The Chairperson, Federal Character Commission (FCC), Muheeba Dankaka and some of her commissioners have traded blame before the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating alleged job racketeering and abuse of Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS) by Ministries Department and Agencies (MDAs).

Recall that the House had directed the chairperson and all the 36 commissioners of the commission to appear on Wednesday after she failed to do so on Tuesday.

The chairperson who appeared with some of the commissioners was accused of alleged job racketeering and abuse of extant laws and the FCC establishment Act by some of the commissioners tagged ‘Integrity Group’.

Speaking before the committee, the commissioner representing Osun State in the commission, Abdulrazak Adewuyi and his counterpart representing Rivers State, Okwacha Augustine alleged that the chairperson had been running the commission in violation of Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Section 2 of the FCC Act and other extant laws.

Their claims were corroborated by commissioners representing Kwara, Bauchi, Kaduna and Nassarawa states.

However, after the submissions, the Chairperson, Muheeba Dankaka denied the allegations and accused the Commissioners from the ‘Integrity Group’ of mischief and blackmail.

She said that the commissioners making the allegations had been on her neck as a result of her refusal to compromise.

Dankaka said she took some of the decisions due to the lackluster attitude of some of the commissioners to attend to their duties by assigning other people to do their jobs.

She stated that in order to carry everybody along, she met only 24 committees when she assumed office, but she created additional ones and made them to be 37 committees.

After the brief submission by the chairperson, the Chairman of the committee, Yusuf Adamu Gagdi directed that, the she should submit her response to the allegations in writing as well as submit all documents required for the investigation and submit on Friday.

He added that the chairperson should appear with all the 363commissioners on Monday for the resumed investigative hearing.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) says the administration of President Bola Tinubu has declared hardship war on Nigerians through the economic policies he introduced including the removal of fuel subsidy.

A communique signed by its president, Comrade Joe Ajaero and General Secretary, Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja, at the end of the union’s Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting on Wednesday, July 26, 2023, stated this.

The Congress directed workers and civil society organisations across the country to immediately start mobilisation for mass protest and rallies ahead of the strike beginning Wednesday next week.

According to the communique, the union stressed that the policies put in place by Tinubu’s administration were insensitive to the plight of Nigerians and rather than give hope and succour, they have thrown the people into mass suffering and poverty.

It said, “The CWC-in-session subsequently resolved as follows: the immediate reversal of all anti-poor policies of the federal government including the recent hike in PMS price, Increase in Public School fees, the release of the 8 months withheld Salary of University lecturers and Workers and increase in VAT.

“The immediate inauguration of the Presidential Steering Committee as agreed in the earlier consequential dialogues, to begin the building across the nation of a Coalition of all Nigerians where all will be leaders and all will be followers.

“To call on all civil society organisations and Nigerians wherever they may be to begin mobilization to take action on their own to save our nation. To lead and organize mass protest rallies across the nation to demonstrate outrage against the inhuman actions and policies of the government.”

Ajaero and Ugboaja have given Tinubu a seven-day deadline to meet the demands tabled before his administration, which would be met with nationwide demonstrations if declined.

“To give the federal government a seven-day ultimatum within which to meet all our demands and to embark on a nationwide action beginning Wednesday the 2nd of August, 2023 to compel the government to reverse its anti-poor and anti-workers policies.

“To Consequently direct all Affiliates and State Councils to begin immediate mobilization and closely work with associations, individuals and other entities including the ones already on the streets to ensure that government listens to the people.”

It continued, “On the 29th day of May, 2023, the President of the federal republic gave Nigerians an inaugural shocking gift by increasing the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from N185 to N500; this action was considered was strongly condemned by various Organs of Congress because of the massive suffering it imposed on the lives of Nigerians.

“However, as if that was not enough, the federal government through the instrumentality of the NNPCL effected a further hike in the price of PMS to N617 per litre without having addressed the dire consequences which the earlier hike had imposed on Nigerians. Other anti-poor policies have since been unleashed on Nigerians which have left workers and masses reeling and deeply impoverished.

“CWC-in-Session noted unfortunately that the federal government has shown enormous disdain and contempt for Nigerian people and workers having acted and continued to act without regards to the welfare and cries of the citizenry.

“That government seems to have declared a war of attrition on Nigerian workers and masses without any care leaving them to the throes of hopelessness and helplessness.

“That the federal government has refused to put in place safeguards to protect Nigerians from the harsh Economic situation that its policies have inflicted on the people rather it has decided to insult the sensibilities of Nigerian masses by offering us N8,000 per family and offering themselves N70 billion.

