The Senate has backed down on the plan to override President Muhammadu Buhari’s veto on the electoral act amendment bill 2021.
The Senate has therefore, resolved to consult with their counterparts in the House of Representatives, constituents and take a decision in January.
Speaking after a closed door meeting, the Senate president, Ahmad Lawan said that they discussed on how to respond to Buhari’s veto and resolved to act on their resumption from Christmas recess in January.
“We discussed how to respond to the letter of President Muhammadu Buhari on the electoral bill. The Senate consequently resolved to consult with the House of Representative for a collective response in January.
“The House of representatives has gone on recess. We know the working of the constitution. Both the House and the Senate must take an action.
“We have resolve to consult with our Constituents. They have a role to play as a major stakeholders.”
Lawan’s statement has put to rest plans by some Senators to override President Buhari’s veto on the electoral act amendment bill.
Nigerians, especially those who are in public service, will remain at home cumulatively for seven days for the Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year festivities. In a statement today, December 22, the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola declared Monday 27, Tuesday 28 December and Monday, January 3, 2022 as public holidays to mark Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year Day celebrations respectively. The three day officially declared public holidays will be preceded by two Saturdays and two Sundays respectively. The Minister felicitated with Christians and all Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora on this year’s Christmas and New Year celebrations. Ogbeni Aregbesola advised Christians to practice the doctrines of Christ, which include but not limited to faith, hope and love.
“By the end of 2025, there will be very little work that will be done with paper. This is the time now to start to prepare for that.”
Nigeria’s Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Mrs Folasade Yemi-Esan, sounded out this reminder today, December 21, to the government workers at the commissioning of the State House ICT Training Centre located within the Presidential villa auditorium.
According to her: “the dream of the new Civil Service is a service that will be completely digitalized.”
She therefore, charged Permanent Secretaries to ensure that the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP 25) becomes a reality.
The Head of Service commended the State House management for the development of its Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Performance Management Objectives (PMOs) as part of the overall Civil Service reform programme.
“I am happy that the State House is right in front of the move towards the new civil service,” she added.
She also charged the civil servants to imbibe good values that will reflect the new digitalised environment that has been made available for them to work in.
“The most important traits are our own character traits, our values, if all these things are provided and we have not imbibed the change in us, we will not be able to become effective or efficient.”
Dr. Yemi-Esan congratulated recently promoted directorate cadre staff of the State House.
She advised them to “step up a bit higher because, the directorate cadre determines the direction of service and rise beyond expectations of your offices.”
The Permanent Secretary, State House, Tijjani Umar said that the establishment of the ICT training centre was given a priority to deepen delivery of core ICT training programmes, ICT enabled programmes and computer-based examinations among others.
He added that the initiative of the 20-seat (expandable) capacity centre was “in tandem with the current effort of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to fast track the implementation of Public Sector Reforms as enshrined in the Federal Civil Service strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP-2020) and its successor (FCSSIP25) which among others include the deployment of Enterprise Content Management System (ECM) and the Performance Management System (PMS) among others.”
“The State House has one of the most robust internet connectivity among MDAs as attested to by the Federal Government Service provider, Galaxy backbone and this has assisted in no small measure in modernizing our work processes.”
Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai has called for a comprehensive security operation against bandits across five states to bring banditry to an end.
“What is required is comprehensive operation that will cover five states in the Northwest and North Central, if this banditry is to be ended.
“So we hope to see more intense and more coordinated operations across Niger, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto and Kebbi states to bring this banditry to an end.”
Governor el-Rufai, who answered reporters’ questions today, December 21, shortly after an audience with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential villa, Abuja, noted that bandits have been taking advantage of uncoordinated military operations across the five most affected states.
“In my view, it is because the operations are being carried out piecemeal in states. So, when they attack one state, they move to another.”
He said that before the recent bandits attack which left 40 people dead in a part of the state, there had been some improvement in security, “but this incident was quite a shock to us.”
El-Rufai hoped that with the acquisition by the federal government, of some
advanced equipment, particularly for the Air Force and the armed forces from Jordan, Turkey, the United States of America and China, these things will come to an end soon.
President Muhammadu Buhari has rejected the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2021, saying that it would be better to allow each political party to determine its mode of selecting candidates for election.
In a letter he sent to the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan today, December 20, explaining the reason for withholding his assent to the Bill, the President said that prevailing situation in the country would not allow him to sign the bill.
