In preparation for the 2027 presidential elections, supporters of former Anambra Governor, Peter Obi, known as the Obidient movement, have formed a harmonization committee aimed at promoting peace, unity, and reconciliation among citizens.

The committee was inaugurated over the weekend in Abuja, the nation’s capital, and includes representatives from all six geopolitical zones of Nigeria to ensure comprehensive national reach and impact.

Advertorial

The committee boasts a diverse membership, bringing together individuals from various backgrounds and regions.

This diversity is expected to enhance the committee’s effectiveness in addressing the nation’s complex challenges.

Chairman of the committee, Comrade Joseph Enan Maigari, underscored the importance of their mission, citing the failure of past and present leadership as a source of national suffering.

Maigari emphasized that the committee’s work is critical for Nigeria’s future.

Advertorial

“We are a wounded nation due to the failures of past and present leadership. Regardless of which side one stood, we all require healing. Our task is not just for the committee alone but for all Nigerians. Forgiveness and healing are essential for us to move forward,” Maigari stated.

He appealed to Nigerians from all walks of life to support the committee’s mission, stressing that the nation’s freedom and justice are at stake.

Maigari highlighted the need for a collective effort in healing and reconciliation.

“We are engaged in a delicate task that will have significant consequences for our nation in the years to come. This process of healing requires contrition and forgiveness, which necessitates understanding who we are forgiving and why. The truth is central to this exercise,” he explained.

Maigari also emphasized the spiritual and personal nature of the committee’s work.

He called on Nigerians to view this mission as a collective responsibility, transcending religious and regional divides.

“This is not just for the committee but for all of us—Muslim and Christian, North and South. Freedom and justice must become realities for everyone. We have the privilege of healing past wounds and overcoming alienations and hostilities to focus on our present and future,” Maigari added.

The committee members include:
– North East: Joseph Enan Maigari, Hon. Dr. Yawe Jinadu, Comrade Zanna Ali Haruna, Dr. Kambu Papka.
– North West: Khalifa Sharif Anta, Alhaji Usman Graham, Abubakar Yawale, Mrs. Deborah Bwala-Maina.
– North Central: Sheikh Rufai Al-siddiq (PRO), DIG Lawal Gambo (Rtd.), Iortyom Kenneth Terhemba, Caleb Audu (Assistant Secretary).
– South South: Chief Ephraim Etete-Owoh, Comrade Gometi Crested, Dr. Chinelo Onwusi (Secretary).
– South East: Mmaduabuchi Chekwubechukwu (Mobilization), Dr. Chibuzor Obiesili, Engr. John Iwuchukwu.
– South West: Adeyeye Tosin (Head ICT), Odusote Emmanuel, Kolade Gbolagade, Hon. Prince Austin Yonwunren.

The Senate is set to hold a public hearing today to discuss the proposed increase in salaries, allowances, and fringe benefits for judicial officers across the nation.

A notice of the hearing, dated May 14, 2024, was addressed to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).

Advertorial

The notice, marked NASS/S/CJHL/024 10th Sen/2024/01, was issued by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, and Legal Matters, Senator Mohammed Monguno.

The letter indicated that the Senate, in its plenary session, had considered the Judicial Officers (Salaries and Allowances, etc.) Bill 2024 and referred it to the Senate Committee for further legislative action.

Advertorial

Senator Monguno’s letter emphasized the need for public input, stating, “the committee, in furtherance of its mandate, held a series of meetings and resolved to conduct a public hearing to gather comments and viewpoints on the bill from stakeholders and the general public.”

The public hearing is scheduled for today at 12 pm.

This legislative initiative follows the House of Representatives’ passage of a bill, submitted by President Bola Tinubu, aimed at significantly increasing the compensation for judges.

The bill proposes an over 800 percent salary hike, with the Chief Justice of Nigeria set to earn an annual basic salary and allowances totaling N64.6 million, markedly higher than the current compensation.

Other Supreme Court Justices are to receive annual salaries and allowances exceeding N60 million.

The proposed salary increase has garnered support from numerous Senior Advocates of Nigeria, who argue that higher remuneration for judicial officers will reduce susceptibility to corruption and enhance the integrity of the judiciary.

Labour Party’s Hon. Afam Ogene, representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, has criticized Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State for appointing a new set of local government transition chairmen for the eighth time since taking office two years ago.

Advertorial

In a statement released in Awka, Ogene described Governor Soludo’s frequent changes as “ridiculous, undemocratic, and an abuse of power,” arguing that such actions undermine the developmental aspirations of Anambra’s residents.

The controversy stems from a recent directive by the state government, instructing stakeholders of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to nominate candidates for transition chairmen in the state’s 21 local government areas.

The current transition chairmen were ordered to hand over to local government heads of service by May 20, 2024, pending the appointment of new officials.

Advertorial

APGA members interested in the positions were asked to submit their credentials through their local government chairmen.

Ogene, who also serves as the Labour Party’s House of Representatives caucus leader, expressed dismay at the governor’s record of changing transition committee members every three months.

He noted, “Governor Soludo has changed LGA Transition Committee members seven times since assuming office in 2022. With this new appointment, it will be the eighth time in just two years.”

Ogene criticized this “puppeteering style of leadership,” arguing that it destabilizes the local government system, which is intended to be the closest tier of government to the people and the foundation of both state and federal governments.

He emphasized that appointing rather than electing local government administrators fosters impunity, lacks accountability, and hinders transparency and development at the grassroots level.

He questioned the feasibility of meaningful development under such short tenures, saying, “What kind of development plan can a transition chairman implement in just three months? It’s troubling that Governor Soludo, a noted economist, supports this charade, which runs contrary to economic indicators showing declining fortunes for grassroots communities.”

Advertorial

Ogene urged Governor Soludo to fulfill his campaign promise to conduct local government elections, which would align with the desires of the people and constitutional provisions.

He pointed out that other states, such as Delta, Lagos, Edo, Rivers, Kaduna, and Akwa Ibom, hold local government elections despite their imperfections.

Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Anambra have consistently reminded Governor Soludo of his campaign pledge to conduct local government elections within six months of taking office, a promise he has yet to fulfill.

The Nigerian Senate recently criticized state governors for mismanaging funds allocated to local government councils and failing to democratize this tier of government.

The Senate lamented the erosion of local autonomy due to state governors’ overwhelming powers, which has stifled the objectives of the local government system.

Senate called on the federal government to cease allocating funds to caretaker-led local government areas and urged President Bola Tinubu to champion full local government autonomy.