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The bill, sponsored by Aliyu Missau, aimed to amend specific sections of the constitution by removing the term “personal” from wherever “Islamic law” is mentioned, thus broadening the scope of Sharia law within the legal framework.
The contentious constitutional amendment bill targeted sections 24, 262, 277, and 288 of the 1999 constitution.
Specifically, Section 262(1), which currently states that the Sharia Court of Appeal shall exercise appellate and supervisory jurisdiction in civil proceedings involving questions of Islamic personal law, would have been modified to expand its jurisdiction beyond personal matters.
Missau argued during the debate that the inclusion of the word “personal” limited the application of Islamic law, particularly affecting Islamic commercial laws.
By removing “personal,” Missau believed that Islamic law could have a broader application, aligning more closely with the comprehensive nature of Sharia, which covers various aspects of life beyond personal matters.
He said, “The 1999 constitution provided for personal Islamic law. The constitution did not envisage the dynamism and development that may come into the country.
“For instance, in 2003, the constitution did not foresee the advent of Jaiz Bank, which operates under commercial Islamic law.”
The lawmaker said the word “personal” should be removed to benefit Islamic commercial law and Islamic international law, among others.
During the debate, legislators were split along regional lines, with northerners supporting the bill while their southern counterparts kicked against it.
Opposing the bill, Solomon Bob from Rivers said the amendment would broaden the application of Islamic law beyond the “personal matters” envisaged by the framers of the constitution.
“The implication is that if the word ‘personal’ is removed, Islamic law would have broader implications. The word ‘personal’ was put there for a reason,” the lawmaker said.
AbdulHakeem Ado from Kano supported the bill, saying Islamic commercial law needs to be sustained.
Saidu Abdullahi from Niger state and Ahmed Satomi from Borno were among the lawmakers who spoke in favour of the bill.
Jonathan Gaza from Nasarawa, Ademorin Kuye from Lagos, and Awaji-Inombek Abiante from Rivers kicked against the proposed legislation.
Bamidele Salam from Osun strongly opposed the bill, saying issues of religion should be restricted to personal preference because Nigeria is a secular state.
He said, “As students of history, we all know the background of this particular section during the various constitutional assemblies of 1979, 1989, and 1999. The drafters of the constitution were highly sensitive to religion.
“At the 1979 constitutional assembly, this particular section was very contentious until the military intervened to halt further debate, stating that the application of Islamic law would be restricted to personal matters like estates.
“We must be careful with any changes to the constitution that could further widen divisions in Nigeria. In any case, the matters my colleague seeks to address are already covered by existing laws.”
The bill was rejected when it was put to a voice vote by Ben Kalu, the deputy speaker, who presided over the plenary.
Olusegun Obasanjo, a former President of Nigeria, has explained that the leadership deficit in the world, especially in Africa and particularly in Nigeria, is responsible for the situation the country has found itself in.
Obasanjo accused an unnamed Nigerian president of coming to office without a plan.
He said the President made a pronouncement on an issue that hadn’t been studied, arguing that it shows a lack of leadership quality.
The former President, who spoke on Thursday in an exclusive interview with Kayode Akintemi on News Central Television, stressed that leadership is something Nigeria should pay attention to.
Obasanjo said: “I will say, at this point in time, generally there’s a leadership deficit in the world. Otherwise, the situation we have found ourselves in should not be the position we are in. Unfortunately, in Africa, and in Nigeria in particular, we take two steps forward, one step sideways, and take two or three steps backward. That can’t take us far. Leadership is something we should pay attention to.
“What do you say of a Nigerian President who came to office without a plan? And he woke up and just said, ‘three-point plan.’ What are the three points? What are they going to achieve? Who are the people who have worked on it? Oh, you just come and open your mouth and make a pronouncement on something that hasn’t been studied.
“Let me again give you an example: when I was military Head of State, we decided to really be part of the frontline states to fight the last vestiges of colonialism and apartheid.
“And we were determined. So, as a result of our policy, pronouncements, and determination, we became known as members of the frontline states, even though we were a thousand kilometers from the frontline. And we decided that we must do what needed to be done. We worked with the frontline states.”