Among other reasons for rejecting the bill, the President said, including high cost of conducting direct primaries, the security challenge of monitoring the election, violation of citizens’ rights and marginalization of small political parties.
The President said that he had received informed advice from relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Government, and had also carefully reviewed the Bill in light of the current realities prevalent in the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the circumstances.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), has alerted Nigerians on a fake competition trending online which claims to celebrate a so called “Anniversary Event.”
In a statement today, December 20, the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the NNPC, Garba Deen Muhammad, said that in the purported contest, unsuspecting participants are encouraged to carry out a survey by filling out a questionnaire on their knowledge of the Company, with the eventual winner standing the chance of winning some cash reward of up to $8,000 (Eight thousand dollars).
He said that the company has nothing to do with the purported anniversary event contest and advised members of the public not to participate in the survey “as it is a SCAM.
“In the same vein, NNPC would also like to once again inform the public that the information circulating in the Social Media that NNPC is conducting a recruitment exercise IS NOT TRUE and the public should disregard it in its entirety.
“The NNPC hereby reiterates that whenever it decides to conduct a recruitment exercise or send out information to the public, it will do so through authentic public communication channels, particularly the NNPC’s website (www.nnpcgroup.com).”
Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu has said that the commission would require N305 billion to conduct the 2023 general elections.
At a meeting with the Senate Committee on Appropriation at the National Assembly today, December 20, Professor Yakubu said the commission had already received N100 billion out of the required amount for the elections.
He said that the total figure would cover the several bye-elections across the country.
According to the INEC boss, the amount would enable the commission to prepare for the election and purchase all the election materials needed.
So far, there is no word yet on whether President Buhari had written and forwarded a letter to the National Assembly on his decision to give or withdraw his assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
The 30-day deadline stipulated by the constitution for the President to respond to the bill expired on yesterday, December 19.
Meanwhile, the National Assembly is scheduled to commence its Christmas and New Year holidays from Tuesday, December 21.
The purpose of the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari’s trip to Turkey from December 16 to 19 was to participate in the 3rd Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit, with an appealing theme: “Enhanced Partnership for Common Development and Prosperity.”
Our national strategy was laid out before departure, based on a strong optimism that the summit will work well for all the leaders. Turkey is serious about working with Africa in a win-win relationship. Though not yet accepted as a member of the EU, it is a major player in the continent in many ways and is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Turkey also has strong links in the Middle-East. In Asia, the competition is stiff, with China, Japan, South Korea and the rest. But see what discipline, national mobilization and determination have brought Turkey to where it is today. So, Africa may seem for them, a good bet for solidarity and market.
For us on the continent, it is not in doubt that the big countries are not outrightly helpful at all times. In some instances, as with the COVID-19 vaccine, we have seen how might becomes right.
So, really, the embrace of Turkey by Africa is a logical path to follow, given that the country had gone through the big economies in search of economic and national development, abandoned that process and became, on their own, the fastest growing economy in Europe. Annual trade between Turkey and Africa was USD 5.5 billion in 2003. Today, it has risen to USD 26 billion. Under the Erdogan leadership, the country has grown its presence in Africa from 12 embassies to 42. Turkish Airlines flies to 50 destinations in 30 African countries.
President Erdogan has himself described his country as being an “Afro- Euro-Asian state,” and was on record as being the first non-African Head of State to visit Somalia. Turkey has arrived as a world power. They have advanced in so many areas.
In going to Turkey, the position of the President’s team was: If the partnership through the multilateral process works for us, it will help. All six ministers on the delegation held meetings with their respective counterparts to deepen the good bilateral relations between us. We went there in search of partnerships, partnerships that Nigeria stands to gain from.
When he came here in October, President Erdogan and President Buhari had the two countries sign three Memoranda of Understanding, MoUs, and four agreements on a variety of subjects that included political consultation, energy, hydrocarbons, mining, youth, double taxation and the reform and development of the Defence Industries Corporation, DIC in Kaduna.
The starting point of this engagement was the meeting between the two leaders-President Muhammadu Buhari and the Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The tone of this meeting was itself set by the officials who accompanied the President: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Defence, National Security Adviser and the Director-General, National Intelligence Agency. And from all accounts, the meeting met all expectations: Turkish leader Erdogan agreed to work with President Buhari in tackling insurgents and other security challenges facing this country.
