Alhaji Lawal Usman, a Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kaduna State, has advised the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to stop its current violent campaign in the South East.
Usman, popularly called ‘Mr LA’ told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Zaria that the campaign lacked support from the leaders of the South East.
He also faulted the group’s threats to break away from Nigeria, saying it was not real.
“We have Igbo people living and doing business in all parts of the country, are you saying that this people are ready to fold their businesses and fortunes and just go back empty handed from Nigeria.
“The whole thing about IPOB is a great joke, they just want attention from the Federal Government.
“I don’t take them seriously, left to me, they won’t last more than one week, especially if the government is serious about them.
“There are great people in South East who believe in oneness of Nigeria, I think that IPOB is made up of some trouble makers, making noise trying to seek government attention,” Usman said.
He said that the group had no knowledge of Nigeria’s politics.
“They are young men who have no knowledge of the country’s history, especially the Civil War, I think they needed to be educated on the history of the country, because they are acting blindly.
“They are also seeking for foreign funding from enemies of Nigeria who do not wish the country well,” he said.
Usman said that Igbo business men were scattered across the country, doing legitimate businesses and ownership property.
“There are Igbo businessmen and women in Kano for example doing business and living peacefully for years and they are not talking of Biafra.
“There are Igbo businessmen in Abuja, in Yola, Kaduna, Sokoto and all-over the North owning property and living like Kings in the areas, they are not talking of Biafra.
“The Anambra election was also held peacefully where people voted for their choice candidates, without thinking of Biafra, ” he said.
Usman advised IPOB to channel it grievances through the South East representatives at the National Assembly rather than engage in violent campaign without results.
A group, Coalition of Patriotic Idoma, Tiv, and Igede Youths in Nigeria (COPITIYN) has responded to a publication credited to a group, Tiv Youth Council Worldwide, describing it as malicious and mischievous.
The group in a statement obtained by TMS News signed by its National President, Comrade Aondona Tersoo, and its National publicity secretary Elijah Adamu said it is laughable for a group that does not reside in Benue and does not understand the yearnings of the people of Benue state to assume such a fallacious position.
COPITIYN said Governor Ortom has been a great leader to the people of Benue through thick and thin and deserves commendation instead of condemnation. It also said that even though the state like every other state in the country is struggling to meet certain financial obligations including pensions, it would be unfair to say that Governor Ortom has underperformed.
The statement reads in part; “There is no state in Nigeria today that is not struggling financially including the more economically viable states. We want to state categorically that Ortom inherited backlogs of pensions from his predecessor.
“Ortom also inherited a state where insecurity has been the order of the day since 2015, this has negatively impacted the states’ meager resources as help hasn’t been forthcoming from Abuja to deal with the security challenges.
The group further said that only the living has the capacity to enjoy pensions.
“You need to be alive to enjoy pensions, those who have been killed by the terrorists ravaging our dear state cannot talk about pensions.
“Being alive is the primary thing and that is what Ortom has been working hard to ensure since he assumed office in 2015. Tersoo said.
While the group said it is not in support of pensioners who have served the state diligently being owed, it also questioned the sincerity of the Tiv Youth Council Worldwide, saying such a group is either not in touch with the existential reality in Benue or is just being economical with the truth.
“Where was the Tiv Youth Council Worldwide when Benue citizens were been massacred in large numbers? Why didn’t they lend their voice against the killings? Where were they when our leader, Governor Ortom narrowly escaped assassination?
“Their resurfacing at this time is clearly political and not in the interest of the Benue people.
COPITIYN also said that neither governor Ortom nor the Benue People have any problems living with peace-loving Fulani but that they have a problem with AK-47 wielding Fulani mercenaries who regularly attack communities in the state.
“We do not hate the Fulani, we have lived with some of them for many years peacefully and we appreciate their contribution to Benue state.
“We do have a problem with the Fulani mercenaries whose only desire is to cause tears, blood, and sorrow in Benue.” He said.
On the allegation that Ortom is obsessed with Buhari.
The group said the governor has the right to call out President Muhammadu Buhari if he deems it necessary, over his poor handling of the security situation in Benue and the general state of the nation Nigeria.
It also warned the Tiv Youth Council Worldwide to desist from making an inflammatory utterances that would further endanger the lives and properties of Benue citizens and other Nigerians.
