The Nigerian Football Federation (NF) has picked the former Nigeria forward, Finidi George, as Interim coach of the Super Eagles. He will occupy the chief’s corner in the dugout when the Super Eagles confront West African arch-rivals Ghana in an international friendly in Marrakech this week Friday, March 22. The 52-year-old former Ajax Amsterdam (The Netherlands) and Real Betis (Spain) winger made a scoring debut in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Burkina Faso at the National Stadium, Lagos on 27th July 1991. He has been appointed by the NFF to hold the reins in the meantime as a group of 22 players take on Ghana and Mali in this month’s international window. On his debut in 1991, Finidi George, who also featured for Calabar Rovers and Sharks FC in the domestic scene before heading to Europe, scored one and made four assists for legendary ‘goalsfather’ Rashidi Yekini (of blessed memory), and also assisted the latter to score Nigeria’s first-ever FIFA World Cup goal against Bulgaria in Dallas, USA on 19th June 1994. Finidi George scored the goal that took Nigeria to her first FIFA World Cup finals, when he put Nigeria ahead against hosts Algeria in a crucial qualifier in Algiers on 8th October 1993. The match eventually ended 1-1 and earned Nigeria a ticket to the finals in America. On Friday, Finidi George, from a family of football stars (elder brother Alari and younger brother Igeniwari of blessed memory were established players), will bellow instructions from the touchline, 21 months after he began to understudy Portuguese José Santos Peseiro, who led the Super Eagles to runner-up position at the 34th Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire earlier in the year. As at today, March 19, 12 out of the 22 players expected had arrived in Morocco’s fourth-largest city, with defenders Gabriel Osho and Tyronne Ebuehi, and forwards Victor Osimhen and Taiwo Awoniyi having been knocked out by injury. At the team’s Adam Park Hotel in Marrakech are goalkeepers Stanley Nwabali and Olorunleke Ojo, defenders Calvin Bassey, Semi Ajayi, Jamilu Collins, Bruno Onyemaechi and Benjamin Tanimo, midfielders Alex Iwobi, Raphael Onyedika and Alhassan Yusuf, and forwards Moses Simon, Nathan Tella, Cyriel Dessers, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Sadiq Umar and Ademola Lookman. Goalkeeper Francis Uzoho, defender Chidozie Awaziem, midfielders Frank Onyeka and Wilfred Ndidi, and forward Kelechi Iheanacho were being expected in Marrakech by Tuesday. Only Turkey-based defender Bright Osayi-Samuel is being expected on Wednesday. The African vice champions will also take on the Les Aigles of Mali at the same Grand Stade de Marrakech on Tuesday, 26th March.
Detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has made it clear that he has the capacity to stop violence and killings in the Southeast by the time he gets out of “this mess.”
Kanu, who spoke in an interview with newsmen today, March 19, said that the organisation, which he leads, is not a violent one, saying that some people in government are making money from the Southeast’s insecurity.
He spoke after Justice Binta Nyako of a Federal High Court, Abuja adjourned his trial until April 17, 2024.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Justice Nyako had earlier rejected his bail application and a preliminary objection filed on his behalf by his lawyer, Alloy Ejimakor.
Kanu vowed that those behind the violence leading to wanton killings of their fellow brothers and sisters and burning of property under the guise of being IPOB members would not be spared.
According to him, violence persisted because he is being held in the custody of the Department of State Services, stressing that there would be peace in the entire Southeast of the country.
“Anybody committing crime cannot go free. I swear.
“Anybody committing crime in the South East cannot go free.
“They are doing it because I am in the DSS custody. If I were to be outside, nobody would try that.
“I suspect that some people in the government are complicit. They are making money with the insecurity.
“They know if Nnamdi Kanu is outside, in two minutes, this nonsense will stop. Who is the bagger or idiot that will speak when I am talking?
“That I will give an order in the East, who is the idiot that I will give an order that will counter it?
“Nobody can.VI am Nnamdi Kanu.
“Rubbish!
“Anybody involved in any form of violence in the East in the name of IPOB is a goner and they know it.
“Let me come out of this mess, only two minutes, there will be peace in the east.”