On Friday, Primate Elijah Ayodele, the Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, said President Bola Tinubu was wrongly advised over the reshuffling of his cabinet because Nigeria is getting harder daily.
Primate Ayodele said Tinubu can’t be applauded for his reshuffled cabinet because the ministers making Nigerians to cry are still in his administration.
In a statement by his Media Aide, Oluwatosin Osho, the clergyman insisted that the president relieved the wrong ministers of their duties.
The prophet mentioned that the just-concluded reshuffling will not have any positive impact until those who are supposed to be removed from the current administration are removed.
He explained that Nigerians will celebrate and applaud President Tinubu if some ministers are removed.
According to Ayodele: “The ministers that are supposed to be changed have not been changed; the ones changed cannot add any reasonable value. Some ministers who believed they are God need to be changed too.
“Nigerians cannot applaud Tinubu over these changes because those making people to cry are still in his cabinet. You will see that people in the country will celebrate when they change some of these people.
“The country is getting more difficult day in, day out. These changes are not in any way significant; Tinubu was advised wrongly on these ministers’ changes.‘’
Furthermore, Primate Ayodele frowned at the activities of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), noting that if the commission wants to be serious, every politician has to be arrested because all of them are guilty.
“If EFCC wants to be serious, every politician should be arrested because many of them didn’t have anything before they got into position, but when they got there, they became billionaires. The commission has a lot to do if they want to wash this country; otherwise it will still be the same thing,” he added.
Ex-Nigerian president, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is set to leave for Gaborone, Botswana, on Friday to lead the African Union Election Observation Mission (AUEOM) for the forthcoming general elections slated for October 30, 2024.
This confirmation comes from a statement released by his Special Adviser, Ikechukwu Eze.
Jonathan, esteemed for his dedication to promoting democratic processes in Africa, will head a diverse team comprising members from the African Union Permanent Representative Committee, Pan African Parliament (PAP), African Governance Platform, Election Management Bodies, independent election experts, and representatives from civil society organizations, including women and youth groups.
During his stay in Gaborone, the former president is scheduled to engage in consultations with various key stakeholders, including Botswana’s country leadership, political parties, civil society, media groups, and the diplomatic community.
His efforts will focus on fostering a credible, transparent, and peaceful electoral atmosphere before, during, and after the election day.
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Mahamat, highlighted in his letter to Jonathan that the former president’s “pan-African credentials and solid commitment to democracy and credible electoral processes in Africa” made him a prime candidate for leading such missions.
This year’s general election in Botswana marks the 13th since the nation gained independence in 1965, featuring the election of 61 Members of Parliament and 609 Local Council Seats.
For Jonathan, this mission represents the fifth time he has led AU election observation teams across Africa since 2015, with previous missions in Zambia, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.
Since exiting office in 2015, Jonathan has also spearheaded various international election observation missions under different organizations, including the Commonwealth, ECOWAS, WAEF, Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA), and International Summit Council for Peace (ISCP).
Olusegun Obasanjo, a former President of Nigeria, has expressed concerns as regards how youths are trooping out of the country in their large numbers due to frustration and unemployment.
Obasanjo in an interview with News Central TV, claimed that Nigeria is loosing a lot of money by youths leaving the country.
He said: "I'm very happy, optimistic and concerned. I'm worried, particularly with the youth. I have said it before and i'll say it again, we are all sitting on a keg of gunpowder if we ignore our youths.
"They are frustrated, they are hungry, they are unemployed, and they are angry.
"Now part of the lecture we had is the amount of money we are loosing by the Nigeria youths that 'japa'. I'm worried about that."
Media
On Friday, Omoyele Sowore, Nigerian activist-cum-politician, accused former President Muhammadu Buhari of heading an administration of scammers.
Sowore was reacting to the disappearance of E-Naira which was launched by Buhari’s administration.
In October 2021, the Central Bank of Nigeria launched the digital currency, e-Naira to coincide with Nigeria’s independence anniversary.
Former CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele had assured that the advantages of the Central Bank Digital Currency, CBDC, are enormous.
