A former member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, and Wife of popular Juju Musician, King Sunny Ade, Hon. Risikat Ajoke Adegeye is dead.
The deceased who was also a former Chairmanship Aspirant under the platform of All Progressives Congress,APC, in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area, reportedly died in the early hours of Tuesday.
Adegeye, a devoted and loyal party member of the APC, died after a brief sickness.
As of press time, the cause of her death was unknown. A source, told Vanguard that the death could have been as a result of cancer which the deceased had battled for a long time before she succumed finally to death.
However, Mr George Folarin Olawande, confirmed the death on behalf of the family in a statement on Tuesday.
The statement read in part: “We wish to formally inform, friends, well-wishers, political associates, and the general public that Hon Risikat Ajoke Adegeye passed on after a brief illness during the early hours of Tuesday, 21st September 2021.
“Hon Risikat Ajoke Adegeye was a Honourable Member in the 6th Assembly of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
“She will be greatly missed not only by her immediate family but also by her political associates and followers. Further information in respect to her burial ceremony will be announced later after extensive consultations with the family.
“Thank you as we pray that she continues to rest peacefully and eternally with the Almighty God.”
It was earlier reported that the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene expressway where the High Court of Abia State is situated, was cordoned off as human and vehicular movements around the area were restricted by hostile security personnel.
UPDATED:
The High Court of Abia State on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of the case involving the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, till October 7, 2021.
The vacation judge, Justice K. C. J. Okereke, took the decision as the Federal Government of Nigeria and five other respondents in the case have yet to file their responses to the suit brought before the court by Kanu, challenging the alleged infringement on his fundamental rights by the Nigerian government.
In the suit, no HIH/FR14/2021, the respondents include the Federal Government of Nigeria (1st), Attorney General of the Federation (2nd), Chief of Army Staff (3rd), Inspector General of Police (5th), Director General, State Security Services (7th) and three others.
The PUNCH had reported that Kanu, through his lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, on September 7, asked the court to award him N5bn as damages for the breach of his fundamental human rights which began with the 2017 extrajudicial attempt on his life in Abia, his involuntary flight to safety/exile, his abduction in Kenya, and his extradition to Nigeria.
He had prayed the court to declare that his arrest, torture and detention were unconstitutional.
He had also prayed the court to declare that his expulsion from Kenya to Nigeria, as well as the military invasion of his building in Abia in 2017, were illegal and unlawful.
The IPOB leader had secured an order from the court to serve by substituted means an application for enforcement of his fundamental rights.
At today’s hearing, it emerged that out of the eight respondents, only two – the DSS in Abuja and Umuahia – have filed their responses to the suit but their processes were filed out of time.
Nothing was received from the other six respondents, which include FG, the AGF and the Nigerian Army.
The judge subsequently adjourned the case till October 7 to allow the other respondents file in their responses.
In making his ruling for adjournment of the matter, the judge noted that Kanu shall be entitled to certain reliefs against any party that fails to timely respond to the suit.
When asked about the chances of success of the suit, Ejimakor drew some inspiration from the September 17, 2021 fundamental rights judgment of the Oyo State High Court in favour of Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo (Igboho) and against the Federal Government.
Ejimakor said, “The Oyo State High Court judgment in Igboho’s case (which is similar to Kanu) restates the locus classicus on the wide jurisdiction of State High Courts when it comes to enforcement of the fundamental rights stipulated under the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter.”
Sit-at-home: FG takes decision on South East candidates who missed 2021 WASSCE
The Ministry of Education on Monday assured that candidates who missed the 2021 West Africa Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) in the Southeastern region following the enforcement of sit-at-home by some secessionists, will be given another opportunity to write the examination.
This was disclosed by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr Sonny Echono while monitoring some examination centres in Abuja on Monday.
Echono frowned at the Sept. 13 disruption of examination centres in the South East, particularly in Imo State.
He, however, expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the examination across the country which was written by over 1.57 million candidates.
According to Echono, the ministry will put modalities in place to ensure that the candidates who missed the examination in the South East are given other opportunities to write it.
“We are very pleased that all around the country; examinations are going on peacefully as we have a total of over 19,000 exams centres across the country with over 1.57million registered candidates.
“Besides the disruptions we had on Sept.13 in the South East where some candidates were stopped from doing the exams, it is a peaceful examination.
“We are complying with all the standards and ethics of examinations, we are pursuing very hard more cases, incidence or possibilities of examinations malpractice because we have a zero-tolerance for examinations malpractice.
“We shall punish any person found culpable and ensure that sanity is restored in our system,’’ he said.
Echono further said that the ministry did not encounter challenges in preparing students for the examinations aside from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“All COVID-19 safety protocols are being strictly adhered to in centres across the country,” he said.
He said that although some schools were closed in states due to the COVID-19 pandemic, alternative arrangements were made especially for exit classes to take the examination.
On the possibilities of examination malpractices, Echono said that cases were usually collated at the end of the examination, pointing out that the culprits would also be brought to book.
He said the ministry was collaborating with relevant examination bodies and Non-Government Organisations to fish out candidates involved in examination malpractices.
“This is because we have a lot of miscreants who are perpetrating and deceiving people. We are going to undertake a general overhaul for all those offering so-called services to candidates.
“We didn’t see much of malpractices in internal examinations like this because these are students who are already in school,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the permanent secretary led the monitoring team to the Federal Government Girls College (FGGC) Bwari and Government Girls Secondary School, Dutse.