Earlier, Kanu and his lawyer applied that he should be transferred to Kuje Correctional Centre following the refusal by the court to admit him to bail.
They said that granting the request would enable them to prepare for their defence adequately.
Ejimakor insisted that Kanu’s lawyers are having difficulty in consulting with him at the DSS custody, where he is currently kept.
He said that they won’t be able to proceed with the trial unless the detained IPOB leader is moved from the DSS custody.
He alleged that the DSS personnel usually confiscate documents brought for Kanu by his lawyers, even as he alleged that the security operatives usually stop them from taking notes during visitation, and that they eavesdrop on Kanu’s consultation with lawyers on matters pertaining to his defence, among others.
The lawyer then urged the court to make an order transferring him to Kuje Correctional Centre for them to have adequate time and facility to defend him in accordance with Section 36(6)(b) and (c) of the 1999 Constitution.
Also speaking in the open court after he was granted leave to speak, Kanu pleaded with the court to send him to the correctional centre.
He said that apart from the fact that he was not free to consult with his team of lawyers any time they visited, the DSS had no medical facility good enough to take care of his health.
The IPOB leader, in a dramatic mode, pulled off his top Liverpool jersey to show the judge parts of his armpit to complain about his alleged poor treatment.
But Justice Nyako refused the oral application seeking the transfer of Kanu to Kuje Correctional Centre, saying that an order declining the request had already been made in the past.
She said that the only option was for the defence to challenge the order at the Court of Appeal.
The judge held that the prison was insecure, citing over 15 terrorism suspects that escaped from the correctional centre in the recent past.
Kanu then sought that an order should be made placing him under house arrest instead of the DSS facility.
He alleged that his continuous detention at the DSS custody did not augur well with him going by his state of health.
Justice Nyako rather directed Ejimakor to apply for variation of conditions granted to visit Kanu in the detention.
Then Ejimakor applied that Kanu should be kept in a private custody in order to allow his lawyers free access to him, saying that this is their concern going by Section 36 of the constitution.
The judge said that since the court is a court of record, the request should be filed to afford the prosecution to also respond appropriately.
Counsel for the Federal Government, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, also disagreed with Ejimakor’s application.
The senior lawyer said that an order of the court had already been made and that the action of the defence was to delay trial after the court had already granted an accelerated hearing of the matter.
Awomolo said that there is a guideline for lawyers visiting Kanu at the DSS facility, but more often than not, they flouted the directive.
He said that the practice is that any lawyer paying a visit to the defendant must first write to the Director General of the security outfit for clearance.
He said that this is to guard against a visitor coming into the facility with the intention of harming the IPOB leader and causing unnecessary problems in the country.
Awomolo said that though the defendant had a team of lawyers, there had been a time when a lawyer who visited Kanu was not even known to him.
He said that there is nowhere in the world where a terrorist suspect is allowed to move freely.
The senior counsel said that he is ready to proceed with the trial and that their witnesses were in court.
But Ejimakor disagreed, saying his client should be kept in a place where they would be well prepared to defend their case.
Justice Nyako adjourned the matter until April 17 for hearing.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has urged Nigerians to educate themselves and their children about the tactics of fraudsters and scammers to safeguard their finances.
Speaking at the 2024 Global Money Week celebration in Abuja, Deputy Governor Philip Ikeazor emphasized the importance of instilling financial awareness from a young age.
The theme, “Protect Your Money, Secure Your Future,” highlights the necessity of understanding financial scams, saving, and investing for a secure future.
Ikeazor emphasized that financial security isn’t solely about earning money but also managing resources effectively.
He stressed the importance of recognizing frauds and scams, knowing how to respond to scammers, and safeguarding finances both online and offline.