Challenges Military Chiefs to show Remains of Terrorists Killed By Soldiers in the Northwest
“A situation whereby Nigerians are taken for granted by the heads of the security architectures who are all of the same Northern Moslem extractions and we are told that the armed forces are waging military actions targeted at eradicating the terrorists in the North West who are mostly Fulani by ethnicity same as the heads of the security institutions under Muhammadu Buhari who appointed only his kinsmen into those strategic national institutions but in actual fact these same terrorists that the government has refused to classify appropriately as terrorists but prefers to call them bandits are still carrying out massive attacks on soft and military targets”.
“HURIWA as well as millions of rational Nigerians are not convinced that the armed forces headed by persons of same section of Nigeria and same religion are actually carrying out any military actions targeted at eradicating the terrorists in the North West”.
“Few days ago, the newspapers reported that no fewer than 20 operatives of Nigeria security agencies were butchered in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State and bodies set ablaze by the notorious bandits operating in the state.”
HURIWA said It was gathered that the security operatives were sent to a village where bandits have been ravaging for a long time without any security stoppage. It was gathered that bandits ambushed the security operatives, killed scores of them and set the corpses on fire in the early hours of Friday.Among the victims was Alhaji Shehu Mallami, a resident of the community. When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Mr. Aminu Mary confirmed the incident, saying that the state commandant of the corps had already left to the scene to ascertain what really happened.”
HURIWA said the above factual accounts makes it necessary that the heads of the security agencies must transparently show clear evidence that the terrorists in the North West are actually been targeted in series of alleged military actions because the military is often in a hurry to display corpses of Igbo boys murdered by soldiers in alleged military shootouts but the same soldiers have never displayed the corpses of the terrorists in the North West therefore creating doubts in the minds of discerning Nigerians that any military actions are going on in the North West.
Specifically, the HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) carpeted the minister of Defence for providing defense for the terrorists in the North West on why the government has yet to classify them as terrorists whereas the same government did not waste anytime in classifying the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra as a terrorist group.
HURIWA recalled that the Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi (Rtd), said that the need to follow due process was responsible for the delay in declaring bandits as terrorists.
Magashi, who stated this on Friday, in Maiduguri, while fielding questions from newsmen, added that there was a procedure that needed to be observed before such a declaration.
“We are not declaring them terrorists because there is a procedure for doing that.
“When the procedure is followed, they will be classified as terrorists. We are waiting for the procedure to be completed,” NAN quoted him as saying.
Magashi who was in Maiduguri with the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor and Service Chiefs on an assessment visit of the fight against insurgency in the North east, expressed satisfaction with the successes so far recorded.
HURIWA however accused the federal government of pampering the terrorists in the North West only because they are of same ethnic Fulani and Muslims with the President and virtually all the heads of the internal security architectures in the Country under President Muhammadu Buhari since 2015.
HURIWA said: “The undue zest exhibited with respect to dealing with IPOB members in Orlu and Ihiala, should therefore be extended to the north-western states. To do otherwise would give the impression that the Federal Government is applying double standards. Such practice would also give impetus to the conspiracy theorists of a hidden agenda, as the majority of the security heads are from the north-west zone, where palliatives instead of ammunition are being offered to bandits.The Federal Government must therefore do everything to avoid giving the impression that crime pays in certain parts of the country. The consequences could be very devastating in the long run. Nation
The perception out there is that while the president is soft both in words and actions against the armed herdsmen that have been wreaking havoc in several rural communities across the country, he has been vehement and trident in condemning separatist groups, like IPOB. While the president is entitled to his private idiosyncrasies, he must exercise due diligence in matters of national importance and public perception.
A double standard arises in politics when the treatment of the same political matters between two or more parties (such as the response to a public crisis or the allocation of funding) is handled differently. This could occur because of the nature of political relationships between those tasked with these matters, the degree of reward or power that stands to be gained/lost, or the personal biases/prejudices of politicians.
Double standard policies can include situations when a country’s or commentator’s assessment of the same phenomenon, process or event in international relations depends on their relationship with or attitude to the parties involved.”
Most Rev. Jonas-Benson Okoye, the Auxiliary Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Awka said on Saturday that the Nov. 6 governorship election in Anambra must hold.
He said he took the position because the alternative was to have a Constitutional crisis in the state.
