₦airaland Forum

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has expressed deep concerns over what it described as a politically motivated vendetta against Hon. Amobi Ogah, Member of the House of Representatives for the Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency of Abia State.

The group raised the alarm over charges filed against Hon. Ogah by the Attorney General of the Federation’s, AGF office, which the association claimed were part of a calculated vendetta led by the Minister of State for Labour and Productivity, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha.

The Minister had contested the Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency in the 2023 election which Hon Ogah won.

The group in a statement on Wednesday signed by it's National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, said the Minister was still nursing the defeat, pointing out that Hon. Ogah has since been subjected to relentless campaign of harassment and legal persecutions.

The statement reads, "the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has raised the alarm over a plot to unleash political vendetta on the House of Representatives member for the Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency in Abia State, Hon. Amobi Ogah (Labour Party).

HURIWA expressed worry over the charges brought recently against Hon. Ogah by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi which it alleged were part of a targeted vendetta orchestrated by the Minister of State for Labour and Productivity, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, with the backing of her Justice counterpart.

"HURIWA stressed that Ogah, who won the 2023 elections, defeating Hon. Onyejeocha, has been subjected to ongoing legal and political harassment since then with the latest incident, involving charges filed on July 31, 2024, accusing the lawmaker of false declaration under oath, publishing injurious falsehoods, perjury, and criminal defamation.

"It noted that the former lawmaker who served in the House of Representatives for 16 years before her 2023 defeat, has allegedly refused to accept her electoral loss.

“After unsuccessful attempts to overturn the election results through the Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal, Hon. Onyejeocha, now serving as the Minister of State for Labour and Productivity, is accused of using her former legal counsel, now the Minister of Justice, to pursue a vendetta against Hon. Ogah".

HURIWA highlighted that a petition dated December 1, 2023, filed by Hon. Onyejeocha’s solicitor, accused Hon. Ogah of perjury and defamation during the election proceedings.

This petition led to a police investigation, which HURIWA claims was biased, and the subsequent recommendation by the AGF’s office to file charges. HURIWA believes the legal opinion was tainted by the personal interests of the Minister of Justice.

"The rights group is alarmed by what it sees as the abuse of public office by both ministers, asserting that the charges against Hon. Ogah are politically motivated, rooted in Hon. Onyejeocha’s refusal to accept her defeat, and designed to damage her successor’s reputation.

"HURIWA also condemned the Nigeria Police Force’s involvement, calling their actions a “colossal disgrace” and accusing them of engaging in political conspiracy rather than fulfilling their duty to protect the people. The group warned that when law enforcement agencies act contrary to constitutional provisions, they undermine public trust and threaten democracy.

"HURIWA called on the Minister of Justice to stop using his position to further the personal vendettas of the Minister of State for Labour and Productivity. The association stressed that such actions jeopardize Hon. Ogah’s status as an elected representative and pose a significant threat to Nigeria’s democracy. HURIWA urged an investigation into the AGF’s office activities related to this case.

"HURIWA pledged to continue monitoring the situation and take necessary steps to protect Hon. Amobi Ogah from what it considers a politically motivated attack. With Hon. Ogah’s arraignment scheduled for the 5th of next month, HURIWA called on all stakeholders to uphold the rule of law and reject any misuse of public office for personal gain", the group stated further.

They said Onyejeocha has through Fagbemi, instituted several suits against the Member representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency of Abia State in the House of Representatives and expressed worry over the gross abuse of public office by the attorney general.

"The use of the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and other public offices to settle scores against perceived opponents and as an instrument of self – serving vendetta, portends grave danger to members of the general public and indeed our democracy.

"It has come to our knowledge that the office of the Hon. Attorney General of the Federation & Minister for Justice recently filed a criminal Charge against Hon. Amobi Ogah in the FCT High Court on 31/7/2024 for alleged publication of injurious falsehood and defamation of the character of Nkeiru Onyejeocha the Minister of State for Labour & Productivity.

"The Charge with Charge No: CR/650/2024: Federal Republic of Nigeria Vs Amobi Godwin Ogah is not unconnected with Nkeiru Onyejeocha’s running battle to undermine Hon. Amobi Ogah since he emerged as the member representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency, at the last 2023 general elections.

"Since her defeat both at the polls and in Court, Nkeiru Onyejeocha has refused to let the sleeping dogs lie and has continually dragged Hon. Amobi Ogah from one Court or Police Station to another over an allegation that her character was defamed by Hon. Amobi Ogah in a Petition which he addressed to the President of the Court of Appeal during the pendency of the Election Tribunal hearing," the statement added.

By Onyeani Kalu

It's ironic for the PDP to criticize Ben Kalu when their 24 years in power turned Abia State into one of the most neglected and backward states in the country. Under their watch, Abia went from being a promising state to one plagued by underdevelopment, poor infrastructure, and pervasive filth.

The party that failed to uplift Abia, allowing it to become one of the dirtiest states, lacks the moral standing to lecture anyone. Instead of deflecting blame, the PDP should reflect on its legacy in Abia, which is marked by decades of missed opportunities and stagnation. The people of Abia deserve better, and it's clear that the old ways are no longer acceptable.

What Hon. Speaker has said is the right thing to say as an Opposition Party.

You don’t expect him to say APC will not Filled a candidate in 2027 so Governor Otti can have his 8 years like most people believe that we should just all sing hallelujah and fill no candidate

All those attacking DS’s Statements are merely seeking attention to cover up their ineffectiveness in fulfilling their legislative responsibilities to their constituencies.

Can their constituents point to a single project they have executed since they elected them 13 months ago and sent them to Abuja?

Instead of these distractions, they all should study the successful Legislative Constituency Projects of Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu during his tenure, even before he became Deputy Speaker.

As DS Kalu rightly said, the APC is focused on taking over the state government in 2027, and the same APC will also reclaim seats and send them back to their constituency from Abuja.

No part of Abia can afford to keep inexperienced and underperforming legislators in Abuja.

Their lack of tangible achievements and failure to deliver on their legislative responsibilities are clear signs that Abia needs more effective representation which only APC Candidates can give.

Why are some Labour Party members fixating on a single political statement made by the Deputy Speaker? I thought they said APC was dead in the state?

Their reaction seems to be driven more by insecurity and fear than by substance. For 13 months, the APC in Abia has rarely spoken out, as seen by the PDP. Yet, now with just one statement, the underperforming LP House of Representatives members sent to Abuja are in a frenzy.

This is a classic case of overcompensating for their own weaknesses by trying to create unnecessary tension in the state, Instead of focusing on real legislative work, they are attempting to create distractions to cover up their lack of achievements.

On DS Mandate we Stand!


Kalu, a Political Analyst, writes from Abia.

By Ahamdi Ebere

The United States of America has the most stable democracy in the world; it is considered the bastion of democracy. Nigeria copied its version of Presidential system of Government from the US. Ultimately, the definition of democracy as practiced in Nigeria and America is the winner-take-all system. It is on record that When Former President Barrack Obama was running for the Presidency of the United States of America for the very first time, he had many intra-party challengers during the primary election of his Democratic Party; many of them he finally picked to work in his cabinet,after emerging victories at the general polls; Senator Joe Biden was picked as VP, his fiercest challenger Hillary Clinton, was picked as Secretary of State and John kerry another challenger, was later picked as Secretary of State in his second tenure. Same goes with President Donald Trump and other Republicans.

The United States of America, which is the standard of democratic practice world-over is politically divided largely into Red and Blue States; Red States are Republican Party controlled and Blue States are Democratic Party controlled. Governors, Lieutenant Governors, Senators, Congressmen, etc. all campaigned to see their party candidates win elections; whether it is the Presidential, Senatorial, mid-term Congress election, State Congress and gubernatorial, name it.

Therefore, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, the Deputy Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives is politically and practically right to express his desire to work assiduously for his party, the APC, to take over Abia Government House in the 2027 gubernatorial election. If the United States of America our model and standard measure of democracy allows for partisanship, what is wrong in the Honorable Deputy Speaker’s viral video message to the Abia State Governor of Labour Party?

However, the Deputy Speaker was very respectful in addressing the Abia State Governor, who he acknowledged in the video as his friend. He even went further to patronise Governor Otti as performing better than the previous Governors, but emphatically posited that Abia State will go for the best not just be contented with better. The Deputy Speaker’s unequivocal stance in the said video was clear on why Abia shouldn’t settle for better when best is possible. Hence, he expressed his desire for Abia State to go for the best by aligning with APC, the party at the center.

Accordingly, the Deputy Speaker made a strong case for why it is imperative for Abia to get the best rather than get comfortable with just better. Even in developed democracies for instance; Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D) and Reps Steny Hoyer (D), the majority leader at one time made cases at their home states on why their states must remain “Blue” (D) and should vote Barack Obama. If it was no crime for America democracy, it is entirely right for the Deputy Speaker to warn Dr. Alex Chioma Otti to either elevate governance to the best from better or get ready to be defeated and sent packing for the best to happen in Abia State.

Abia must leave the comity of states that are still struggling with mere asphalt of roads, salary payment to contend, compete and rank with Lagos and FCT in terms of governance deliverables.

Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu was simply saying that regular payment of salaries with the new national minimum wage(#70,000), which Governor Otti is still struggling with, would ordinarily be taken for granted by APC Governor who is coming in 2027 for the best. The Deputy Speaker in his demand for change, proposed that the 2027 APC Governor who will offer “best”,will return all entitlements of Abia pensioners, than Governor Otti,who can only offer “better” result and deceitfully forced retirees to forfeit. For best results; all those poor workers numbering over 20, 000, that were unjustly sacked because they were engaged by previous administration,shall be recalled after reviewing their individual appointments. Permanent Secretaries and Directors sacked or forced to retire prematurely by the Labour Party government under the watch of Governor Otti, will be given the opportunity to make their case for possible reinstatement. Civil Service reforms with a human face will be introduced to replace Otti’s torture of Abia workers in the name of reforms. Workers that play by the roles, shall attain the zenith of their careers without fear of sack or retrenchment.

Consequently, because best trumps better, the 2027 APC Governor in waiting, will immediately put together a strong former Abia Governor’s forum,where every former Governor will be expected to pull their wealth of experiences together in advisory capacity for benefit of the state as government is a continuum. Programs and policies that previously worked shall be improved upon.

No project will be abandoned. Governor Otti’s needless political witch-hunt, vendetta, wickedness and blackmail against ex- Governors shall be completely abolished. EFCC and ICPC will be handed over serious cases of fraud and embezzlement. Media trials with intent of ridiculing former public office holders will be a thing of the past. The divisive Old Abia and New Abia dichotomy, will be abolished for a united Abia. The social caste system introduced by Governor Otti for hierarchy of Billionaires against non-billions will be outlawed. The Local Government authority leadership will be returned to young people, as the supposed training ground for future leaders, not Otti’s retirement home for outdated oldies tagged Billionaire Mayors.

Resultantly, Abia will make tremendous progress when institutions are allowed to work under an APC Governor, which was exactly what Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu simply offered to Abians in the said viral video clip, as best alternative to replace the current averagely rated Otti of Labour Party.

Subsequently, the 2027 incoming APC government for best results will reverse Abia political toxicity which Governor Alex Otti promoted, the practice of recruiting aides for monthly stipends of N30k to N50k, just to abuse and insult fellow Abians shall cease. Instead of pay millions of naira to non-Abia social media influencers in Lagos and Abuja, local Abia bloggers and social media practitioners will be trained in capacity building for maximisation of money, making opportunities available on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok etc. There will be no more looting of funds, where N7billion was wasted on capacity building and orientation without a single Abian benefiting.

Assuredly, Abia will transit from better to best when it aligns with the government at the center because the state will be strategically positioned for Federal government projects. A cursory glance at the performance index of states not the propaganda Otti’s Labour Party sponsors on social media which are inconsistent with reality; one would discover that APC states received better Federal government attention than others.

Similarly, Federal appointments follow same trend.

Furthermore, the Deputy Speaker was simply saying in the viral video that with APC Governor, infrastructure will be seen and their locations made known to Abians, as era of audio and non-existent recreational facilities, ICT Infrastructure, Educational facilities, Agricultural seedlings; will come to an end.