This is significant in many ways. Turkey today not only has a modern defence industry but one that is technologically advanced. Their intervention against ISIL in Syria and Iraq and even Libya has brought them a lot of respect. When they intervened on the side of Azerbaijan in that country’s war against Armenia, that participation using especially that impressive drone technology was the single most important game-changer. Turkish technology, be they drones or even through the supply or manufacture of military ordinance in Nigeria will surely quicken the process and efforts to rid the country of pockets of terrorists and the menace of kidnappers and bandits. From their wide experience and advances in technology in fighting terrorism and banditry, they have a lot to give and they have assured us that they will give that support.
Flowing from the meeting of leaders, the heads of our defence and security establishments were afforded long engagements with their Turkish counterparts. The meetings took time to reflect on what Nigeria needs to overcome the problem of insecurity. These issues revolved around the use of technology to fight crime, something that everyone is doing, and so why not Nigeria.
As we go into January next year, a team from the Turkish defence establishment is expected to be in Nigeria in the effort to advance the discussions on the issue of military procurement.
The national security component equally has a Turkish angle to it and one that turned to be one of the gains, in the sense that both countries have a common view of what Turkey perceives as a security threat to their nation and its leaders present in Nigeria. This is about some Turkish investments, schools and hospitals associated with an opposition figure linked to the abortive coup and attempted assassination of President Erdogan. This had existed as a critical but unspoken issue, with the potential to undermine the relationship in spite of the strong bond of friendship based on trust between the leaders of the two nations. It appears however that a strong common ground and understanding is reached.
The government of Nigeria will not allow any part of our territory to be used to undermine a friendly state such as Turkey. Under our strict Central Bank and Financial Intelligence Unit’s governance structure and management, money from the investments in issue cannot be moved anywhere to finance subversive activities. While protection of foreign investment is sacrosanct, government clearly will not allow interest, individual or group, to undermine the very warm and cordial relationship between the two nations.
Turkey has achieved so much in infrastructure, which is something very close to the heart of the President. Turkey has shown real capacity in heavy capital projects in many countries and this has another advantage to us.
As it is now, we are reliant on just one country for infrastructure and Turkey should help us to diversify.
From these bilateral meetings, the ground has been laid for the setting up of education, health and leisure projects including the proposal for a big hotel and conference center project in Abuja.
In the not-too-distant future, the administration of the Federal Capital Territory will be receiving the team of investors including the world- famous Ma’arif Foundation to be shown exact locations for the setting up of a five-star hotel and conference center, schools and a world-class hospital.
Three other companies have a strong interest in other areas, with the first, in oil and gas, and from which a good outcome is expected by the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, NNPC Mele Kyari and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Niyi Adebayo. One of the other investors is coming with interest in the Abuja property market, real estate and the creative industry especially film making and another, with interest in the construction sector. This is the company that built Turkey’s famous undersea tunnel.
Finally, it is important to say that President Buhari was in Turkey on a special request by the Turkish President.
By an earlier agreement, the number of African leaders at the four-yearly summit was rationalized to just 15, and leaders were chosen to attend as representatives of either the African Union or the elected leaders of sub-regional groups such as ECOWAS, the South African Development Community, SADC and the rest. Each sub-regional leader presented a representative statement, and in the case of ECOWAS, it was President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana, its Chairman. No national statements were planned for, except for Nigeria where our President was given a special speaking opportunity.
As to be expected, President Buhari used it to good effect, calling for increased support for Africa in fighting terrorism, vaccine equity and manufacture on the continent and for combined efforts to address the effects of climate change.
The Nigerian delegation returned to Nigeria on a high note of expectation that this was indeed, a visit worth undertaking.
Garba Shehu is the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity.
A middle aged man, Eze Onyebuchi and his wife, Oluchi Eze, are in police net in Ogun State for allegedly selling their one month old baby for N50, 000 to a human right activist, one Mrs. Ruth Obajimi.
The spokes person of the state police Command, Abimbola Oyeyemi, in a statement today, December 19 said that the couple, who reside at Ilara area of Ode Remo, in Remo North local government area, were arrested on December 16.
He said that the command had an information that the couple willingly sold their one month old baby to a woman who is now at large.
“Upon the information, the Dpo Ode Remo division, CSP Olayemi Fagbohun, detailed his detectives to the area where the couple were arrested and brought to the station.