Ikeazor encouraged prompt reporting of encounters with scammers to financial institutions.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike has given the details of how a Land Director and a Lawyer engaged by the FCT Administration unilaterally connived to issue 500 hectares of land with infrastructure to an individual who in turn sold the land. The Minister, who spoke yesterday, March 18, during the 2023 budget defence and 2024 proposal before the House Committee on the FCT, chaired by Hon. Aliyu Muktar Betara, said that the embattled Director of Land gave the illegal approval few days after the immediate past Minister of the FCT, Muhammad Bello, left office on May 29, 2023. Wike insisted that the Director of Land lacks the capacity to act on behalf of the FCT Minister. “It’s very embarrassing that the former Minister left on May 29, in June, a Director of Land signed 500 hectares of land to an individual. “And the individual of course goes to this court, gets judgement, goes here, gets judgement, for me, such judgement will not stand. “I’m going to demolish the plaza first. “I told our Lawyer…. “There are certain things we cannot accept. “So, whosoever is involved, it doesn’t matter who is involved, the Director of Land cannot act for the Minister, it cannot work. “Do you know what this individual did? “In connivance with FCT Lawyer, he went to court on Thursday to get an order stopping the commissioning of this park. “Of course, this is a State “I have to take the file away from the lawyer…. “I don’t know anyone can come to you. “If you’re given 500 hectares, what I thought, you are authorised to do mass housing, now what they are doing is to go and allocate land to an individual and sell. “I’ve never seen that. “One man 500 hectares. “Meanwhile, the government has provided infrastructure. “So, when you hear it, as your friend and brother, you have heard it now.” Wike said that the cartel had last Thursday got a court injunction to stop the planned commissioning of the Sunrise Motor Park this week Friday, which he described as the biggest in West Africa and comparable to Disney Park. He said that such infrastructure will attract investment and boost the administration’s revenue drives as well as create employment for teeming Nigerians. Giving an update on the Legal Services Secretariat proposed budget of N5,583,687,567 million out of which N1.3 billion is for capital expenditure, Wike observed that the administration currently has more than 600 cases in courts across the Territory. “In every year we have suits not less than 1,000 and all these require a lot of money. “As we speak today, we have more than 600 judgements on FCT, some of them are legal, some of them are civil servants. Giving update on this year’s proposed budget, the Minister disclosed that a fiscal framework of the sum of N1,147,780,610,283 comprising Distributable Revenue of N510,364,426,028 and Non-Distributable Revenue of N637,416,184, 256 has been proposed for the FCT 2024 Statutory Budget after due deliberations with all the Revenue Generating Agencies of the FCTA. When compared with the Revised 2023 Appropriation of the sum of N641,247,685,792, there is an increase of the sum of N506,532,924,491.44 (44%) in the 2024 statutory budget proposal. According to him, the increase is as a result of the expected loan from a commercial bank in the sum of N500 billion. For Overhead Costs, the FCT Minister disclosed that the sum of N280,527,373,668 representing (24.44%) was proposed for 2024 fiscal year against an appropriation of the sum of N135,413,919,180 in 2023 fiscal year, representing an increase of N145,113,454,488.64 (52%), in order to address some critical overhead costs. Under the Capital Expenditure, the Minister proposed the sum of N726,338,232,759 representing 63.28%, for 2024 for the development of infrastructure, with emphasis on completion of ongoing projects, showing 44% increase over the 2023 Revised Appropriation of the sum of N406,298,063,083. According to him, out of the proposed Capital Expenditure, the sum of N80 billion is for SUKUK Loan Projects, N29 billion is for Abuja Light Rail Project and N500 billion for Commercial Loans planned to complete some ongoing Capital Projects in FCC and Satellite Towns, while the balance sum of N117,338,232,759 is dedicated to the completion of the ongoing capital projects and other counterpart funded related projects aimed at enhancing socio-economic activities of the FCT. 6 For the Transportation Sector, the FCT Administration proposed the sum of N69 billion, out of which N73 billion is proposed for recurrent expenditure 2024 fiscal year and the sum of N61.6 billion is proposed