Finally, Governor of Abia state, Dr. Alex Otti, recruited more than enough media aides including Hon. Obi Aguocha, the member suffering the good people of Ikwuano-Umuahia Federal constituency at the National Assembly, to be his attack dogs, why will Labour Party members expect the Deputy Speaker, Rt Hon. Benjamin Kalu to declare no vacancy in Abia government House in 2027, when Abia can transit from better to best through APC?. Why will Labour Party apologists and their sponsors attack the Deputy Speaker who made similar overtures on former PDP Governor Okezie Ikpeazu,when he was still Abia Governor, to dump PDP and join Ben’s APC. The friendly banter never degenerated into personal attacks and abuse. What is Governor Otti actually afraid of?


(Ebere is a Public Affairs Analyst and a member of the APC, Abia State).

By Uchechi Onyecheri


For some days now, overzealous allies of the Governor of Abia state, Dr Alex Otti are calling for the head of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu not for any sin but just offering a candid advise to a friend and erstwhile political acquaintance.

They cashed in on a video of an interview Kalu reportedly never granted to Spin FM, a local station in Abia which it was alleged that he said APC will take over the state's government currently occupied by Labour Party's Otti.

Without pausing to ponder over the true content and crying more than the bereaved they went to town occupying the online and offline media calling the Deputy Speaker names and insinuating that he was nursing a governorship election.

If the video was anything to go by and the self appointed 'Chief Defender' of Otti listens beyond his premeditated assumptions he would have also seen it as a candid advice couched in the words of wisdom to the governor to return home to the All Progressive Congress, APC where he jumped out simply because he could not obtain the governorship ticket as his political future is intrinsically tied to his former party.

As a reminder, the present governor of Abia who was guber candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in 2015 and 2019 elections ran back to APC in 2020. However, when he could not clinch the party's governorship ticket ahead of the 2023 general election, Otti withdrew from the APC governorship primaries and declared for LP where fortune smiled on him.

It's known that regardless of party affiliation, the Deputy Speaker, Kalu and Otti have a bond which has sustained their brotherhood over the years.

The Deputy Speaker has in various ways partnered with the Governor to bring developmental strides to the people of Abia State.

It is also known that Kalu has never shied away on his efforts in wooing Chief Alex Otti back to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Back in May, the Deputy Speaker, speaking when he visited the governor at his home country, Umuehim, Nvosi in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government of Abia State recalled that Otti was once a member of the APC, saying there was still a room for him in the party.

Kalu, who praised the governor for the return of investors and businesses to Aba and other cities of Abia State, assured the governor of his continued support in the development of the state.

He said “You are not in my party again though I am regretting it. But I want you to know that the people who are also my people are also from different political parties. They are people who love what we are doing. The majority of us here are members of your former party. And we miss you. You only miss a good man, not a bad person. So, Labour Party members should be careful. If you don’t make this man happy, he is going back to his parents’ party.”

So it's surprising that this recent call by the DS on Otti to join the ruling party is garnering mixed feelings. Well, sentiments aside Kalu by the virtue of his office and position is a national leader in the country and in APC. So it's expected that he would at any time seek recruitment of new members into his party.


(Onyecheri writes from Abia).

By Ugochukwu Urakpa


It is a known fact that Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu has always been bold, courageous and outspoken in the defence of his values. He is always consistent with facts. Maya Angelou a celebrated poet wrote, " One isn't necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can't be kind, true, merciful, merciful, generous or honest".

Yesterday, 18th, August, 2023, the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu granted an interview to an online media outfit where he discussed a range of issues, but what particularly caught the attention of the media and political actors was his stance that an APC Governor will occupy Abia government house in 2027. What is wrong in the Honorable Deputy Speaker expressing his desire to bring Abia into the mainstream of National politics? Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu has always championed the politics of inclusivity, he has never shyed away from working hard to better the lot of his constituency, state and region.

Rt. Hon Benjamin Kalu has been consistent to his core values, however, it is imperative to notify the idle and do-nothing Member Representing Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal constituency at the National Assembly that the Deputy Speaker has maintained cordial relationships with Governors of Abia state irrespective of political divide, but has never failed to impress on them his utmost desire for Abia State to align with the APC political mainstream.

The Deputy Speaker is a proud member of the APC, he performed exceptionally well for the good people of Bende Federal Constituency to overwhelmingly send him back to the House of Representatives for a second time. It is on record that even as a first timer, Bende Federal Constituency recoded tremendous human capital and infrastructural development attracted by Rt. Hon Benjamin Kalu. Who is Obi Aguocha ?

Conversely, an unknown quantity by name Obi Aguocha whose only notable achievement in life is being a one time President General of Ohuhu Development Union, cannot stand in the shadows of Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, if the so-called Obi wave didn't crest him into the National Assembly. Now, Aguocha has found himself in the House of Representatives what has he done for his people, not even the bags of Rice given to members by APC Federal Government as palliative got to his constituency of Ikwuano/Umuahia. Aguocha has not given a single appointment, he has been swallowed by National politics which is a big stage.

Furthermore, Obi Aguocha is an incompetent fellow who got elected into the National Assembly by stroke of luck and Mr. Peter Obi. Regrettably, ever since he got elected into the National Assembly has been battling to make a mark, his Constituents have initiated a recall process because of his shamefully abysmal representation.

Therefore, the good people of Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal constituency will never see any dividend of democracy from the never-do-well Obi Aguocha who has taken residence in an Abuja hotel, harping on the belief that another Peter Obi wave or magic will happen to send him back to the House of Representatives despite his lacklustre first outing. While other members of the National Assembly from Abia State are making efforts, Obi Aguocha is running around Nvosi the home town of Governor Alex Otti.

Obi Aguocha needs to be schooled properly on the recall process, which can only be initiated by his Constituents as he is currently facing, whereas the good people of Bende Federal Constituency are very much happy with their son, Rt. Hon Benjamin Kalu. Just recently the Deputy Speaker received a number of decampees into his party which is a testament of how popular and well received he is in Bende.

Consequently, the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon.Benjamin Kalu reserves the right to express his resolve for his political party to take over Abia government house come 2027, he is well within his rights also to open doors for interested members to join, even the Governor of Abia state. Those who expected him to become brand ambassador of any other party than his own political party are mere jokers.


(Urakpa, a Political Analyst, wrote from Umuahia).

By Ugochukwu Urakpa


It is a known fact that Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu has always been bold, courageous and outspoken in the defence of his values. He is always consistent with facts. Maya Angelou a celebrated poet wrote, " One isn't necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can't be kind, true, merciful, merciful, generous or honest".

Yesterday, 18th, August, 2023, the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu granted an interview to an online media outfit where he discussed a range of issues, but what particularly caught the attention of the media and political actors was his stance that an APC Governor will occupy Abia government house in 2027. What is wrong in the Honorable Deputy Speaker expressing his desire to bring Abia into the mainstream of National politics? Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu has always championed the politics of inclusivity, he has never shyed away from working hard to better the lot of his constituency, state and region.

Rt. Hon Benjamin Kalu has been consistent to his core values, however, it is imperative to notify the idle and do-nothing Member Representing Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal constituency at the National Assembly that the Deputy Speaker has maintained cordial relationships with Governors of Abia state irrespective of political divide, but has never failed to impress on them his utmost desire for Abia State to align with the APC political mainstream.

The Deputy Speaker is a proud member of the APC, he performed exceptionally well for the good people of Bende Federal Constituency to overwhelmingly send him back to the House of Representatives for a second time. It is on record that even as a first timer, Bende Federal Constituency recoded tremendous human capital and infrastructural development attracted by Rt. Hon Benjamin Kalu. Who is Obi Aguocha ?

Conversely, an unknown quantity by name Obi Aguocha whose only notable achievement in life is being a one time President General of Ohuhu Development Union, cannot stand in the shadows of Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, if the so-called Obi wave didn't crest him into the National Assembly. Now, Aguocha has found himself in the House of Representatives what has he done for his people, not even the bags of Rice given to members by APC Federal Government as palliative got to his constituency of Ikwuano/Umuahia. Aguocha has not given a single appointment, he has been swallowed by National politics which is a big stage.

Furthermore, Obi Aguocha is an incompetent fellow who got elected into the National Assembly by stroke of luck and Mr. Peter Obi. Regrettably, ever since he got elected into the National Assembly has been battling to make a mark, his Constituents have initiated a recall process because of his shamefully abysmal representation.

Therefore, the good people of Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal constituency will never see any dividend of democracy from the never-do-well Obi Aguocha who has taken residence in an Abuja hotel, harping on the belief that another Peter Obi wave or magic will happen to send him back to the House of Representatives despite his lacklustre first outing. While other members of the National Assembly from Abia State are making efforts, Obi Aguocha is running around Nvosi the home town of Governor Alex Otti.

Obi Aguocha needs to be schooled properly on the recall process, which can only be initiated by his Constituents as he is currently facing, whereas the good people of Bende Federal Constituency are very much happy with their son, Rt. Hon Benjamin Kalu. Just recently the Deputy Speaker received a number of decampees into his party which is a testament of how popular and well received he is in Bende.

Consequently, the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon.Benjamin Kalu reserves the right to express his resolve for his political party to take over Abia government house come 2027, he is well within his rights also to open doors for interested members to join, even the Governor of Abia state. Those who expected him to become brand ambassador of any other party than his own political party are mere jokers.


(Urakpa, a Political Analyst, wrote from Umuahia).

By Jacobson Zebedee


Perhaps, for his youthful exuberance and leadership style, the immediate past Governor of Kogi state, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello, is largely misunderstood.
His commitment, passion and sometimes excitement on the job rather than earned him accolades, conversely offends some. Even Bello himself recognized that his actions elicited envy of a kind , but he was resolute that whichever side of the coin, the job that has to be done must be done no matter whose ox was gored.

Right from the beginning of his first term in January 2016, he committed himself to the transformation of the State by reforming the machineries of government, its security architecture, and ensuring ethnic cohesion and development at all levels.

To achieve his goals, he assembled eggheads competent enough across the ethic and religious lines in the state.

Though, his first term was almost marred with loads of litigations and the intra and inter political battles, he was not deterred in implementing his policies. He took stock of the situation and deployed his administration’s blueprint as a compass to address the pressing needs of the state.

The first problem he encountered in the course of governance was the civil service. It was weak, allegedly corrupt and unproductive. Using the democratic and legal means to ensure an effective and productive civil service, Bello embarked on a screening exercise that ab initio generated an outcry from suspected ghost workers and employment racketeers who were arguably the target of the exercise.

On completion of screening in 2018, Bello gave a standing order for the civil servants’ salaries to be paid between the 24 and 27th of every month, an order that was sustained throughout his administration.

The democratic nature of Bello in policy implementation boosted the morale of the workforce and propels them to be productive albeit patriotic. Added to that is the fact that even in the face of the crippling national economy, Bello approved the then National Minimum Wage Scale for Kogi civil servants.

Speaking recently, Michael Ohiare, Senior Special Assistant (print Media) in the former governor's administration, while chronicling various efforts of former governor Yahaya Bello said his swift action when he mediated between the Northern food transporters and their Southern counterparts and brokered peace between the two regions remains a reference point.

He pointed that in the build up to the 2023 Presidential Poll, a number of impediments and political cum economic landmines were laid on the road by those bent on truncating the Tinubu’s presidential ambition, including the Naira Redesign Policy.

According to Ohiare , " it was the same Yahaya Bello with some of his colleagues then that dared the system and secured the judgement that set that aside at the Supreme Court. It was a landmark intervention at a time that the national economy was almost collapsing.

“In the Presidential Poll, Yahaya Bello mobilised Kogites massively to deliver victory for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“He also mobilized the youths across the country as the Youth Mobilization Committee Chairman because of his faith in the leadership capacity of Mr President”.


EDUCATION

Prior to the emergence of Bello, the state of education in Kogi State lacked clear direction. A comprehensive 2017 survey conducted by ACTIONAID/PIBCID krevealed critical insights into the education sector's performance and challenges in the state. These findings highlighted deficiencies in performance and instructional delivery that hindered the achievement of critical goals: improving literacy rates, advancing Early Child Care Development Education (ECCDE), enhancing the quality of education from basic to tertiary levels, promoting girl-child education, and elevating ICT skills and STEM education.

In response to these challenges, the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology in Kogi State organised the 2018 State Education Summit, known as the 'Education Roadmap.' This summit gathered stakeholders to devise strategies for the state's educational development. Subsequently, the Kogi State Education Law of 2020 was enacted to provide guidance and regulation for the education sector's operations in the state.

The Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology under Bello had gone a step further by developing the State Education Strategic Plan (SESP) 2021-2030 and the State Education Operational Plan (SESOP) 2021-2027, which aligned with the Ministerial Strategic Plan (MSP) to address gaps in the education sector.