The apex bank chief urged Nigerians to embrace the e-Naira and explained it is safer than cryptocurrencies.
Reacting to the disappearance, Sowore said e-Naira has been replaced with T-pain, a term used in referring to President Bola Tinubu and the current hardship.
Posting on X, Sowore wrote: “Where is @Mbuhari and @GodwinIEmefiele’s E-Naira?
"Has it been replaced with T-Pain’s T-NAIRA? Government of Scammers.”
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced that the nation’s external reserves have increased to $40.2 billion as of October 18, 2024.
Deputy Governor, Economic Policy, Mr. Muhammed Andullahi disclosed this at a briefing with foreign investors on the sidelines of the on-going annual meetings of the IMF and World Bank in Washington DC.
The Deputy Governor, Economic Policy, Mr. Muhammed Andullahi, who made the presentation said that the current level of reserve could accommodate 14 .5 months of goods and services import or 18 months for only goods import.
He also disclosed that foreign exchange inflow into the country stood at $57 billion as of August this year.
He added that Capital Importation had nearly doubled to $6.9 billion as of August 2024, compared with $3.9 recorded in the 2023 Financial Year.
He also disclosed that efforts to attract more remittances from Diaspora Nigerians was yielding desired results as it put current monthly remittances at $650 million.
According to him Diaspora remittances had reached a record $3.5 billion compared with a total annual performance of $3.2 billion in 2023.
He said CBN was on its way to achieving its target of $1 billion remittances, monthly.
He further stated that the interventions of the CBN in the FX market had reduced to as low as 5 percent of the market turnover.
He said that the apex bank might intervene from time to time in the FX market but it would make sure that the market does not become dependent on such interventions.
He added that from December, the market would witness the matching system and that players would see a more transparent trading where everyone would see who sold what and bought what.
He added that the nation’s FX market had been broken for about 10 years and what was being witnessed was the result of the long period of the broken market.
While fielding questions from investors, the CBN Governor, Mr. Olayemi Cardoso assured investors that the present FX administration has been incentivized in such a way that Nigerians and investors who want to bring in FX would have no difficulties at all.
He said: “The issue of confidence of Nigerians in their currency, clearly a situation where interests have gone up, we expect that and it is happening that there will be more interest in the local instrument.
“We find that something that is important for these whole adjustments arose from the fact that now, Nigerians will be more inclined to produce locally because it is a lot cheaper for them to do so rather than depend on imported goods. That is a good thing.
“Then regarding the harmonisation of the rates, those who used to send money to Nigeria no longer have the choice of having to find other unorthodox methods of sending their money home.
“I particularly refer to the remittances from the Diaspora. That is why we have had a major uptick in the level of inflows coming from that area.
Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe, the famous Nigerian singer, who is popularly known as Ayra Starr, has said she cannot date any of her colleagues.
She said her dream man is a billionaire who will sponsor her luxurious lifestyle.
The 22-year-old stated this in an interview with Coco Jones for Rolling Stone’s Musicians on Musicians issue.
Coco Jones asked: “Would you want to date someone who’s in your industry because they’ll get it?”
Ayra Starr replied: “In the dream world, it wouldn’t be somebody that is in the [music] industry. Probably just like a billionaire. On a yacht. In Dubai. In a thong [laughs].”
In recent years, the long-standing institution of marriage has experienced numerous transformations, mirroring societal changes, economic conditions, and evolving values.
One particularly intriguing trend emerging in some communities is the concept of men requesting “marriage lists” from multiple women.
This practice, driven by a desire to evaluate potential marriage costs, raises several questions about tradition, love, and the commodification of relationships.
Marriage lists are essentially detailed accounts of the financial demands associated with a prospective marriage. These lists may include dowries, gifts, and other financial obligations that a groom or his family must meet. Traditionally, dowries were a way to secure the financial future of a bride and her family, but in contemporary settings, they can vary significantly based on cultural, regional, and individual factors.
Men requesting these lists from various women aims to assess which marriage would be the most economically feasible. This practice can stem from a combination of personal financial constraints, cultural expectations, and the desire to make informed decisions in an era where economic considerations are increasingly important.