“On interrogation, the suspects explained to the police that, it was one Mrs. Ruth Obajimi, who directed the yet to be identified buyer to them. They stated further that the woman came to them on December 14, 2021, and told them that she is from human rights office, and that she will help them to foster their child. The woman then gave them the sum of fifty thousand naira and they handed over the baby to her despite not knowing her from Adam.
“Effort is on top gear to apprehend the said woman with the view to recover the baby.”
The commissioner of police, Lanre Bankole, has ordered the immediate transfer of the suspects to the anti human trafficking and child labour unit of the state criminal investigation and intelligence department for further investigation.
He equally directed a massive manhunt for the buyer who has since disappeared into the air.
Embattled Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho may have been technically abandoned by his kinsmen and women as he clocked 153 days today, December 19 in Cotonou, Benin Republic prison.
Igboho was ‘arrested’ by the operatives of Brigade criminelle (Criminal Brigade) on July 19 in Cotonou after he escaped from arrest in Nigeria on account of his rise against the government.
Information has it that Igboho is unlikely to be released on bail considering the political interests involved in his case.
Lawyers, including Chief Yomi Aliu (SAN), Pelumi Olajengbesi, Benin Republic based team of lawyers as well as Ibrahim Salami, Olusegun Falola have been providing legal services for the embattled agitator to secure his release.
One of the lawyers had said that Igboho might be held in detention for weeks pending the conclusion of investigation.
Since he was arrested, the legal battle to either extradite Igboho to Nigeria or hand him back his freedom has witnessed a series of dramatic twists and turns.
The court on July 27, ordered that he should be remanded in a facility in the country, pending the conclusion of the investigation.
The judge who is currently investigating Igboho’s case is expected to table his ruling before another judge who will give judgement.
Sunday Igboho’s lawyers had said that the Yoruba Nation agitator was remanded to allow police to conduct a thorough investigation into the charges, which included illegal migration, attempt to cause civil unrest, others.
Abother of his lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi said that the chances of getting Igboho out of prison in 2021 is very slim.
“Frankly, the hope of getting him released this year is still very slim. There are diplomatic consultations going on in respect of that because as you know, Igboho, in the eyes of the law, is a very free person. He has committed no crime.
“We know he’s being held against his will. He’s a prisoner of conscience and so we believe that he will be out soon but I can’t guarantee he will be out before the end of this year. There are lots of diplomatic discussions going on in that regard.”
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President Muhammadu Buhari has rejected the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2021, saying that it would be better to allow each political party to determine its mode of selecting candidates for election.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), has alerted Nigerians on a fake competition trending online which claims to celebrate a so called “Anniversary Event.”
Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu has said that the commission would require N305 billion to conduct the 2023 general elections.
A middle aged man, Eze Onyebuchi and his wife, Oluchi Eze, are in police net in Ogun State for allegedly selling their one month old baby for N50, 000 to a human right activist, one Mrs. Ruth Obajimi.
Takeaways From President Buhari’s Visit T Turkey, By Garba Shehu
Our national strategy was laid out before departure, based on a strong optimism that the summit will work well for all the leaders. Turkey is serious about working with Africa in a win-win relationship. Though not yet accepted as a member of the EU, it is a major player in the continent in many ways and is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Turkey also has strong links in the Middle-East. In Asia, the competition is stiff, with China, Japan, South Korea and the rest. But see what discipline, national mobilization and determination have brought Turkey to where it is today. So, Africa may seem for them, a good bet for solidarity and market.
For us on the continent, it is not in doubt that the big countries are not outrightly helpful at all times. In some instances, as with the COVID-19 vaccine, we have seen how might becomes right.
So, really, the embrace of Turkey by Africa is a logical path to follow, given that the country had gone through the big economies in search of economic and national development, abandoned that process and became, on their own, the fastest growing economy in Europe. Annual trade between Turkey and Africa was USD 5.5 billion in 2003. Today, it has risen to USD 26 billion. Under the Erdogan leadership, the country has grown its presence in Africa from 12 embassies to 42. Turkish Airlines flies to 50 destinations in 30 African countries.
President Erdogan has himself described his country as being an “Afro- Euro-Asian state,” and was on record as being the first non-African Head of State to visit Somalia. Turkey has arrived as a world power. They have advanced in so many areas.
In going to Turkey, the position of the President’s team was: If the partnership through the multilateral process works for us, it will help. All six ministers on the delegation held meetings with their respective counterparts to deepen the good bilateral relations between us. We went there in search of partnerships, partnerships that Nigeria stands to gain from.