Under the leadership of Bello, the administration transformed the education landscape from one marked by neglect and decay to one filled with hope, improved access, equity, infrastructure development, and enhanced service delivery.

One of the administration's groundbreaking achievements in the education sector was the allocation of 30% of the budget to education in each fiscal year from 2021. This allocation exceeded the UNESCO-recommended benchmark of 26%, thus underscoring the government's unparalleled commitment to education in the state.

To ensure effective utilization of this investment, the state government conducted training sessions for over 2,000 school managers, focusing on curriculum delivery, quality assurance, and enhanced efficiency in partnership with NTI, NPC, NERDC, and FME. Additional training sessions on conducting the Annual School Census have been provided to over 1,500 individuals by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology.

To enhance the workforce in the education sector, the government recruited an additional 3,979 teachers in February 2023 from a pool of 22,342 applicants.

Before 2015, Kogi State's education landscape was a cause for concern. The performance of Kogi students in national examinations like WAEC, NECO, and JAMB was disheartening. However, the Bello's administration ushered in a transformative era. Substantial investments in educational infrastructure and the welfare of of teachers and management staff have elevated the standard of Kogi students. This is a testament to the power of commitment and strategic planning.

According to statistics from the Federal Ministry of Education, the number of out-of-school children jin Kogi State stood at 554,943 between 2014 and 2015. Through concerted efforts, the Bello's administration has reduced that figure to 86,803, ranking Kogi as the 9th state with the lowest number of out-of-school children in Nigeria as of 2019.

With the renewed commitment of the government under the leadership of the incumbent governor Usman Ododo , it is anticipated that every school-age child will be in the classroom before the end of 2024.

Achieving this involved investments in primary education, renovating 833 classroom blocks, constructing 1,800 classrooms across the state, and establishing GYB Model Science Schools in the state. It also involved training and retraining of teachers across all schools in the state.

Recalled that Bello took a visionary and audacious step on September 21, 2023, by declaring free education from primary school to secondary school levels in all public schools in Kogi State. Furthermore, the government committed to paying examination fees for WAEC, NECO, and JAMB candidates is a testament to the leadership's understanding of the importance of investing in the future.

Bello’s magic wand was also evident in putting an end to the incessant ASUU strike in the state-owned institutions in 2017 through strategic negotiation with stakeholders. The agreement there from normalised activities in the institutions and ensured prompt and regular payment of staff salaries. The development encouraged the governor to establish the Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara after obtaining approval from the NUC in 2020. The specialized institution took off in 2021 with 245 students. On February 12, 2022, the Kogi State government disbursed N6b to contractors handling projects in the university while construction of the college of medicine, Prince Abubakar Audu University,Anyigba for full medical accreditation was also getting final requirement. Another deft move in reshaping the education in Kogi State was the establishment of the Kogi State University, Kabba in 2023, making his administration the first to establish and nurture two-state-owned universities under four years. Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja; College of Education, Ankpa; and College of Education Technical, Mopa are not left out too.

In a nutshell and whichever side of the divide in Kogi under Bello , it is incontrovertible that Bello left a legacy for future development in confluence state.

(Zebedee wrote from Lokoja,
Kogi state).

The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum (Upstream), Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa (Kano), has said he was not standing before any court of law in Nigeria, for alleged murder, culpable homicide or any politically instigated violence being speculated by his detractors or political enemies.


The former Leader of the House said this while responding to a statement credited to the Member representing Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency of Kano State, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin, that Doguwa has never won a free and fair election, but rather charaterised by rigging and violence, "leaving behind sorrow, tears and blood in his constituency."


The Chairman, Northern Regional Caucus of the 10th House, in a statement, admitted that there was a crisis instigated by perpetual political losers in his area during the 2023 general elections, but he was not behind such crisis, instead, he was only made a victim.

He said; "the police investigators arrested some of the hoodlums who have made personal confessions- they were mostly NNPP members. Some of them were even hired from Kano city to go to Tudun Wada to stop the unstoppable election of my humble self to the House of Representatives for the 7th time. These indicted NNPP criminals were prosecuted by appropriate courts of law in Kano and were served different sentences.

"Federal High Court in Abuja delivered the recent and most exemplary judgement on enforcing my fundamental human rights as a free Nigerian citizen. It may interest Jibrin and his cohorts to know that that judgement even ordered the Kano State government and the Governor to pay me a cost of N25m as damages for unnecessarily harassing me and defaming my innocent character.

"I went through virtually all criminal investigations and judicial considerations at various levels and came out clean and victoriously innocent. Copies of such rigorous police investigations conducted by the highest police investigations authority in the land (the Force Criminal Investigation Department - FCID, Abuja) that cleared me are available for public scrutiny.

"For the information of Jibrin and his partners in crime, it was based on the police clearance that the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice in Kano State acted and issued unmistakable and unambiguous legal advice that exonerated me from the alleged criminal charges.

"I therefore, wish to state on my honour and on Islamic moral conviction that the so-called crisis in my constituency was merely cooked and fabricated to throw a spanner in the works of what was perceived to be my life ambition in politics (to be the Speaker of the House of Representatives)."

The former House Chief Whip said
he was awaiting the so-called bombshell Jibrin threatened to drop against him, which would lead to his expulsion from the All Progressives Congress (APC), adding that his colleague derailed into "hallucinations, concoctions and black lies."

Tracing the origin of their face-off, Doguwa said: "As we all know, the genesis of these verbal altercations started when Jibrin, a political parasite and an electoral terrorist, warned me against responding to his 'fictitious godfather', Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, who disparaged the leadership of the APC and called us 'Banzaye', a Hausa word for stupid people, in a widely circulated video clip."

The 10th National Assembly under the leadership of His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio, is working for Nigerian people...

Check out the summary of proceedings and some of the Bills successfully passed, and how Senators contribute to motions, others.




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZDP29LIf7I

Hope has finally returned to rural dwellers and low income earners in Nigeria and across Africa, as a digital health solution has been unveiled, to bring medical attention to their doorsteps.

A young Medical Doctor and Health Philanthropist, Dr Esperance Luvindao, in partnership with OSAAT Africa Health Foundation and MENGA Healthcare Technology, yesterday unveiled the MENGA health technology in Nigeria and 6 other African countries.

MENGA is a digital health solution invented by Dr. Luvindao and has been in the works for the past couple of years, with the aim of assisting patients throughout African semi-rural areas and suburbs to gain access to prescribed medication without having to travel long distances or acquire out of pocket health costs through the conventional methods of consultation and medication acquisition.

Speaking during the unveiling, which was done virtually across benefitting countries, Dr. Luvindao, who is also the Founder of OSAAT Africa Health Foundation, underscored the importance of the technology to rural dwellers, saying, arrangements were underway to get the nod of the World Health Organization, WHO, to launch MENGA in many more African countries and other developing nations.

"The aim of MENGA, is to reduce the gap between the quality of healthcare afforded to those from lower socioeconomic groups versus that offered to higher socioeconomic groups, by ensuring timely consultation and acquisition of medication. The target group for the innovation is women, men and children between the ages of 1 and 50 living in African semi-rural areas and suburbs.

"The process will entail patients consulting with the doctor on call through a messaging system that does not require internet connectivity, After which they will gain access to their medication at a MENGA located nearby, through ID scanning, finger print scanning or code.

"If positioned in local supermarkets and service stations, MENGA can ensure that the entire process on the patient end does not require internet connectivity. We are hoping to get go ahead from WHO, to roll out in more countries. Nigeria is one of our biggest targets, due to lack of facilities at the rural areas! So we are pushing. So we'll work a lot with Nigerian public health leaders", she said.

Dr. Luvindao, however, said it would take legal frameworks and conducive government policies, for Nigerias to maximally benefit from the scheme, calling on the National Assembly of Nigeria and Parliaments in other countries to, as a matter of urgency, make legislations on telemedicine and digital health, and other laws within the heath sector, to make primary health care effective for the people in rural areas.

She said, "Innovations like these speak to the need for legislation and policies that are forward thinking and meet the people at their point of need. Telemedicine has also aroused the debate on whether it removes the aspect of human contact, however, when approached from the aspect of augmentation as opposed to replacement, one may find that once we embrace digital health, it stands to benefit both patients and healthcare workers”.

Dr. Luvindao, who is a Forbes 30 Under 30 and member of Digital Health Expert Panel for the Africa CDC, bemoaned the mortality rate amongst rural dwellers in the country, confirmed the launch of MENGA for public use in Namibia, saying, it was successfully tested.

"Thousands of patients queue up daily at hospitals, overwhelming the healthcare workforce. Thus, regulated digital health may be the solution to advance quality healthcare, while reducing the burden of the traditional way of doing medicine.

"MENGA is unique in that it provides real time access to a doctor and medication as opposed to a mere locker system. MENGA also allows patients to consult and access their medication in their native language, removing the barrier of language and comprehension. Lastly, MENGA’S medication packages are made from recycled paper, making it eco-friendly and efficient", she concluded.

Dr. Luvindao and her team would be moving across Africa for sensitization, as they are also expected to visit the Ministry of Health, National Assembly, National Orientation Agency, amongst others, for smooth and conducive operation of MENGA in their respective countries.

To know the details and how to benefit, follow Dr. Luvindao here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/pqPnPVWk1HqDxabD/?mibextid=oFDknk

The South East National Assembly Caucus, has condemned the continued ethnic profiling of Igbos over the nationwide #EndBadGovernments protest across the country.

A statement signed by the south East leaders of both chambers of the National Assembly, Senator Enyinaya Abaribe and Rt. Hon Igariwey Iduma Enwo, further described as unfortunate and dangerous, the ethnic profiling of Igbos in the ongoing mass protests across the country.

“For the records, the Igbo nation, in obedience to the advice of their leaders, Governors, Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, parliamentarians and others in the private sector, had taken a reasoned and strategic decision not to participate in the on-going nationwide protests”, the statement emphasized, adding this was evident in the relative calm experienced in the five South Eastern states.

"We are, therefore, surprised and disappointed, that Igbos are still made scapegoats, and targeted as instigators of protests, as shown in several statements (such as the Igbo Must Go hashtag and call by a certain ‘Lagospedia’ X(Twitter) handle) and videos trending online.

“This dangerous ethnic profiling is unwarranted, and must stop. It was such profiling that led to the millions of deaths in Nigeria from the 1950’s to the unfortunate civil war in 1967 to 1970. Elsewhere in Africa, it led to the genocide in Rwanda and the xenophobia in South Africa.

"We demand that the security agencies bring to book the purveyors of this hate speeches in line with the cybercrimes act, while we continue to appeal to Igbos across the country to stay away from the protests, and remain law abiding”, the Caucus added.

Fifty Members of the House of Representatives, on Thursday, rallied support for the Group Chief Executive Officer, GCEO of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd, NNPCL, Mele Kyari, and the Chief Executive of the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, Farouk Ahmed.

The Lawmakers faulted the calls for the removal of Kyari and Farouk and described the move as premature and done in bad fate.

Led by Hon. Billy Famous Osawaru ( Edo State), the Lawmakers said the call for the sacking of Kyari, when an investigation is currently being carried out, was an action that is against parliamentary culture.

Deputy Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Hon. Philip Agbese, had asked President Bola Tinubu to immediately dismiss Kyari, for allegdly stifling the economy’s growth, due to the oil sector crisis.

Agbese had also called on the President to sack Farouk Ahmed, the Chief Executive Officer of NMDPRA and other inherited appointees.

But reacting to the call, Osawaru, during a press briefing, said it was against parliamentary culture to call for the sacking of an official of government when an investigation involving such person had not been concluded.

He said, it is in the parliamentary culture to afford parties in the investigation of the right for fair hearing, and called on the committee handling the probe to be impartial.

He said, "Nigerians will recall hike in fuel prices and associated challenges are fundamental concerns. The House of Representatives vide its resolutions mandated the joint committee of the house on Midstream and Downstream Petroleum to investigate issues in the oil and gas sector.

"We are aware that investigation is ongoing and final decision has not been reached. However, our attention has been drawn to some media reports calling for the removal of the Group Chief Executive Officer of the NNPCL and the Chief Executive Officer of NMDPRA while the above investigation is subsisting.

"We wish to state that it is in the parliamentary culture to afford parties in an investigation that right to fair hearing. Therefore, the cal for removal of anyone while investigation is pending is premature.

"We Therefore call on all Nigerians to be patient and law abiding in expectation of a better Nigeria."

The Lawmakers also expressed concern about the ongoing protests in the country, saying they converged to further appraise the situation as it affects the well-being of Nigerians.

They appealed for calm and begged all Nigerians to bring the protests to an end.