It was also observed that the students of the GGSS, Dutse, were in full compliance with COVID-19 protocols.
BREAKING NEWS: Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has signed the Law to prohibit open cattle grazing and trespass of cattle on Land in Lagos State, and for connected purposes.
The Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has said governors are afraid of signing death warrants of convicts because they would not want to order the execution and later find out that the person did not deserve to die.
Governors in the country have been criticised for being reluctant to signing death warrants of convicts that have exhausted their legal options, a move that has been identified as contributing to the congestion in correctional facilities across the country.
But responding to a question in an interview with Trust TV, Governor Ganduje said they were wary of quickly signing the death warrants because the judicial process is “suspicious.”
He recalled an incident involving a former governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, saying, “At one time he signed the warrant and somebody was executed judiciously. Later on, it was discovered that he was not supposed to have been executed. The judgement was faulty.”
He added that following that incident, governors became more careful about death warrants, adding, “From time to time we sign, but we think that issue should be looked at constitutionally to find out what measures can be put in place so that people are not killed, only to discover later that they were not supposed to have been be killed. And you cannot retrieve the life of any creature.”
In the interview, Governor Ganduje also spoke on why politicians are eager to switch from one party to another, saying it is mainly due to internal crises within the parties. Her added that it is very difficult for parties in Nigeria to be separated based on ideologies.
He noted that at the moment, there is little or no difference between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in terms of ideology, which makes it easy for politicians to switch with ease. He, however, noted the importance of parties having different ideologies.
“This is not an issue that constitution or government will impose, but one that will evolve. And of course, it is coming. With time, politics is becoming more complicated as people are becoming more enlightened,” he said, adding that in the long run, the electorate would be fed up with politicians switching parties.
The Governor also reiterated that he had not anointed any politician in Kano State as his successor, saying reports in some section of the media that a candidate had been anointed was purely a “mischief.”
“People in Kano know that we have not anointed any candidate, either for gubernatorial, senatorial or any other position. We are more concerned with governance, up till the time the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will come up with its timetable,” he said.
The Chairman of Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, David Irimagha, has passed on just days after celebrating the first 100 days into his second term in office.
Irimagha’s untimely death has thrown the people of the LGA into mourning following the unofficial sad report.
The council chairman died Saturday at an undisclosed hospital in Port Harcourt, reports say.
Community sources disclosed that there was no official confirmation from his family, the Bonny Local Government Council or his party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Irimagha had reportedly been sick for a while and had been complaining about not feeling healthy.
A source who did not want to be mentioned in print said: ‘We hear that his lungs were rupturing and he went into a coma and later gave up the ghost around midnight.’
Another source attributed it to COVID-19 complications, saying that he was diagnosed and treated for the infection, but he went into a coma and later passed.
Irimagha was a one-time leader of the Bonny Legislative Assembly and was elected for a second term in office on Saturday, April 17, and subsequently sworn into office by Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike on Thursday, June 17 at Government House, Port Harcourt.
There are basically three legitimate ways to become a professor: by climbing the professional ladder in a university; by being appointed to the position from outside academia in recognition of vast and varied industry experience or artistic wizardly in a field; and through a courtesy appointment. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami’s record does not qualify him for any.
Let’s start with the first. Pantami’s undergraduate degree in computer science from the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, was earned in 2003. That’s less than 20 years ago. When he started his academic career as a Graduate Assistant at ATBU in 2004, the computer science department that awarded him his bachelor’s degree rejected him because his degree was “weak”; he was instead employed in the Information Technology section of the Faculty of Management where he also got his master’s degree in 2010/2011 and got promoted to Assistant Lecturer.
In 2011, he got the Petroleum Trust Fund Development (PTDF) scholarship to study for a PhD at the Department of Management in the Aberdeen Business School of Robert Gordon University, which he earned in August 2014.
Upon his return to ATBU, he was promoted to Lecturer 1—skipping one rank. He requested to be promoted to Senior Lecturer but was denied because he had insufficient publication record to justify his request. He resigned in protest and took up an appointment at the Salafist, male-Muslim-only Islamic University of Madinah as an Assistant Professor of Information Science.
In 2016, he accepted a government appointment as DG of NITDA and has never returned to academia since then.
Now, three criteria are used to promote academics: teaching, research, and service. Pantami’s entire university teaching record is less than 10 years—if you consider that he never taught either at ATBU or at Robert Gordon University (although he lied that he did during his senate confirmation hearing) during his three years of doctoral studies.
His research output is even more underwhelming. Although he brags about having “over 160 publications,” his actual scholarly output is really thin for someone who wants to be a professor. When I checked SCOPUS, the well-regarded database of top-level, peer-reviewed academic journals, using his legal name, that is, Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami is the name of his neighborhood in Gombe town, which he doesn’t legally bear), only three articles and one citation came up.
Of the three articles, he is the single author of one (which is actually only a 2-page country report) and a distant co-author in two. All three articles were published between 2018 and 2019 while he’s in government.
But SCOPUS can be unjustifiably exclusionary, so I looked him up on Google Scholar, a more expansive and laissez faire database of scholarly articles and books. He has exactly 10 articles and 39 citations there. Of the 10 articles, he is the first or sole author of 5 and a “tag-me-along” co-author of 5.
Sadly, at least 5 of his 10 articles are in dubious, pay-to-play, predatory journals that would destroy the academic career of any scholar in a serious country. Most of the articles were accepted and published in the same month that they were submitted! Since peer review typically takes months, the articles were clearly not peer-reviewed.
