyo, Ondo and Ogun States, while the speaker of the Hose of Representatives was zoned to the Middle Belt. At that time there were nineteen states in the federation.

After the August 11, 1979 election, the then Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO) declared Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari (February 25, 1925 – December 28, 2018) as president. All the four other parties in the electoral contest then – the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), Nigerian People’s Party (NPP), Great Nigeria Peoples Party (GNPP) and the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) – condemned the declaration. They immediately formed an alliance to register their denunciation of the electoral outcome.

A press conference was immediately called at the Eko Holiday Inn, Victoria Island, Lagos and was addressed by the presidential candidate of the NPP, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe. All the other presidential candidates – Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Alhaji Waziri Ibrahim and Alhaji Aminu Kano – attended the press conference. That media parley was the last act the NPP took on the issue before developing cold feet thereafter. The NPP became “a beautiful bride”, and the NPN dangled a carrot in front of it. On August 19, 1979, the UPN filed an action at the presidential election tribunal to protest the declaration of the Federal Electoral Commission of Chief Michael Ani. The tribunal was headed by Justice Boonyami Oladiran Kazeem of the Federal Court of Appeal.

On September 11, the tribunal upheld the declaration of FEDECO that Alhaji Shehu Shagari was duly elected as president. Not satisfied with that judgment, the Unity Party of Nigeria, led by Chief Obafemi Awolowo, filed an appeal at the Supreme Court. The appeal was filed on behalf of the party by Chief Godwin Olusegun Kolawole Ajayi (1931-2014). On September 26, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of Alhaji Shehu Shagari, with five justices of the Court voting in support of the judgement, while two of them opposed it. Those in favour were the chief justice of the federation, Justice Atanda Fatai Williams (1918-2002), Justice Chukwuhweike Idigbe (1923-1983), Justice Ayo Gabriel Irekefe (1922-1996), Justice Mohammed Bello (1930-2004) and Justice Mohammed Lawal Uwais (83). The two opposed to the judgment were Justice Kayode Eso (1925-2012) and Justice Andrews Otutu Obaseki (1925-2017).

After the judgment of the Supreme Court, Alhaji Shehu Shagari took the oath of office on a rainy day at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos on October 1, 1979. He gave an indication shortly after that he wanted to run an all-inclusive government. The Unity Party of Nigeria opted out of the arrangement by insisting that in a presidential system of government, there was no room for an all-inclusive government. Alhaji Shehu Shagari was part of the parliamentary system of government in the First Republic.

Following the decision by Alhaji Shehu Shagari to invite the other parties to join his government, a meeting was hurriedly summoned on October 3 at the Federal Palace Hotel by the NPN National Working Committee. It was agreed at there that the zoning policy of the party was to be reviewed. At the meeting, the NPN agreed to allocate the speakership of the House of Representatives to the NPP and the deputy Senate presidency as well. That was how the son of my late friend, Simeon Mbarorkaa Tarka (1953-2009), (Gboko West), a favorite at that time, lost his chance of becoming the youngest speaker of the House of Representatives.

As for the Senate presidency, the NPN decided to hold on to that because of the need for the confirmation of ministers and ambassadors and other responsibilities allocated to the Senate by the Constitution. At the meeting, two senators-elect signified their interests in the Senate Presidency, and these were Chief David Omueya Dafinone (1927-2018), a chartered accountant from Bendel South, who is an Urhobo, and Dr. Joseph Wayas (78) from Ogoja Senatorial District of Cross River State. In the shadow election supervised by Chief Anthony Eromosele Enahoro (1923-2010) from Uromi in the present Edo State, Dr. Wayas emerged as winner. In attendance at the meeting were the national chairman of the NPN, Chief Augustus Meredith Adisa Akinloye (1916-2007); the secretary of the party, Alhaji Adamu Ciroma (1934-2018); his deputy, Dr. Chuba Wilberforce Okadigbo (1941-2003); and the publicity secretary of the party, Alhaji Suleiman Takuma (1934-2001). President Shagari’s close aide, Alhaji Umaru Abdurahman Dikko (1936-2014), later conveyed the decisions taken at the Federal Palace Hotel to the president. The following day, the general secretary of the NPP, Chief Paul Wanttareph Iyorpuu Unongo (82) announced that his party has taken a decision to work in accord with the NPN of President Shehu Shagari.

