A legal practitioner from Keffi in Nasarawa State of Nigeria, Barrister Musa Adamu has faulted PUNCH newspaper for referring to President Muhammadu Buhari as Major General.
In a post on his facebook page today, December 11, Barrister Musa said: “in its haste to chastise President Muhammadu Buhari over his attitude towards obedience to Rule of Law, Punch Newspaper must be careful not to run foul of the same thing it is accusing the President of.
“For instance, it is not up to the news medium to address the Head of the Executive in a democratic Nigeria as it deems fit. This in itself would be offensive to section 5 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which vests the functions of the Head of Executive on the “President” and not any other person by any other title.
“Similarly, it’s in itself ultra Constitutional for the Medium to chose to address a democratically elected government as a “Regime” just to deride the head of that administration.
“Hence, while it’s in order for a Newspaper editorial to take a stance on a national issue more so when that issue has to do with the root of Constitutionalism, it would be good if that is done within the ambit of what it set out to guard- the Constitution.”
Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, has surrendered his senatorial contest against the backdrop of the planned Akwa Ibom North East senatorial re-run election.
In a letter addressed to the national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, dated 2nd of December, Akpabio said that as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, a huge responsibility had been placed on him.
He said that he cannot abandon a critical assignment placed on him by President Muhammadu Buhari in pursuit of a senatorial re-run election.
He advised the party to write the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in line with Sections 33 and 35 of the Electoral Act, 2010, and submit a replacement to run in his place.
The reported new editorial policy of the Punch Newspapers to address President Muhammadu Buhari as Major General in his official title and refer to his government as a regime instead of administration, comes to us as totally curious and utterly incredible.
The paper claimed that it is changing President Buhari’s official title to General because of his government’s alleged disregard for the rule of law.
Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), for that is his title, and he was indeed a Major General, but today retired from that position and now twice democratically elected president of Nigeria – is not the choice of Punch Newspaper’s editors and owners, that is clear.
He is, however, the two-time electoral choice of the voters of Nigeria, those very people who Punch Newspapers described this morning as “lethargic”: a disdaining epithet apportioned to decent, hard-working, everyday Nigerians for not agreeing with, and for not having voted in line with their publication’s editorial and political opinions.
Punch’s editorial today is, however, entirely in line with holding and exercising the right of free speech and freedom of the press, as my friend and colleague, Femi Adesina said earlier today.
Femi, Special Adviser, Media and Publicity said the fact the Punch can insult the President in a front page editorial and they go home to sleep, peacefully, is the best testimony to the prevalence of the freedom of the press and of expression in the country.
To quote him, “rather than being pejorative, addressing President Buhari by his military rank is another testimony to free speech and freedom of the press, which this administration (or regime, if anyone prefers: it is a matter of semantics) has pledged to uphold and preserve.”
In countries around the world where this right does not exist, newspapers do not publish articles such as the one Punch did today; nor do they get to express political opinions contrary to that of government. The exact freedoms Punch claims are missing are self-evident here – in print, on the internet – for all Nigerians and the whole world to see.
There is nothing wrong with expressing contrary opinions to this government – nor being in opposition to the president: this is the right of very Nigerian.
However, calling for the armed overthrow of the democratically elected administration is a different matter entirely: this Punch has in no way done – but others who they seek to defend, have.
There is the difference. Punch: oppose the government as much as you want to.
We welcome your contribution to the debate. But we ask you not to throw insults at the good voters of Nigeria for not agreeing to your choice at the last election.
Oppose in good humour: for that is the mark of the true democrat – that which you purport to be.
It is not within the power or rights of a newspaper to unilaterally and whimsically change the formal official title or the designation of the country’s President as it pleases.
It is unprecedented and absurd in our recent political history. The Punch never changed President Olusegun Obasanjo’s title from the President to General Obasanjo, despite the latter’s refusal to comply with Supreme Court judgment, ordering him to release N30 billion of Lagos State local councils funds.
When General Ibrahim Babangida who wasn’t democratically elected assumed the title of President, why didn’t the Punch challenge him or address him by any title it so desired?
In fact, IBB closed media houses for several months and years, including Punch.
But the paper didn’t stop addressing him as President, despite the fact that he wasn’t elected.