Evidence of a lack of peer review is evident in the fact that several of the articles are riddled with avoidable proofreading and grammatical errors. Plus, many of them, such as one that was basically an unimaginative 7-page rehash of publicly available facts about NAFDAC, are flat-out scholarly scams that a serious undergraduate won’t even be caught committing.
He published only two scholarly articles—in 2013 (from his PhD thesis) and in 2015—before he came to government, which explains why ATBU refused to promote him to senior lectureship. By 2014 when he wanted to be a Senior Lecturer, he had only one notable publication.
There is no serious university in the world that can legitimately promote a former Lecturer I (at ATBU) or an Assistant Professor (at the Islamic University of Madinah) overnight to the position of professor with only 10 substandard publications in predatory journals and 39 citations. The minimum number of publications required to be promoted to professorship in most Nigerian universities is 15. A professor should ideally have at least 100 citations.
Plus, Pantami didn’t spend up to a year as Lecturer I. Nigerian academics are required to spend at least 3 years in a rank. Three years as a Lecturer I, 3 years as a Senior Lecturer, and 3 years as a Reader would give you 9 years. That means he needs to spend at least 9 years in the university after his ministerial appointment— and publish a few more articles— to be qualified for promotion to professor. In Saudi Arabia, it would require at least 8 more years.
(Of course, if he was actually employed by FUTO that “promoted” him, his unmerited professorship wouldn’t have attracted any notice since there are several such examples of perversions of traditions all over Nigerian universities. It’s the absurdity of being promoted to a professor at and by a university he was never affiliated with while he’s a serving minister that made the fraud stick out like a sore thumb.)
Also note that Pantami’s PhD is in management, a social science discipline, not in computer science or cybersecurity. So, it’s doubly fraudulent that he has been “promoted” to the professorship of a discipline he didn’t study or publish in extensively.
His doctoral dissertation, titled “A theoretical and empirical investigation of the barriers to the adoption of state-of-the-art information systems by Nigerian indigenous oil companies,” which is freely available on the Internet, is basically a survey of employees of Nigerian oil companies on their perceptions of IT policies in their places of employment. It’s a social scientific study that any political science, sociology, or economics graduate can conduct.
Now that I have established that he can’t legitimately be a professor anywhere in the world on the basis of his scholarship and pedagogy, can he be appointed a professor on the strength of his industry experience? No! The only other job Pantami has ever done outside of government and his less than 10 years of university teaching is being the Imam of ATBU. He has never invented any cybersecurity patent and has never worked in a cybersecurity company.
The only discipline that can validly appoint him as a professor of practice is Islamic Studies. Say what you may about him, he is one of northern Nigeria’s most prodigious and consequential Islamic exegetes. His oeuvre in Islamic exegesis is unquestionably worthy of a professorial appointment in Islamic jurisprudence. That’s the path of least resistance he should have taken since he desperately desires to be addressed as a professor.
In defense of Pantami’s professorial fraud, one Professor Tukur Sa’ad hashed over a litany of people who became professors without terminal degrees and without prior teaching experience, as if I didn’t already make that point and called it an example of what we call a “professor of practice” in American academe.
In my December 20, 2015 column titled “A Comparison of Everyday University Vocabularies in Nigeria, America, and Britain (II),” I gave an even more dramatic example than Sa’ad’s in the late Maya Angelou who was a lifetime endowed professor of American literature at Wake Forest University but who didn’t have a bachelor’s degree.
Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, JP Clark, Ngugi wa Thiong’o and a host of other literary icons didn’t have—and didn’t need to have—a PhD to become professors. Apart from the fact that they didn’t climb the professorial mountain from the top (they started from lectureship), their path-breaking and prodigiously creative outputs are equivalent to—and in some cases exceed—a PhD.
In North American universities, it's called "Research and Creative Activity" for a reason. Wole Soyinka, Achebe, JP Clark, etc. had vast and varied oeuvres in "creative activity" before they became professors. Plus, during their time, the possession of a PhD was not a requirement to move through the academic hierarchy.
Pantami does not come even remotely close to their record in the field FUTO awarded him a fraudulent professorship. In any case, Soyinka, Achebe, etc. taught at the universities where they were professors. Pantami is a serving minister.
How about a courtesy professorship? Pantami isn’t qualified for that, either. A courtesy professorship is a professorial appointment given to distinguished professors at other universities who need not be at the universities that appointed them.
It’s called an “honorary professor” in some UK universities, an “extraordinary professor” in South African universities, and a “professor-at-large” in others. It’s basically an honor given to people who’re already professors elsewhere, so you can’t become a courtesy professor at another university if you are not already one somewhere else.
Some people said Pantami’s “achievements” as a minister are worthy of a professorial appointment. Haha! OK, so people who imagine themselves to be successful in whatever they do should now apply to FUTO for a Pantamized fraudfessorship to aggrandize their insecure egos?
Look, I’m calling out Pantami’s professorial fraud not in spite of my being a Muslim and his friend but because I’m a Muslim and his friend. My father, who was a Hafiz like him, would disown me if I ignored or gave comfort to fraud.
- El-Rufai condoles communities attacked in Igabi, Chikun, Giwa, Birnin Gwari and Sanga LGAs.
Security agencies have reported to the Kaduna State Government that two people were killed in separate attacks by armed bandits in Giwa LGA.
According to the reports, armed bandits invaded a herder's settlement Rugan Mati, and there shot one Shuaibu Mati to death.