Earlier, the NPP’s National Working Committee had met at the house of Mr. Ademola Thomas in Victoria Island, Lagos. Present at the meeting were chairman of the party, Chief Olu Akinfosile; Mr. Solomon Lar; Chief Adeniran Ogunsanya; Chief Matthew Mbu; Chief J. Edewor; Alhaji Yusufu Dan Tsoho; Dr. Obi Wali; Mr. Joe Asogwa; Alhaji Ado Ibrahim; Dr. Ben Nzeribe; Alhaji Megida Lawal; Chief Jim Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo and Chief Basil Okwu. Also in attendance were Chief Paul Unongo, Dr. Omo Omoruyi, Chief Kolawole Balogun, Mr. Sam Mbakwe, Chief Moo Obikwe, Chief Raphael Ben Keshi Okafor (alias RBK), Chief Samuel Onitiri, Alhaji Jafaru Manga and others.

On Tuesday October 9, 1979, there was an election in the National Assembly for the post of Senate president and deputy Senate president. There was also an election for the speaker of the House of Representatives and the deputy speaker of the House, which were all conducted by the then clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Gidado Idris. For the post of the speaker, candidates fielded included Mr. Hamza M. Ngadiwa of the GNPP from Biu constituency of Borno state, while the NPN and NPP put forward Mr. Edwin Ume Ezeoke of the NPP. Mr. Ume Ezeoke was nominated by Mr. Yinusa Kaltungo of the NPN from Tangale-Waja South and was seconded by Lt-Colonel (rtd) P.C. Amadi of the NPP (Owerri North). Dr. Gordon J. Idang of the UPN from Etinan II, in the present Akwa Ibom State, moved the motion for Mr. Ngadiwa and this was seconded by Mr. M.A. Olukoya (Ijebu-Ode). In the election, Mr. Ume Ezeoke scored 245 votes, while Mr. Ngadiwa had 201 votes. As for the post of the deputy speaker, Mr. Olaiya Fagbamigbe (Akure) of the UPN moved a motion for the election of Mr. Faji Fajobi from Ikere-Ekiti, which was seconded by Alhaji Sidi Ali (PRP) from Danbata Constituency in Kano. Colonel (rtd.) P.C. Amadi nominated Alhaji Kuta Idris Ibrahim (1942-2008) for the post of deputy speaker and this was seconded by Alhaji Yinusa Kaltungo. In the election that followed, Alhaji Idris Ibrahim of NPN (Minna North) had 244 votes, while Mr Fajobi scored 201 votes.

In the election also conducted in the Senate on that day, Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki (Ilorin/Asa) of the NPN nominated Joseph Wayas for the Senate presidency and this was seconded by Alhaji Ibrahim Jalo Waziri (Bauchi East) of the NPN. Chief Emmanuel Idahosa Akpata (Bendel Central) of the UPN nominated Justice Franklin Orishe Muiyewa Atake of the UPN, with this getting seconded by Dr. David Olatunbosun Oke (Ondo West). Dr. Joseph Wayas won with 53 votes, while Justice Atake had 42 votes. As for the deputy Senate presidency, Dr. Jaja Anucha Nwachukwu (Aba) of NPP nominated Mr. John Wash-Pam and this was seconded by Alhaji Mohammed Uba Ahmed (Bauchi South East). Alhaji Usman Alto Danbatta (Kano North-Central) nominated Alhaji Sabo Barkin Zuwo of the PRP for the deputy Senate presidency and was supported in this by Senator David Oke. Mr. John Wash-Pam of NPP had 51 votes, while Alhaji Sabo Bankin Zuwo scored 43 votes.