“Many are trying to frustrate preparations for the election; this is a sign that if we don’t vote, they will destroy us and our faith.
“We can’t get justice or freedom by sitting at home; the only thing to do to save the situation is to come out next Saturday with your Permanent Voter Cards to vote for the right candidate,’’ he said.
Okoye made his views known when he spoke at the funeral Mass for Chief Julius Odinigwe, a staunch member of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church Enugu-Ukwu in Njikoka Local Government Area of the state.
He called on eligible members of the church and people of Anambra to go out and cast their votes on Election Day.
The bishop said his message to further awaken the people on the need to ensure the governorship election held became necessary to avert the Constitutional crisis that could follow the disruption of the exercise.
He admonished voters to choose a candidate that would save the people and not entertain fears to cast their votes.
Okoye, described late Odinigwe as a man who spent his life expanding the Christian faith.
He empathised with his family and prayed to God for eternal repose of his soul.
In the Requiem Mass sermon, Rev. Fr. Chidi Ozumba from SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church Nise, Anambra, reminded the congregation of the inevitability of death for all mortals, and tasked every individual to renew their relationship with God.
Odinigwe who died at the age of 81 years was retired civil servant, a devout Catholic and major contributor to the socio-economic development of Enugu-Ukwu, his community.
He was survived by Mrs Maria Odinigwe, his widow, sons, daughters and grandchildren.
Prominent pro-democracy and Civil Rights Advocacy Group-: HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has carpeted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for lying that it never invaded the Maitama home of the Supreme Court of Nigeria Justice Mrs. Mary Odili for over 5 hours.
The Rights group said telling lie about the exercise in which EFCC participated as disclosed by report from the Chief magistrate court makes the EFCC a tool for political WITCH-HUNT. HURIWA also condemns the federal ministry of justice for cooking up lies which deceived the Chief magistrate in Abuja to issue a search warrant at the home of the reverred jurist of the highest court in the land. HURIWA wonders why this federal government has continued to embarass, harass, intimidate and torture justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria by using armed security forces to invade their privacy with the aim of getting them to become afraid and to do the bidding of the executive arm of government.
In a media statement by the National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko and the National Media Affairs Director Miss Zainab Yusuf, HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) condemns the raid on the premises of the Supreme Court’s Justice Mrs. Mary Odili whose husband, former Rivers State’s governor Mr. Peter Odili belonged to the main opposition political party- Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and who had only just defeated the Nigerian Immigration Service in the competent court of law and retrieved his international travelling document which was seized at the International Airport Abuja.
Reacting to the news of the siege at the home of Supreme Court Justice Mary Odili the Rights group said it was unfortunate that the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has become a full blown dictatorship going by the patterns of horrendous attacks of persons perceived as not pliable or amenable to be used as instruments of vendetta and political witch hunt.
The Rights group said Mrs. Mary Odili may have been targeted not just for being the wife of a prominent elder of the main opposition political party of the Peoples Democratic Party but most likely because of her consistency in giving sound, qualitative, merit and law based judgments at the Supreme Court of Nigeria particularly in some cases that the ruling All Progressive Congress may have vested interest.
“We think the military invasion was aimed at harassing her into playing the role of the good puppet of the President because the officials of the Federal government are aware of her pedigree and her reputation as a no nonsense judge who renders judgement based on facts, evidence and the laws “, HURIWA affirmed.
Besides, HURIWA condemns the federal government for authorising the raid and the dangerous siege at the home of the reverred jurist of the highest court in the land going by the disclosure made by the Chief magistrate in Abuja to the effect that the Justice ministry in Abuja lied to obtain a search warrant which the armed agencies relied upon to collectively invade the home of the Supreme Court Justice in Maitama Abuja and interrupted the free flow of traffic of hundreds of Nigerians.
Citing media report, HURIWA recalled that a Chief Magistrates’ Court had revoked a search warrant granted to the Joint Panel Recovery unit of the Federal Ministry of Justice to search the home of Supreme Court Justice Mary Odili.
HURIWA recalled that the panel, which comprises the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Nigeria Police Force and the Ministry of Justice, had obtained a search warrant from the magistrates’ court after a so called whistleblower, Aliyu Umar, claimed to have observed illegal activities going on at No. 9, Imo Street, Maitama, Abuja.