Furthermore, bandits invaded Tudun Amada Wazata in Kadage, and killed one Samaila Mai Yankan Katako in his residence.
Governor Nasir El-Rufai expressed his deep sadness at the reports, and sent his sincere condolences to the families of the victims, as he prayed for the repose of their souls.
Going further, the Governor commiserated with communities across Igabi, Chikun, Giwa, Birnin Gwari and Sanga LGAs, in which several residents were reported to have lost their lives following attacks by bandits.
The communities include: - Sabon Yelwa and Ungwan Alhassa in Igabi LGA - Kasarami and Ungwan Yashi in Chikun LGA - Kwama in Giwa LGA - Ungwan Bare Bare and Chiki da Palo in Birnin Gwari LGA - Sabon Zawan in Sanga LGA.
Precise situation reports are still being compiled on these incidences.
Meanwhile, security agencies continue to work in the general areas.
We want to use this medium to inform all Nigerian Youths that while we, the #Youth #Stakeholders of the #SouthEast region, comprising #NYCN, #NANS and #Ohaneze Ndigbo Youth Wing were having a lawful Emergency Youth Stakeholders Meeting at Oma Hall, Castle Majestic Hotel, Enugu, around 9pm on 16th September, 2021, some Men of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC), invaded our meeting venue, beat up and made away with some of our Leaders from various states who converged in Enugu for the aforementioned meeting.
As at the time of making this public awareness, one of the Leaders, State Secretary of NYCN, Deputy Coordinator NANS ZoneB, who is also a Technical Assistant to the Governor of Enugu State and DG Gburus Care Initiative, Comrade Darlington Ugwuegbe and others, are nowhere to be found!
Our NYCN Enugu Chairman, Comrade Bartholomew Ebuka Okoh and His Deputy, Comrade Adaeze Anita Obieze Isamade are also no where to be found!
THIS IS A HUGE INSULT AND EMBARRASSMENT TO THE ENUGU YOUTHS AND STUDENTS.
On this Note, We call on all Nigerian Students and Youths to join us this morning by #9am as we march Peacefully to #EFCC Office #Enugu to demand the #immediate and #unconditional release of all Enugu #Youths and #Students under thier unlawful detention!
Troops of Operation SAFE HAVEN (OPSH), on Thursday, intercepted two suspects with 370 rounds of ammunition.
The bullets were concealed in a Toyota Pathfinder with registration number Plateau LGT 772 JN.
The driver had attempted to maneuvre the military check point at Werreng along road Barkin Ladi – Jos, the Plateau capital.
“The car hit the barricade which resulted in the death of one of the suspects”, Major Ishaku Takwa, Military Information Officer said in a statement.
Preliminary investigation revealed that one of them is Sergeant Azi Jonathan, a 30-year old police traffic warden. The deceased is Nengak Daniel, 60 years.
His body has been handed over to the Police Divisional Headquarters at Barkin Ladi, while Jonathan is undergoing further interrogation.
Other items recovered were N205,070, one empty case of ammunition, one dagger, a torchlight, 3 Techno phones, national identity card, 3 wraps of cannabis and a bag containing clothing materials.
The Commander OPSH, Major General Ibrahim Ali has commended the troops for their vigilance.
Ali reiterated the determination of the military command to flush out criminal elements on the Plateau and environs.
He urged law-abiding citizens to continue with their normal activities and provide security agencies with credible information on criminal activities.
A similar bust was made last month when a man heading to Jos was arrested with 320 bullets.
President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan on Wednesday sworn Agom Jarigbe as a replacement for Stephen Odey.
Jarigbe of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has been having a legal battle with Steven Odey on who is the true candidate of the party for Cross River North.
Jarigbe took an oath as a Senator following his victory at the Supreme Court.
Recall that the by-election for Cross River North was conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC following the death of Senator Rose Oko.
Also, a Court of Appeal sitting in Calabar declared Hon. Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe winner of December 5th, 2020, Cross River North senatorial bye-election.
The three-man Appeal Tribunal headed by Hon. Justice Chioma I. Nwosu also nullified the certificate of return earlier issued to Dr Steven Odey by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and directed that it be withdrawn immediately.
Last Monday, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore said the law recently enacted by some states would worsen cattle rustling and undermine stability across the country.
Saleh Alhassan, National Secretary of the Association, said the anti-open grazing law will destroy livestock production and send millions of people that depend on the livestock value chain into poverty.
The association then called on the National Assembly to intervene and stop the attempts by State Governors to prohibit open grazing.
To curb clashes between farmers and herders across the country, some state Governors have enacted laws banning open cattle grazing.
Notably is the resolution made by governors of the 17 southern states, after a meeting in Asaba, Delta state capital, to ban open grazing and the movement of cattle by foot. The governors had said the decision was taken as part of efforts to improve security in the region.
September 1 was set as the deadline for the states to enact the law, but while the law is already operational in several states, some states are still in the process of passing the bill.
The proposed plan to ban open grazing in the south has been greeted with mixed reactions, with a number of stakeholders opposing the move.
In reaction, the presidency said the proposed plan was of “questionable legality” and that it will not solve the farmer-herder clashes.
Abubakar Malami, Attorney-General of the federation (AGF), also faulted the decision of the Southern Governors and likened the resolution to prohibiting spare-part trading in the north.
The Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF), on its part, said the proposed plan was an attempt to split the north and subject its people to humiliation and attacks.
WHAT HAS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DONE?