It was the NPP-NPN accord that enabled the following NPP members to become ministers in 1979: Chief Paul Unongo from Benue State, Chief (Mrs) Janet Adefenwa Akinrianade (1930-1994) from Iseyin in Oyo State, Professor Ishaya Shaibu Audu (1927-2005) from Zamaru, Zaria in the present Kaduna State and Chief Ademola Geoffrey Thomas (1925-2017) from Lagos State.

Eric Teniola, a former director in the Presidency, wrote from Lagos.

Contest For Vice Chancellorship Of UniAbuja: 4 Candidates Emerge For Final

Editorial staff

June 22, 2019

Four out of over 120 candidates that applied for the Vice Chancellorship of the University of Abuja have been shortlisted for the final selection of one of them before June 29. Among them is a woman, Professor Mabel Evwierhoma

Others who have been shortlisted from within the institution are Professor E.J. Nwane, Professor O.P. Ajaegbuna, and Professor G.O. Egwu. They will be joined in a selection interview in the next few days by 10 other candidates picked from other institutions in the country.

University sources said that if Professor Mabel Evwierhoma, of the Theatre Arts Department and a renown feminist is able to scales through the tough contest, she would become the second female ever to hold the post in the university after Prof. Laraba Abdulahi, who was the vice chancellor from 1999 to 2004.

The tenure of the current vice chancellor, Professor Michael Adikwu, who was appointed in 2014, will expire ‪on July 1, 2019.

Women’s World Cup: Nigeria Fall To Germany 3-0

Editorial staff

June 22, 2019

Germany have beaten Nigeria 3-0 to reach the last eight in the ongoing women’s Women’s World Cup competition in France.

The first goal came through Alexandra Popp in the 20th-minute of play when he headed the ball into the net even in what seemed an offside position.

The first goal was followed with a penalty when referee Yoshimi Yamashita ruled that Evelyn Nwabuoku committed a foul against Lina Magull.

Sara Dabritz converted from the spot and Lea Schuller fired in a late third.

Either Sweden or Canada stand between the two-time winners and a place in the semi-finals.

Buhari Signs Bill For Run-Away Criminals To Be Arrested Anywhere In World

Greenbarge Reporters

June 21, 2019

President Muhammadu Buhari has signed a bill into law, known as mutual assistant in criminal matters Act, 2019, making it possible for those who commit crime in Nigeria and run away to other countries to be arrested and prosecuted anywhere in the world.

According to the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly matters (Senate), Dr. Ita Enang who briefed news men today, June 21 at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the law is aimed at obtaining from other countries, on reciprocal basis, mutual assistance in the prosecution of Criminal matters, including the location and identification of suspects, witnesses and other materials for prosecution of criminal matters.

“Other objects include but not limited to:

(I) (9) the identification, tracing, freezing, restraining, recovery, forfeiture and confiscation of proceeds, property and other instrumentalities of crime;

(II) (k) the interception of telecommunications (II) (i) conversion of electronic surveillance

(IV) (m) the restraint of dealings in property, or the freezing of assets, that may be recovered, forfeited or confiscated in respect of offences.

And other assistance that is not contrary to the municipal law of the requesting State.”

Dr. Ita Enang said that the Attorney -General of the Federation is designated as the Central Authority for making, receiving and transmitting requests for assistance to and from other countries as well as performing other functions reserved in the Act.

He said that where the alleged offence is of a political character or an offence under military law or is not an offence under the laws of Nigeria, the provisions of this law shall not apply, saying that the new law comes into effect from June 20, 2019.

Abike Dabiri Warns Other Countries To Respect Rights Of Nigerians

Editorial staff

June 21, 2019

Chairman, Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Diaspora Commission (NDC),Abike Dabiri–Erewa has warned countries around the world to respect the rights of every Nigerian the same way their citizens are being treated in Nigeria.