In many cultures, marriage is not just a union of two individuals; it is a significant financial transaction involving families. While in some societies, love and companionship are the primary motivations for marriage, in others, financial considerations play a pivotal role. The practice of comparing marriage lists could be seen as a practical approach to ensuring financial stability, but it also risks reducing the complex institution of marriage to a mere transactional relationship.
The practice raises several ethical questions. First, is it fair to women to be evaluated based solely on financial demands? This approach can reinforce harmful stereotypes and perpetuate a culture where women’s worth is tied to monetary value. Additionally, it may lead to emotional detachment in relationships, prioritizing financial calculations over genuine compatibility and affection.
Moreover, this practice could create an environment of competition among women, fostering insecurities and undermining the foundational values of trust and love that are vital for a successful marriage.
On a practical level, the comparison of marriage costs can be influenced by economic realities. In times of financial uncertainty, individuals may feel compelled to prioritize financial security over emotional connection. This trend can also reflect broader societal changes, where economic factors increasingly dictate personal choices.
However, it’s essential to recognize that while financial considerations are valid, they should not overshadow the fundamental aspects of partnership—mutual respect, love, and shared goals.
While the practice of men requesting marriage lists from various women may appear to be a logical approach to navigating the complexities of modern relationships, it brings to light significant ethical, cultural, and emotional concerns. Marriage, at its core, is a partnership that thrives on connection and commitment, transcending financial considerations.
As society continues to evolve, it’s crucial to strike a balance between practical realities and the deeper values that define successful and fulfilling relationships. Ultimately, a marriage built on love and mutual respect will likely yield a more rewarding and lasting partnership than one anchored solely in economic calculations.
Some Nigerian police officers and operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have been caught on camera engaging in a fight.
It was gathered that the incident occurred during the week at Elizabeth Estate, Abere in Osogbo, the capital of Osun State.
It was learnt that some policemen on Tuesday stormed the area to arrest a resident but were allegedly stopped by NSCDC operatives.
However, the officers returned on Thursday to attack the civil defence corps members.
In the video, the security operatives are seen exchanging blows and slapping each other.
“Some policemen on Tuesday wanted to arrest someone in the estate without a warrant of arrest but were stopped by the civil defence officers, so they (policemen) came back on Thursday, this time with more men to overpower the civil defence guys,” a resident who witnessed the fight said.
“They injured the guy being slapped by a policeman in mufti very well and later dragged him to police CID in Osogbo and sadly till now, their commandant (NSCDC) hasn’t done or said anything since.”
Calls put across to Yemisi Opalola, police spokesperson in Osun, were not answered.
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A former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has urged Nigerians to refrain from scooping fuel from fallen tankers.
According to him, it is a dangerous act.
Atiku added that even though there is hunger in the country, it is not a good reason to put lives in danger.
He took to X and wrote:
"I know that the times are tough for Nigerians. It has even been made more challenging by the trial-and-error policies of this bumbling administration. However, your lives are the most precious things that should never be mortgaged. This is why it is pertinent that the concerned government MDAs should commence a robust campaign to educate citizens on the dangers of scooping fuel from fallen petroleum tankers. Your lives matter to you and your loved ones. Scooping petrol, a highly flammable liquid from a fallen tanker, is a suicide that no one should undertake. We've experienced too many tragedies from incidents such as the latest one in Cross River State, and everything must be done to avert another. -AA"
The Nigerian government has been applauded for releasing Binance Holdings Limited executive, Tigran Gambaryan.
The US government thanked FG after Mr Gambaryan, an American and senior employee at the cryptocurrency exchange was released on humanitarian ground.
Peoples Gazette stated that Gambaryan who had been detained since February was released on Wednesday.
The Binance executive and the exchange British Kenya regional manager for Africa, Nadeem Anjarwalla, had been facing money laundering charges to the tune of $35 million brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
But in a statement from the office of the National Security Advisor, the U.S. government confirmed that Mr Gambaryan was released by the Nigerian government on humanitarian grounds.