The Federal Government introduced the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) to address the crisis between herders and farmers in the country.
In September 2019, NEC had proposed a budget of N100 billion for the implementation of the NLTP, with the federal government providing 80 percent of the fund, and the remaining being the responsibility of the states. Subsequently, the plan was launched in Adamawa state by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.
Giving an update on the plan in June, Sabo Nanono, the then Minister of Agriculture & Rural Development, had said 22 states and the federal capital territory (FCT) registered for the NLTP. The federal government also said it disbursed N24 billion to four states, including Katsina for cattle ranching.
In August, the president approved the review of 368 grazing reserves across 25 states in the country — a development that has been met with criticism– this is despite the NLTP put in place by the Buhari administration.
CAN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OVERRIDE LAWS ENACTED BY STATES?
On the request of Miyetti Allah, can the National Assembly intervene and stop governors from enacting the anti-open grazing law?
The National Assembly is the legislative arm of the Government saddled with the responsibility of making laws. Other functions of the national assembly include confirming nominees of the president, investigating the conduct of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
Section 4(2) of the 1999 constitution states that the national assembly is vested with the powers to make law for the peace, order and good governance of the Federation with respect to matters in the exclusive legislative list.
Also, according to section 58(1) of the 1999 constitution, “The power of the National Assembly to make laws shall be exercised by bills passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives and, except as otherwise provided by subsection (5) of this section, assented to by the President”.
POWERS OF THE STATE/ WHO MAKES THE LAW IN A STATE?
The Governor serves as the chief executive officer of a state. Governors have the responsibility of implementing state laws and overseeing the operation of the state executive branch.
The other roles of the Governor include the enactment of State laws, confirmation of executive and judicial appointments, approval of state budgets and appropriations, etc.
The Governor carries out his constitutional duties with the assistance of the state house of assembly.
Section 5, 2(a), and (b) of the 1999 constitution says the Executive powers of a state:
“Shall be vested in the Governor of that State and may, subject as aforesaid and to the provisions of any Law made by a House of Assembly, be exercised by him either directly or through the Deputy Governor and Commissioners of the Government of that State or officers in the public service of the State; and
“Shall extend to the execution and maintenance of this Constitution, all laws made by the House of Assembly of the State and to all matters with respect to which the House of Assembly has for the time being power to make laws.”
Section 4(7) also confers the power to “make laws for the peace, order and good government of the state” on the state house of assembly.
Section 100 (1) of the constitution says: “The power of a House of Assembly to make laws shall be exercised by bills passed by the House of Assembly and, except as otherwise provided by this section, assented to by the Governor.”
DO STATES HAVE THE POWER TO BAN OPEN GRAZING?
Governors have the responsibility of protecting the interests of their states.
The Land Use Act gives governors control over lands in their states. So, it can be said that the decision of the governors is in line with section 1 of the act which says: “Subject to the provisions of this Act, all land comprised in the territory of each State in the Federation are hereby vested in the Governor of that State and such land shall be held in trust and administered for the use and common benefit of all Nigerians in accordance with the provisions of this Act.”
Weighing in, Afam Osigwe, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said the issue is about the security of states and the national assembly lacks the legislative power to intervene.
Osigwe said it is not the duty of the federal lawmakers “to lobby or persuade on behalf of individuals or groups of people” as they represent the entire Nigeria.
“The State House of Assembly makes laws that concern the state. The National Assembly knows that the actions being taken by certain states have security implications. They may address it politically but even that, I do not think that it should be done in such a way that makes it look as if they are only acting for a section of the country,” he said.
“It is an issue of grazing in the state which is a matter the National Assembly lacks the legislative competence to make laws on; the National Assembly cannot even delve into the matter, let alone override the law.
“Asking the national assembly to intervene in a matter that it does not have power on is like asking the leadership of the assembly to intervene politically but not legislatively. So the national assembly does not have any power that can annul the laws of a state. It is only the court that can annul such a law if it finds that a legislature does not have the power to make such a law.”
Adeola Adedipe, a lawyer, told TheCable that though the concurrent and exclusive legislative lists of the constitution are not categorical on incidental issues related to “grazing”, section 4(7)(c) particularly references occasions which are not expressly contemplated in both the concurrent and exclusive legislative lists.
“However, it is imperative that attention is drawn to the necessity which compelled the need for the anti-grazing laws — insecurity. The safety of the people broke down, because of peripatetic incursions of nomads or herdsmen,” he said.
“The need to activate section 4(7) of the constitution, which is the power of the house of assembly of a state to make laws for the peace, order, and good government of the state.
“Peace, order, and good government can be legislated by the state house of assembly of which the anti-grazing law may have come under.
“The powers of the national assembly to legislate under section 4(2) on similar circumstances, is federal in nature. Herdsmen incursion is not so much of a national issue, because the invasion is not in the north. The series of nomadic invasions complained of are in the south-west and south-east. This makes it difficult to make recourse to the National Assembly for the intervention sought by the Miyetti Allah. At this point in time, the imperative to invite the national assembly into the matter is inchoate.
“For now, section 5(2) (a) and (b) of the constitution still puts the state in charge of such legislation, like the anti-grazing law. Beyond security under the anti-grazing law, the commercial side of it can be conveniently legislated upon by the states, under section 15(3)(a) to (d) of the constitution.”
CONCLUSION
The intervention of the National Assembly is limited to when the State House of Assembly is unable to perform its functions. The National Assembly will only take over the functions of the State House of Assembly if there is an apparent impediment which the State is unable to overcome at the time.