for capital budget for the year 2024. Out of this, the sum of N29.6 billion is for the Abuja Light Rail Project rolling stock and provisions for other Phases and the sum of N32 billion is proposed for Construction of Bus Terminals Development at Kugbo, Jahi and Center Business District of FCT. For the Education Sector, the Minister proposed the sum of N80.3 billion, out of which the sum of N56 billion is for recurrent expenditure and the sum of N24 billion is for Capital Expenditure, which includes the sum of N2 billion as UBEB Counterpart funding in the 2024 Statutory Budget. For the Health Sector, the FCTA proposed the sum of N45.7 billion, out of which the sum of N35.5 billion is for recurrent expenditure, which includes the sum of N1.3 billion for Drug Revolving Fund while the sum of N10.2 billion is for Capital Expenditure. The FCT 2024 Statutory Budget seeks to complete the construction of hospitals in Gwagwalada, Gwarimpa and Utako Districts to enhance the capacity of some of our hospitals through the procurement of modern ambulances for eight FCTA Hospitals. For the Abuja Geographic Information Systems budget proposal, the FCT Minister disclosed that the sum of N1,154,913,273 was proposed for provision of state-of-the-Art geo-spatial data infrastructure and management of the Land Information System with a view to enhance its revenue generation. For the Area Council Services Secretariat, the sum of N4,152,146,290 was proposed with a view to ensuring effective and efficient service delivery for rural transformation, improving quality of lives of the citizens and strengthening the traditional institutions as effective tools for mobilisation of the grassroots in order to achieve developmental goals of the FCT Administration.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Coalition for Dialogue on Africa (CoDA) are to strengthen their cooperation agreement towards tackling the Illicit Financial Flows and providing support for the Common African Position on Asset Recovery (CAPAR). The Chairman of the ICPC, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, who spoke today, March 19, during the visit of the Executive Director of CoDA and Head of the Secretariat of the African Union High-Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows, Mrs. Souad Aden-Osman, said: “The Commission will continue to work with CoDA and support the fight against illicit financial flows. We are ready to help CoDA. “We need to tackle the menace of illicit financial flows. There is an absolute need for us to come together to jointly fight and eradicate the menace until the battle is won and Nigeria and Africa are free from illicit financial flows.” Dr. Aliyu assured that the Commission would continue to be represented in the Working Group on the implementation of the recommendations of the African Union High-Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows. Earlier, the CoDA Executive Director, Mrs. Souad Aden-Osman, recalled that the organization had on January 27, 2022, entered into a cooperation agreement with the ICPC on implementing CAPAR and reversing illicit financial flows. She noted that the agreement was to regulate the relationship between the parties in pursuing their common objective towards advancing asset detection and identification, asset recovery and return, asset management as well as cooperation and partnership in Africa. Aden-Osman disclosed that the African Union had in January 2015 adopted a Special Declaration on Illicit Financial Flows towards addressing the increasing scale and extent of the menace from Africa. On the Common African Position on Asset Recovery (CAPAR), she stated that the Assembly of African Union Heads of State and Government adopted a common position during its 33rd Session in February 2020. Acknowledging the vital role Nigeria has played in the African Union’s Special Declaration on IFFs and the adoption of CAPAR, the Head of the Secretariat of the African Union High-Level Panel urged the country and the ICPC not to relent in championing the cause of IFFs and CAPAR. She said that the African Union had commenced an assessment of Nigeria and other African Countries on their national response level and implementation status of the recommendations of the AU High-Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows. She explained that the assessment would cover the state of IFFs in African countries and ongoing efforts of African Governments to reduce IFFs and also provide baseline information to guide the design of possible interventions aimed at strengthening the capacities of AU member-states to combat illicit financial flows and mobilize domestic revenues.