He added, "Today, the 1st of August, 2024, no less than 50 members of the House of Representatives who are deeply concerned about the ongoing protests have converged to further appraise the situation as it affects the well-being of Nigerians.

"First, we wish to commend the efforts of the National Assembly, particularly the House of Representatives, under the leadership of Right Honorable Tajudeen Abbas, PhD, for convening the youth dialogue to douse the tensions surrounding the scheduled protests.

"Having observed the nationwide protests, we commend the youths and Nigerians in general for the manner they have conducted themselves. We appeal for calm while imploring all Nigerians to bring the protests to an end."

Some Members of the House of Representatives are mobilising their colleagues to ask President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to audit and dissolve the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), in order to save the economy and end bad governance in both agencies.

It's widely believed that, the rots in those agencies are part of what is fueling the ongoing desire of citizens to embark on mass protest caused by hardship the incompetence in these agencies have caused Nigerians.

A reliable source who disclosed this to journalists on the condition of anonymity said that this group of lawmakers are known as United Lawmakers for Energy Reform and Economic Prosperity.

According to the source, they have coordinators in 6 geopolitical zones and are working hard to secure support of 70 of their colleagues to make the demand which they believe is the key to saving the renewed hope agenda of Mr President.

The source stated that other focus areas aside mobilisation to end the economic crisis in the country which is fuelling nationwide protest, are to get the presidency to back Reps ongoing joint Petroleum committees forensic investigation, push for their colleagues to demand for resignation of NNPCL, NMDPRA top shots to aide unbiased probe and seek FG support to setting up of independent private special investigator to simultaneously audit the agencies alongside reps investigation led by Hon.Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere (Downstream) alongside Hon. Henry Okogie (Midstream).

The source also informed this medium that the lawmakers have intensified the mobilisation to help ensure they exact the needed pressure on the executive to take the bold step of saving the future of the renewed hope which is under threat with dwindling oil revenue caused by lack of capacity by NNPCL and regulatory bodies to turn the tide and stabilise the industry.

They are seriously frowning at the continued and endless scarcity of Petroleum Products, non availability of pms, ago etc, import of fake adulterated products and shady oil deals that see Nigeria always on the losing end.

The group, the source said is expected to appeal to protesters to calm down and give the President time to carry out these reforms especially in the oil and gas sector which will help to end bad governance but the President must help them by ensuring He shows young Nigerians his determination to rejig the system for more efficiency.

The source said, "A group of federal lawmakers known as United Lawmakers for Energy Reform and Economic Prosperity, with coordinators in 6 geopolitical zones are working hard to secure support of 70 of their colleagues to make the demand which they believe is the key to saving the renewed hope agenda of Mr President.

"They believe that the NNPCL mismanaged the oil revenue, decreased crude oil production from former President Buhari era and has continued this in Tinubu's regime. They want the President to save the dwindling economy caused by low revenue and FX issues caused by mismanagement of oil revenue by sacking key regulatory bodies heads and reforming the oil sector.

"The group is particularly asking the house leadership and forensic investigation joint committee to also request for president to suspend the leadership of NNPCL to give unfettered access to legislative investigation and independent forensic audit to aide investigation of the rot in the sector that have led to poor and mismanagement of oil revenue.

The Chairman, House of Representative’s Committee on Aviation, Rt Hon. Abdulahi Idris Garba, has described airports as national security assets that must be efficiently handled for safety and economic development.

He stated this while addressing the Officials of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and heads of its agencies during a joint audit investigative session on enhancing the accountability and competency of the Nigerian Airports in National Assembly.

Hon. Garba, also noted that the meeting was in furtherance to the resolutions passed by the House in plenary on Tuesday May 21, 2024 regarding the competency of the nation’s airports.

He reiterated that airports as critical security zone required that the personnel and contract staff working there were qualified and competent to ensure safety of equipment and all users of the gateways both locally and internationally.

The Aviation Committee Chairman also stressed that the parliament was equally concerned about the functionality of the infrastructure and all the technical equipment available at all the country’s airports and was ready to work with the executive to ensure that what was necessary would be done to ensure that standards were maintained in the industry.

He stressed that the session was of great benefit to the nation and urged the Minister of Aviation, Barrister Festus Keyamo and the heads of the agencies to be frank and sincere in the submissions during the discussions.

Hon. Garba who also represents Kontangora/Wushishi/Mariah/Mashegu Federal Constituency of Niger State in the House of Representatives consequently reassured the Minister and his team that the committee was prepared to assist the sector in making sure that the mandate given to him and his officials were achieved.

No fewer than 20 constitutional lawyers have called on the House of Representatives’ Joint Committee on Petroleum (Downstream and Midstream), to recommend the suspension of the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), Mele Kyari.

This call also includes the suspension of Lawal Sade, Managing Director of NNPC Trading Company, and Bala Wunti, Chief Upstream Investment Officer of NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services (NUIMS), pending the conclusion of a forensic investigation into the company’s operations.

The lawyers, led by constitutional activist, Tijani Usman, issued a press statement on Thursday, insisting that suspending these executives was crucial to ensuring an uninterrupted investigation. They argued that allowing these officials to remain in their positions would enable them to access sensitive information and documents, potentially derailing the investigation.

The legal practitioners criticised Kyari and his team for allegedly sabotaging President Tinubu’s efforts to salvage the nation’s economy. They asserted that the executives’ incompetence has hindered legislative intentions aimed at improving the petroleum sector.

The lawyers equally urged the Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere (Downstream) and Hon. Henry Okojie (Midstream)-led probe panel not to sweep the OVH Acquisition and other related deals under the carpet as they are the larger issues the joint committee should look into beyond those raised in the motion that prompted the forensic investigation.


“It is quite fascinating that the House of Representatives has resolved to carry out a forensic investigation into the presence of middlemen in trading, the indiscriminate issuance of licenses, the unavailability of laboratories to check adulterated products, the influx of adulterated products into the country, the allegation of non-domestication of profits realised from crude marketing sales in local banks, and other anomalies.

“Interestingly too, the forensic investigation also cover the importation of substandard products and high-sulphur diesel into Nigeria, the sale of petroleum products below fair market value, and the impact on downstream and local refineries and as the source of funds for such interventions, amongst other things, and report back to the House within four weeks for further legislative action.

“However, this would be efforts in futility if the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari and his cohorts, especially Lawal Sade, the Managing Director of NNPC Trading Company and Bala Wunti, the Chief Upstream Investment Officer of NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services (NUIMS) are allowed to remain in office why the investigation is being conducted.

“Thus, we urge the House of Representatives’ Joint Committee on Petroleum (Downstream and Midstream) conducting forensic investigation into the state of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and downstream sector generally to recommend their suspension to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu or else they will use their tremendous influence to sabotage this timely intervention.

“When that is done, President Tinubu who should by now realised that the Kyari- led NNPCL was sabotaging his efforts to fix the economy due to their crass incompetent and mischief should suspend the management of the company to give the lawmakers unfettered access to do their job.

“Beyond those rots spelt out in the motion which necessitated the probe, the Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere (Downstream) and Hon. Henry Okojie (Midstream)-led probe panel should make sure the OVH Acquisition and other sleaze are not swept under the carpet.

“Nigerians are well aware how after N140 billion purchase, NNPCL was unable to complete the acquisition of OVH Energy Marketing Limited‘s downstream assets. So, the panel will be daring the people who are already fed up with the kleptomania in the company.”

Barely 24 hours after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed the South East Development Commission, SEDC bill into law, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, RT. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has called on his Igbo kinsmen to stop agitation.

At a world press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, the Deputy Speaker also urged the people of the region and Nigerians entirely, to shun the proposed nationwide protest, saying, nothing could be achieved through kinetic approaches to issues of governance.

"To my fellow south easterners, I implore you not to join the planned looming anti government protest. Instead, let us view the signing of the South East Development Commission bill into law as a testament to the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration's resolve to heal the wounds of the past, bury the rumors of the marginalization of the southeast geopolitical zone and renew the hope of the nation towards equitable economic growth and socio cultural renewal.

"This is a time for unity. This is a time for progress. This is a time for peace, not division, not unrest. Unrest and division will divide us further and will under-develope us further. But in an atmosphere of peace and unity, the progress promised by our forefathers will be achieved.

"I also implore Nigerians from all walks of life and the entirety of the country to not heed the calls for protests, but instead continue to trust in the process. Say no to protests. Say yes to the process, which involves policy formulations from government that is people centered, which the parliament have insisted on, that all policies of government must have the people at its center, believe in this process, not the protests, and we will be able to get the profit that this government has promised", Kalu said.

The elated Deputy Speaker, called for more patience with Tinubu's administration, while thanking the President for remembering the south east region, 54 years after the end of the civil war.

He said, "The reforms of this current administration will take time, no doubt, but it will soon start to suffice, including a reversal of inflation, stabilization of the economy and ensuing multiplier effect in a massive employment boom as a result of industrialization and the outcomes of the work organizations like the SEDC, which is the South East Development Commission, will engineer in the coming days.

"With South East Development Commission, we will leverage to improve agriculture. Entrepreneurial skills will enable industrialization of the region and our innovative mindedness will leverage the opportunities in the digital economy.

"Our creativity will birth a greater cultural and entertainment platform, such as the Igbowood. Our youth and women demography will play a major role in the energy of our development. It is time to put our huge gap deposit in the region to use for industrial parks.

"The gas in our zone will aid these industrial parts that will bring value to the nation. Most of the radicalized youths in our region who have been crying because of the seeming rumors of marginalization and alienation from the center will now have jobs to engage them productively, among others.

"It is no more time to carry arms. It is now time to take up skills that will be stimulated by the South East Development Commission. This is a foundation for peace and security in the southeast. There is no better foundation than this.

"On behalf of the great people of the Southeast geopolitical zone of Nigeria, the beating heart of the nation, the land of enterprise and entrepreneurship, let me express my deep gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for signing the Southeast Development Commission SEDC bill into law yesterday"

Speaking further, Kalu said, "This victory is a true example that a lot can be achieved quietly through lobbying, negotiation for what is good for your people. With negotiation, diplomacy and lobbying, not conflict and protest, we can achieve a lot more from this government.

"I wish to thank the Governors of the five states of the southeast and to congratulate them for their support towards this bill. It is momentous because it is happening during their tenure and their states and her citizens will be the beneficiaries of these magnanimous acts of the President who loves the southeast. Let us remember that our strength lies in our shared dreams and collective effort.

"In conclusion, let us remember that in unity, our shared dreams and visions will become a mission. And same goes for our collective efforts. Together we can build a Nigeria that offers every child a decent shot at life.

"Where the doors of opportunities remain open to all, we know we can do better. We are aware that we will. And with South East Development Commission, the long cry of our forefathers who died hoping for reconciliation, the true reconciliation, the true reintegration, the true reconstruction, the true rehabilitation will have been achieved.

"In South East Development Commission, a lot of multiple questions have been answered. Say no now to agitation. Say no now to conflict. Say no now to crisis and protest. Let us support this government".

Recall that President Tinubu granted ascent to a Bill for an Act to establish South East Development Commission yesterday.

The Bill sponsored by Hon. Kalu, sought to establish a commission that will be charged with the responsibility to receive and manage fund from allocation of the federation account for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of roads, houses and other infrastructural damage suffered by the region as a result of the effect of the civil war after 54 years.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Tuesday, signed into law, a Bill for an Act to establish South East Development Commission, SEDC.

The Bill, which was sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, was passed by the House in December 2023.

The Bill was subsequently concurred by the Upper Legislative Chamber in May 2024 and was transmitted to the President for ascent.

Reacting Tuesday night, the Deputy Speaker, Kalu, expressed profound gratitude to the President Tinubu, for signing the SEDC bill into law, thereby approving the creation of the commission.

The bill sought to establish a commission that will be charged with the responsibility to receive and manage fund from allocation of the federation account for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of roads, houses and other infrastructural damage suffered by the region as a result of the effect of the civil war after 54 years.

The commission will as well tackle the ecological problems and any other related environmental or developmental challenges in the Southeast States which include Abia, Imo, Enugu, Anambra and Ebonyi.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Levinus Nwabughiogu, the elated Kalu profusely thanked President Tinubu, his colleagues in the National Assembly and indeed, all Nigerians for supporting the bill.

He also conveyed the appreciation of all Ndi Igbo from the South East region, assuring them of more positive attention from the President.