Umar’s affidavit dated October 13, 2021, read in part, “I have observed some illegal activities going on in those houses within Abuja are illegal and hereby report the said matter to the law enforcement agency. “I hereby state that all information provided by me to the EFCC is true and correct to the best of my knowledge.” in a second affidavit deposed to by a senior police officer, CSP Lawrence Ajodo, the panel applied to the chief magistrate in Abuja seeking a search warrant to search the house.
HURIWA recalled that the Chief Magistrate, Emmanuel Iyanna, who subsequently approved the search warrant on October 29, 2021 later revoked it claiming that the Applicants for the search warrants deceived him into issuing the search warrants going by what he termed misrepresentation.
Similarly, HURIWA condemned the EFCC who through its spokesman, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, said, in a statement, that the commission had no hand in the matter and advised members of the public to disregard any news to the contrary.
The statement read in part, “The attention the EFCC has been drawn to claims in a section of the media that operatives of the commission today, October 29, 2021 stormed the Maitama, Abuja home of a Judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Mary Odili, purportedly to execute a search.
“The commission, by this statement, wishes to inform the public that the report is false as it did not carry out any operation at the home of Justice Odili. If there was any such operation as claimed by the media, it was not carried out by the EFCC. The commission enjoins the public to discountenance the report.”
HURIWA has therefore called on the EFCC to apologise publicly to Nigerians for lying that it never participated in the raid because the information made available to the Nigerian public from the Chief magistrate shows otherwise that the EFCC was in the team of armed security invaders of the home of Justice Mary Odili.
HURIWA is therefore demanding that strong sanctions are slammed on the individuals who lied under oath to obtain by trick the search warrant that the armed team relied on to invade the premises of the Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria just as the Rights group said if the Federal government fails to charge for perjury the persons who got the search warrant on the basis of falsehood, it will then become notorious that we now have a bunch of persons in the Federal Government who are not only professional liars but are persons who are totally unfit to occupy any position of responsibility in the twenty first century Nigeria.
Foremost pro-democracy and Not-for-profit organisation-Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria-HURIWA has described as illegal, unconstitutional and undemocratic the shabby impeachment of the Honorable Speaker of the Plateau state House of Assembly, Honorable Ayuba Abok by 8 out of the 24 members of the Assembly. The Group said the early morning show of shameless in Jos Plateau State can be equated to a sham marriage which in law is null and void. HURIWA said the removal of the speaker who had championed the need for the Ethnic Christians who are the bonafide owners of Plateau State to be protected from persisted Fulani terrorists and genocides, shows that the Plateau State Governor Mr. Simon Lanlong is a puppet of the Sokoto caliphate.
In a statement jointly signed by its National coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko and National media affairs officer, Miss Zainab Yusuf, the group said the impeachment exercise that took place at the Plateau Assembly complex on Thursday morning is a mere display of political witch hunt against the speaker who has been very effective in checkmating the failures of the Governor Simon Lalong led administration in the state. Besides the Rights group said allowing the kangaroo impeachment to stand will portray Plateau State’s political class as people with medieval mindsets who lack the genuine interests of their people at heart just as the Rights group asked the Speaker deposed illegally to rush to the Court of competent jurisdiction to get the charade overturned or alternatively he can run a parallel state house of Assembly representing the majority of the State’s constituencies.
The Human rights crusader further alleged that the impeachment is not unconnected with the recent ultimatum given to the governor by the hitherto vibrant and pro-people Parliament following incessant killings of helpless and defenseless citizens in the state with Bassa local government being the worst hit.
HURIWA said since it has become very obvious that the governor has failed to address the issues of insecurity in the state and the only option left for him to survive inevitable impeachment is to illegally orchestrate a sham impeachment of the speaker of the Assembly.
The group, making reference to a publication by the News Agency of Nigeria where it was alleged that the 8 members gained access to the assemble chamber at 6am to carry out their illegality condemned the act and called on the Plateau Assembly to reverse the impeachment and follow democratically allowed procedures. The Rights group said the National Assembly can as well take over the control of the parliamentary activities for Plateau State if the illegal impeachment is not overturned on time.
HURIWA also berated the militarization of the assembly complex, saying it is against the tenet of democracy to militarize a constitutional democratic assembly just as HURIWA said the action of the minority is in conflict with Section 92(c) of the Constitution specifying that a speaker can only be removed from office by a resolution of House of Assembly by the votes of not less than two-third majority of the members of the House. “Are these politicians in Jos so mathematically incapable of knowing that 8 is not the two third majority in a House of 24 legislators?”
The Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Nuhu Abok, has been impeached by eight members of the legislative arm of the government.
The member representing Pengana Constituency, Yakubu Sanda, was named as the new Speaker.
He was removed in the early hours of Thursday by the lawmakers from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) who were escorted into the chambers amidst tight security.
Members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were, however, prevented from entering the Assembly complex.
Today makes it exactly 3 years that the AGOM ADARA, Late HRH Maiwada Raphael Galadima, a first class traditional ruler from Southern Kaduna was assassinated by Terrorists. Till date, his killers are yet to be prosecuted by the failed and incapacitated government of Nigeria.
The late AGOM was known to be the most vibrant Traditional ruler in Southern Kaduna of his time. He seriously encouraged and promoted the unity of the Southern Kaduna and Middlebelt people. He urged all Southern Kaduna Traditional leaders to abandon the Turban attires adopted from Core northerners by Middlebelt Traditional leaders. He stood on the idea for our people to go back to our ancestral Traditional attires. The Sokoto caliphate of course was not happy with that.
His memories will continue to remain fresh in our hearts. His legacy we will continue to uphold and he will always remain our HERO.
Undoubtedly, Nigerians are in moments of anxicety and national outrage, no thanks to the unprecedented anarchy, chaos and doom caused by insecurity.
Incidentally, in these moments of insecurity even institutions whose function has a lot of bearing on the smooth and steady running of the entire civil service are challenged by cocktails of externally generated speculative tails of fear, anxiety and apprehension.
The Accountant General of the Federation (AGF); the administrative head of the treasury of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, perhaps one of the most prominent public offices in the Nigerian Civil Service has been having a fair share of cocktails of lies, half-truths and speculations and these are springing seeds of doubts, tension in the minds and hearts of Nigerians.
For purposefulness, the simple description of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) as the agency of government responsible for accounting of receipts and expenditures of the Federal Government may appear too simple and incomplete for those who know the enormity of the work daily carried out by the agency.
Established under the Civil Service re-organization Decree No. 43 of 1988, this important agency is headed by the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), who is appointed by the President for a tenure of four years, serves as the Chief accounting officer for the receipts and payments of account of the Federal Government.
A more roboust description will say the OAGF is mandated to collate, present and publish statutory financial statements required by the Minister of Finance, manage Federal Government investments, maintain and operate the accounts of the Consolidated Revenue Fund, Department Fund, Contingencies Fund and other public funds; and provide cash backing for the operation of the Federal Government.
It is equally saddled with the conduct of routine and in-depth inspection of the books of accounts of Federal Ministries and Extra-ministerial Departments to ensure compliance with rules, regulations, policies, and internal audit guides, investigation of cases of fraud, loss of funds, assets and store items and other financial malpractices in ministries and extra-ministerial departments.
The office is also to provide financial regulations and issue Treasury Circulars to Federal Ministries/Extra-Ministerial Departments to ensure that there are adequate accounting systems in public funds and for the coordination of the collection and disbursement of the public funds and for the coordination of accounting systems
The office also monitors government revenue and account for same, issues officially approved forms bearing Treasury Numbers for use in all Federal Ministries to ensure uniformity, formulate the accounting policies of the Federal Government, services government loans and manages public debts.
The good news here is that the OAGF is currently headed by the tested and trusted leadership of Ahmed Idris; a Nigerian financial accountant who in the recent history of the Nigerian political journey has been adjudged the only AGF who has through his professional expertise championed some reforms in the process of revenue collection, management and disbursement of public funds, by the institutionalizing a practical model which succeeded in blocking leakages, enhances transparency, accountability and openness in Government financial dealings, which includes Single Treasury Account, IPPS, and many more.
However, this writer has been following with keen interest the hot air balloon created in some selected and selfish media platforms in concert with some shadow political forces to deliberately create political smokescreen designed to spark unnecessary confusion and distraction on the person of the Accountant General of the Federation.
Remarkably, in the midst of these orchestrated campaigns of calumny, Alhaji. Ahmed Idris, who several pundits has described as a cool headed, calculated and compassionate gentleman has maintained his calmness and has refused to be distracted. His silence over some of these issues goes a long way to buttress the fact that the accusations are baseless; since “Silence” they say, “is best answer to fools”.
