Factional Secretary-general of apex lgbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Okechukwu Isiguzoro has hailed the Supreme Court ruling which granted full financial autonomy to the 774 local governments in the country.
lsiguzoro stated that Thursday’s Supreme Court ruling on Local Government Autonomy was a significant milestone for democracy in Nigeria.
The Ohanaeze chietain added that Ndigbo applauds the decision, as it has put an end to the unchecked control and mismanagement of Local Government funds by State Governors.
He called for a crucial need for the implementation of the verdict to be effective in order to prevent further embezzlement and diversion of LGA allocations.
In a statement issued on Friday and available to TVN, lsiguzoro said it was imperative for the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to be constitutionally empowered to oversee Local Government elections.
The statement reads in part, “This will ensure transparency, accountability, and fairness in the electoral process, preventing governors from manipulating State Independent Electoral Commissions to place their loyalists in positions of power for their personal gain.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo urges Southeast Governors to embrace the Supreme Court’s ruling and act in accordance with it.
“By organizing free, fair, and credible Local Government elections in the region’s 95 LGAs, the governors can contribute to strengthening democratic governance and addressing security challenges at the grassroots level.
“Any attempt to circumvent the Supreme Court’s judgment through clandestine means will be closely monitored and met with resistance from the vigilant Nigerian and Igbo populace.
“Ohanaeze calls for the immediate conduct of Local Government elections in the Southeast. The Federal Government must collaborate with the National Assembly to empower INEC to oversee the entire process nationwide.
“This is essential to curb the long-standing impunity and corruption perpetuated by State Governors, thereby ensuring that Local Government funds are utilized for the benefit of the communities they serve.
“We caution Southeast Governors against any further delay or deviation from the Supreme Court’s directive. The era of appointing cronies and stooges to oversee Local Government affairs for personal gain must come to an end.
“Failure to comply with the Court’s ruling will result in legal action and severe repercussions for defiant governors.
“It is time for transparency, accountability, and probity to prevail in the administration of Local Government affairs.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo stands firm in its commitment to upholding democratic principles and fighting against corruption and malfeasance at all levels of government.
“We call on all stakeholders to join hands in ensuring that the Supreme Court’s verdict on LGA Autonomy is fully implemented and that Local Government funds are utilized for the benefit of the Nigerian people.”
LG Autonomy: Supreme Court ruling end to fund diversion – Ohanaeze chieftain, Isiguzoro
LG Autonomy: Supreme Court ruling end to fund diversion – Ohanaeze chieftain, Isiguzoro
LG Autonomy: Supreme Court judgment aligns with grassroots development principle – Gov Sule
Nasarawa State government has applauded the recent Supreme Court judgment granting full autonomy to local government areas across the country.
The decision, according to the state government, aligned perfectly with its dedication to democracy, transparency, and good governance at all levels.
In a statement signed by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Labaran Shuaibu Magaji, the state government said that the judgment reinforced the principles of federalism and strengthened the foundation of Nigeria’s democratic system.
“This judgment marks a significant milestone in the evolution of our democracy and the protection of local government funds from undue interference.
“Under the visionary and transparent leadership of Engr. Abdullahi Sule, Nasarawa State welcomes this decision as it aligns with our commitment to uphold the principles of democracy, transparency, and good governance at all levels of government,” the statement read.
Magaji further stated that the state government believed that granting autonomy to local governments would enhance grassroots democracy by empowering local authorities to make decisions that directly impact their communities.
He stated further that this move is seen as crucial for ensuring that resources meant for grassroots development are utilized effectively for the benefit of the people.
The statement also pointed out the government’s commitment to supporting and implementing the judgment, ensuring that councils operate independently, transparently, and accountability.
“We believe that this autonomy will lead to greater efficiency, improved service delivery, and increased development at the grassroots level,” it added.
The Nasarawa State government also called on all relevant stakeholders, including local government officials, civil society organizations, and the general public, to support the judgement and work together to maximize its positive impact for the benefit of communities.
LG Autonomy: Supreme Court judgment aligns with grassroots development principle – Gov Sule
Skitmaker Zfancy granted bail after his arrest over worrisome pranks
Nigerian skitmaker and prankster, Zion Ubani, popularly known as Zfancy has been granted bail following his recent arrest for sharing disturbing pranks on social media.
After being detained on July 4 in Abuja by the NPF-National Cybercrime Centre for making prank movies falsely accusing him of serious crimes, including rape, the Nigeria Police Force has verified the release of the skit maker.
ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Force Public Relations Officer, provided an update on Wednesday, stating that Zfancy had been given bail and cautioned “to avoid pranks that could cause public unrest.”
Zfancy was released, according to Adejobi, to the executive members of the Nigerian Guild of Influencers, Skit Makers, and Practitioners of Content Creation.
READ ALSO: Nollywood movie producer reportedly among nine kidnappers shot dead in Lagos by police
He said that his release was made possible by the delegation, which was headed by Tokoni Igoin, Special Assistant to the President on ICT Development and Digital Innovation.
Adejobi pointed out that it was eventually discovered that the contentious videos were scripted.
He said; “The videos were later found to be scripted.
“He has been warned to avoid pranks that could cause public unrest.
“While encouraging positive creativity among the youthful populace, the NPF urges content creators to responsibly use social media and avoid spreading misinformation that may incite public disorder,” Adejobi noted.
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Jigawa governor appoints eight new permanent secretaries
Jigawa State Governor, Umar Namadi has appointed eight new Permanent Secretaries to fill vacancies in the state’s civil service.
This announcement was made in a statement signed by the State Head of Civil Service, Alhaji Muhammad Dagaceri.
According to the him, the newly appointed Permanent Secretaries, elevated from their substantive positions as Directors, are: Abdullahi Sa’idu, Yusha’u Muhammad Jaji, Lawan Muhammad Haruna, Engineer Labaran Adamu, Dahiru Lawan, Sagir Muhammad Sani, Engineer Adamu Isah and Muhammad Yahaya Jabo.
Dagaceri added that the appointments were based on merit, competence, personal integrity, and seniority, and are effective immediately.
Jigawa governor appoints eight new permanent secretaries
DSS reportedly raids suspected terrorist’s home in Niger, seizes firearms, dollar bills
Operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, have conducted a raid on the residence of a suspected terrorist in the Gbeganu area, a suburb of Minna, Niger State capital.
The operation, which took place on Wednesday, resulted in the recovery of firearms and a substantial amount of cash, including dollar bills.
The suspect targeted in the operation was described as a storekeeper for a terrorist group.
The daytime raid caused fear among local residents, marking the third such operation in less than four years in the neighboring areas of Nkangbe and Gbeganu, both in the Bosso Local Government Area.
Though details about the specific firearms recovered were not disclosed, sources familiar with the operation reported that a significant amount of cash was seized.
Some residents recounted that the suspect was known locally as a tricycle rider before the raid exposed his alleged involvement in terrorist activities.
Previous incidents in the area include an October 2023 raid where a suspected terrorist engaged security forces in a gun battle before escaping.
Another raid in June 2021 saw a house linked to a kidnapper demolished after weapons were found.
The Niger State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, when contacted, stated that the police had no information regarding the recent raid.
“I’m not aware of any reports of such, you may verify further from DSS,” Wasiu stated.
Peter Afunanya, the spokesperson for the DSS, did not respond to requests for comment or confirmation of the report.
DSS reportedly raids suspected terrorist’s home in Niger, seizes firearms, dollar bills
Imo grants firm licence to generate electricity
The Imo State Government on Friday granted Orashi Electricity Company Limited an interim licence to generate, transmit, and distribute uninterrupted electricity in the state.
Speaking at the licence granting event, which took place in Owerri, the state capital, the Commissioner for Power and Electrification, Nwabueze Oguchienti, said the ceremony marked a crucial step forward in the Hope Uzodimma-led administration’s efforts to ensure a constant and reliable electricity supply in Imo State.
“This marks a crucial step forward in our efforts to ensure constant and reliable electricity,” he said.
The commissioner described the move as an important step towards addressing the state’s erratic power supply.
He said, “You are aware that the government of Imo State has since started the process of taking over the electricity market in the state. All of this started with the constitutional amendment last year of the Electricity Act of 2023, which now gives the states the power to manage the power sector in the state.”
Oguchienti stressed that the governor had commenced putting in place the necessary legal works to actualise the project, noting that they had to constitute the regulatory commission.
He said, “I can assure you that in the next year, it will be a different story in the state because we are committed to a changed narrative when it comes to power supply.
“This development will end reliance on Enugu Electricity Distribution Company.”
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Historic rivalry reignited for Euro 2024 final
Spain and England meet in the Euro 2024 final in Berlin on Sunday in what will be a rare encounter between the nations at a major tournament.
AFP Sport looks back at their most notable past clashes:
• First competitive clash –
The first competitive meeting of Spain and England came at the 1950 World Cup in Brazil, at which they were drawn together in the same group.