Chairman of the Independent National Electrical Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu has cautioned against wrong party primaries that often lead to legal battle in which the Commission is joined. Addressing political party representatives at the regular meetings, especially as the off-the-season Governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States approach, Professor Mahmood Yakubu asked political parties to adhere strictly to modes of primaries. “Frequent changes as we witnessed recently during the Edo primaries are not only disruptive but costly. “The Commission cannot mobilise, demobilise and remobilise our officials for the monitoring of party primaries at the convenience of political parties. “Parties should stick to their proposed dates and modes of primaries for certainty and optimal deployment of resources. “Similarly, political parties should avoid acrimonious primaries. Increasingly, the conduct of parallel primaries and the emergence of multiple candidates is a frequent occurrence. So too is the tendency to grant waivers to candidates who were a few days earlier card-carrying members of other political parties and nominating such persons to the Commission as their candidates for election. “Some of these infractions lead to unnecessary litigations among party members in which the Commission is always joined as a party. “The legal fees and cost of producing Certified True Copies (CTCs) of documents can be used more productively in other electoral activities by both the political parties and the Commission. “We must find a solution to this situation.” The INEC boss said that the off-cycle Governorship elections in Edo State will hold on Saturday, 21st September 2024 while the Ondo State Governorship election holds on Saturday, 16thNovember 2024. He said that already, party primaries for the Edo State Governorship election have been concluded. “By the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the election, political parties have 20 days to upload the list and personal particulars of their candidates to our dedicated portal. “We have trained party Liaison Officers and established a Help Desk for political parties. “The portal opened on 4th March 2024 and will automatically shut down at 6pm on Saturday 24thMarch 2024. “Two weeks later, only six parties have uploaded their nominations to the portal. “We urge you to keep to our schedule of activities and avoid last minute rush that may undermine your ability to successfully nominate your candidates. “There will be no extension of time beyond the deadline already published in the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the election, to enable us publish the personal particulars of candidates (Form EC9) on 31st March 2024 as required by law. “For the Ondo State Governorship election, party primaries begin in the next two weeks on 6thApril 2024 and ends three weeks later on 27thApril 2024. “So far, 16 out of 19 political parties have indicated interest in participating in the election.
A Nigerian Pastor in the City of David, in Kildare, Ireland, Ebenezer Oduntan, has been convicted of a range of theft charges, involving more than €125,000, as well as multiple breaches of company law and deception. Ebenezer Oduntan is the former pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) City of David in Kildare, Ireland. The Pastor, who was also convicted of stealing money, faced 87 charges and found to operate an elaborate fraud, generating payments from the Revenue Commissioners. When his bank accounts were analysed as part of a criminal investigation into his finances, Oduntan was found to have passed five times more than his declared income through his accounts for the years 2012-2018. His trial concluded with guilty verdicts on Wednesday at Naas Circuit Court after a three-week hearing. He was convicted of nine company law offences, 73 counts of theft and five counts of deception. The court was told that he stole church funds, including cheques made payable to cash and cheques of up to €20,000 made payable to him personally. He was said to have ran “an elaborate fraud” involving the inflation of donations made to the church, which resulted in the Revenue Commissioners reimbursing more than it should have under the Charitable Donation Scheme. The church he once led claims to operate on “a mandate to preach the gospel of Jesus to all people and nations, and its members to live a lifestyle of holiness.” It also defines itself as “a bible believing church under the direction and guidance of the Holy Spirit.” The church, at one point, had a membership of more than 100 families, many of whom were the source of the donations from which Oduntan benefited. Current Pastor of the RCCG City of David in Ireland, Albert Adewunmi said that number of members declined in the wake of the scandal. Midway through his trial, Oduntan pleaded guilty to nine charges of furnishing false information to the Companies Registration Office, five counts of deception and 19 counts of theft. The jury in the case, before Judge Martina Baxter, on Wednesday returned guilty verdicts on all 54 outstanding charges. After the verdicts were returned, Oduntan was remanded in custody by Judge Baxter and is due to appear before the court again on April 10th.
No fewer than 60 civil servants, including nurses, other medical personnel in hospitals and those in education sector in the service of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), are currently battling with the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) and suspected syndicating scammers over millions of Naira February Salaries that have not been paid to them as at the middle of March. Investigations show that operatives of the IPPIS diverted the workers salaries to a group of suspected scammers, in the name of loans taken by the concerned workers from one man, David Chukwuma, using no fewer than 15 mushroom Micro Financial Institutions as accomplices. It was gathered that the IPPIS, which was not party to the terms of the loan from David Chukwuma and his syndicating scammers, came from no where to empty the salaries of the workers, who were beneficiaries of the loans, to the syndicating group and individuals. It was gathered that the syndicate is made up about 15 mushroom Banks, including Loan Book, Credit Direct, Essential Finance MF, Accello Micro Fnances, Letshego MF, Zedvance MFB, Teago Global, Liquid Crest, Link MFB, Penny Lender MFB and a company called Hi-Breed Consultant Services Limited. The syndicating scammers were said to have given out various forms of loans to the workers based on private arrangements that had nothing to do with the IPPIS.
David Chukwuma It was learnt that the IPPIS, without consulting with the workers, who are the loan beneficiaries, decided to be giving the salaries of the concerned workers to the syndicate, for the syndicating scammers to be paying the workers after deducting the agreed amount to service the loans. However, luck ran out of the IPPIS and the syndicate when workers could not access their entire February salaries, in breech of agreement to deduct the amount for servicing the loan and paying them the balance. It was gathered that the concerned workers, last Monday, gathered at the Hi-Breed Consultant Services Limited to know what went wrong, but were told that David Chukwuma, who has been the principal actor in the scam was not part of them in Hi-Breed Consultant. It was learnt that efforts by the frightened civil servants to get David Chukwuma on his mobile phone failed because he switched off the line. A lawyer, who claimed to be representing Hi-Breed Consultant, Barrister Monday Ehimare Jeffrey, begged the aggrieved civil servants to give him time to fish out David Chukwuma with a view to resolve the matter.
Barrister Ehimare Jeffrey However, as March is getting to an end and they have not heard from Barrister Ehimare Jeffrey, and not sure of the fate of their March salaries, the frightened civil servants have engaged an independent lawyer to confront the IPPIS on the propriety of handing over their entire salaries to a third-party like the syndicate, without any written agreement from them. The lawyer, Barrister Charles Audu is currently looking at the matter and promised to soon file the case in an Abuja Court against IPPIS. Barrister Ehimare Jeffrey have refused to respond to our reporter’s request to know his role in the whole scamming processes even as David Chukwuma switched off his line. Also, efforts to get the position of the IPPIS have not produced positive response as the new Director is yet to settle down to know what actually happened before he took over.
What was the motive of Distinguished Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi for raising a controversy over the 2024 federal budget? Since the Senate at its Plenary of Tuesday 12th March, 2024 deliberated over the matter and handed a three-month suspension to the Bauchi Senator, there have been countless commentaries in the media on the issue but few of them have considered the pertinent questions that would have helped Nigerians see what Senator Ningi sought to achieve by essentially stirring up a hornests’ nest. To start with, Ningi is not just a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He is a ranking Senator with vast experience in legislative business. Ningi was first elected to the House of Representatives at the beginning of the Fourth Republic in 1999 and is one of the longest serving federal lawmakers in Nigeria. He was the Majority Leader in the House of Representatives between 2003 and 2007, and Deputy Majority Leader in the Senate for another four years between 2011 and 2015. Those were privileged positions that made him a Principal Officer in both chambers of the National Assembly. That also means that the Bauchi Senator has participated actively in the passage of the federal budgets at the highest level. With his experience from all those privileged positions in his long tour of duty at the National Assembly, Ningi understands the nitty-gritty of the legislative and Appropriation processes in both Chambers of Parliament. Also, as a Distinguished Senator, he has unfettered access to all legislative documents. So it should be disturbing when a Senator of that calibre claimed that there were two versions of the 2024 budget and that the budget, which he actively participated in its passage, was padded with projects costed at trillions of Naira and skewed against his own section of the country. Let’s note at this point that Ningi never said in his hell-raising BBC (Hausa Service) interview or at that Tuesday Plenary or in any of his subsequent media shows that he was denied access to the budget document, whether as proposed by the Executive or as passed by the two Chambers of the National Assembly. He has the entire document, like every other Senator or Member of the House of Representatives. Are you not wondering then why he didn’t raise his observations when the document was being processed and during the final passage by the two Chambers? Given his many years in parliament, it is incredible that Senator Ningi said at that Tuesday Plenary that he didn’t know the full details of the budget. Even more so the claims that he was unaware that the National Assembly jerked up the original budget proposals by N1.2 trillion, from N27.5 trillion to N28.7 trillion, and that he had no knowledge of Statutory transfers of N3.32 trillion to Government institutions and agencies on first line charge. And curiously, Senator Ningi has not stressed in his media campaign the fact that he is a member of the Senate Appropriation Committee, which anchored the processing of the national budget in parliament. So he is familiar with the document, its content and processing more than many other of his colleague Senators. The 2024 Appropriation Bill was signed into law on 31st December, 2023. But Ningi waited until 7th March, 2024 to rally some members of the Northern Senators’ Forum (NSF) to complain to the President of the Senate, Godswill Obot Akpabio, about the budget. Why did it take an experienced ranking Senator and a member of the Senate Appropriation Committee two months and seven days after passage to realised that something was amiss with the Appropriation Bill, which is often the most important law passed by Parliament? Why did Ningi wait that long after the Bill had been signed into law to hire a consultant (for N30 million) to scrutinise a document that was presented to the National Assembly on 29th November, 2023? It was commendable that Senator Ningi at least drew the attention of the Senate President to his “discoveries,” however belatedly. The Senate President asked to see the details of the “discoveries” made by the consultant. A fellow member of the NSF, Distinguished Senator Ali Ndume, said he also asked Ningi for the same information. But rather than availing them with it, Ningi headed to BBC Hausa Service, the day after the meeting with the Senate President, to grant his explosive interview. Why? And why BBC Hausa Service? Was it to play the ethnic card? The members of the NSF at the meeting with the Senate President agreed on the need to establish the facts before any further step was taken. So why was Senator Ningi impatient to have his claims verified, even by members of his own Forum, and exhaust internal mechanism for correction of any anomaly before escalating it to an international audience? Senator Ningi has said repeatedly that the “discoveries” are known to him and only him alone. He has exclusive knowledge of the report of the consultant that he hired, most likely in the name of the NSF. No other member of the Forum is privy to the findings of the consultant. Isn’t that awkward? Why is he keeping the “findings” to himself? Why is he reluctant to share them with even Distinguished Senators in his Forum? Some of them implored him to apologise at the Plenary after his claims had been established to be fictitious. But rather than heed their advise, Senator Ningi flew from the main issue to unrelated matters like the take home pay of the Senate President and the number of aides the Senate President and other Principal Officers have! Why? According to the Senate Leader, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, Ningi’s astonishing fiction was merely the opening salvo in a plot for Senate leadership change. As it turned out, that plot failed because the protagonist has no backing of any group in the Upper Chamber, not even of the Forum he chaired before the gambit forced him to step aside from the chair.
***Awoniyi, Media Aide to Senate President, wrote in from Abuja
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) have announced a seven-day warning strike, commencing on March 18, 2024.
This decision stemmed from the unions’ demand for the payment of four months’ withheld salaries following the 2022 nationwide strike.
In a statement today, March 17, SSANU President Mohammed Ibrahim emphasized that this strike is a last resort after exhausting other avenues to address the salary issue.
“After a joint meeting in Akure over the weekend, the unions’ joint action committee resolved to embark on the warning strike due to the Federal Government’s alleged abandonment and failure to respond to their previous communications.”
The unions warned of further action if the government fails to act positively. This development follows accusations from the unions of being treated with disdain by the Federal Government despite President Bola Tinubu’s directive to pay withheld salaries.
SSANU and NASU stressed their role in university administration and urged the government to fulfill its obligations to ensure industrial harmony.
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Budget Padding: Salient Questions Nobody Is Asking Ningi, By Ola Awoniyi
What was the motive of Distinguished Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi for raising a controversy over the 2024 federal budget?
Since the Senate at its Plenary of Tuesday 12th March, 2024 deliberated over the matter and handed a three-month suspension to the Bauchi Senator, there have been countless commentaries in the media on the issue but few of them have considered the pertinent questions that would have helped Nigerians see what Senator Ningi sought to achieve by essentially stirring up a hornests’ nest.