“I am pleased that American citizen and former U.S. law enforcement official Tigran Gambaryan has been released on humanitarian grounds by the Nigerian government and he is on his way back to the United States so that he can receive needed medical attention.
As soon as we secured Mr Gambaryan’s release, I called his wife Yuki to share this good news. I am grateful to my Nigerian colleagues and partners for the productive discussions that have resulted in this step and look forward to working closely with them on the many areas of cooperation and collaboration critical to the bilateral partnership between our two countries,” the statement signed by Jake Sullivan read.
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde has revealed that people of the South West are now wiser and will not vote for the All Progressives Congress in the 2027 general elections.
According to the Governor, the reason is because APC has brought hardship on Nigerians.
Makinde, who is the leader of the Peoples Democratic Party in the South-West, explained that Yoruba people who are predominantly residents of all states that make up the southwest region had realised their mistake for supporting Tinubu during the 2023 general elections.
Meanwhile, National Chairman of APC, Abdullahi Ganduje, had during a stakeholders meeting to reconcile the aggrieved party leaders, declared that the APC would capture the South-West for President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
Also, Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who was on a campaign tour in Ese Odo LGA, had said the opposition PDP was dead in the state, noting that most of the opposition leaders in Ondo were back in APC.
Apparently referring to both Ganduje and Aiyedatiwa, Makinde said the PDP still had control of the South-West, saying the APC national chairman would be shocked with the support from the people for the main opposition party.
“If wishes were horses, everybody would be riding it. I can tell you that the people of the South-West of Nigeria are wiser and especially in Ondo State. On November 16, they will tell him (Ganduje) that Ondo State and indeed South-West is for the PDP,” he said on Thursday during a campaign in Ondo State.
Makinde added, “Talk, they say is cheap. You can say whatever you like with your mouth but the people of Ondo State, they will speak loud and clear on November 16, 2024 and then all of us in this country will hear it loud and clear.”
•FG differs as Clark, others allege lopsidedness, Tinubu seeks Senate confirmation
President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet reshuffle on Wednesday, which had Ogun State reportedly producing four ministers, the highest by a state in the cabinet, has sparked reactions across the country.
In a significant cabinet shakeup during the 19th Federal Executive Council meeting at the State House, Abuja, Tinubu approved the re-assignment of 10 ministers to new portfolios, discharged five others and nominated seven new ministerial appointees for onward transmission to the Senate for confirmation.
This came as the President renamed the Ministry of Nigeria Delta Development to the Ministry of Regional Development, scrapped the Ministry of Sports Development, and merged the Ministries of Tourism and Arts and Culture to become the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy.
The seven new ministers, pending their confirmation by the Senate, are Dr Jumoke Oduwole (Ogun State) as Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment; Dr Nentawe Yilwatda (Plateau) as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction; Muhammadu Dingyadi (Sokoto) as Minister of Labour & Employment; Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu (Imo) as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs; Idi Maiha (Kaduna) as Minister of Livestock Development; Yusuf Ata (Kano) as Minister of State, Housing and Urban Development and Dr Suwaiba Ahmad (Kano) as Minister of State for Education.
The incoming Dr Jumoke Oduwole joins Wale Edun (Minister of Finance), Dr Adekunle Salako, the new Minister of State for Health, who was previously Minister of State, Environment and Bosun Tijani (Minister of Communications and Digital Economy) as ministers of Ogun extraction.
Senate, SANs back FG
While the appointments of the four Ogun ministers raised eyebrows in some quarters, with some of the opinion that it fell short of the Federal Character criteria for appointments, Chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Character, Allwell Onyesoh (PDP, Rivers East), acknowledged that while the Federal Character was a constitutional matter, it wasn’t the sole criterion for selecting ministers and other high-level public office holders.
He said, “Yes, Federal Character is an important issue, and I am sure the President would not want to go against the Constitution. However, what the Constitution states is that one person per state, so, once that has been met, I am not sure there should be an issue.”
Senator Onyesoh added, “The Federal Character isn’t the only requirement; we need competent people. The Constitution also empowers the President to be proactive, which means he is allowed to bring efficient people on board to do their jobs.