According to section 11(4), “At any time when any House of Assembly of a State is unable to perform its functions by reason of the situation prevailing in that State, the National Assembly may make such laws for the peace, order and good government of that State with respect to matters on which a House of Assembly may make laws as may appear to the National Assembly to be necessary or expedient until such time as the House of Assembly is able to resume its functions; and any such laws enacted by the National Assembly pursuant to this section shall have effect as if they were laws enacted by the House of Assembly of the State.”
Also, section 4(5) of the constitution provides a context on the only way the national assembly can overrule state laws. The section explains that when the federal assembly already has a law in place concerning a particular issue and the state law is inconsistent with it, it becomes null.
“If any Law enacted by the House of Assembly of a State is inconsistent with any law validly made by the National Assembly, the law made by the National Assembly shall prevail, and that other Law shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be void,” the section reads.
In addition, if a federal law is passed, the State House of Assembly must adopt and domesticate it to be a law and for it to be enforceable in the state.
Save for the above, the kind of intervention which Miyetti Allah seeks may not be achievable.
The National Assembly is yet to respond to the questions asked by TheCable as of the time of filing this report.
Company said to have impeded development of competing software
Regulator orders change to Google contracts with manufacturers
South Korea fined Alphabet Inc.’s Google $177 million (270billion won) for hampering the development of rivals to its Android operating system, sustaining a campaign targeting the U.S. search giant’s dominance in smartphone software.
Regulators accuse Google, whose mobile operating system powers more than 80% of smartphones around the world, of using its immense bargaining power to squeeze out the competition. The Korea Fair Trade Commission said Google’s anti-fragmentation agreements (AFA) with manufacturers like Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc. prevented gadget makers from developing or using modified versions of the Android OS. The watchdog banned Google from forcing manufacturers to sign AFA contracts and ordered that it modify existing ones.
Korea in August became the first country to pass a law forcing Apple Inc. and Google to open up their app stores to outside payment systems, setting a potentially radical precedent for their lucrative operations everywhere from India to the U.S. That bill becomes effective Sept. 14, the Korea Communications Commission said in a statement. Tuesday’s 207.4 billion won fine is one of the highest levied in the country over abuse of market dominance, with only Qualcomm Inc.’s mobile chipsets drawing higher sanctions.
The new measures from the KFTC are intended to spur competition by freeing companies to create so-called forks of Android -- versions built from the same basic building blocks but modified to suit the manufacturer’s aims, such as targeting different device classes or use cases -- without fear of punitive measures from Google.
“The Fair Trade Commission’s action was not limited to mobile devices, but corrective measures included emerging smart device-related areas such as smart watches and smart TVs,” Chairperson Joh Sung-wook said in a briefing on Tuesday. “Therefore, we expect that new innovations will occur as some competitive pressures in this area are activated.”
The market dominance of Google in the mobile arena has solidified as a result of the tech giant’s obstruction of competitors, the Korean regulator said. Amazon.com Inc. and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. failed to launch mobile OS businesses while Samsung and LG were not able to release devices such as smartwatches and speakers with new services on time due to Google’s obstruction, according to the Commission.
Separately, the KFTC is investigating three other cases related to Google and competition restrictions in its Play Store app market, in-app purchases and the advertisement market.
Buhari has technically handed over Nigeria to terrorists groups. The takeover of a military base yesterday in Zamfara confirms this. He is not interested in fighting insecurity but critics and the opposition.
He hates IPOB & Oduduwa agitators so much but pampers terrorists. You will all see how the president will deploy 30,000 soldiers & police in an attempt to rig the Anambra elections but he ignores all the security challenges in the North.
These bandits have brought down a military jet & killed many soldiers & citizens but he is not concerned.
Hundreds of prisoners have escaped from the medium federal correctional centre in Kabba, Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State.
Vanguard gathered that Gunmen in their tens attack the prison centre which is on the Kabba – LOKOJA highway, on Sunday night through Monday morning, killing the military men keeping guide on the road before attacking the centre.
The gunmen thereafter launched attack on the prison officers before making ways to set all the prisoners free.j An early morning downpour on Monday according to Punch led to their escape. The building housing the inmates was reportedly submerged by flood.
However, about 100 of the inmates have been rearrested, while unspecified number voluntarily returned.
Sheikh Abdul Baqi Haqqani says co-education is against the teaching of Islam
Women in Afghanistan can continue to study in universities, including at post-graduate levels, but classrooms will be gender-segregated and Islamic dress is compulsory, the higher education minister in the new Taliban government said Sunday.
The minister, Abdul Baqi Haqqani, laid out the new policies at a news conference, several days after Afghanistan’s new rulers formed an all-male government.
The world has been watching closely to see to what extent the Taliban might act differently from their first time in power, in the late 1990s. During that era, girls and women were denied an education, and were excluded from public life.
The Taliban have suggested they have changed, including in their attitudes toward women. However, they have used violence in recent days against women protesters demanding equal rights.
Haqqani said the Taliban did not want to turn the clock back 20 years. “We will start building on what exists today,” he said.
However, female university students will face restrictions under the Taliban, including a compulsory dress code. Haqqani said hijabs will be mandatory but did not specify if this meant compulsory headscarves or also compulsory face coverings.
Gender segregation will also be enforced, he said. “We will not allow boys and girls to study together,” he said. “We will not allow co-education.”