“That the federal government has frustrated and abandoned its own committee which was a product of social dialogue between the government and workers organisations in the country. While the committee has not met, the government embarked on unilateral actions and programmes.”

Lawmakers in Enugu State under the aegis of the Forum of 260 Ward Councillors In Enugu State, on Tuesday mourned and held a candle light procession for late Mr Sylvester Ofunwa.

It would be recalled that Ofunwa, the Councillor representing Eha-Ulo Ward in Nsukka Local Government Area, was murdered by suspected hoodlums within his house at his home-town in Eha-Alumona community on Sunday, July 16.

Addressing journalists after the prayers and candle light procession of hundreds of councilors in Enugu, the Coordinator of the Forum, Chief Nnamdi Odo, said that councilors gathered to mourn “the gruesome killing of an honorable councillor last week”.

According to Odo, our departed colleague, Ofunwa, until his death, was a great crusader for justice and community development.

“The 260 ward Councillors in Enugu State also used this mourning gathering to pray for His Excellency, Gov. Peter Mbah, and for the success of his administration especially in the area of security.

“We commend the state government’s efforts in ending the menace of sit-at-home in the state.
“We pledge our support in mobilising our wards to key into this fight, aimed at restoring the economy of our state,” he said.

Odo, who is also the spokesman of the Forum, said that the councillors were also begging for improved welfare for councillors especially due to the current economic hardship.

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“The monthly take home and allowances of Councillors does not reflect the present situation of the country. The burden of the political ward falls on us with our meager salary,” he said.

The coordinator said that the councillors commend the state’s commissioner of police and all the security agencies in the state for their speedy response in investigating the murder case of Ofunwa.

He said, “The Forum equally implores them to speedy action to bring the perpetrators to book.
“Finally, we call on the Commissioner of Police to beef up security in our various political wards in the state.”

Condemnation has trailed the conduct of the Department of State Services at the Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday during the court appearance of the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.

The DSS took Emefiele before the court for arraignment on Tuesday but rearrested and whisked him away despite that the court granted him bail and ordered that he should be remanded at the Ikoyi facility of the Nigerian Correctional Services.

The situation led to a clash between DSS operatives and prison officials.

Emefiele was arraigned on two counts of illegal firearms possession before Justice Nicholas Oweibo.

He was brought before the court in a white Hilux van accompanied by heavily-armed DSS operatives.

On arrival on the court premises on Tuesday morning, Emefiele, who wore a white jalamia and looked frail, was immediately whisked into the courtroom.

When the charges were read to him, Emefiele, however, pleaded not guilty.

The defence lawyer, Joseph Daudu (SAN), who led four other senior advocates, moved an application for Emefiele’s bail.

But the DSS counsel, Mrs Nkiru Jones-Nebo, objected to the bail, saying she had not been served with a copy of the application.

However, Justice Oweibo, in a ruling granted Emefiele bail in the sum of N20m with one surety in like sum.

The judge, however, ordered that he should be remanded in the Ikoyi custodial facility of the Nigeria Correctional Services pending the perfection of the bail conditions.

The judge, subsequently, adjourned till November 14 for trial.

However, heavy drama ensued after the court proceedings, as DSS operatives laid siege outside the courtroom to re-arrest Emefiele.

The situation, which led to a face-off between DSS operatives and men of the Nigerian Correctional Services, saw Emefiele stuck in the courtroom long after the conclusion of court proceedings.

In the ensuing battle for control, the prison commander was ruffled and his uniform was torn, while he was being dragged towards the DSS van by DSS operatives who swarmed on him.

The situation angered Emefiele’s family members and lawyers, who accused the DSS of acting lawlessly and disrespecting the court.
A man who gave his name as George and introduced himself as Emefiele’s brother described the development as unfortunate in a democratic dispensation.

“Three courts have said release him on bail, he’s not running away for God’s sake. He has served this nation for nine years, where is he going to go to? All his life is in Nigeria here.

“You can imagine a situation where two military federal government apparatus are fighting themselves, manhandling the commander of the prison commission, it is a disgrace to this nation, it is a complete disgrace,” George said.

Condemning the development in an interview with The PUNCH, human rights lawyer, Ebun Olu-Adegoruwa (SAN), said, “I believe that the President is aware of the actions of the DSS; it is giving a bad image to this administration, where security agencies are engaging in a physical scuffle in open court to the extent of tearing their uniforms, which is a symbol of authority of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and desecrating the hallowed chambers of the court without respect for the judge.

“The videos I saw today was a total contempt of the authority of the judiciary because what we are saying is that once anybody is within the premises of the court, you have to respect the authority.”

Similarly, Prof Sam Erugo (SAN), said the refusal of the DSS to allow the correctional services to take Emefiele into their custody marked another embarrassing day for the Nigerian government.

He said, “It is very obvious that DSS is acting as if there is no rule of law in Nigeria. I think somebody has to tell them that they are going to the extreme.

“I think they should tell them that there is rule of law in Nigeria.”

Another lawyer, Okerechidum Nnamdi, said no institution of government should be above the law.

Nnamdi said, “They can’t be above the law because they are a creation of a piece of legislation; they can’t be above the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; as they must act in accordance with the law.”

The defendant’s lead counsel, Daudu, also decried the development.

“He has been brought to court and has been granted bail. You can see the vehicles of the DSS and that of the Correctional Service. I must tell you that because of the delay in perfecting the bail conditions, the officials of the Ikoyi Prison have legal obligations to take him to Ikoyi Prison.

“Ikoyi Prison is not far from the court and it’s a federal institution. Why they want him in their custody is what beats my imagination. But, what is more, devastating is the fact that the DSS came to court with two counts and the court, in its discretion, granted him bail, but you still want to arrest the person, because the court said to take him to the correctional centre.”

Barr. Chijioke Edeoga

Labour Party governorship candidate in the 2023 general elections in Enugu state, Barr. Chijioke Edeoga has called on security agencies to engage protesters in a more civil manner.

Barr. Edeoga while reacting to the protest that erupted in Enugu on Wednesday over the sealing of shops and business centers by Governor Peter Mbah led administration, said legitimate Protest is the right of every citizen as enshrined in the constitution.

Governor Peter Mbah who had earlier banned Sit-at-home order in the state declaring it “illegal” had on Monday ordered that all shops and business centers which failed to open for businesses be sealed off.

Dissatisfied with the decision, thousands of market men and women in Ogbete Main market Enugu on Wednesday took to the streets in the metropolis to protest and register their displeasure over the development.

It was reported that about three people lost their lives in the protest.

Barr. Chijioke Edeoga who described the situation as ‘unfortunate’, noted that such development was avoidable.

In his verified twitter handle, Edeoga called on security agencies to engage the protesters in a more civil manner to avoid breakdown of law and order in the state.

“I have just been notified of the death of a trader, protesting the sealing of his shop in Enugu metropolis.
This is Sad, unfortunate and avoidable.
Human life is sacred and must be treated as such.
I call on the security agencies to engage the protesters in a more civil manner to avoid breakdown of law and order in our dear state.
Legitimate Protest is the right of every citizen as enshrined in our constitution.” He concluded

Former Rivers State governorship candidate, Prince Tonye Princewill has criticised the organised labour for being too silent on the removal of the subsidy on Premium Motor Spiritual, otherwise called petrol.

He said Nigerians expect to hear more from labour given the pains and hardship occasioned by the fuel subsidy removal by President Bola Tinubu.

Princewill who contested for Governorship during the 2015 election under the platform of the Labour Party said this during an interactive session with newsmen at his residence in Port Harcourt on Saturday.

He stated that though subsidy removal was not peculiar to Nigeria, but the apex government’s decision to do so without putting the necessary measures in place to cushion its effect on the citizens was unfortunate.

Princewill who resigned from the All Progressives Congress before the 2023 elections emphasized that the fraud in the subsidy must be addressed.

He stated, “The issue of subsidy is deep. Countries subsidise all the time. But in this country, we have a subsidy and we found out that there was fraud in the subsidy.

“So in removing the subsidy, what about the fraud? And then look at the pain on the people.”

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Continuing, the businessman said, “So to me, removal of subsidy is the removal of the fraud of subsidy.

“It (subsidy) didn’t just come by surprise. So palliative measures, and countermeasures needed to have been put in place.

“We have enough brains in this country to establish things that need to be put in place to make the pains of people a lot easier.

“If that has not been put in place as far as I’m concerned, there is no excuse. So it is unfortunate.”

Princewill further said spending trillions of Naira subsidising fuel is ‘nonsensical’, saying, “If you are not going to do that, then you have to have alternatives in place.”

He added, “If you are going to take away this money and make these savings, then you have to point out what is it you are doing with the money.

“The government has to answer those questions. If they don’t answer those questions, people will not forget.

“I think labour has been a bit too quiet. I don’t know what the negotiation is that is ongoing or not ongoing. But we (Nigerians) expect to hear from labour a lot more in this regard.”

The ex-Governoship candidate used the forum to announce that his late father and King of Kalanari Kingdom, HRM. TJT Princewill, the longest-serving monarch in Rivers would be laid to rest between November 29-30, 2023.

The late sage spent 20 years on the throne (2002 to 2023) before his passing.