“Why are people so critical of this administration? It wasn’t the same for the previous administration.”
The criticisms come as Ministers vehicles reduced President Tinubu on Thursday restricted Ministers, Ministers of State, and Heads of Agencies of the Federal Government to a maximum of three vehicles in their official convoys.
“No additional vehicles will be assigned to them for movement,” the President affirmed in a statement he signed Thursday titled, ‘President Tinubu issues new directives on reduction in cost of governance.’
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, who released the statement, said “The cost-cutting measure was announced today (Thursday) in a statement signed by the President.”
In January 2024, Tinubu issued a directive which the Presidency said was to reduce government expenditure.
The directive included reducing his entourage on foreign trips from 50 to 20 officials.
For local trips, he reduced it to 25 officials.
Similarly, he reduced the Vice President’s entourage to five officials on foreign trips and 15 for local trips.
In the directive, Tinubu also ordered all ministers, ministers of state, and heads of agencies to have at most five security personnel attached to them.
“The security team will comprise four police officers and one Department of State Services officer.
“No additional security personnel will be assigned, he ordered,” the statement read.
President Tinubu also instructed the National Security Adviser to engage with the Military, Paramilitary and Security Agencies to determine a suitable reduction in their vehicle and security personnel deployment.
The Presidency said “All affected officials are expected to comply with these new measures immediately, underscoring the urgency and seriousness of these changes.”
A former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Dr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), also said there was no law that stopped the Nigerian President from appointing more than one minister from a state.
Agbakoba said it was the President’s prerogative to appoint any number of persons from a state to serve as ministers.
Agbakoba, who spoke to one of our correspondents via the telephone on Thursday, stated that the only restriction was that the ministers must be appointed across all 36 states.
“That’s the only restriction,” he said. So, one may say why four? But nothing stops the President from appointing even 10.
“There’s no law that says he can’t appoint more than one. The only thing the law says is that he must appoint one person from each state on the principle of Federal Character, so that every state feels included. The point is, are all the 36 states not represented in the cabinet? The minimum requirement is that there has to be one minister from all 36 states.”
Another Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, explained that the constitution stipulated that in appointing ministers, each state of the federation must have representatives.
He added that even though there was no requirement for equality in the number of ministers, the situation where one state had four ministers and another had only one was not good enough.
“I think that the situation whereby one state has four ministers, and another state has only one, does not augur well for inclusivity, for equity, and for justice. And in this particular instance, the government is saying that we should run an economy that is new and budget-friendly.
“So, to then bloat the ministers list by picking four people from a particular state is to give the impression that there are no people from other states,” he said.
“This current government should not replicate the errors of the past. I believe that if somebody is elected from a particular region, he should carry other regions along, so that we can reduce the agitation for separatism, agitation for autonomy and agitation for secession as being advocated by other sections of the country that are marginalised,” he said.
In his response Niyi Akintola (SAN), said the position of Section 14 was very clear as the general rule was to give each state one minister.
He said, “The President is bound to work very hard to ensure that each state gets one minister. And there is no state legally that doesn’t have one minister.
“The President has complied with the requirement of the law, the Constitution but, where you have discretion, you can use the discretion. Discretion is not mandatory but a duty is mandatory.
He further stated that the duty of the president was to ensure that no state should be without a minister.
“I am from Oyo state and we have only one minister and we are not complaining. Can you point out one state in Nigeria that doesn’t have a minister? One minister from Plateau State resigned and he was replaced with another one.
“I don’t know why people make noise where there are no issues, we should look at if he breached the Constitution, to me these are not issues,” he said.
Another senior Advocate of Nigeria, Wolemi Esan, said there was no restriction against a state having more than one minister.
Esan cited Section 147(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) that states that the President must appoint at least one minister from each state, who must be an indigene of that state.
“The Constitution specifies a minimum number of ministers per state but does not set a maximum. “Therefore, strictly speaking, there is no restriction against a state having more than one minister. “However, section 14(3) of the Constitution emphasises that the composition of the Federal Government should reflect the Federal Character, ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few states in government,” he said.