Haqqani said the subjects being taught in universities would also be reviewed but did not elaborate. The Taliban, who subscribe to a harsh interpretation of Islam, have banned music and art during their previous time in power.
The Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Muhammad Babandede, has retired after spending 36 years in service.
A Deputy Comptroller General in charge of Finance and Account, Idris Isah Jere, will take over in an acting capacity pending the appointment of a substantive Comptroller General by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Babandede, who was appointed the Comptroller General of the NIS on the 15th of May 2016, took over from Martin Kure Abeshi.
He introduced many reforms in the Service with the digitalisation of activities, decentralisation of passports issuance and introduction of the Visa of Arrival policy top on the list.
Speaking at a valedictory session organised in his honour on Friday, Babandede said; “I have left Immigration better than I found it.”
While acknowledging that he was able to achieve so much as a result of the help he received from his personnel, Babandede appealed to his successor not to “throw away the ideas we stand for”.
He added: “Keep the good things and drop the bad ones.”
The retired CG, who promised to be an ambassador of the NIS, said he will always be ready to assist whenever he is called on by the Service.
Babandede spent five years and four months as the Comptroller General of the Service.
The Controller General of the Federal Fire Service Condemns the Attack on Firefighters in Kogi State.
- He said perpetrators must be brought to book
The Controller General, Dr. Liman Ibrahim says the attack on firefighters and fire trucks by hoodlums is unacceptable and those responsible will definitely not go unpunished.
The attack took place on Wednesday, 9th September 2021 along Felele road when firefighters were turning out to a car fire at Al-Salam fuel station opposite Kogi State Polytechnic. The State command had received a fire call concerning a car fire, while approaching the scene, mob armed with dangerous weapons began to attack the truck which was conveying firefighters. Thereby destroying parts of the truck and injuring firefighters who are currently receiving treatment at the hospital. This is the second time in Kogi State firefighters will be attacked.
The matter has since been reported to the Police for investigation and subsequent arrest of those responsible. The Chief Security Officer of the Kogi State Government house has also been informed.
Dr. Liman who has vowed that those behind this dastardly act will surely be punished reiterates that it is a criminal offence for anyone to attack firefighters or fire truck for whatsoever reasons.
He further says that his directive of blacklisting any community who continuously attacks firefighters still stands and that henceforth any state government that can not ensure the protection of Federal Fire Service firefighters and equipments in their states will leave the Service with no other option but to withdraw its presence from State. as he will not fold his hands and watch his men been maimed and killed as well as fire trucks worth millions of Naira been destroyed.
The Controller General who says this attack which is one amongst many has further substantiated his call for the establishment of an armed squad in the Federal Fire Service known as Fire Police who will be saddled with the responsibility of protecting firefighters and fire trucks at fire scenes, because this hoodlums are emboldened to attack firefighters because they know that they don't have the protection of armed men.
The CG has called on the Governor of Kogi State, His Excellency Yahaya Bello to address this barbaric act by citizens of the state so as to avoid it's reoccurrence.
Two Las Vegas residents — Norbert Ozemena Ikwuegbundo (28) and Omniyi Jonathan Omotere (35), both citizens of Nigeria — have been indicted for defrauding people seeking to rent houses out of $3.3 million, through a scheme that involved using multiple false identities and counterfeit drivers’ licenses.
According to allegations in court documents, from about March 2018 until about September 2019, Ikwuegbundo, Omotere, and others engaged in the following fraudulent scheme:
The defendants assumed the identities of homeowners who were advertising on websites to rent their properties.
They posted imposter rental advertisements online at reduced rent prices, using the names and personal identifiers of true homeowners — but changing the contact information to email addresses and phone numbers controlled by the defendants.
Using wire transmission instructions provided by the defendants through emails and text messages, prospective renters wired money for first and last month’s rent (and security deposits) to commercial businesses that provide wire transfer services to their customers.
The defendants used various lulling techniques, such as sending false rental agreements for victims to sign, so that they would have more time to pick up the wired money.
The defendants laundered proceeds from the scheme by using some of the stolen money to buy cars at auction. Ikwuegbundo and Omotere are both charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. In addition, Omotere is charged with one count of wire fraud, while Ikwuegbundo is charged with two counts of wire fraud, one count of possessing equipment used to make counterfeit drivers’ licenses, one count of concealment money laundering, and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Ikwuebundo made his initial court appearance on August 11, 2021, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elayna J. Youchah. Omotere made his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nancy J. Koppe. A jury trial has been scheduled for October 18, 2021, before U.S. District Judge Gloria M. Navarro. If convicted, Ikwuegbundo faces a statutory maximum penalty of 97 years in prison; and Omotere faces a statutory maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada, Special Agent in Charge Francisco Burrola of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Special Agent in Charge Charles R. Beckmeyer of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Los Angeles Field Office made the announcement.
This case was investigated by HSI and DSS. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly M. Frayn is prosecuting the case.
A criminal indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The Lagos State House of Assembly on Thursday passed the Value Added Tax Bill, with Speaker Mudashiru Obasa directing the Acting Clerk of the House, Mr. Olalekan Onafeko, to transmit a clean copy to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for assent.
The House also passed the bill that prohibits open cattle grazing in the state.
The two bills were passed after unanimous votes by the lawmakers at the sitting where the bills were read the third time.
Immediately after their passage, Speaker Obasa commended his colleagues for their passion to see that the state continues to grow.
“I thank you all for this historic exercise,” Obasa said.