In a decisive move, the House of Representatives' specially constituted Joint Petroleum Committees on Midstream and Downstream sectors, have commenced a thorough investigation into the alleged production/importation of adulterated/substandard petroleum products, the non availability of crude oil needed by domestic refineries, and broader threats to Nigeria's energy security.

The Joint Investigative committees chaired by Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere (Downstream) with Support from Hon. Henry Okojie (Midstream), at the inaugural meeting on Monday, called on all stakeholders to provide comprehensive support, including essential information and documentation.

The inaugural meeting was held in the National Assembly, with stakeholders and members of the Committees in attendance.

Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, while performing the inauguration of the committee, charged them to hold dearly the sacred principles of transparency, fairness, justice and professionalism in going about their mandate.

He charged the committee to consider the interest of the people and only the interest of the Nigerian people in their Investigative activities, while warning them not to compromise the core values of the Tajudeen Abass led 10th Peoples House of Representatives.

The Chairman of Downstream, Hon. Ugochinyere, who heads the Joint Investigation, and Hon. Okogie, Chairman of Midstream, in their speeches at the event, outlined the Committee strategy and confirmed that hearings and submissions from stakeholders have already begun.

They urged refinery operators, importers, producers, and marketers of petroleum products to share their complaints, suggestions, and independent facts.

They disclosed that the investigation will proceed in phases, starting with the investigation of allegations of local production and importation of substandard petroleum products, as well as the critical issue of crude oil non-availability to refineries and circumstances surrounding it.

The committee revealed that it has identified 30 key items for investigation as directed by the House but will initially focus on two primary concerns.

"To ensure a thorough examination, the committee plans to, conduct laboratory investigations at all local refineries, marketer and importer facilities, and regulatory agency labs such as the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), visit various filling stations of different marketers, importers' depots, and other relevant sites to collect samples for analysis.

"These samples will be examined in their labs, and also in alternative private independent labs to ascertain sulfur levels and other critical components. The committee will hire an internationally certified lab and where possible conduct live testing of all imported and locally produced products to help resolve the issues. The results of such testing on all imported and produced petroleum products, will be announced publicly.

"The committee affirmed that apart from finding a final solution to the alleged embarrassing issue of non-availability of crude supply to domestic refiners both modular and big refiners, the findings will stretch to crude produced and the quantity that ought to go to local refiners and the reasons for falling short, the impact of crude forward sales on availability of crude to domestic refiners and other issues", the Committee added.

The Lawmakers said that letters of invitation for paper submissions and appearances have been dispatched to key stakeholders, including the Minister for Petroleum (Oil), the management of NNPCL, the GCEO Mele Kyari, Executive Vice President Downstream, and Authority Chief Executive of NMDPRA, Operations Officers, and their lab heads or testing partners.

Others include, IPMAN, PETROAN, NUPRC, CEO, independent oil producers, international oil companies (IOCs), importers, marketers, and depot owners.

The Lawmakers added that, the investigation aims to identify and resolve the underlying issues plaguing Nigeria’s petroleum sector, while urging relevant stakeholders to deviate from any attack on media pending conclusion of investigation.

By Abdulmalik Abbas

Alhaji Yahaha Adoza Bello came into political limelight when he became the Governor of Kogi state under a most unanticipated circumstances following the sudden death of Prince Abubakar Audu who was coasting home to victory as the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2016.

Yahaya Bello's emergence as replacement for Prince Audu was akin to the invocation of Doctrine of Necessity because some schools of thoughts had posisted that Prince Audu's running mate Rt Hon James Faleke should ordinarily and automatically assumed the governorship candidatacy . But that was not to be as the fresh mandate was bestowed on the then little known Yahaya Bello.

Youthful and energetic, Bello came into the fold with a lot of zeal, ready to roar like a Lion . It is still debatable whether his energy ended negatively or positively, but what is incontrovertible is that Bello never pretended to be what he is not.

Rightly or wrongly and whichever side of the divide, Bello provided leadership and proceeded to accomplish the task he set for himself for the good of Kogi state.

Unarguably, his exploits in Education sector under his tenure when he established two state universities within four years and subsequently declared free and compulsory education from primary to post primary schools in the state attested to his unwavering commitment.

Sworn in as the 4th civilian Governor of the state on January 27, 2016, Bello led the state for eight uninterrupted years which ended on the 27th January, 2024.

He handed over power to his successor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, who emerged winner of the November 11, 2023 governorship election.

Going back memory lane from the creation of the Confluence State and its leadership under the democratic system including the eight -years of Bello, one thing the people of Kogi State would attest to is the fact that Bello was never a lethargic leader.

He made appreciable impacts in various sectors, including:

Civil Service Reform

Right from the beginning of his first term in January 2016, Bello committed himself to the transformation of the State by reforming the machineries of government (Civil Service), its security architecture, and ensuring ethnic cohesion and development at all levels.

To achieve the goals, he assembled eggheads, competent enough to handle the task of transformation .

Though, his first term was almost marred by litany of litigations and the political battles which broke out immediately after he was sworn-in; he remain resolute in implementing his policies and programmes . He meticulously examined the situation and used his administration’s blueprint as a compass to address the pressing needs of the state.

The first problem he encountered in the course of governance was the civil service. It was perceived as rotten, corrupt and unproductive. Using the democratic and legal means to ensure an effective and productive civil service, Bello embarked on a screening exercise that ab initio generated an outcry from ghost workers and employment racketeers who were the target of the exercise.

On the completion of screening in 2018, Bello gave a standing order for the civil servants’ salaries to be paid between the 24 and 27th of every month, an order that was sustained throughout his administration.

The unautocratic nature of Bello in policy execution boosted the morale of the workers and propelled them to be productive and patriotic. Added to that is the fact that even in the face of the crippling national economy, he approved the National Minimum Wage Scale for Kogi civil servants. The gesture which was greeted with commendations from the workforce.

Transformation of the Health Sector

In addition to the Civil Service reform, Bello’s utmost priority was the health sector. Consequently, he built the Reference Hospital, Okene as a medical cathedral to put an end to medical tourism by Nigerians. Other three state-of-the-art medical centres were built in Isanlu, Gegu-Beki and Eganyi in Ajaokuta local government area, while the Idah General Hospital was upgraded to a zonal hospital to cater for the healthcare needs of the people. Today, every community in Kogi State can access basic healthcare service within 2km radius.

A boost to Infrastructure/Environment


Access to the healthcare facilities wouldn't have been possible if the administration had not rehabilitated and constructed most of the roads in the state.

Before 2015, 70% of Kogi roads were death traps. Recent reports of the roads and projects executed by Bello’s administration put paid to criticisms.

The images of infrastructural master- pieces adorned the state right from its capital, to Idah, Gegu-Beki, Anyigba, Ogugu, Okene, Kabba, and other places are cherished by the people. Specifically these multi-billion naira projects that gave the State facelift included but not limited to the Ganaja Junction flyover (which has brought the incessant traffic in the junction to an abrupt end), the 55 km Ejule – Umomi – Ugwolawo – Ajaka - Idah road, the Kabba township roads, Felele-Oworo road, the Okene township roads around Agasa GRA and Okengwe-Makaranta areas of the town, the 56km Ibana-Okpo-Ikeje-Emon- yokwu-Ogugu road, Ankpa township road, 38km Itakpe-Okene road, Agala-Ogane-aji road, Lokoja township roads and others.

In carrying out these projects, Bello was utterly and noticeably prudent. Through financial probity, accountability and transparency, Kogi State has been rated best by the World Bank and other financial and accounting bodies in Nigeria. With effective communication and strong relationships, Kogi under governor Bello collaborated with international organisations in curtailing the menace of life threatening gully erosions in the state.

One of such collaborations was with the Nigerian Erosion and Watershed Management Project, NEWMAP where the State has consistently paid its counterpart funds. This intervention has permanently addressed the erosion menace in Adumu and Ogugu, Olamaboro local government area, Agasa in Okene local government area and Ogane-aji in Dekina local government area respectively.

He battled insecurity


Insecurity in Kogi on the eve of Bello’s administration was intractable. Lives and property were lost through incessant bank robberies, kidnapping, highway robbery, and political thuggery, making the state to be notoriously christened “the kidnap capital of Nigeria.” For instance, in 2011, ISWAP established fortress in Okene, where most of the Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) were made for terrorism across the country.

Attacks on worship centres were frequent occurrences. Worthy of note was the killing of 16 Deeper Life Church members on August 7, 2012. Military formations in the area were also not left out of the preponderant clandestine attacks that led to the deaths of many citizens. Charity, they say, begins at home. Bello took a bold step; invaded the rocky caves of Okene and sacked ISWAP; the notorious kidnappers were arrested, prosecuted and the proceeds of their nefarious activities were destroyed in broad daylight. The same actions were carried out in Kogi East and West senatorial zones where criminal elements were ransacked and arrested to make Kogi one of the safest states in the country.

It is indisputable that in his eight years' reign, the immediate past Kogi Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello made appreciable impact on the landscape of the Confluence state. He changed the narrative of Kogi state for good.


(Abbas wrote from Lokoja,
Kogi state).

By Chikodiri Eze.


When Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu was overwhelmingly elected the Deputy Speaker of the Green Chamber, keen watchers of our political space discerned that the young representative of Bende Federal Constituency, was about to embark on a leadership career that would pitch him against his own very convictions, testing his tolerance, commitment, resolve, patience and loyalty to the guiding principles that sculpted his character; the very fuel that propels his enviable meteoric rise in our tumultuous political landscape.

It is of course elementary science for every aspiring politician to identify our political and leadership challenges while pleading for our votes.

The real fear factor is the ability to boldly confront same challenges once in office and begin to contend with them.

The entrenched selfish interests of territorial demagogues has become the bulwark that stands against every well intended and spirited efforts of Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, to put the interests and welfare of his people first, by creating the conducive political atmosphere where justice,equity, good governance, peace and prosperity, would reign.

Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, began to swim against the inhibiting political tides, when he genuinely sought to unite his Party, APC, in Abia State; a move that inadvertently rattled some self-styled Capo di tutis, who feared that their selfish and invasive grassroot political relevance was under siege.

Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu's heroic and epic performance as former Spokesperson of the 9th assembly, coupled with his present trailblazing record as the Deputy Speaker, had begun to attract notable new entrants into the Party, a development that further spooked same ill-minded non-performers and their Godfathers

But the influx of new members into the Abia State chapter of APC, for all intents and purposes, should be seen as a positive omen by every well meaning Party stakeholder, and not just as a threat to some burnt out politicians who would rather cling to faded glory than realign their ambitions with present political realities.

Again, the SouthEast region, having witnessed a directionless political front since 1999, needed a broad-minded, trusted, unifying, political figure in the person of Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, to help refocus, redirect and reunite the opposing political entities that had prioritised the entrenchment of their personal fiefdoms, at the expense of trusted and responsible leadership.

This task of unification when fully accomplished, would strengthen the Party while ensuring that dividends of democracy gets to the people who had invested their collective hopes in the leadership.

As Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu welcomes yet another political juggernaut from the Southeast, into the APC family, he may as well count it all joy as he continues to fend off annoying snaps at his heels, by cowards and political jackals, being quite comfortable swimming against erosive political tides, wherein he draws some of his strengths from, assured that the Trials of his Faith, Worketh Patience.

But RT. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, Deputy Speaker, would surely let patience have her perfect work, that he may be perfect and entire, wanting the very best for his beloved people.


(Eze, a Public Affairs Analyst, writes from Umuahia, Abia State).

By Ikemefuna Ikechukwu


An African proverb says: "If a madman takes your clothes (while taking bath) you shouldn't run after him naked. If you do, people will think that both of you are crazy."

So ordinarily one would have ignored a gibberish published on obscured online platform by a coward who lacks even the temerity to append his or her byline with poorly phrase title: "Local Boy Gone Bananas: Kalu’s Descent into Controversies."

However, for the sake of unsuspecting members of the public and multitude fans of the Sagacious Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, Esq to be lured into believing that silence implies admittance of guilt, one spare time to correct the evil intended and malicious vituperations of that faceless forlorn.

From the title of that bile and hatred innuendo: It is obvious the pseudo author knows little or nothing about the Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, Esq, hence what he or she said about him or his office was borne out of crass ignorance or just an attempt to satisfy the ego of their paymaster(s) who are obviously very afraid of Kalu for reasons best known to them. Hope it is not the the fear of the end of their political empire that held many down from rising . An enemy of growth can never grow .

The suspected paymaster remains the real unexposed uneducated rural mummy’s boy in an adult skin. When you are raised by a cloth hanger selling father and an ogogoro drink selling mother on the streets of Aba and never sat and passed any exam in your life you are the real rural boy.