Also, it is a well-known fact that the President has the vantage position of getting intelligence feed on to him. That the Accountant General of the Federation hasn’t been fired for this long shows the allegations to the President are tissues of lies.
Perhaps, highlighting these rumors and half-truths against the person of Ahmed Idris will be to make them weighty, nevertheless, an analysis of a few will help set the records straight on this misleading campaign.
A good case in point was the report on accusations by one Professor Lawan Abubakar of ASUU, Bauchi branch, against the AGF. According to a social media report credited to solacebase.com (www.solacebase.com) dated 19th November, 2020, Prof. Abubakar singled out the person of Alhaji Ahmed Idris for vilification in connection with the then protracted negotiations that existed between the Federal Government and ASUU.
It was reported that Prof. Abubakar’s accusations included that the Accountant General insisted on the enrolment of University staff on IPPIS only because he will gain N16, 000 per each lecturer so enrolled. He further alleged that Alhaji Idris owns multi billion Naira Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange. He also bought Sokoto Hotel in Kano which he demolished to build a mall.
Under normal circumstances, one will find it extremely difficult to believe that such wild allegations could emanate from a University Professor. This is because Scholars are known for research, analysis, making references to their sources of information and for deductive reasoning, particularly on issues worthy of their attention and public comments.
For instance the allegation that the Accountant General of the Federation receives financial benefit to the tune of N16, 000 on the enrolment of each staff into IPPIS clearly portrays misunderstanding of IPPIS administration.
IPPIS is an Information Communication Technology (ICT) driven programme initiated by the Federal Government of Nigeria to improve the storage of personnel records and administration of payroll for Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
The IPPIS department in the OAGF operates strictly in accordance with extant rules, regulations and government directives. The staff of the department are professional civil servants drawn from across the country; they are not employees of the AGF. Moreover, the Federal Government does not release cash to the OAGF for payment of salaries and wages of the staff of federal MDAs captured under the IPPIS. Salary payments and other financial transactions are carried out electronically.
On the alleged acquisition of properties worth billions of Naira citing Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange, and Sokoto Hotel, while this writer is not holding a brief for the AGF on the matter, he believes that as a high ranking civil servant who steadily progressed to the peak of his career in the service, Alh. Idris ought to be very conversant with the public service rules, financial regulations and such other guidelines provided for the official and personal conduct of serving federal public officers.
Research reveals that Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange is a limited liability company registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission of Nigeria. This, therefore, does not require spurious allegations aimed at damaging the image of any person over ownership of the property. The records of ownership, value, etc of the company could have easily been cross checked with the Commission.
Any interested person could have equally followed the procedures laid down by the Kano state government for tracing ownership of landed properties through relevant establishments such as the state Ministries/Agencies responsible for lands, housing and urban development. Findings would have availed access to proof of ownership of the property (by Ahmed Idris, if his claims were correct), date of purchase, actual cost and even the approved building plan and architectural designs for the said proposed mall.
These are simple and harmless steps expected to have been taken in order to obtain accurate facts and evidences before going to the press.
Again, after a careful examination of all the arguments bandied on the media, notably on his retention as the AGF by President Muhammdu Buhari after attaining the age of 60 on November 25, 2020, unlike the apologists of the hasty campaign to forcefully boot him out through the back-door, Alhaji Idris had relied on the provisions of the constitution, which makes both the appointment and renewal of the tenured appointment of AGF a prerogative of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Report has it that the AGF had on October 2, 2020, written to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Mr. Boss Mustapha, seeking clarification on his status ahead of November 25, 2020, when he would clock 60 years old.
The letter titled “Re, Renewal of Appointment as Accountant-General of the Federation”, reads in part:” I most respectfully inform the Secretary to the Government of the Federation that I will be Sixty (60) years of age on 25th of November 2020, while my length of service will be Seventeen (17) years.
“In the light of the foregoing, I wish to most obediently seek for SGF’s guidance and clarification accordingly.”
It is common knowledge that the AGF is currently serving as a political appointment and not a civil servant that should retire at the age of 60. It logically follows, that his appointment in 2015 was projected as a civil servant who served within the age bracket of a mandatory retirement age of 60 years, and enjoyed the tenure within the mainstream civil service guidelines supervised under the office of the Head of Civil Service.