Both teams had won their opening match at the tournament, with England defeating Chile 2-0 at the Maracana and Spain beating the United States 3-1.
However, while Spain then got the better of Chile, England suffered one of their most humiliating ever defeats, losing 1-0 to the USA. The clash between Spain and England in Rio de Janeiro on July 2 was therefore crucial, with the latter having to win.
Spain came out on top 1-0 thanks to a goal by legendary forward Telmo Zarra. England went out, while Spain advanced to the four-team final round in which they drew with eventual champions Uruguay before losing 6-1 to Brazil and 3-1 to Sweden.
• World Cup hopes end at Spain 82 –
England beat Spain in a home-and-away quarter-final to qualify for the final tournament of Euro 1968, and the sides also met at the 1980 Euros, from which both went out in the group stage.
Their next competitive encounter came at the 1982 World Cup, when they found themselves together in the second group stage, in a three-team pool alongside West Germany.
The Germans had drawn with England and beaten Spain, results which meant the host nation were already eliminated from their own competition before taking on Ron Greenwood’s English side in Madrid.
The match ended in a 0-0 draw, an outcome which meant England were knocked out without losing a game. West Germany progressed to the semi-finals and were eventually defeated in the final by Italy.
• Pearce’s penalty at Euro 96 –
Meetings between the nations may have been rare, but their quarter-final match-up at Euro 96 led to one of the most iconic moments in English football history.
The game at Wembley ended 0-0 after extra time, meaning a penalty shoot-out. Fernando Hierro blasted Spain’s first kick off the bar. England converted four out of four, with Stuart Pearce — who had missed in their 1990 World Cup semi-final shoot-out loss to West Germany — among their scorers.
David Seaman’s save from Miguel Angel Nadal, uncle of tennis star Rafael, allowed England to win the shoot-out 4-2 and advance to the semis, where this time they lost on penalties to Germany with current manager Gareth Southgate missing the decisive kick.
• Friendly controversy –
A 1-0 Spain victory over England in a friendly at the Santiago Bernabeu in November 2004 was overshadowed by racist abuse directed at several visiting players.
Asier del Horno’s early goal gave Spain the win despite Raul having a penalty saved, but it was an unsavoury night. Ashley Cole and Shaun Wright-Phillips were the targets of “clear racist chanting” according to the BBC’s report on the night.
England’s Wayne Rooney was also substituted before half-time to avoid a red card after he clashed with several Spain players.
• England win Nations League clash –
Sunday’s final will be the first meeting of the teams since late 2018, when they came together in the group stage of the inaugural UEFA Nations League.
Spain won 2-1 at Wembley in September, but England gained revenge with a 3-2 success in the return in Seville just over a month later. Raheem Sterling scored a brace either side of a Marcus Rashford goal as England led 3-0 at half-time. Paco Alcacer and Sergio Ramos pulled goals back in the second half for Spain.
England topped a group also containing Croatia and went on to the finals, in which they lost 3-1 to the Netherlands in the semis before beating Switzerland on penalties to finish third.
AFP
Biden refuses to quit campaign train as pressure mounts
A fired up Joe Biden again rejected speculation he would quit the US presidential race and tried to turn the spotlight on rival Donald Trump as he took his crisis-hit reelection bid back on the campaign trail Friday.
But as he addressed a lively rally in the battleground state of Michigan, the drumbeat of Democrats urging the 81-year-old Biden to step aside kept getting louder following a disastrous debate performance against Trump.
“There’s been a lot of speculation lately. What’s Joe Biden going to do, is he going to stay in the race, is he going to drop out?” Biden told supporters in the city of Detroit, to chants of “Don’t you quit!”
“Here’s my answer: I am running and we’re going to win! I’m not going to change that,” Biden said.
Opposition continued to grow however despite a defiant Biden coming out fighting at a high-stakes press conference at a NATO summit in Washington on Thursday.
Nineteen Democratic lawmakers have now called on him to bow out of the race due to concerns over his health and mental acuity in the wake of the June 27 debate debacle.
He told his first solo news conference for eight months that he was the “most qualified” person to run for president. It was watched by 24.2 million people in the United States, almost half the number who saw the debate.
– ‘President not a dictator’ –
A series of gaffes at the summit, including referring to Vice President Kamala Harris as “Vice President Trump” and mixing up Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky with Russian strongman Vladimir Putin, kept the focus on his fitness to serve.
At the Detroit rally Biden tried to brush off the blunders.
In scenes more reminiscent of rallies by his rival where the press are often abused, reporters in Detroit were booed after Biden addressed them and said they were “hammering me because I sometimes confuse names.”