It is obvious that the Punch newspapers are playing partisan opposition politics which has nothing to do with journalism.
The Constitution of Nigeria recognises the President as the formal official title of the occupant of that office. Can the Punch newspapers, in their hubris address the President as Prime Minister as it pleases?
Is it within the paper’s responsibility or power to change the official title of the man who occupies the office of the President? Does that mean any newspaper is free to address the Comptroller General of Customs a Colonel rather than his official title?
The Punch newspaper should separate journalism from partisan politics. What it is embarking upon is purely political and it is designed to play to the gallery and cause confusion.
Punch Newspaper’s double standards in cuddling some of our past dictators and their open contempt for President Buhari clearly show that the paper has sinister motives for its current curious editorial judgment. Its personal hatred for and animus towards President Buhari should not be allowed to becloud its good judgment.
Garba Shehu is Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said that it is targeting 2.38 per cent Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate in the fourth quarter of this year. The apex ban’s Deputy Director in the Financial Policy and Regulations Department, Dr. Hassan Mahmoud, spoke today, December 10 in Yola, at the 2019 workshop for financial journalists, sponsored by the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC). Dr. Mahmoud said that the GDP growth target would be an improvement over the third quarter growth rate of 2.28 per cent. “If you are looking at the 1.1 per cent that we did in 2015/2016, and 2.28 per cent that we did in the third quarter of 2019, we will see that we have really moved substantially. “It is difficult to sustain positive rate GDP growth rates that we are projecting that by the fourth quarter of 2019. We are going to be doing 2.38 per cent, that is CBN projection, the IMF is projecting same growth of 3.31 per cent.” On the wide gap between lending and saving rates in banks, he said that it is dependent on customers’ negotiation skills, adding that it is the responsibility of CBN and NDIC to ensure that customers are not ripped off by the excesses of banks. According to him, CBN is, however, creating ways to discourage the trend. Mahmoud commended the permanece of some fixed income instruments in the financial market, saying that their yield rates had improved. He, however, card that yield rates on treasury bills had dropped to as low as eight per cent of recent. On pension funds, he said the stock had increased to about nine trillion Naira of which the bulk could be invested in non-risky assets. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that his paper was on ` State of the Nigerian Economy and Implications for Stability of the Banking System.
The price of locally produced rice has witnessed a significant drop after weeks of price hikes following the closure of Nigerian land borders and is set to drop further. A visit to the market across the country shows that several brands of local rice have now flooded major markets in the country helping to drive down prices. As more Nigerians have found out that local rice is now better than before, those using foreign brand bags to trade on Nigeria rice are beginning to use Nigeria brands instead of the foreign brands they were faking before. In the various markets local rice now sell for as low as N17,000. The federal government working with the Central Bank of Nigeria had promised Nigerians that the price of rice will drop to affordable level before the Christmas season. It will also be recalled that an Enugu-based commercial rice farmer, Mr Ekene Uzodinma, has advised Nigerians against panic buying and hoarding of rice ahead of the Yuletide celebration. Uzodinma, who is the Manager of Excellent Integrated Farms Ltd, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu. Also The National Food Security Council (NFSC), chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari had said it will make rice available before the Christmas festivity. The Deputy Chairman of the Council, Gov. Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi, had said in Makkah, Saudi Arabia that the price of rice will drop. He said that the Council is aware of the then high prices of rice, assuring Nigerians that rice would be made available at a cheaper rate. According to the governor, government is also aware of the activities of some individuals and groups bent on frustrating the new rice policy. “The good news is that there is a lot of production in the country. The Nigeria farmers said that all the Millers in Nigeria have enough paddy and farmers are producing and the harvest is coming in strong. He said that Nigeria had abundant rice that could last for about two years, adding, “with that in mind, no one should engage in panic buying in the first place.” Uzodinma said that panic buying and hoarding would naturally cause the price to rise unnecessarily. Some Nigerians are already misled by social media messages that the border closure will lead to scarcity and high cost of rice. “But that is a fallacy because there is more rice, I mean local rice, that could take the country about two years to consume. You can see that a family that needed only a bag of rice is ordering for 10 or more bags at a time. “There are other families that are cashing in on the situation and using the border closure to become rice merchants and hoarding the commodity in order to re-sell it during the Yuletide. However, if Nigerians just buy rice normally, there would be no price increase and the quantity of the commodity will always be sufficient for all.” Uzodinma said that rice merchants and middlemen had been busy going into the hinterlands with trailers, buying and transporting local rice to Lagos and other big cities. The rice farmer further said that the quality of Nigeria’s rice remained the best anywhere in the World. “We have the best quality of rice because of the kind of soil texture in the country. “The taste of our rice is unique, the nutritional value is very high and it is very beautify as well.” Uzodinma called on the youths to take advantage of the recent development to maximise the opportunities and profits in the agricultural sector. “I will also want youths in Enugu state to take advantage and participate in the free-of-charge `One Youth, One Hectare’ of farmland project being organised by my NGO, The New Enugu Project.”