To start with, Ningi is not just a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He is a ranking Senator with vast experience in legislative business. Ningi was first elected to the House of Representatives at the beginning of the Fourth Republic in 1999 and is one of the longest serving federal lawmakers in Nigeria. He was the Majority Leader in the House of Representatives between 2003 and 2007, and Deputy Majority Leader in the Senate for another four years between 2011 and 2015. Those were privileged positions that made him a Principal Officer in both chambers of the National Assembly. That also means that the Bauchi Senator has participated actively in the passage of the federal budgets at the highest level.
With his experience from all those privileged positions in his long tour of duty at the National Assembly, Ningi understands the nitty-gritty of the legislative and Appropriation processes in both Chambers of Parliament.
Also, as a Distinguished Senator, he has unfettered access to all legislative documents. So it should be disturbing when a Senator of that calibre claimed that there were two versions of the 2024 budget and that the budget, which he actively participated in its passage, was padded with projects costed at trillions of Naira and skewed against his own section of the country.
Let’s note at this point that Ningi never said in his hell-raising BBC (Hausa Service) interview or at that Tuesday Plenary or in any of his subsequent media shows that he was denied access to the budget document, whether as proposed by the Executive or as passed by the two Chambers of the National Assembly. He has the entire document, like every other Senator or Member of the House of Representatives.
Are you not wondering then why he didn’t raise his observations when the document was being processed and during the final passage by the two Chambers?
Given his many years in parliament, it is incredible that Senator Ningi said at that Tuesday Plenary that he didn’t know the full details of the budget. Even more so the claims that he was unaware that the National Assembly jerked up the original budget proposals by N1.2 trillion, from N27.5 trillion to N28.7 trillion, and that he had no knowledge of Statutory transfers of N3.32 trillion to Government institutions and agencies on first line charge.
And curiously, Senator Ningi has not stressed in his media campaign the fact that he is a member of the Senate Appropriation Committee, which anchored the processing of the national budget in parliament. So he is familiar with the document, its content and processing more than many other of his colleague Senators.
The 2024 Appropriation Bill was signed into law on 31st December, 2023. But Ningi waited until 7th March, 2024 to rally some members of the Northern Senators’ Forum (NSF) to complain to the President of the Senate, Godswill Obot Akpabio, about the budget. Why did it take an experienced ranking Senator and a member of the Senate Appropriation Committee two months and seven days after passage to realised that something was amiss with the Appropriation Bill, which is often the most important law passed by Parliament? Why did Ningi wait that long after the Bill had been signed into law to hire a consultant (for N30 million) to scrutinise a document that was presented to the National Assembly on 29th November, 2023?
It was commendable that Senator Ningi at least drew the attention of the Senate President to his “discoveries,” however belatedly.
The Senate President asked to see the details of the “discoveries” made by the consultant. A fellow member of the NSF, Distinguished Senator Ali Ndume, said he also asked Ningi for the same information. But rather than availing them with it, Ningi headed to BBC Hausa Service, the day after the meeting with the Senate President, to grant his explosive interview. Why? And why BBC Hausa Service? Was it to play the ethnic card?
The members of the NSF at the meeting with the Senate President agreed on the need to establish the facts before any further step was taken. So why was Senator Ningi impatient to have his claims verified, even by members of his own Forum, and exhaust internal mechanism for correction of any anomaly before escalating it to an international audience?
Senator Ningi has said repeatedly that the “discoveries” are known to him and only him alone. He has exclusive knowledge of the report of the consultant that he hired, most likely in the name of the NSF. No other member of the Forum is privy to the findings of the consultant. Isn’t that awkward?
Why is he keeping the “findings” to himself? Why is he reluctant to share them with even Distinguished Senators in his Forum?
Some of them implored him to apologise at the Plenary after his claims had been established to be fictitious. But rather than heed their advise, Senator Ningi flew from the main issue to unrelated matters like the take home pay of the Senate President and the number of aides the Senate President and other Principal Officers have! Why?
According to the Senate Leader, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, Ningi’s astonishing fiction was merely the opening salvo in a plot for Senate leadership change. As it turned out, that plot failed because the protagonist has no backing of any group in the Upper Chamber, not even of the Forum he chaired before the gambit forced him to step aside from the chair.
***Awoniyi, Media Aide to Senate President, wrote in from Abuja