Biden then urged the media to focus on Trump’s “lies” and on “Project 2025,” a blueprint for power by hard-line conservatives that Democrats have said the former president would implement.
The 78-year-old Trump denies he is involved with the program
“Americans want a president not a dictator,” Biden said to cheers. Referring to Trump’s comment that he would only be a dictator on “day one” of his presidency, Biden said he would let that happen “over my dead body.”
Earlier, Biden said “I promise you I am OK” as he addressed supporters at a diner.
Biden, who blamed jet lag and illness for his stumbling debate performance, will keep up a relentless travel schedule in coming days as he seeks to allay concerns over his stamina and sharpness.
“The president understands that there’s still some anxiety,” Biden campaign communications director Michael Tyler told reporters traveling to Michigan with the president aboard Air Force One.
“That’s why he’s laser focused on demonstrating that he is the best person to take on Donald Trump,” he said.
– ‘Gaffes for 40 years’ –
Tyler played down the verbal slip-ups, saying: “Joe Biden has been making gaffes for 40 years, he made a couple of last night, he probably will continue to do so.”
The top Democrat in the House of Representatives, Hakeem Jeffries, meanwhile said he had met with Biden late Thursday after the press conference.
Jeffries said he “expressed the full breadth of insight, heartfelt perspectives and conclusions about the path forward” but did not give further details.
Next week Biden heads to Texas and Nevada to reach out to his vital Black and Latino voters, and will give his second major network interview of recent weeks on Monday to broadcaster NBC.
The concerns over Biden are affecting Democratic donors, with Hollywood star and high-profile supporter George Clooney calling on Biden to step aside on Wednesday.
A number of other key donors have told the largest Biden campaign fund that around $90 million in pledged donations is on hold if he carries on running, the New York Times reported on Friday.
AFP
We’ve not cancelled inherited road projects – Nigerian Govt
The Federal Government has refuted rumours making the rounds that it stepped down inherited road projects.
The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, who made this disclosure during a meeting with contractors in Abuja, said that such information was misleading, adding that neither President Bola Tinubu nor FEC gave that directive.
Umahi said that the ministry was only directed by the president to review all projects in the country to decide those that would be given priority based on availability of funds.
According to him, “Some of these projects were awarded 18 years ago, some 10 years ago, others five years ago.
“On the issue of new projects, if we have appropriation that has not been completed, at least, one kilometer, we are not going to carry out such appropriation.
“That is what the FEC is concerned about. We can’t have N500 million on budget but procurement is supposed to be N50 billion or N100 billion and you go ahead to award such a project. We have been directed not to do so.”
The Minister reiterated the determination of the Federal Government in bringing funding and budgeting innovations that would fast-track road infrastructure development nationwide.
He said that FEC had directed the Ministry of Works to work with the Federal Ministries of Finance, Budget and National Planning to put forward proper budgetary estimates.
This, according to him, was for the 2025 financial year for projects that were not appropriately budgeted for but have attained probably 80 per cent completion so that such projects would be completed and delivered.
He, however, said that projects with huge procurement costs with little appropriation and with little completion milestones would be reviewed in line with section 51 of the Special Conditions of Contracts.
“On issues of Variation on Price (VOP), all projects we awarded in 2024 will not attract any VOP.
“We have made it a policy that such projects can not get any variation.
“However, within the course of the year and the project execution, if there are issues changing the basic market prices of construction materials to a certain extent, we will revisit the issue of VOP and it will not be selective,” Umahi said.
We’ve not cancelled inherited road projects – Nigerian Govt
1XBET Cup 2024 draw ceremony for July 24
The draw ceremony for the 2024 1XBET Community Football Tournament has been scheduled for Wednesday July 24 at the Radisson Blu Hotel, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos.
According to tournament coordinator and CEO of Match International Ltd, Waidi Akanni, 20 teams will participate in the draw for the tournament elimination series between July 15 and 19 at the Legacy and NIS pitches inside the National Stadium, Lagos.
The tournament holds from August 5 to September 18.
Ex-international Akanni said over 160 clubs applied to be part of this edition following the massive success recorded in the first edition last year that.
He stated, “The response of grassroots teams is unprecedented. It is a testament to the passion and dedication of clubs to be part of a well planned and executed football tournament.
“Regrettably, due to the number of entries, we had to make the difficult decision to select a limited number of clubs for the main competition. Teams should know that this decision was not made lightly. We understand the disappointment it may have caused those who have prepared very well to be part of this football extravaganza at the grassroots.”
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