Electricity crisis is now threatening the peace of South Africa, leading to President Cyril Ramaphosa cancelling an official visit to Egypt. Information reaching us indicated that for the past six days – and intermittently over the past decade – Eskom, the nation’s electricity generation company, has enforced “load-shedding,” whereby power is cut for anything from two to four hours at a time in a bid to relieve pressure on the national grid. According to the information, roads become gridlocked because traffic lights don’t function even as businesses closed and shopping centres are left in the dark and mines have to halt operations. The president has come under increasing criticism after Eskom enforced scheduled power cuts that have thrown the country into disarray and pose a threat to the economy. John Steenhuisen, leader of the main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA), led a picket outside Eskom headquarters in Johannesburg today, December 10, saying the “rolling blackouts” threaten to “throw the country’s economy over a precipice.” Steenhuisen called on President Ramaphosa to leave the “ruins of a bygone era” in Cairo and attend to his own relic of the past – the power utility. Indeed, Eskom’s problems were already apparent in 2008 when then president Thabo Mbeki admitted that the government had failed to make provisions for increased generating capacity. Since then, ageing power stations have not been maintained, and two new power stations, which have severely overrun their budgets, are still not operational.
A High Court in Kano has again, granted an interim injunction to stop the Kano State Government from constituting the new council of chiefs and appointing its members. Governor Abdullahi Ganduje last week signed a new law in Kano approving the creation of four new emirates and the appointment of first-class emirs for each of them. The law also establishes the council of chiefs. An earlier law passed by the Kano State House of Assembly at the behest of Governor Ganduje was invalidated by the court. The new law was presented to the House of Assembly and passed into law within three days last week. And today, December 10, the judge, Ahmed Badamosi, ordered a stoppage of the council of chiefs. He also granted an order restraining Mr Ganduje from taking away the functions and powers of the applicants. He then adjourned the case to December 17. The plaintiffs in the suit are Kano kingmakers headed by the Madakin Kano, Yusuf Nabahani, and Muktar Adnan. The defendants are the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly as the first respondent, Kano State House of Assembly as the second respondent, Governor of Kano State as third respondent, Attorney General of Kano State as fourth respondent and the four newly appointed emirs of Rano, Karaye, Gaya and Bichi.
The immediate past Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has asked members and supporter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) not to let the party die in the State.
Those, who spoke at his country home in Afao-Ekiti while addressing party members across the 16 local government areas and the 177 wards in the state today, December 10, said: “we are on a mission to repositioning the party because truly we need a new attitude as members of this party. We must tell ourselves the truth that there is nothing to share in failure and we must join hands to achieve something tangible. ”I know some persons are aggrieved and I know we are humans. I apologize to all those that I have offended; let us come together in unity for this our party not to die in this state. That is my priority as the leader. ”I am doing this after one year I left office just to allow the present All Progressives Congress to display what they have for the people and you can all see for yourselves. I am not here for my selfish interest but just to ensure this party does not fail.” Fayose warned against creating different groups within the party which he said is not the best option, even as he assured that all issues and tendencies would be resolved for the party to reclaim the state from the APC in future elections. He regretted the violence and alleged electoral malpractices that marred the last Saturday’s local government election, saying that he warned the leadership of PDP in the state not participate in the poll for obvious reasons. ”Everybody should come back to the party. I am open to reconciliation. If Senator Biodun Olujimi call you for meeting tomorrow, go there and listen to her. All of us are leaders , don’t let us factionalize this party. I am congratulating her (Senator Olujimi) and I don’t have any issue with her and I am sorry for what happened in the past.”
Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), an apex Igbo youth socio-cultural organization, has formally apologized to the minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi over attack on him by members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) In Madrid, Spain, even as it begged Niger Delta youths over the ultimatum theyissued to destroy Igbo properties and investments in Niger Delta land.
The Concerned Youths of Niger Delta (CYND) had given a seven-day ultimatum to Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to apologize to Amaechi or have Igbo investments in their land destroyed. A statement jointly signed by the President General of OYC, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro and Secretary General, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, said that its members would meet and interface with the Concerned Niger Delta Youths for peaceful resolution. The statement read in full: “As an apex Igbo Youth organization and mother of all Youth bodies in seven speaking States including Delta (Anioma) and Rivers, we had tendered unreserved apology to Hon Minister for Transport Chibuike Amaechi over the unfortunate incident in Madrid Spain. And we are reliably informed that the Hon Minister for Transport, our leader, had accepted our apologies. This strategic measures is aimed at averting looming danger, and we thereby urge Concerned Niger Delta Youths leaders to suspend any offensive action pending on the proposed peace Parley aimed at halting timely intended destruction of Igbo Investments and Properties in Rivers and Niger Delta in sympathy for our leader Hon Minister Chibuike Amaechi, who is a peace marker. We will explore all peaceful approach to assuage the ill feelings surrounding the Madrid’s sad episode. “From intelligent report available to us, some gang of criminals had perfected their evil plans to unleash terror, loot and destroy Igbo properties and investments in Yenagoa, Calabar, Port Harcourt, Uyo, Asaba and Benin under guise of the ultimatum given and retaliations for the Madrid’s sad episode. We wish to quickly checkmate and nip it in the bud before criminals takes advantage of the ultimatum given to perpetuate heinous crime against Igbos. “We will interface with Concerned Niger Delta youths for peaceful resolutions. We hereby state categorically clear that Concerned Niger Delta Youths are not part of these criminals with evil intent to unleash terror but the handiwork of Politicians trying to blackmail Amaechi. We further warn politicians intending to hijack these situation to desist from any action promoting lawlessness.”
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has announced reforms to human rights in no fewer than 60 different areas, 22 of which are on women’s rights.
This was contained in a statement from the Kingdom’s information department today, December 10 by Awwad Al-Awwad.
The statement said that the Kingdom has made far reaching reforms on human rights.
“We have adopted new regulation in personal status for women with reformed custody and anti-harassment laws.
“The spotlight on human rights is expanding both domestically and internationally. The United Nations defines human rights as rights inherent to all human beings. Of course, universalities exist. But, each region and country also takes into consideration its own values and cultural norms when preserving human rights in practice.
“There is no doubt that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s story is one of transformation. Since the adoption of Vision 2030, this transformation has gone through various phases and has culminated into unprecedented reforms that have taken place in a few short years. We have achieved more in the area of human rights in four years than many others have in a quarter century.
“Under King Salman Bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, the Kingdom has witnessed reforms across a multitude of spheres progressing in ways that seemed unimaginable before. More than 60 reforms have been made to improve the situation of human rights in the Kingdom, of which 22 were related to women’s rights. We have adopted new regulation in personal status for women with reformed custody and anti-harassment laws.”
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A legal practitioner from Keffi in Nasarawa State of Nigeria, Barrister Musa Adamu has faulted PUNCH newspaper for referring to President Muhammadu Buhari as Major General.
The price of locally produced rice has witnessed a significant drop after weeks of price hikes following the closure of Nigerian land borders and is set to drop further.
A High Court in Kano has again, granted an interim injunction to stop the Kano State Government from constituting the new council of chiefs and appointing its members.
The immediate past Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has asked members and supporter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) not to let the party die in the State.
Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), an apex Igbo youth socio-cultural organization, has formally apologized to the minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi over attack on him by members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) In Madrid, Spain, even as it begged Niger Delta youths over the ultimatum theyissued to destroy Igbo properties and investments in Niger Delta land.
PUNCH Playing Sinister Politics With President Buhari’s Democratic Profile, By Garba Shehu
The reported new editorial policy of the Punch Newspapers to address President Muhammadu Buhari as Major General in his official title and refer to his government as a regime instead of administration, comes to us as totally curious and utterly incredible.