However, Prof Mike Ozekhome (SAN) added that to appoint four ministers from Ogun, one of the smallest states in Nigeria, was against the provisions of the Constitution, particularly Section 141, Section 153 and Section 71 of the Third Schedule, Part One of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.
According to him, all these sections deal with the principles of Federal Character, and they emphasise that Nigeria shall be a state based on the principles of democracy and social justice.
“So, by appointing one minister to join the three old ones, making four from Ogun State, the President has breached Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution, because he has appointed four people from the same state, Ogun, and from the same ethnic group of Yoruba, which is against the Constitution.
“By the way, the question must be asked, whether, the team carrying the ministerial lists has actually done anything to change the status quo. I think not. What I’ve seen, what I saw, is against what Nigerians were expecting. We were expecting an earthquake of change in the cabinet, because many of the ministers have shown themselves to be indolent and to be non-performing.
“Now, what we saw, the only ministry I believe that the President did very well is the ministry of Niger Delta, because he tried to stop wastages by bringing the Niger Delta Development Commission, the Northeast Development Commission, the Southwest Development Commission, and the Southeast Development Commission.
“All of them brought under the Ministry of Regional Development. But I believe that the Niger Delta, Northeast Development, Southwest, they were drainpipes where money was being guzzled into.
“But by removing them and collapsing them under the Ministry of Regional Development, I believe that some money would be saved there. But I would think that it should have gone far.
“I also like what he did with the Ministry of Sports Development, by scrapping it and taking the function of it to the National Sports Commission,” he said.
He further stated that many of the present ministries were not functional.
“Why would you have a different ministry for agriculture than another one for water resources? Why not collapse some of these ministries and name it as Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Rural Development? What is the difference between the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Blue Economy? Why don’t you collapse them? Blue Economy, where you are having fish, environment, where you also have fish and other things, why don’t you collapse them? Why would the President even introduce a new ministry of animal husbandry or cattle rearing? What is the meaning of that? Why don’t you just put that word quietly under the Ministry of Agriculture?
“So, I believe the President should go far, very far, in rejigging his cabinet, which for now is a drain pipe for the nation’s bigger resources.”
Niger Delta kicks
Tinubu’s new appointments were also met with scathing criticisms by a section of the polity with Second Republic Senator and leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, Chief Edwin Clark, accusing the President of behaving like his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, by making lopsided appointments.
The Ijaw leader on Wednesday called on Tinubu to rescind his decision in the scrapping of the Ministry of the Niger Delta Affairs in a swift response to the announcement.
On Thursday, the Ijaw leader, who spoke via telephone at the Special General Assembly of the Pan Niger Delta Forum in Port Harcourt with the theme, ‘Fostering Peace and Unity for Sustainable Development of the Niger Delta Region’, expressed sadness that despite public outcry about inequality and marginalisation in the country, Nigeria was still sharply divided along religious and ethnic lines.
He stated, “Nigeria is divided across the lines of ethnicity, along the lines of religion, hunger and everything that you can think of. Today Nigeria no longer has a middle class. The wealthy have carried away the wealth.
“They seize our oil wells. So we are nowhere. Can you imagine a man like me, two, three years ago, if I wanted anything from the oil companies, from the oil industry I have to travel to Daura (hometown of former President Mahammadu Buhari) to meet with Mr President who would then grant me?
“What type of country do we belong to, a country where we have no respect for one another? They think it is right. And this is still continuing.”
On the scrapping of the Ministry of Niger Delta, Clark added, “Today they declare us arrogant when we ask for our rights. Could you imagine that I was sleeping last night when I woke up to see that they had scrapped the Niger Delta Affairs Ministry?
“It didn’t come to me as a surprise because when they did it the first time they were hardly in office. Up till now they didn’t provide an investigation. They have provided nothing. So, scrapping it now means nothing to us.
“We (Niger Delta) must work together if we must survive in the country. Who owns this country more than yourselves, nobody. Every country has what God has given to that country to be a powerful country. We the people of the Niger Delta are Nigerians, we must fight for Nigeria.
