Nasir El-Rufai’s Ministerial Nomination A Tragedy – Shehu Sani

President of the Civil Rights Congress and human rights activist, Shehu Sani, has said the nomination of the immediate past governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, among the ministerial nominees by President Bola Tinubu is a “tragedy”.

The activist said this in an interview on Arise TV News which is making the rounds on social media on Friday.

The Senate unveiled Tinubu’s 28 ministerial nominees list on Thursday, July 26 and the former governor of Kaduna State made the list.

Sani noted that it is not the time for the President to please and appease former governors but instead is time to appease Nigerians and bring in competent hands.

He said, “In the nomination which I have seen, the one that represented Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, is a tragedy.

“That such a man is given an opportunity again to serve this country with all he has done and said in the office, I don’t think President Tinubu means well.

“It is not the best time to please and appease former governors but the best time to appease Nigerians and bring in competent hands.

“The list to some large extent is a big disappointment or meet expectations taking the time it took for it to be released.

Credit: Instagram | AriseNews

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House Committee Chair: Leke/Omede Women Campaign Team Congratulates Hon. Abejide 

Leke/Omede Women Campaign Team has congratulated Hon. Leke Abebije on his appointment as Chairman House Committee On Customs and Excise.

According  to the group, the appointment is not only well deserved, but also an evidence of capacity and hardwork . 

In a congratulatory Message made available to newsmen today , the State Women Coordinator, Leke/Omede Campaign Group,Chief Mrs Ebun Joel extolled  the rare leadership qualities of  Hon. Leke Abebije and congratulated him for the  appointment as Chairman House Committee on Customs and Excise in the 10th Assembly. 

In her congratulatory message to Hon. Abebije, Chief Mrs Joel thanked God for the life of Hon. Leke while appreciating the leadership and philanthropic roles he has variously played in Kogi West and kogi State in general. 

However,she  prayed God to continue to bless him with more wisdom; good health, long life and prosperity, for a bigger service to his father land and Kogi State in Particular.

Elder Leke Abebije is a second term Member, House of Representatives, and Kogi State Gubernatorial Candidate for  African Democratic Congress, ADC.

Signed : 

Mrs Joy Onu, 

State  PRO/East Zonal Coordinator,Leke/Omede Women Campaign Team. 

Governor Uba Sani’s appointments are not lopsided – Comrade Musa Mohammed replies PDP

A chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC), in Kaduna State Comrade Musa Mohammed, has berated the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), over  criticisms that Senator Uba Sani recent appointments are lopsided and  promoting a Muslim agenda. 

He said the choice of appointees was based on merit and track record of such appointees to serve.

In a statement issued on Thursday , Comrade Musa Mohammed  argued that PDP lacks the moral authority to attack governor Uba Sani over the appointments of Commissioners and close aides in view of the fact that he has carried out more inequitable appointments since his return to the Government House.

While wondering why PDP failed to remove the speck in its eyes before removing the log in the eyes of somebody else, the APC chieftain said that “the PDP previous administration is guilty of worse insensitivity to his fellow kaduna people in the appointments they have made in the last 16 years of maladministration.

“Uba Sani’s appointments of his personal aides were based mainly on merit and conviction that they would deliver good services to lift kaduna state out of the woods”.  

” He considered competence, merit and track records of sound morality in public conduct in the appointments of his personal aides, self-preservation is the major criterion for appointments in his government”.

Comrade Mohammed said, Uba Sani saw hard-working and honest citizens of Kaduna as having equal rights to political appointments to render their services to the state.

“Those talking about balancing should stop focusing on one aspect, et them go back and cross-check the political appointees list both Special Adviser, Senior Special Assistant including the newly appointed commissioners, there are almost 20 Christians appointed in governor Uba Sani cabinet”. 

“Let us see how many permanent secretaries, directors and heads of parastatals we have in Kaduna state today and where they come from”.

“This will give us a more insight to the fact that this administration is not lopsided in appointments”.

“We should stop looking at only one side to make our judgment and anywhere if there’s any lopsidedness government will correct it.” he added.

Durbar hotel: Kaduna State government loses at Appeal Court

Efforts by the Kaduna State government to set aside the ruling of the High Court of justice of Kaduna State delivered by Hon. Justice H. A. L. Balogun over the ownership of Durbar Hotel Plc failed as the Court of Appeal has dismissed an Appeal brought before it against the ruling of the lower court.