Rural boys like the sponsor of the article have allowed their childhood inferiority complex to demonize them for life . We challenge the writer and the sponsor to publish their profile let’s compare their exposure to education, leadership and career against the young man that has given them sleepless night for having eyes for excellence, carrying himself and the rich identity of his people proudly and confidently, for delivering content and capacity for showcasing a high level of emotional intelligence in leadership not excluding his selfless approach to power. Unlike the sponsor of this bike that held the people of the southeast down in the kitchen of her mother with melons in their hands . Because he tried to stop him and he beat him severally to it being smarter and it is difficult for you to accept .

Now, I would delve a little into why Kalu can't be described as a local boy. In his formative years, Kalu attended the famous Wilcox Memorial Comprehensive Secondary school , Aba, University of Calabar where he was a students representative - in the South-south geopolitical zone well outside his state Abia state and the South-East zone .

Kalu was the youngest local government chairman of Bende, the biggest undivided local government area since 1976 with a total of one hundred autonomous communities. At 34, he was a member of the Abia State Government Executive Cabinet as a Senior Special Adviser to the Executive Governor on Local Government and Chieftaincy affairs, while at 35, he was Senior Special Adviser to the Executive Governor on Millennium Development Goals and International Relations.

He was the National Chapter Chairman of a ruling party in the Diaspora in 2001 under President Obasanjo; an international businessman cutting across different continents including Australia where he worked for Australia for United Nations High Commission for refugees (UNHCR) in Sydney New South Wales Australia. Operated his law firm Silk partners LLP in Lekki Lagos with interest in businesses across Europe, Middle East and Africa in real estate , mining , manufacturing , commodities trading, food processing and packaging , international trading etc before his election into the House of Representatives in 2019 and was re-elected for a second term in 2023.

Kalu has an impressive educational background, with a Master of Business Administration from Oxford Brookes University UK , a distinction in Master of Law LL.M ( Terrorism and international law ) university of calabar where he earlier in life got a Bachelor of Law degree LL.B (Hons.) . He was also called to the Nigerian Bar, after completing his studies at the Nigeria Law School in Enugu, where he honed his legal skills. Lalu just finished his PhD course work with the university of Abuja in Public Policy and Strategic studies awaiting convocation . Are you also aware he has been busy with university of calabar to round up his PhD in law with only two courses left ?

It is important for you to know that this busy well educated man who has no time for haters like the write and the sponsor can easily fit into any other role globally with his acquired skills and expertise . In John Conor University campus Italy , he earned a certificate in Migration and human rights for his work and studies on that space .

The University of Groningen in the Netherlands recognised his expertise in this field with a Certificate in Illicit Trade,

At the Miami Herbert Business School of Miami University in the USA,He has also acquired valuable knowledge in governance and development and was Certificated in Governance & Development.

Coming from the Niger delta region with environmental challenges he went to acquire more knowledge on environmental crimes and was awarded a Certificate in Environmental Crimes by the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) in Italy.

Additionally, his Diploma in International Commercial Arbitration from the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators United Kingdom (CIARB) at the University of Oxford obtained in 2014 showcases his proficiency in dispute resolution. This he has employed in his non kinetic model of conflict resolution in the South East and the rest of Nigeria.

Kalu’s global recognition extends to his Fellowship in prestigious organizations such as OSHAssociation UK, the Chartered Institute of International Arbitrators (CIARB UK), the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), and his fellowship with the Institute of Administrative Managers (F.Inst.AM).

These affiliations reflect his commitment to excellence and professionalism in various fields. A thorough breed young leader that Nigeria is watching closely as he rises.

So if not for mischief, how can one call somebody with such tall resume and exposure both national and international as a “local boy who is exposed to power and influence for the first time.”? The spirit of pull him Down syndrome dormant in south east should not be brought to us at this national level . The real rural local boy should allow the mentality from the mothers ogororo shop to leave his brain , the damage has been done already just see a psychologist to end your child hood battles .

The senile and ineptitude writer, depending solely on an opinionated analysis published in ThisDay and written by a reporter who understandably covers the House of Representatives and might be looking for the attention of the Deputy speaker to dwell to a point of jejune that the Deputy Speaker was preoccupied with ethnic or regional agenda.

Though Rt. Hon. Kalu was first and foremost elected to represent the Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State in Southeastern Nigeria, all can attest to how the Deputy Speaker introduced himself on the floor as “ representing the entire Nigeria starting from Abia State “, during his term as a spokesperson of the house and the image maker he never appeared to Nigerians as the local boy the real local mummy’s boy in adults skin the sponsor failed to present to us . This writer should have seen that he was always the first to condemn any security breach in any part of the country, sympathise with the victims and call on government to take action.

While the writer is blind when Kalu moves against killings, kidnapping and other acts of insecurity in other parts of Nigeria but reads only articles that characterised his concern about insecurity in South-east as politically motivated, he should equally recognised that the Deputy Speaker is the highest political office holder nationally from the zone and is a given , that what affects his people should worry him.

Hence may be there was no elaborate analysis from ThisDay for him to read and pass judgement, the author is not aware of PISE-P, project peace initiative inspired by Kalu and the result it is yielding to the region.

Also, the alarmist is yet to read in the media to infer that at least 50 members of the House of Representatives from different parts of Nigeria and Political Parties known as concerned federal lawmakers for Peace and Security in the South East have appealed to President Bola Tinubu to cause the release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu from detention.

He or she is still unaware that the South East caucus in the House of Representatives has expressed support for the call for the release of the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu and appealed to President Tinubu to consider freeing him and others in a similar situation.

That statement signed by the 43 lawmakers that cut across the five States of the South East geopolitical zone - Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo and signed by Deputy speaker of the House, Hon. Benjamin Kalu (Abia); the Deputy minority whip of the House, Hon. George Ozodinobi (Anambra); the leader of the South East caucus, Hon. Enwo Igariwey (Ebonyi); Deputy Leader of the caucus, Hon. Nnolim Nnaji (Enugu) and the Secretary of the caucus, Hon. Miriam Onuoha (Imo), among others that was widely published across media platforms has not caught his attention.

Perhaps, ThisDay should help this her avowed reader to do analysis on all these including the Bill on State Police which the Deputy is the lead sponsor that is aimed at addressing security challenges across the country for his or her feeble mind to form another opinion hence he or she is suffering from the effect of knowledge gap hypothesis.

Coming to nonsensical insinuations that the Deputy Speaker is doing all these to get re-election is as laughable as it is unattainable. As he or she depends on media to make judgement, the writer is yet to know that Kalu survived the Peter Obi’s Labour Party tsunami in Abia and entire South-east and he was re-elected for a second based on his track record achievements in lawmaking, representation and oversight which are the core duties of a legislature. I challenge the biased writer to visit the Bende constituency where a poll has been conducted by Princeton university USA in partnership with the Ngozi Okonjo Iwuala poll agency to confirm that 95 % of the people in Bende wants to reelect him on grounds of performance . He should go and find out why .

Still on the political turf, the pseudo writer in his gullibility accused Kalu planning to topple Governor Otti, that is to tell you that it is people like him or her that doesn't want peace and development of Abia and Southeast entirely. However, both the Governor and Deputy Speaker understands the efficacy of synergy in fostering progress of their state. On this the duo of Kalu and Otti should be applauded for avoiding the animosity between national leaders and state leaders even of the same political party which retards development. The deputy speaker has always given support to previous Governors without seeking to topple them the same way he is supporting his current Governor .

On the issue of national visibility through the media, it will be better for those who are afraid of Kalu to disabuse their minds before they develop mental challenges because the Deputy Speaker has media exposure through his political career and particularly when he was the Spokesperson of the House of Representatives. In this age of information technologies, leaders should be visible to those they lead , that’s the dynamics he is bringing and this has inspired a lot of young people to aspire for quality leadership he is providing confidently across Nigeria . He is well known across Nigeria even more in the North . He is in the news for good reasons not bad as the layers of banana pills would wish for .

Coming to the happenings on the floor of the House of Representatives and inside the parliament, perhaps the writer again had his eyes sealed when Benjamin Kalu was elected unopposed by lawmakers with over 70% of being Green horn. There are rules of the House which govern proceedings and how the presiding officer directs debate is expressly stated. No one has ever accused the Deputy Speaker of violating those standing rules orders. One will not dwell much on this because the person saying there are no eggs in the bird's nest is not on the tree only someone who's there can tell. Did you witness the motion moved by the chairman of young people in parliament last week Hon Akao?

When he stood to appreciate all the support of the deputy speaker to the young parliamentarians, encouraging and supporting them ? Did you hear when the deputy spokesperson of the house rose to ask for apologies for the mistake made by hon Cyril Hart with his generalized statement about the new members , how he condemned it and wanted him to be punished for misfiring ? But the same deputy speaker said , we should leave that in the past and move on ? Are you aware the Hon Cyril Hart has apologized and copied ranking members for his misbehaviour? No you won’t report that because your paymaster is biased . He should keep being afraid and what he is afraid of will happen before his eyes .

For the issue of the “Novelty Group"
it is obvious the nameless writer since reading the ThisDay article has been off the media space to read that some members of the group has since dismissed the insinuation that they were after Speaker Abbas Tajudeen and Deputy Speaker Kalu.

"To the best of my knowledge, and as far as I know, I don’t think any of such exist. As far as I know, there is no member or group of members that intend to change the leadership or try to work against the leadership structure," a member of the group, Hon. Kolawole Akinlayo (APC-Ekiti) was quoted to have said.

On the relationship between Kalu and Speaker Abbas, one will not wake up the dreamer from his or her slumber when his hallucinations are over, the ship will leave him or her in ocean of bewilderment!

Abbas calls his Deputy my brother , friend and confidant, a great and reliable partner, the best Deputy Speaker to work with. What more can I say than that I have never seen a loyalty and mutual respect so pure and productive like what I have seen exist between them. Do you know in one year of their administration there has never been a single matter to settle within the leadership. It has never happened before. Nigerians are watching them to experience this combo at a higher national assignment having shown trust worthiness.


(Ikechukwu writes from Enugu).

Twenty years after his ordeal in the hands of the Nigerian Navy, friends, family and eminent Nigerians, yesterday, gathered to celebrate former Chief of Training and Operations at the Navy headquarters, Rear Admiral Francis Agbiti (Rtd.), in Abuja.

The event was not only the unveiling of a book titled, AGBITI: Admiral, Patriot and Gentleman, written by Fabian Owoicho; but was also an opportunity to reminisce on the travails of the retired Naval Officer while in service, as many poured out encomiums on his innocence and patriotic service to the country.

Retired Rear Admiral Agbiti, a native of Adoka in Benue State, was in 2004 implicated in the missing popular vessel, known as M.T. African Pride, while he was the Chief Training & Operations, Naval Headquarters leading to his summary court martial and his eventual victory at the Supreme Court.

Speaking at the event, foremost Constitutional Lawyer, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), said it took the grace of God and the strong judicial system in Nigeria at the time, for the retired Naval Officer to get justice at the Supreme Court.

"We are here today to celebrate the triumph of good over evil. They call it MT African Pride, that's the name of the vessel. But the trial was African shame. It was a shame to even what we call the trials in the military, before the military tribunal. We saw it. We witnessed this, witnessed everything with our naked eyes.

"Inhumanity of man to man, injustice melted by fellow officers, to their superior or subordinates officers to their superior, and also his own colleagues, his peers within the military. They just wanted him out.

"The essence of this gathering today is also to plead with us in Nigeria or as Nigerians and also powers. That power is transient. They used power against this gentleman. I was there, I saw it all. The government of the day used power against him. They wanted to get rid of him by all means and at all cost.

"They were even threatening him, threatening him not to appeal to the Supreme Court, that they would get rid of him.

"But we thank God, for the eminence, for the superiority of justice. Had there been no law, had there been no institution of the judiciary? It would have been worse than animals. You have read that book, the animal farm would have been worse than what happened in the animal farm.

"But thank God for the institution of the judiciary. Thank God for the men, for the characters that empanelled the Supreme Court, or the men that constituted that panel of the Supreme Court that adjudicated on his matter. It didn't take them minutes. They were asking even the prosecuting counsel, will you oppose this appeal? They were referring him to pages of the records. Are you sure even the panel was properly constituted? Are you sure this evidence should have come in? Are you convinced even about the arraignment? Are you convinced about the way and manner they stood on the constitution of Nigeria even under the military enactments?