“We should not allow anyone who cannot manage people’s diversity, who believe that once they are in power their people must take over, our people must be suppressed. Former President Muhammadu Buhari did it.
“He (Buhari) said the Fulanis are the only Nigerians. Every office was headed by a Fulani or Hausa. And today most of these things are being repeated by President Tinubu. In doing so he has followed the pattern of his predecessor in office. Where are we? We produce the oil, produce everything.”
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has said the Ministry of the Niger Delta Affairs was expanded and not scrapped as reported in some sections of the media.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, stated this at the PANDEF event.
He said, “It is very important to use this opportunity to explain that I was at the Federal Executive Council (meeting) when that decision was taken on the issue of Niger Delta Ministry.
“The Ministry was not scrapped at all. It was rather expanded to coordinate all regional development agencies. Apart from the NDDC there is nothing stopping the South-South Region from getting the South-South Development Commission.
“And I think something like that has already gotten to an advanced stage. So the Ministry for Regional Development will co-ordinate not just the NDDC it will also co-ordinate if there is any South-South Development Commission, it will coordinate that. It will coordinate North-East, it will coordinate South-East, it will coordinate all regional development under the leadership of your own son.
“Your own son is still the leader. We must understand that point, I want to use this medium to explain to you that we have nothing to lose at all. We are in fact losing nothing. Rather we may gain more if we have the South-South Regional Development Commission.”
He added, “Let me also say this to you that the Niger Delta till tomorrow is considered the most strategic region in the country and the President acknowledges that. Some of the very steps that we are taking today will benefit people of the Niger Delta more than others.
“Sometimes when you are making very bold decisions people may feel anxious. But that is the price we need to pay to get to the Promised Land.
“You recall that as of today there is more money for states and local governments and not to the federal government. It is also important to state here that my leaders don’t hold the federal government accountable alone. The time has come for every tier of government to pay its own share of the development of the Niger Delta.
“Last month the three tiers of government shared about N1.3tn. Some of our states got N50bn, N60bn. It is time for PANDEF not to look at what it can get from the Federal Government alone. But see how we can challenge our local government now that there is local government autonomy.
“Local Governments are also getting N600m, N800m. Yes local governments and I say some of these things we complain about could very well be done by local governments but because everybody is looking at the Federal Government, we have given people their honeymoon for too long. Let that honeymoon end now.”
Speaking, Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara said the Niger Delta region had a burden in its hands to advocate for stronger institutions in the federation.
Fubara, who was represented by his Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Prof. Peter Medee, said, “Instead of stronger individuals, we have produced stronger individuals from this region and from several regions yet the development of our region as well as to be able to plough back the benefit and the resources of our region to use it to produce and get the economy of our region to develop has suffered.
“So as you gather here today in the General Assembly to be able to articulate and plan. We will discuss further the need for unity, peace, and the development of our state. I call on all of you to use the unity in our diversity to our advantage.”
He added, “A lot of other regions are taking advantage of our disunity to divide us further. The time has come, especially now, when the governors of our respective states have taken it as a point of sincere commitment and dedication to unite the region. You, as leaders of the region, take advantage of the opportunity to discuss and come up with issues that will lead to our regional development.”
In his message, former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Victor Attah, expressed sadness over the scrapping of the Niger Delta Affairs Ministry.
“I felt a bit offended if I can use that word, that the Ministry of Niger Delta that we fought so hard to have established alongside the Niger Delta Development Commission should be abolished without any notice to any of us. And nobody knows what really that means for our development,” Attah said.
“We are now going to come under a commission for regional development. Quite some time ago, I remarked that maybe the name NDDC was wrong because Niger Delta is a defined geographic area.
“Nobody doubts the boundaries of the Niger Delta. But suddenly NDDC was scheduling for Imo, Abia or everybody that had oil. So, I asked, ‘Why don’t we go back to OMPADEC (Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission)?’
“Bring just the oil-producing areas commission, rather than pretend that it is a commission for developing the Niger Delta. I think, as defined in the President’s address, as a treasure trove of this country, we should have a lot to say about what happens to the treasure of this country.”
[Punch]