Abike Dabiri, who spoke to news men today, June 21 at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, was reacting to the situations in Ghana, South Africa and other countries where Nigerians are being maltreated.

Teaching Of History Returns To Nigeria’s Schools Soon

Editorial staff

June 21, 2019

The Federal Government has directed the Federal Ministry of Education to ask all basic and secondary schools across the country to immediately implement the teaching of History as a subject.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Sonny Echono told newsmen in Abuja today, June 21, that teaching of history will stand as subject, adding that the directive will take effect from the next academic calendar.

Recall that the federal government had on June, 18 assured that teaching of history would be returned to school curriculum while ensuring that all primary school teachers are trained to deliver digital literacy.

Echono said: “by the next academic calendar, history will be taught as a standalone subject.

“It is with immediate implementation. So, definitely for the next academic year, everybody will fall in line because we already articulated the curriculum and the examination should be done along those lines.”

The Federal Government officially expunged history from its basic school curriculum in 2007 and relegated it as an elective, instead of a core subject at senior secondary level, thus widening a generational gap on students’ mental development.

The attack on history actually started after the 1969 National Curriculum Conference, which resulted in the adoption of a National Policy on Education, and subsequent adoption of a 6-3-3-4 system of education.

Court To Gov Yahaya Bello: You Can’t Sack State Chief Judge

Editorial staff

June 21, 2019

Kogi State Chief Judge, Justice Nasiru Ajanah

The Kogi State High Court, sitting in Koton-Karfe, has ruled that Governor Yahaya Bello and the State House of Assembly jointly or unilaterally, cannot remove the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Nasir Ajanah, without recourse to the National Judicial Council (NJC).

In its ruling today, June 21, the court declared that the Chief Registrar of the State High Court held a statutory position as the accounting officer of the judiciary and is, therefore, not subject to the control and supervision of either the executive or the legislature.

The presiding judge, Justice Alaba Omolaye-Ajileye noted that it is the NJC, established under section 153(I) of the constitution (as amended) that has the power to recommend to the governor, the removal of a judicial officer where a Chief Judge of a state is to be removed, for whatever reason.

He stressed that it is the NJC, and not the state House of Assembly that is empowered to make recommendations to the governor of a state under item 21(d) of the third schedule to the constitution.

The judge delivered the ruling on the suit filed against the Assembly, Governor and three others by Justice Ajanah and the Chief Registrar, Yahya Adamu.

The Kogi State House of Assembly, Speaker of the House, Bello Abdullahi, Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee, Governor Yahaya Bello and the state’s Attorney-General are named as respondents in the suit with number HC/KK. 11CV/2018.

Justice Omolaye-Ajileye said that he found merit in the action and that all the declarations sought are allowed while granting all the reliefs and declarations sought by the claimants in the suit.

Judiciary Not Safe, Free In Nigeria Now, Nigeria Bar Association Laments

Editorial staff

June 21, 2019

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has lamented that the judiciary is currently not independent, safe and free in the country.

The President of the Association, Paul Usoro, speaking at NBA’s National Executive Committee (NEC), meeting held at the association’s secretariat in Abuja today, June 21, said that judges are afraid of performing their duties as expected due to fear and intimidation from the executive arm of government.

“Our judges cannot deliver justice under a climate of fear and intimidation. Justice thrives where and when there is an independent judiciary. There can be no such independence when there is no security of tenure for our Judges. There can be no independence of the judiciary when our judges are intimidated, threatened and blackmailed by state agencies and their officials.

“There can be no independence of the judiciary when our judges are actively coerced by state officials to think and reason only in the manner that those officials and, presumably, government want them to think.

“My dear colleagues, as you would observe, I have given you three illustrative instances of the insecurity that pervades our land from the three NBA Nigerian Zones – East, West and North – and that, by itself, makes the point that no part of our country is safe.

“No region is safe, and no tribe is safe. No one indeed is safe. And yet, we have governments in place, at the federal, state and local government levels and the primary business of governments is the protection of lives and property. Indeed, without security of lives and property, everything else grinds to a halt.”

Almajiri Not Banned Yet, Presidency Explains

Editorial staff

June 21, 2019

The Presidency has said that Almajiri, which is Qur’anic learning system associated with begging on economic and religious grounds peculiar to some Northern states has not been banned as widely reported by the media.

A statement today by the senior special assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu called on the media for caution in responses to the pronouncements by the President on free and compulsory basic education for every child of primary and junior secondary school age in Nigeria, during his speech on Thursday, June 20, at the inauguration of the National Economic Council (NEC).

The Presidency noted that while the Buhari administration is committed to free and compulsory education as a long-term objective of bringing to an end, the phenomenon of out-of-school children, any ban on Almajiri would follow due process and consultation with relevant authorities.

He said that the Federal government wants a situation where every child of primary school age is in school rather than begging on the streets during school hours, adding: “at the same time, we don’t want to create panic or a backlash.

“Reports that there are plans for massive arrest of parents are definitely out of place. Things have to be done the right and considerate way.

“Free and compulsory primary school education is a requirement of the Nigerian constitution and any individual or group not in compliance with this is violating the law of the land and liable to be punished.

“In his speech at the inauguration of NEC, President Buhari stated, without equivocation, that the country’s children have rights and must be given their due rights and protection under the law.

“As many have stated in their views, the Almajiri phenomenon represents a security challenge and a scar on the face of Northern Nigeria.

“In that speech, the President said:

“On education, I want to stress in particular the need to take very seriously and enforce very rigorously the statutory provisions on free and compulsory basic education. Section 18(3) of the 1999 Constitution as amended places on all of us here an obligation to eradicate illiteracy and provide free and compulsory education.

“Section 2 of the Compulsory, Free Universal Basic Education Act provides that every Government in Nigeria shall provide free, compulsory and universal basic education for every child of primary and junior secondary school age.

‘‘It is indeed a crime for any parent to keep his child out of school for this period. In my view, when a government fails to provide the schools, teachers and teaching materials necessary for basic education, it is actually aiding and abetting that crime.

“This is, therefore, a call to action. I would like to see every Governor rise from this meeting and rally his local Government Chairmen towards ensuring that our schools offer the right opportunities and provide the needed materials and teachers for basic education, at the minimum.

‘‘If we are able to do this, the benefits will surely manifest themselves.”

Garba Shehu explained that the Presidential statement is well within the law of Nigeria, saying that in addition to relevant consultations, State governors need to put in place structures like schools and educational materials for pupils; otherwise, they also, are complicit in violating the law of the land.

Landlord, Tenant Concept: Oshiomhole Ignores Kogi Gov

Greenbarge Reporters

June 21, 2019

National chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole has ignored Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello over his statement land that he is the land lord of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State and that no tenant can push him away.

Governor Yahaya Bello had said last week, that it is not possible for tenant to drive out landlord, explaining that having built the APC in the State, no one can deny him it’s ticket for his second term as Governor.

Oshiomhole, who answered reporters’ questions today, June 21, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said that he had never read or heard Governor Yahaya Bello made such statement.

“I have not heard or seen where Yahaya Bello said (that as landlord of Kogi State APC, no one can deny him the ticket to contest the November gubernatorial election)”

When pressed to respond to the governor’s statement, the chairman simply walked away.

It was not before he said that what happened in Edo and Bauchi State Houses of Assembly, where a few members elected speakers was clearly illegal and unconstitutional.

According to him, the constitution provides that the Assembly should first be proclaimed to be opened for business by the chief executive as was done by President Muhammadu Buhari in the case of National Assembly.

He stressed that anything short of such constitutional procedure cannot hold water, adding: “democracy is all about the rule of law and no one can operate outside such rule of law and still claim to be practicing democracy.”

Oshiomhole vehemently denied allegation in some quarters that he has been trying to assume the position of god-father in Edo State after he was known to have fought the concept and practice of god-fatherism during his days as governor.

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