"And at the end of the day, Supreme Court came to the unanimous conclusion that everything done to him was a nullity. The Supreme Court didn't go further to consider even the evidence, which, you know, there was no evidence at all. There was nothing. Everything was concocted.

"But then legally, Supreme Court said and agreed. Constitutionally, the Supreme Court agreed with us. It was a nullity. So it might be you, it might be me", he said.

Olanipekun tasked Nigerian lawyers to continue to uphold the tenet of selflessness and humanitarian, urging those in power to rule with the fear of God.

He said, "The essence of what I said today is that we lawyers should be more appreciated by the society than what the society thinks about us. Lawyers are very sympathetic, they are very empathetic, they are humans. And also they appreciate the travails of their clients.

"But more often than not, people believe that lawyers are suckers, that they are always looking after money.

"The gentleman, the patriot, the officer mentioned it today that we did not appear for him because of money, but because we believed that he deserved justice.

"Now, the essence of it all is that in this country we should be reflective. We should look back at what we have, where we are coming from, where we are today, what we want our country to become tomorrow.

"I made reference to some lines in the national anthem - Oh God of all creation, grant this one request - that we will be a nation where no man is oppressed; that our flag shall be our symbol, should be a symbol of justice and truth, of honesty.

"Let us live to the wordings, to the content, to the tenor, to the spirit, to the aim, to the ambition, to the aspiration of the wordings of the national anthem.

"And I want to, as a senior citizen of this country, plead with all of us, those in power today, those of us who are there also today, we must not support evil.

"And to those of us in the legal profession, I want to plead that we must at all times be bold enough, particularly in criminal matters, to defend our clients. We should be polite to the courts, we should be humble in our presentation, but we must be firm".

On his part, Retired Real Admiral Agbiti recounted how he was framed up by his subordinates and peers twenty years ago, during his military career and how Chief Olanipekun came through for him, thanking God for putting his enemies to shame.

He urged the judiciary to make justice available to all that deserves it, devoid of any considerations.

Agbiti said, "My suggestion is that, they should strive to become good, so that justice will be for all without partiality and without consideration of status of individuals. That's what I would say.

"So justice by itself is very good. If it is not justice, he could not have defended me down to Supreme Court for us to win. And what I need to state here, is that the Justice at the Appeal Court, he told me that I had no ground of appeal, but God of justice, when he ran into trouble, he also sought for appeal, but he was told that he had no ground of appeal.

"So justice is from the throne of God. If you do injustice, God is angry with you. And if you do justice, God will be happy with you and he will bless you. So that is what it is about our justice system.

"I'm from Nigeria Navy. What I will tell you, as Flag Officer Commander, I think, more than anyone else, I arrested more illegal ships involved in crude oil theft and the refund.

"And some other officers, like you heard the testimony of Rear Admiral Apochi. There are very many good officers pursuing the interest of a national wellbeing.

"And corruption, it has to be fought headlong. But I dare say that the current approach will not do us much good because it is being politicized. Those that are involved, they are the rich people. They are the politicians, not the military. The military are there to protect the national interest, to defend the national interest. Not the military, but the rich and the politicians.

"And like I testified over there, it was the son of the power that be, that was involved in that M.T. African Pride. But the innocent had been persecuted. So corruption has to be stemmed from above and let it be sent to the classroom".

The event was graced by prominent Nigerians, amongst whom are, Chief Olanikpeku (SAN); Chief Stephen Lawani; Gen G.O. Ejiga; Sen. Dino Melaye; Chief D.D Dodo (SAN); R/Adm Adaji; R/Adm Sulaiman Apochi; Sen. Shehu Sani; Chief Audu Ogbeh; Justice Ejembi Eko; Chief Owoicho Igoji and Sen. Uzor Orji Kalu.

Others are, Chief Agbo Madaki; Rt Hon. Micheal Audu; Rt Hon. Dave Iorhemba; Comrade Deji Adeyanji; Adm F. Bobai; Chief Audu Anuga (SAN); Hon Nelson Alapa; Soji Olowolafe (SAN); Reuben Atabo (SAN); Mr. Rawlings Agada, Deputy Clerk Of Senate (Admin); Chief Sylvester Ameh and Gen. Lawrence Onoja; while Senator Gabriel Suswam, AVM Monday Morgan (Rtd.), Sen. Osita Izunaso and Otumba Dele Oye, President of NACCIMA, sent in representatives; amongst others.

By Chimma Josephine


"It is reason, which must guide our deliberations, guide our debate, and guide our decision." - Barbara Jordan

Ever since his election as a Deputy Speaker and Presiding Officer of the House of Representatives on June 13, 2023, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu has displayed calmness and emotional intelligence as well as the temperament required of the role during plenary proceedings.

Elementarily, the presiding officer in the case of the House of Representatives, the Speaker or Deputy Speaker's duty is to preside over the daily sessions of the House, preserve order in the chamber, direct proceedings, amongst others.

The role requires the holder - Speaker or Deputy Speaker, to be calm, control his or her emotions and be of good temperament to treat Members of his House as equals, of which he or she is first amongst them.

Rt. Hon. Kalu, a lawyer and two time Member representing Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State, has had encounters while presiding over plenaries, which tested his calmness and emotional control, but he showed dexterity in all of them.

The Deputy Speaker is known to be warm hearted, affectionate and a lover of peace. He exudes kindness and compassion in such an inspiring way!

His love for humanity led him to launch the Benjamin Kalu Foundation many years ago for helping the less privileged.

As a peace advocate, in December 2023, he launched an initiative known as the Peace in South East Project, PISE-P, which canvasses the adoption of a non-kinetic approach to resolving the problem of insecurity bedeviling the South East.

The Deputy Speaker said that his goal for initiating Peace In South East Project was also to foster peace, unity and development in the region and promote reconciliation among communities and individuals affected by past conflicts.

This laudable initiative has garnered commendations and support from the presidency and Nigerians from every region of the country. Just recently, on July 8, the Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji (Dr.) Rilwanu Suleiman Adamu, during a visit to the Deputy Speaker, expressed his readiness for a stronger collaboration between the northern and southern regions, with regards to peace and unity of the country.

Speaking through Hon. Ibrahim Bala, a former Member of Bauchi State House of Assembly, the Emir said that they heard about the Peace In South East Project and decided to identify with the initiative.

As a presiding officer of the House, Kalu always makes sure that every Member is carried along and made to feel at home. While presiding, he ensures that the session is participatory, allowing ranking and new Members to debate on issues.

An instance was seen some weeks back when Hon. Bello El-rufai, a first-time Lawmaker from Kaduna State, made a contribution to a motion.

Encouraging him, the Deputy Speaker said, "Very sound presentation, I’m always proud of the young Parliamentarians, when you ventilate issues in this manner, it’s very impressive, It's very impressive."

Also on May 29, the Deputy Speaker allowed many Members, both ranking and new, regardless of party affiliations, to robustly contribute to the debate on the nation’s 25 years of unbroken democracy.

Kalu's competence, capacity, and having good knowledge of legislative processes have never been in doubt. He has efficiently carried out his duties and as well ensured that his colleagues who are first-timers are encouraged and well guarded on legislative processes.

In and out of the chambers, he has proven that love is the highest vibration and hate is the lowest, so we benefit ourselves by loving all, unconditionally.

However, to the surprise and shock of many, on July 2, a first-time Lawmaker, Hon. Cyril Hart, accused Kalu of marginalising first-timers during debates on the floor of the House

In his response, Kalu stated that, all Members of the parliament are colleagues and equal, irrespective of their political affiliations, economic or social backgrounds.

He said that being a presiding officer, principal officer or chairman of a committee, is a privilege granted by both the leave of the House and the mandate of the Members, emphasizing that the position does not presuppose superiority.

He therefore stated that, there is no discrimination of any Member, whether old or new, ranking or no ranking.

He further clarified that the row where the Member was sitting had earlier been given an opportunity to speak, stressing that other rows also needed to be accommodated.

He emphasized that the 10th House under the able leadership of Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas will continue to be fair, just and open to every Member and ensure that all voices are heard.

Few days later, at the plenary on July 9, Hon. Philip Agbese, a first-timer, raised a point of order, stating that his privilege was breached by Hon. Hart, as his claim according to him was not true.

He thereafter demanded an apology from Hart.

Agbese said, "Mr Speaker, sometime last week, I was returning from an international parliamentary assignment back to the country when I was confronted by a parliamentarian from Ghana. At the airport in Accra, I was confronted with a question emanating from the conduct or the position of one of my colleagues that new Members of this parliament are not allowed to speak.

"My constituents equally threatened on Facebook and other platforms regretting that they sent a new Member to the House. There has never been anytime any new Member was not allowed to speak, and not myself. My colleague has injured my reputation, my privilege as a Member of this House was breached and I move that the Member who made that comment should tender an apology to Me, Chief Philip Agbese and some of my colleagues who feel like they do not belong to that category."

But Kalu, as a peace advocate and a gentleman, appealed for calm, informing the Lawmaker that Hon. Hart has tendered an apology privately to him.

Kalu said, “the issue you raised about the generalized comment made by one of our colleagues, stating that new Members were not allowed to speak, it went viral, this is a global community, they can reach you via internet anywhere you are, information travel very fast. You’re right to say that you’re a new Member and nobody has shortchanged you, or stopped you from speaking. I know also that the leadership of this house has tried severally to carry the new Members along in all things.

"Like I said last week, there’s no discrimination in this parliament, we are all colleagues. The Honourable Member (Cyril Hart) has tendered an apology to me and I am sure that any Member who felt aggrieved he will find time to meet you and apologize to you. It’s a process of learning for new Members, we will keep encouraging them and protecting them to feel comfortable whenever they have an issue to raise. Let me maintain, nobody will deny new Members their rights in this parliament. Your point of order is hereby sustained."

The manner and candour in which Kalu handles such issues when they erupt, depicts emotional intelligence which is the ability to recognise, understand and choose how one thinks, feels, and acts; shaping interactions with others and understanding of oneself.

(Josephine writes from Rivers).

https://allnews.ng/news/kalu-calmness-emotional-intelligence-of-a-presiding-officer

A leading socio cultural organization in Kogi state; Kogi Collectives (KC) has praised the immediate past Governor of the state Alhaji Yahaya Bello for giving Education sector a new lease of life in the state during his tenure.

The group particularly noted that the establishment of two new universities in addition to the Prince Abubakar Audu University in Ayingba gave the three Senatorial districts a sense of belonging as prospective university students now access admission with ease.

The group led by Chief Philip Olusesan Orebiyi and Mr. Segun Arogboni spoke after their meeting in Lokoja , the state capital at the weekend.

The two new universities are the Confluence university of science and Technology, Osara for Kogi central, Kogi state university, Kabba for Kogi West as well as the Prince Abubakar Audu university, Anyigba for Kogi East.

They added that to the credit of Yahaya Bello , he equipped and facilitated the accreditation of the College of Medicine at Prince Audu University, Anyigba.

The new universities were established by Bello under four years just as he gave face lifts and improved Kogi state polytechnic, Lokoja, College of Education Ankpa as well as College of Education (Technical), Mopa.

According to them “ On September 21, 2023, Yahaya Bello took a visionary and audacious step by declaring free education from primary to secondary school levels in public schools in the state”.

Besides, they stated that the Yahaya Bello administration undertook to pay external examination fees for west Africa Examination Council (WAEC), National Examination Council (NECO) and the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Examination for prospective tertiary institutions students in the state.

They stated: “the administration of Yahaya Bello has transformed the Education landscape from one marked by neglect and decay to the one filled with hope, improved access, equity, infrastructure development and enhanced service delivery.

“One of Bello’s groundbreaking achievements in the Education sector was the allocation of 30 percent of the state budget to Education in each fiscal year since 2021. This allocation exceeded the UNESCO’s recommendation benchmark of 26 percent, thus underscoring his unparalleled commitment to Education in the state”.

Bello, they opined has reversed the trend of out of school children in the state which stood at 554,943 between 2014 and 2015 to 86,803, thus ranking the state with the lowest number of out-of-school children in Nigeria as at 2019.

Bello had anticipated that every school-aged child will be in the classroom this year 2024 and beyond.

Bello’s investment in primary Education includes but not limited to renovation of 833 classroom blocks, construction of 1,800 classrooms across the state and the establishment of GYB Model Science Schools in the state.

For effective implementation of his renewed Education policy, Bello made it a cardinal project to train and retrain teachers across all schools in the state.

They therefore urged Governor Usman Ododo to improve and sustain Bello’s transformation legacy on Education in the state.