When he came here in October, President Erdogan and President Buhari had the two countries sign three Memoranda of Understanding, MoUs, and four agreements on a variety of subjects that included political consultation, energy, hydrocarbons, mining, youth, double taxation and the reform and development of the Defence Industries Corporation, DIC in Kaduna.
The starting point of this engagement was the meeting between the two leaders-President Muhammadu Buhari and the Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The tone of this meeting was itself set by the officials who accompanied the President: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Defence, National Security Adviser and the Director-General, National Intelligence Agency. And from all accounts, the meeting met all expectations: Turkish leader Erdogan agreed to work with President Buhari in tackling insurgents and other security challenges facing this country.
This is significant in many ways. Turkey today not only has a modern defence industry but one that is technologically advanced. Their intervention against ISIL in Syria and Iraq and even Libya has brought them a lot of respect. When they intervened on the side of Azerbaijan in that country’s war against Armenia, that participation using especially that impressive drone technology was the single most important game-changer. Turkish technology, be they drones or even through the supply or manufacture of military ordinance in Nigeria will surely quicken the process and efforts to rid the country of pockets of terrorists and the menace of kidnappers and bandits. From their wide experience and advances in technology in fighting terrorism and banditry, they have a lot to give and they have assured us that they will give that support.
Flowing from the meeting of leaders, the heads of our defence and security establishments were afforded long engagements with their Turkish counterparts. The meetings took time to reflect on what Nigeria needs to overcome the problem of insecurity. These issues revolved around the use of technology to fight crime, something that everyone is doing, and so why not Nigeria.
As we go into January next year, a team from the Turkish defence establishment is expected to be in Nigeria in the effort to advance the discussions on the issue of military procurement.
The national security component equally has a Turkish angle to it and one that turned to be one of the gains, in the sense that both countries have a common view of what Turkey perceives as a security threat to their nation and its leaders present in Nigeria. This is about some Turkish investments, schools and hospitals associated with an opposition figure linked to the abortive coup and attempted assassination of President Erdogan. This had existed as a critical but unspoken issue, with the potential to undermine the relationship in spite of the strong bond of friendship based on trust between the leaders of the two nations. It appears however that a strong common ground and understanding is reached.
The government of Nigeria will not allow any part of our territory to be used to undermine a friendly state such as Turkey. Under our strict Central Bank and Financial Intelligence Unit’s governance structure and management, money from the investments in issue cannot be moved anywhere to finance subversive activities. While protection of foreign investment is sacrosanct, government clearly will not allow interest, individual or group, to undermine the very warm and cordial relationship between the two nations.
Turkey has achieved so much in infrastructure, which is something very close to the heart of the President. Turkey has shown real capacity in heavy capital projects in many countries and this has another advantage to us.
As it is now, we are reliant on just one country for infrastructure and Turkey should help us to diversify.
From these bilateral meetings, the ground has been laid for the setting up of education, health and leisure projects including the proposal for a big hotel and conference center project in Abuja.
In the not-too-distant future, the administration of the Federal Capital Territory will be receiving the team of investors including the world- famous Ma’arif Foundation to be shown exact locations for the setting up of a five-star hotel and conference center, schools and a world-class hospital.
Three other companies have a strong interest in other areas, with the first, in oil and gas, and from which a good outcome is expected by the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, NNPC Mele Kyari and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Niyi Adebayo. One of the other investors is coming with interest in the Abuja property market, real estate and the creative industry especially film making and another, with interest in the construction sector. This is the company that built Turkey’s famous undersea tunnel.
Finally, it is important to say that President Buhari was in Turkey on a special request by the Turkish President.
By an earlier agreement, the number of African leaders at the four-yearly summit was rationalized to just 15, and leaders were chosen to attend as representatives of either the African Union or the elected leaders of sub-regional groups such as ECOWAS, the South African Development Community, SADC and the rest. Each sub-regional leader presented a representative statement, and in the case of ECOWAS, it was President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana, its Chairman. No national statements were planned for, except for Nigeria where our President was given a special speaking opportunity.
As to be expected, President Buhari used it to good effect, calling for increased support for Africa in fighting terrorism, vaccine equity and manufacture on the continent and for combined efforts to address the effects of climate change.
The Nigerian delegation returned to Nigeria on a high note of expectation that this was indeed, a visit worth undertaking.
Garba Shehu is the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity.