₦airaland Forum

Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), says the National Assembly’s attempt to reorder the 2019 election sequence is illegal as it breaches several provisions of the 1999 Constitution.

Falana, therefore, called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to ignore the National Assembly as its proposed law is dead on arrival.

The senior advocate said in a statement on Thursday that the Supreme Court had affirmed INEC’s power to organise and supervise elections and the power could not be undermined by an Act of Parliament.

Falana said if the National Assembly couldn’t organise an election, then it followed that it couldn’t fix the sequence of an election.

The human rights lawyer said, “As far as the constitution is concerned, the power of INEC to organise, undertake and supervise the elections, which has been interpreted to include the power to fix the dates for the general elections or determine the sequence of the elections, has not been altered in any material.

“It is the height of legislative absurdity to say that the power donated to INEC by the constitution shall be exercised in accordance with the provision of an interior legislation. In Attorney-General, Abia State v. Attorney-General of the Federation (2002) 1 WRN 1 at 45, Kutigi CJN (as he then was) held that ‘where the provision in the Act is within the legislative powers of the National Assembly but the constitution is found to have already made the same or similar provision, then the new provision will be regarded as invalid for duplication and/or inconsistency and therefore inoperative.’

“The same fate will befall any provision of the Act which seeks to enlarge, curtail or alter any existing provision of the constitution. The provision or provisions will be treated as unconstitutional and therefore null and void.

“From the foregoing, it is submitted that the interference in the exercise of the powers of INEC to appoint dates for holding the general elections in Nigeria is illegal as the provision of the Electoral Bill, 2018 is inconsistent with Sections 76, 116, 132 and 178 of the constitution. To the extent of such inconsistency, the provision of the Electoral Bill is illegal, null and void as stipulated by Section 1(3) of the constitution.”

The senior advocate, however, said some aspects of the Electoral Bill 2018 had the capacity to promote internal democracy and enhance the credibility of the electoral process.

Meanwhile, strong indications have emerged that the battle over the amendment is not over yet.

The Presidency on Friday said the amendment bill, which originated from the House of Representatives but which has caused a crisis in the Senate, had been transmitted to President Muhammadu Buhari for his assent.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, confirmed the transmission when contacted.

“Yes, it has been transmitted,” he said.

When asked the exact date the document was transmitted, Enang said, “I can only confirm that it has been transmitted; I have delivered it.”

It was, however, learnt that Buhari’s action on the bill would determine the next line of action by the opposing groups. Meanwhile, those against the amendment have indicated their readiness to veto the bill.

A credible source in the Senate, who spoke to one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity, disclosed that the upper chamber of the National Assembly was set to invoke its veto power should Buhari withhold presidential assent to the bill, while those opposed to the amendment also promised not to back down should the President withhold his assent.

The source said, “Based on the provisions of the law, the President has 30 days to assent to it, failing which the National Assembly will invoke its powers. This is not about Buhari; it is about allowing the law to take its course in the interest of Nigerians.”

Speaking to one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity, one of the aggrieved lawmakers said they would only back down should Buhari assent to the bill. He, therefore, urged the President to withhold his assent.

The lawmaker insisted that Saraki should have allowed a headcount to clearly determine the majority and minority votes on the adoption of the report when he called for a vote.

“Even though the decision has been taken, we await what the President would do; he can either sign or reject it,” he said.

When asked how his group would feel if Buhari refused to assent to the bill, the senator said, “If he does not sign it, that means it can be vetoed. When it comes to the floor, those who believe that Section 25 ought to be part of the new amendment will have their say; and those of us who are opposed to the inclusion of that section will also have our say.”

President Muhammadu Buhari, Saturday assured Nigerians that his government was working hard to reduce the rate of unemployment in the country.

Buhari, who was represented by Deputy Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Chinedu Mafiano, spoke at the 22nd convocation ceremony of the university of Abuja on Saturday.

The General Superintendent, Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor William Kumuyi was awarded an Honourable doctorate degree along with the late Ahmadu Bello University’s historian, Dr. Yusuf Bala Usman and Alhj. Dikko Aliyu, for their contributions to nation building.

Kumuyi ( Doctor of Science) Usman (Doctor of Letters) and Aliyu (Doctor of management) joined 7,148 graduands to receive their degrees at the university’s main campus. Felix Jimoh emerged best overall graduating student.

A breakdown of the figures showed that 16 students bagged first class, 507 second class upper division, 3,143 second class lower division, 3,160 third class and 180 students had pass degrees.

President Buhari said: “My government is working hard to reduce the unemployment rates through several programmes and initiatives including the N-power, agriculture, small and medium scale businesses (SMEs), all of which are supported by government guaranteed loan scheme. I encourage you all to key into any of them for national growth and development.

“Government will devote attention to technical and vocational educational training to impact the necessary skills to our youths in a bid to provide the requisite, competent and reliant personnel that can sustain the nation’s economic activities for the required socio-economic transformation.”

He charged Nigerian universities to continue to partner governments at all levels in order to build a thriving economy.

“The Nigerian university system must continue to be partners in progress with governments at all levels. My administration recognizes that interdependency and professionals are the drivers of a thriving economy.

“If we must keep up with this global trend, education must be given its right place. My government is determined to continue to improve access to quality in our educational system.

“Consequently, infrastructure, teachers development, curriculum relevance, funding and planning will continue to receive a boost with the resolve that they will facilitate the desired change in sociology-economic, political, and technological sectors,” Buhari added.

Pastor Kumuyi, in his address, said the awardees would continue to contribute their quota to the development of the university.

He charged the graduating students to use the knowledge they have acquired to help transform the country into a global economic power.

He said: “Nigeria has many opportunities despite the challenges we face as a nation today. You must be determined to use the knowledge that you have gained at this university to help transform our nation into the global economic powerhouse that it is destined to be.

“All hands should be joined together to provide lacking structures and indispensable facilities required for academic excellence. We must focus on our vision and have faith. With our belief, ambition, determination and the fear of God, we can make university of Abuja better,” Kumuyi, said.

Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Michael Adikwu, noted that there had been much improvement in the activities of the university as seen in staff training and development of infrastructures.

He urged the graduands to rise up to the socio-economic challenges that the country currently faces by being creative.

He appealed to Buhari for more funds, noting that the institution still lacked adequate funding to complete crucial projects .

Prof. Adikwu said: “At this convocation, the university will be graduating a total of 7, 148 made up of 16 first class graduands in the first degree category, 507 second class upper division, 3,143 second class lower division, 3, 160 will pass out with third class while 180 of the graduands have pass degrees.

“A total of 242 higher degree graduands, made up of 91 Postgraduate Diploma holders, 78 Masters Degrees and 73 with Doctorate Degrees. We congratulate them.”

dunkem21:
They probably thought it's GEJ you can stone

ifrosh:
i dey tell u...Animal everywhere.

Empress2014:
good evening

Empress2014:



Bishops sef know say to lick sweets with the nylon no dey sweet.

By the way AIDS IS REAL

The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, says Federal Government is working toward establishing specialised bank to assist innovators and entrepreneurs in science and technology ventures.

The minister said this after listening to presentations by some student inventors and innovators at the ongoing 1st International Workshop on Science Parks and Innovation Eco-system for National Development (SPIE4ND) on Friday at University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).

He said the delay in the coming on board of the specialised bank was due to the earlier economic recession in the country, noting that the bank should have taken off by now “but we had a challenge of recession and accompanying paucity of funds.

“But I believe that with the picking up of the economy and other economic activities now; I believe it would not be long it would be a reality.

“Talks were in progress with stakeholders and government partners on the specialised bank project.”

Onu said that with the coming on stream of the bank, funding issue for innovations, science and technology ventures, as well as to an extend science researches meant to solve societal challenges, would be taken care of.

He said Federal Government had also made innovations and development in science and technology as the focal point of its Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).

He advised young innovators to protect their work through patenting them and jealously guard the secret of their work against intellectual theft.

The minister assured UNN that he would be sending heads of parastatal agencies under his ministry to discuss and know how to help the university to develop its science park programme and other technological-driven programmes.

He added that “the ministry and its agencies will assist you in various ways to ensure that we build the capacity of young inventors and innovators.

“Heads of parastatal agencies under the ministry will be coming down here to discuss with the vice-chancellor on how best to assist you in any aspect of these programmes to create jobs and wealth needed from it.”

Onu urged the students not to give-up hope, saying “I see many Bill Gates and other great inventors and innovators among you.”

The four-day workshop, which started on Feb. 21, was organised by UNN; Ideon Science Park, Sweden and LundaVision AB, Sweden.

It was attended by over 100 lecturers from across Nigerian and African universities, including investors.

Lalasticlala, Mynd44

The Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, on Thursday said the Nigerian government would need more time to assess the situation around the community where some schoolgirls were reportedly kidnapped in Yobe State on Monday.

“On the issue of the number of missing girls, we cannot give what we are not sure of, until we hear from their parents, we cannot say this is the number,” Mr. Mohammed told reporters shortly after he arrived at Government Girls Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Thursday afternoon. “Give us a few more time please”.

Mr. Mohammed was amongst the three ministers that President Muhammadu Buhari asked on Wednesday to embark on an immediate fact-finding mission to the state.
Scores of girls are reported missing following a Boko Haram attack on the school Monday night. Conflicting accounts of both state and federal officials over the crisis have further confused and worsened the anxieties of parents and other citizens.

Mr. Mohammed’s comments that the Buhari administration cannot immediately give any details about the situation came a day after the state government said some of the kidnapped girls have been rescued and handed over to the Nigerian Army.

But that account now seems to be in dispute, as the Defence Headquarters said the alleged rescue could not be confirmed.
“We cannot confirm” the statement by Yobe State that some of the girls have been rescued, Defence spokesperson, John Agim, told PREMIUM TIMES Thursday morning.

Similarly, a federal lawmaker who represents the community said the report that girls were kidnapped was untrue.

“The military did not rescue any girls yesterday as being reported in the media,” Goni Bukar, the lawmaker representing Bursari/Geidam/Yunusari federal constituency, told PREMIUM TIMES by telephone Thursday afternoon.

“I am currently speaking with you from the school and I stand here with the governor and other top military officials, I can tell you that no girls were rescued,” he added. “We have only been able to locate some girls in one or two batches at different places.”

A PREMIUM TIMES reporter arrived in Dapchi, about 100 kilometres from Damaturu, the state capital, Thursday afternoon.

Mr. Mohammed arrived at the community with Khadijat Bukar-Ibrahim, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
Governor of Yobe State, Ibrahim Geidam, was on ground to receive the team. The Theatre Commander, Operations Lafiya Dole, Rogers Nicholas, a major-general, was also on the scene.

The minister and his entourage were briefed by the governor and the General Officer Commanding 3 Division, Damaturu.
Shortly after the briefing, Mr. Mohammed told reporters that he was delegated by the president to visit the attacked community and commiserate with the victims.

He said his delegation which also includes a representative of the minister of defence, was also to find out the true situation about the missing schoolgirls.

On the issue of the missing students, the minister said it is still too early to determine their whereabouts.

“We are still monitoring the situation and what I want people to understand is that since two days ago some of the students who fled to neighbouring towns and communities had returned and more have been returning.

“When we arrived here we have been briefed by the governor and the GOC about the situation of the students. We know there are few students who are yet accounted for, but we don’t want to manufacture stories on this issue. But give us few days, we will be able to tell you exactly the real situation of things.

“But you can see response of the military, the response of the state government is quite commendable. Since four days now we have been following the efforts being made to arrest the situation,” he said.

He lampooned the Boko Haram and said the sect only attacked the school because it is in its dying days and craving media attention.

“But we must understand that these are they dying days of the Boko Haram and what they intend to do is to embarrass the government because they have been degraded, they have been pushed out of Sambisa forest.

“They have been starved out of oxygen and the oxygen they feed on is publicity so that they can grab the world’s attention. But I can assure you that with the determination of our gallant military, the days of Boko Haram are numbered.”

Lalasticlala, Mynd44

The corpses of two missing Dapchi schoolgirls who were abducted by the Boko Haram terrorists on Monday, in Yobe state, have been recovered by the Nigerian military.

Their bodies were recovered during rescue operation, according to Reuters.

Recall that Boko Haram terrorists had on Monday, attacked the Government Girls Science Technical College (GGSTC), Dapchi, Yobe state, and abducted many of the girls, and ever since, several conflicting reports have emerged as to the true situation of the incident.

While Nigerian army claimed to have rescued 48 of the girls,the Yobe State Governor, Ibrahim Gaidam on Thursday faulted the claim when he visited the affected families in Dapchi community, Yobe state on Thursday.

Governor Gaidam said “Until now, we have no certainly that these boys (Boko haram) have taken these girls.

“We should keep praying so that God reveal the whereabouts of the girls.

“We directed the soldiers and security personnel to go anywhere the girls are said to have been seen and find them. I am together with the GOC, Brig-Gen Garba.

“His men went to places that the girls were said to have been sighted but, for the past two days, wherever the troops go, they were only told that it was a convoy of Boko haram passing through the villages but they didn’t see any girls.”

femi4:
What is Thursday-Thursday football doing on FP

If we can't have ManCity and Liverpool UCL matches on FP, I wonder why Europa matches should grace the FP

Obas101:
It's actually delicious

oderemo:
Y on earth must someone doing a paid job
Be eulogies, we praise governor when they do paid job, president when he does his paid job, are we sick.
These guys are civil servants for christ sake.

If i tear you beta e-Slap now eeeh

Sprumbabafather:
When Jonathan was the president, Buharri refused to attend this same meetings in Aso rock?