The House had held separate public hearings on the bills on Wednesday, with stakeholders expressing support.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) suspended Guinea from its bodies in reaction to the military seizure of power in Conakry on Sunday, Burkina Faso Foreign Minister Alpha Barry announced on Wednesday.
The leaders of the community bloc also demanded the release of President Alpha Condé, held by the putschists, and decided to send a high-ranking delegation on Thursday to Guinea, said Alpha Barry following a virtual meeting of the institution.
Prior to the meeting held by ECOWAS leaders, the putschists led by Col. Mamadi Doumbouya released about 80 political detainees held by the Alpha Conde led-administration.
Mrs Uzoamaka Ani, the ex-wife of popular comedian, Chinedu Ani, has threatened to sue Osama Akpunonu aka OsamatheComedian, who is her ex-husband's colleague.
Osama Comedian Via Instagram@osamacomedian Via Twitter @osamacomedian Mr Osama Akpunonu
Dear Sir,
RE: LETTER OF DEMAND
IN RE: LIBELOUS PUBLICATION MADE AGAINST MRS UZOAMAKA ANI (NEE OHIRI)
The above refers.
We are Solicitors to Mrs Uzoamaka Ani (Nee Ohiri) ("Our Client" on whose firm instructions we make this demand.
Our Client's Profile
Our client is a media professional who has built a profile as a staff of popular entertainment brand GRAY TIGER ENTERTAINMENT.
In addition, she is an entrepreneur and founder of a confectionery brand, HAZEL CONFECTIONARIES.
The Offensive Publication
Our Client's attention has been drawn to the recent publication on your Instagram channel (@osamacomedian) dated 4th September, 2021 and is currently being widely circulated in Nigeria and abroad by various blogs and online media platforms.
In the said Instagram post. you portrayed our client as a cheat, a sham, a person of dissolute, decadent, profligate, undesirable and questionable character and background.
It is untrue that our client was repeatedly unfaithful to her husband or that she had a child by her sister's husband as your post falsely contends.
These false, unfounded and disturbing defamatory statements are clearly accentuated with a motive to garner social media attention at the expense of our client's reputation. These defamatory statements have been widely circulated on social media where you have numerous fans and followers.
This defamatory story was cynically published on social media without regard for our client's hard eamed reputation.
The publicity sought by you has been relentless and limitless.
The Consequent Damage to our client's reputation
The words complained of are not only malicious and untrue, but also constitute a mischievous and unconscionable attack on the person of our client. As a result of the publication, our client has been brought into public ridicule and inundated with vitriol, odium and scorn.
Consequent upon this injurious publication, our client's reputation has not only been assaulted but injured and damaged.
Furthermore, her professional integrity as a staff of one of the leading entertainment brands, and her professional credibility built over the years through dedicated hard work, have been besmirched.
No doubt, the published words, in their natural and ordinary meaning and/or by way of innuendo meant and were understood to portray our client in a very negative light, discredit her and is not a true reflection of who she is, her character and her background.
Our Client's Demand
In the circumstances, it is our client's demand that you retract or cause to be retracted the said published words and tender an unreserved apology to our client by publishing tne said apology in one full page insertion in three national dailies to wit: Punch Newspaper, The Sun and vanguard Newspaper and all your social media platforms including Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
TAKE NOTICE that you have 7 (Seven) days upon receipt of this letter to comply with the above as failure to do same will leave us with no other option but to set in motion appropriate legal machinery towards the redress of this injury to our client's reputation. This shall be without further notice to you.
Be properly guided.
Cordially yours Nancy Oghenefepo Onwa For: Wingman Legal
The Counsel for the Department of State Service, I. Awo, told the Federal High Court, on Wednesday, that the case file relating to the Fundamental Human Rights Enforcement application filed by the aides to Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, was stolen by armed robbers.
He told Justice Obiora Egwuatu that his colleague who was to bring the case file to court had boarded a vehicle belonging to armed robbers commonly known as ‘one chance.’
According to him, his belongings including the case file were hijacked by the armed robbers.
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) conducted raids at four places in Mumbai and Goa and arrested four people, including foreign nationals.
During an operation, the agency received input about one Nigerian national David being involved in supplying various drugs like LSD, coke, ecstasy in Goa and Mumbai through his peddlers.
The NCB launched a manhunt and the Goa unit managed to nab the suspect near Nagoa Grand Hotel, Calangute-Mapusa Road, in North Goa, on Monday night.
During the search, 11 blots of LSD, which are commercial quantity and intermediate quantity of cocaine were allegedly recovered from his possession.
During interrogation, the accused confessed his real name David Chibuike Chisom alias Eze Chukwebuka Joshua, who hails from Nigeria and came to India a few years ago.
Justin Trudeau, the Prime Minister of Canada was pelted with gravel during a campaign trail in Ontario.
Trudeau, first elected Prime Minister in 2015, has led the country since October 2019 with a minority Government. Winning a majority would mean he would no longer need to rely on opposition parties to advance his agenda and stay in power.
He believes he has done very well and the opposition has no traction hence he called for a snap election on September 20, 2021.
The next fixed election date was October 2023, but a Prime Minister may at any time request the Governor-General dissolve Parliament — the step that triggers an election.
Trudeau, 49, met Governor General Mary Simon, Queen Elizabeth II’s representative in Canada, on Sunday, and she granted his request.
Politics › Risikat Ajoke Adegeye Is Dead (King Sunny Ade's Wife Dies) by HonNL(op): 12:07pm On Sep 21, 2021
on whose firm instructions we make this demand.