Members of the Kogi collectives include but not limited to Yetunde Shuaibu, Kamal Toyin, Femi Iroja, Samuel Jemituwi, Ayobami Omoniwa , Eniola Olayemi, Mrs Janet Zubair, and Mrs Mary Alabi.

Salpha Energy, Nigeria's solar power platform, has won the Ashden Award for Energy Innovation (Global South), supported by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

The annual Ashden Awards revealed their 2024 winners at London's Climate Action Week, the largest city-wide climate festival in Europe, happening from 22-30 June.

Every year, the Ashden Awards highlight inclusive climate solutions - work that creates a fairer world, as well as lowering emissions, and preparing communities for climate threats.

Salpha Energy was revealed as one of seven winners at the 2024 Ashden Awards, which were at the Institution of Engineering and Technology in London on 27 June, 2024.

Salpha produces made-in-Africa solar systems and DC appliances, and helps households and businesses switch on to clean power, by giving customers access to affordable loans and finance. Since inception, the company has empowered over 1,500,000 people with reliable solar energy, installed more than 6.7 GWh of solar capacity, and reduced carbon emissions by over 4 million tons.

With a production capacity of 300,000 systems per year from its assembly facility, Salpha has created over 1,050 direct and indirect jobs and is pioneering gender inclusivity by attracting women to technical roles and providing training and mentorship, promoting sustainable energy solutions and economic empowerment.

More than 500 organisations applied for the 2024 Ashden Awards and Salpha Energy was one of just two finalists in the Global South winners and categories, securing its place after a rigorous assessment and judging process and input from sector experts, including academics, business leaders, investors and journalists. The Ashden Awards were launched in 2000 and honours innovators from the public, private and non-profit sectors.

Salpha Energy will receive a grant of £25,000 and other support to help them scale-up their work, such as publicity, connection to funders, investors and climate sector leaders.

"Our selection as a finalist in the Ashden Awards is a testament to our unwavering commitment to transforming lives through energy freedom," says Sandra Chukwudozie, Founder and CEO of Salpha Energy. "Having impacted over 1,500,000 people across communities in Nigeria and beyond, we are proud of the significant strides we've made in driving positive change." Ashden CEO, Dr. Ashok Sinha said:

“This year’s Ashden Award winners are worthy champions. They’re tackling the biggest climate challenges, in ways that also create important benefits – like new green jobs and fairer societies. Their inclusive approach is key to their success.

“The 2024 winners have come through a rigorous assessment process, which confirmed their immense impact – and their potential to do even more in the future. Passion, ambition: they’ve got it all. So now we urge investors, funders, policymakers and climate sector leaders to back and work with these trailblazers", Sinha added.

The Chairman of the House of Representatives Press Corps, Comrade Grace Ike has extended heartfelt congratulations to all Nigerians on the occasion of this year’s Democracy Day celebrations.

Ike said the annual celebration on June 12 highlights the nation's commitment to democracy and honors the sacrifices made for the country's democratic freedoms.

"June 12 holds a unique place in the hearts of Nigerians, symbolizing our collective aspiration for freedom, justice, and equitable governance," Ike, who is also Vice Chairman of the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, FCT Chapter said in a statement released on Wednesday in Abuja.

"The events of June 12, 1993, and the subsequent journey towards democratic rule underscore the resilience and determination of our people. This day reminds us of the sacrifices made to secure the democratic rights and liberties we enjoy today."

Reflecting on Nigeria’s democratic journey, the statement called for a collective reflection on the progress made and the challenges that lie ahead.

She further explained that democracy is an ongoing process requiring active citizen participation, accountability, transparency, and inclusiveness in governance.

Highlighting the critical role of the media in sustaining democracy, Ike reaffirmed the Press Corps’ commitment to free speech, unbiased reporting, and holding power accountable.

"Our duty is to ensure that the voices of the people are heard and that the pillars of democracy remain strong and unshakable," she noted.

In the spirit of Democracy Day, the statement called on all stakeholders, including government officials, civil society organizations, and the general public, to renew their commitment to democratic ideals.

It urges collective efforts towards building a prosperous, just, and united Nigeria where every citizen can fully realize their potential.

She therefore urged all Nigerians to remember the significance of June 12 as a call to action for the continued advancement of democratic values and principles.

A Rivers State High Court, sitting in Port Harcourt, on Friday, stopped Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule from parading himself as Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly, since his seat had been declared vacant.

The presiding Judge of High Court 19, His Lordship, Hon. Justice Charles N. Wali, while ruling on a motion ex-perte brought before it by the new Speaker of the House, Hon. Victor Oko Jumbo and 2 others; also barred 24 other Members of the Assembly from accessing the complex or carrying out any such Legislative assignment in the name of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

The Speaker, Hon. Jumbo and his Colleagues, had filed a Suit No: PHC/1512/C5/2024, asking the court to grant an order restraining those who detected from their original party that sponsored them into the Assembly to another political party, from conducting themselves as Members of the Parliament, having lost their seats.

Justice Wali therefore, granted an Order of interim injunction, "restraining the 1st to 25th Defendants from parading and holding out themselves as Members of Rivers State House of Assembly and/or meeting/sitting at the Auditorium of the House of Assembly Quarters located at, off Aba Road, Port Harcourt or any other place whatsoever to purport to carry out the legislative business of the Rivers State House of Assembly, their legislative seats having been declared vacant pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice".

An Order of interim injunction was also granted, "restraining the 26th to 28th Defendants from dealing with, interfacing, accepting any resolutions, bills and/or howsoever interacting with the 1st to 25th Defendants in their purported capacities as Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, their legislative seats having been declared vacant with effect from 13th December, 2023 pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice".

The 1st to 25th defendants in this extant suit are the factional Speaker, Amaewhule and his colleagues who defected from the People's Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), after winning elections; while the 26th to 28th defendants are Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the Attorney-General of the State and the Chief Judge of Rivers State, respectively.

The court further ordered that, "this Order, the Motion on Notice and the writ and other processes in this case be served on the 1st to 25th Defendants/Respondents within seven (7) days from date, by substituted means to wit: pasting at the entrance gate of the Rivers State House of Assembly Legislative Quarters, Off Aba Road, Port Harcourt and for such service to be deemed good and proper".

The case was adjourned to the 29th May, 2024 for Motion on Notice.

Recall that, the ruling PDP had, in December 2023, declared the seats of 27 of their Members who won elections under the party's tickets vacant, for defecting to the APC; while urging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately commence the process of conducting fresh elections into the 27 State Constituencies in Rivers State.

The PDP pointed out that by sequel to the defections from the party – the political platform on which they were elected into the Rivers State House of Assembly, the seats of the respective 27 lawmakers have become vacant by virtue of Section 109 (1) (g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

Section 109. (1) (g) of the Nigeria constitution clearly states that: ‘A Member of a House of Assembly shall vacate his seat in the House if being a person whose election to the House of Assembly was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which that House was elected.’

Hon. Jumbo emerged new Speaker on Wednesday, 8th May, 2024.

Gov Silent After Receiving N50b Security Support From Tinubu

By Peter Awunah, PhD


I have observed the present Governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Alia for some time now and have come to the conclusion that he is ill prepared to govern. Most of the decisions the Governor has so far made are not products of careful planning and (KPI - Key Performance Indicator) projections.

Aside from the fact that Alia is running the state like a one man show, he appears to be jacklegged about administrative processes and is averse to advice and only listens to himself. The Governor apparently makes most of his decisions on the spur of the moment.

Worst of it all is that Governor Alia has not taken time to study a bit about governance of the state in terms of policies that have been implemented and the ones which may only require amendments and improvements. An example of this is his recent visits to Sokoto and Niger States.

While he was in Sokoto on the 9th of March, 2024, where the State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu launched the Sokoto State Community Guards Corps, Governor Alia’s remarks sounded like one who was hearing about such an initiative for the first time. He even said that Benue would learn from the Sokoto example and establish a similar security outfit. I was shocked and I asked someone who was watching the live programme with me “So the Benue Governor is not aware that his state launched Community Volunteer Guards two years ago and Sokoto is only copying the Benue programme?”

At the same event, Alia addressed the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar as “my daddy” after the Sultan described Tiv people in derogatory terms as cattle thieves and turned to lavish praises on the Governor for defending Fulani interests in Benue State. Alia made no effort to correct the indictment on his people. But this is a governor who calls the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, as “my son”. Senator Akume is 4 years older than the current Sultan, yet, Alia finds the spiritual leader of Nigeria's Muslims as a daddy but has never addressed the Tor Tiv, HRM Professor James Ayatse who is an age-mate of the Sultan (67 years) as his father.

On the 11th of March, 2024 when President Bola Tinubu flagged off the Food Security and Agricultural Mechanisation Programme in Niger State with a fleet of about 1,000 tractors initiated by Governor Mohammed Bago, our Benue Governor was there looking like a man who was witnessing such a feat for the first time. He forgot that Benue launched a similar programme 4 years ago.

This is what you get when you elect someone who has no time for understanding a system and knowing what is already in existence and what requires consolidation or improvements.

Another aspect of Governor Alia’s style of leadership is covert and unilateral operations. The words transparency and accountability do not exist in the Governor’s vocabulary. Only he knows what the government is doing. He is mum on what the state is receiving from Abuja in terms of monthly allocations, despite the oil subsidy removal windfall. He is equally silent on the internal revenue of the state, as well as the state wage bill. No one knows what he is doing with resources of the state. As far as he pays workers salaries, he tells the people not to bother asking further questions.

Alia awards contacts by himself and pays also by himself. There is no due process in advertising and bidding for contracts. He chooses which contractor he wants and signs the papers by himself. This is why contracts such as the 16 short streets of merely 15 kilometers being constructed within Makurdi are heavily inflated (N9 billion) well above the standard rates of contract awards.

Another worrisome issue is that Governor Alia has literally become the spokesman for Fulani pastoralists. He absolves them of blame and defends them against accusations better than they defend themselves. Nomadic Fulani do no wrong in the eyes of Hyacinth Alia. He says the herders only react when their cattle are rustled and he also says his people are the cattle rustlers. Each time Alia accuses his people of stealing Fulani cattle, he receives a pat on the back from the Caliphate. Make no mistake about it.

When the pressure mounted on him by Benue people to stop the herders attacks became unbearable, Alia tamely declared a 14-day ultimatum for the herdsmen to leave the state with their cattle. And on the day the ultimatum elapsed and he was expected to move against the pastoralists, he stayed away and asked his Deputy Samuel Ode to speak on his behalf. As expected, no action has been taken since the 14-days deadline expired and Fulani herders are still attacking, killing and sacking communities across the state.

It has been rumoured in some quarters here in Abuja that shortly after he declared the 14-day ultimatum for Fulani herders to leave Benue State, the Caliphate summoned the governor to Sokoto and pulled his ear not to actualize the deadline. That is why there has been grave silence since the period elapsed. This had confirmed the earlier reports that Fulani elites had gathered large sums of money running into hundreds of millions for his campaign. He reportedly met with wealthy Fulani elites including some northern governors and struck a deal with them to fund his campaign. Pictures of him with former Kaduna governor Nasir el-Rufai, Governor Bello Masari of Katsina among others surfaced giving credence to the speculation that the Fulani were the ones sponsoring him to become governor. Alia’s part of the deal was to protect Fulani interests in the state, if elected. He has thus far not disappointed them.

It was reported that President Tinubu recently released N50 billion to each state facing serious security challenges to enable the state governments tackle the crises, but as it is his characteristic conduct, Governor Alia has not even bothered to mention ever receiving such a large amount of money.

Benue people should ask Governor Alia where the N50 billion from the federal government has gone. Why is he mute over such a big issue and billions of funds meant for the safety of our people?

Alia is apparently serving the interests of Fulani and he is determined to help them become integrated into Benue State where they can own land and freely rear their cattle. Forget his belated pronouncements that the anti-open grazing law is in force. He will never enforce that law because doing so will be violating the deal he had with the Fulani oligarchy and his chances for a 2nd term will be in jeopardy.

Lastly, I am worried about the number of political battles that Governor Alia has waged. He acts like someone who was elected to be the Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC. He is more interested in controlling the party than his constitutional duties as governor. It is one week, one battle; another week, another barrage of insults on political opponents. If he is not throwing jabs at the SGF Senator Akume, he is insulting Akume’s loyalists as “empty heads and envious people who do not care about the interest of the people.”

He tells the people that he is the first and the only person who has ever loved and cared about them.

Governor Hyacinth Alia has surely missed the point!


(Dr. Awunah writes from Durumi, Abuja).