The lead Counsel to the family of the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, the owners of the Durbar hotel, Dr. Reuben O Atabo (SAN) had joined the State Governor as 1st defendant, the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice as 2nd defendant, Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Authority (KASUPDA) as 3rd defendant, Kaduna State Geographic Information Service (KADGIS) as the 4th defendant.

However, the lead Counsel to the Kaduna State government, Mr. AU. Mustapha (SAN) had pointed out that the Respondent had earlier addressed 3rd defendant as Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Agency, saying that the defendant is a non Juristic entity and thus same cannot be cured by name correction or amendment.

On April 4, 2022, Justice H.A.L Balogun of the High Court of Justice of Kaduna State had ruled that the mistake in the name of the 3rd Appellant was a misnomer that can be cured by a simple order of the court to correct same, hence it did not mislead anyone as to who was sued and therefore it did not occasion any miscarriage of justice.

But, not satisfied with the ruling of the lower court, the Appellants through their Counsel sought and obtained the leave of the Court of Appeal to file a notice of Appeal on May 19, 2022.

The Appellants in their brief of argument, urged the Court of Appeal to resolve the issues in their favour on grounds that, “The Respondent did not serve the 3rd and 4th Appellants with the requisite pre-action notice.”Pre-action notice served during the pendency of an action before a party is joined is not proper in the eyes of the law.

“The 3rd and 4th Appellants timeously raised the issue of the non-service of the requisite notice and did not waive same.

“The 3rd Appellant as sued is not a legal personality and same is not a misnomer that can be cured by name correction”.

Also, the Respondent in a brief of argument urged the Court of Appeal to dismiss the Appeal of the Appellants and affirm the ruling of the lower court on grounds, “That the Respondent had served the 3rd and 4th Appellants with the requisite pre-action notice before joining them as parties to the action leading to this instant Appeal.

“That the mistake in the name of the 3rd Appellant is a misnomer that can be corrected by an order of amendment and does not have the potency of rendering the Respondent’s action at the lower court incompetent.

“That the mistake in the name of the 3rd Appellant has not occasioned any miscarriage of justice and did not mislead the Appellants as to the party who was sued”.

Consequently, the three Justices of the Court of Appeal, while delivering their Judgement, dismissed the Appeal brought before them by the Appellants, saying the days of technical justice are over, and wondered why the Appellants have failed to file their defence to the Respondent’s claim for a period of over three years.

END.

Lagos West NASS Election: Northern PDP Youths Demand Justice… Say Appeal filed Abuse of Judicial Process

The Peoples Democratic Party National Youth of wing , Northern region after a crucial  meeting held in Kaduna demanded for justice in as the appeal court sitting in Lagos on the  case between the PDP and APC candidates for Lagos West Senatorial District. 

The PDP candidate ,Mr Adewale Segun Sunday, popularly known as ‘Aeroland’  had opened a case before the National Assembly Election Tribunal,

faulting the outcome of the election result, which declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Mrs Idiat Adebule winner.

Speaking during a press conference after the meeting , Chairman  of the PDP group,Hon. Ibrahim Ahmadu described  the case before  the Appeal Court as an  abuse of judicial process. 

According to him, it surprising that the case before the election tribunal has no been concluded before the APC Candidate and Party jumped to Appeal Court . 

He further stated :”We stand to be corrected, it’s  unheard of that  while a election  case is  before a  tribunal judgement, a defendant can move to the appeal court . 
“We reliably gathered that 

Two appeal notices were  filed  ; one from the candidate and one from the party from Lagos West Senatorial District.

“For us, Most shocking was the information that Judgement will be given tomorrow via zoom, when we are not in Covid era .We queried  what precipitated judgement to be delivered via zoom .

“Our position is clear that without delivering judgement at the tribunal, it’s abuse of court process for APC and its candidate to go to appeal Court.They ought to wait for judgement to have be passed at the tribunal before appeal.”

Speaking further on the election matter, Prince Babatunde Andrew , the Collation Officer for the PDP Candidate in Amowo-Odofin , revealed that the collated results proved that Aeroland won in 9 local government areas while the APC declared winner won only in Badagry Local Government Area.

“We want to tribunal and have tendered all the evidence to proof that we won the election from form ECA 89A to the last one which form ECA 9C used to declare final results”

Indefinite Strike: Coalition of CSOs Disagree with NLC, Says it’s Counter Productive

…Want Union  to Negotiate with FG Instead 

Northern based Coalition of Civil Society Organisations today cautioned Nigeria Labour Congress against  planned indefinite nationwide strike action in view of the long term gains of fuel subsidy removal by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led administration. 