His re-appointment for a second term on June 25, 2019, was predicated under Section 9(1),(2), (3) of the 1999 Construction where the President is empowered to appoint any person into any position of authority regardless of the age bracket, and therefore prompted the second appointment through the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
Beyond this, Section 171 of the Constitution empowers the president to exercise discretion in appointing persons into some extra-ministerial offices. The same constitution spelt out the offices in the category, to which the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation fell.
The Constitution, the supreme law of the land, is the grand norm, all other laws rose from it and any law that is in conflict with the provisions of the constitution doesn’t stand, it’s struck down.
When it was clear that Mr. President had exercised his powers under Section 171 of 1999 Constitution as amended in reappointing Mr. Ahmed Idris with effect from June 25, 2019 for another tenure of four years which by terms of appointment elapse June 2023, political opportunists resorted to campaigns of calumny aimed at tarnishing the image of the AGF.
The question begging for an answer is this: what is the underlying agenda of this broad daylight sinister efforts to malign an appointee who has been passionate about his responsibility, to the excitement of The Presidency, which (in the first place) has the prerogative of appointing, removing him; reappointing him or replacing him out rightly?
It is not surprising then that the effort these political jobbers are making to destroy the image of Mr. Idris Ahmed is a lost battle and their sponsors are chasing shadows and leaving the substance. If they are not out for cheap recognition or hiding behind a questionable campaign of calumny to secure the AGF’s office for their kinsmen, they are against the AGF presumably under the guise that he wants to be governor in his state of origin.
The Office of the Accountant General of the Federation is a sensitive position that deals with financial issues the President feels he can work with Alhaji Ahmed Idris. This is because he is not working for himself, but for the nation and has to get the best of hands, trusted persons.
That Mr. Idris has been kept in Office in the midst of these rumours and half-truths is a testament that he is doing a good work and the President having realized that these are plots meant for distractions wants to continue with him.
*Miss. Onwughalu, Project Director at the HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA), Abuja.
Soldiers arrested most of the members of Sudan’s cabinet and a large number of pro-government party leaders on Monday in an apparent military coup, three political sources said.
The information ministry said “joint military forces” had arrested civilian members of the Sovereign Council and members of the government and had taken them to an undisclosed location.
There was no immediate comment from the military. Sudanese state TV broadcast as normal.
A Reuters witness saw joint forces from the military and from the powerful, paramilitary Rapid Support Forces stationed in the streets in Khartoum.
Sudan has been on edge since a failed coup plot last month unleashed bitter recriminations between military and civilian groups meant to be sharing power following the 2019 ouster of former leader Omar al-Bashir. read more
Bashir was toppled and jailed after months of street protests. A political transition agreed after his ouster has seen Sudan emerge from its isolation under three decades of rule by Bashir and was meant to lead to elections by the end of 2023.
The Reuters witness said military and paramilitary forces deployed across the capital, Khartoum, restricting civilians’ movements, as protesters carrying the national flag burnt tires in different parts of the city.
The information ministry said on its Facebook page that a number of ministers and civilian members of the ruling Sovereign Council were arrested.
Khartoum airport was shut and international flights were suspended, according to Dubai-based al-Arabiya TV channel.
Citing unidentified sources, Saudi-owned, Dubai-based Al Hadath said Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok had been placed under house arrest, and that unidentified military forces arrested four cabinet ministers, one civilian member of the Sovereign Council, and several state governors and party leaders.
Family sources told Reuters that military forces had stormed the house of Hamdok’s media adviser and arrested him.
Reuters witnesses said internet services appeared to be down in Khartoum.
The Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), a main activist coalition in the uprising against Bashir, called on supporters to mobilise after what it called the arrest of cabinet members.
“We urge the masses to go out on the streets and occupy them, close all roads with barricades, stage a general labour strike, and not to cooperate with the putschists and use civil disobedience to confront them,” the group said in a statement on Facebook.
As tensions built this month, a coalition of rebel groups and political parties aligned themselves with the military and called on it to dissolve the civilian government, staging a sit-in outside the presidential palace.
Last week, several cabinet ministers took part in big protests in several parts of Khartoum and other cities against the prospect of military rule.
The military head of the Sovereign Council has previously asserted his commitment to the transition.