In a recent development, NLC gave the Federal Government a seven-day ultimatum to reverse all perceived anti-poor policies, including the recent hike in the pump price of petrol, or face an indefinite nationwide strike from August 2.

Consequently, NLC directed all affiliates   to commence mobilisation of workers and civil society allies for a mass protest across Nigeria . 

But the  Coalition disagree with NLC’s decision  , saying that any form of nationwide strike by the labour unions now, will not only compound  current economic hardship faced by the masses ,but also counter productive and  catalyst for impending chaos. 

The Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in a statement jointly signed by the Chairman  and Secretary, Comrade Muhammad Usman  Ali and Comrade Markus Bulus appealed to Nigeria Labour Congress to rather call for an emergency meeting with the Federal Government to discuss and resolve areas of concerns on the issues of fuel subsidy removal and other perceived harsh government policies affecting the Nigeria workers. 

The statement further reads : “We believe the Tinubu led government has demonstrated that it can listen to plights of labour unions and should he government fail to meet demands after the meeting, NLC is free to embark on planned long-lasting strike and mass protest. 

“But we  want to remind NLC that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is just 57 days in office as President. And with the collosal damages done to economy by previous leaders ,which are beyond imagination , he needs some time correct them . 

“On the hand ,we urge NLC to work together with the FG to ensure that monies saved from subsidy removal are monitored and judiciously used to better lots of workers and Nigerians instead threats of strike.”

While defending  the removal of subsidy , the Coalition asked  NLC to  consider that removal of subsidy has stopped smuggling of petroleum products; stopped payment of homongous amount money to fraudulent business men  and made products  available at filling stations . 

It also said removal of subsidy will ensure private sector participation in the importation of petroleum products; ensure the ready availability of petrol at all times for all Nigerians with no diversion by marketers and  curb the greed for higher profits and sabotage by a few players in the oil industry which will positively affect the economy. 

“We hope that soon the competition in the industry and market forces will drive down the price of petrol in the long run as witnessed in the telecoms sector for the benefit of Nigerians;  permanently banish queues from petrol stations.” It added . 

However ,the Coalition Commended  President Tinubu for bolds steps taken  so far  to change course of governance in the country .

Avoid Overheating Polity over Appointments,Comrade Mohammed Urges Kaduna APC Chieftains

By Comrade Musa Mohammed

Kaduna based public commentator and media consultant, Comrade Musa Mohammed has urged aggrieved All Progressives Congress Chieftains in Kaduna to avoid overheating the polity over issues of appointments .

According to him , the recent allegations of ‘recycling’ political appointees; lack of reward, and thought abandonment by Governor Uba Sani led administration is not only wrong ,but also too early .

In statement personally signed and made available to journalists , Comrade Musa Mohammed averred that those saying appointments are being delayed because of some party leaders, who are either signifying interest to be appointed themselves or vying for their cronies, it’s not true.

He explained ,” Kaduna is a very complex state, so you need to consult and carry everybody along. You cannot just sit down somewhere and make up a list so that you don’t have the kind of flares we are seeing now.

If those complaining know the kind of pressure people who are looking for positions in the government are piling on ordinary politicians, not to talk of the governor.”

While noting that the governor should expect such feelings and agitations,he said those complaining should know that not everyone will be given a political appointment. Adding that Uba Sani is taking his time to make sure only the right persons make it.

Mohammed who acknowledged that Governor Uba Sani is a very careful man, who wants to be sure of the kind of people to appoint, said he’s currently conducting a thorough check on the background of the people he would appoint as commissioners and other positions. That’s why he traveled out just to avoid pressure and distraction.

On hitting the ground running, Comrade Musa Mohammed revealed that Governor Uba Sani has since built and nurtured relationships with other arms of government; to effectively navigate the turbulent waters of governance.

“The new governor has a strong working relationship with civil servants, legislatures, the press, and the public relations experts.He has been doing that since, through meetings.

On appointments, governor Uba Sani immediately after taking oath of office, he started selecting individuals to staff his office, central management agencies, and executive council. Apart from individuals, he make a ‘team’ that will drive and coordinate the day-to-day running of the state.

He also observed that issues of Competence, character and commitment is the paramount in engaging people to work with’

The statement further reads: Governor Uba Sani follow the rules of the game, and look at the processes of his administration as important tools to accomplish his key objectives.

“He always communicate his goals to the team members to ensure his target; milestones, and results that will be very clear to all.

“As a newly elected governor, he made sure he kept his priorities firmly focused as someone who belongs to everybody and to nobody.

“The good people of Kaduna state should be patient with the governor who does not want to make avoidable mistakes.”