A group under the aegis of Initiative for Better and Brighter Nigeria, IBBN has called on President Bola Tinubu to cut down spending starting from the presidency to governors and ministers.
The group also called on the president to sack underperforming ministers and bring on board a team passionate about moving the country forward.
It further called for the sack of the management of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, alleging they are responsible for the rot in the system.
The call was made through the Convener of the group, Prophet Isa El-Buba while briefing journalists in Jos the Plateau State Capital, urging the president to urgently act before the upcoming protest.
He said, “We are calling on President Bola Tinubu to cut down on presidential, governors and ministers spending on all allowances and stop the spending on the purchases of jets and vehicles.
“The president should immediately prove to Nigerians his vision of a renewed hope.
“The president should immediately relieve non-performing ministers and bring
onboard a crack team that is passionate about moving Nigeria forward.
“We call on the President to reverse the electricity tariff and allow Nigerians a breeding ground until the economy improves.
The group further urged the President, “To get the Ministry of Petroleum to immediately deploy all CNG convertible kits to all NNPCL filling stations nationwide for interested Nigerians to switch to CNG to reduce cost of transportation.
“We call on the President to as a matter of urgency remove all the management team of NNPCL, who have wrecked the system.
“Government should also subsidise diesel for the short term, to crash transportation of goods”, he maintained.
Cut govt spending, sack NNPCL management – Group tells Tinubu
Cut govt spending, sack NNPCL management – Group tells Tinubu
Two Tiv farmers die in Nasarawa community land dispute
Two Tiv farmers have been reportedly killed in a recent attack in the Obosidima community over a land dispute in the Keana Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
The According had reported that a crisis broke out around the Nasarawa-Benue border communities housing the indigenous Alago and Tiv farmers in the area, leaving four dead and several others injured.
In a press statement made available to journalists in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, on Thursday, the President of the Tiv Youths Organisation in the state, Isaiah Audu, decried the consistent attacks on his kinsmen and called on the state government to urgently intervene in the matter.
He narrated that the recent weeks had seen the Keana LGA on the brink of collapse as a result of unending disagreements between the Tiv and Alago communities which has shattered the tranquillity that once characterized their coexistence.
Audu lamented that at a time when collective efforts were supposed to be channelled on farming to combat the hunger and starvation currently ravaging the country, precious lives of farmers were being lost regularly due to the violence in the area.
He said, “We address the press today with profound sorrow, as we bear witness to the devastating erosion of peace in a community that had long enjoyed harmony.
“You would recall that on the 24th of June 2024, there was an attack at Bakin Kotar, a community at the border between Keana LGA of Nasarawa State and Guma LGA of Benue State. Some Alago persons were said to have been attacked on their farm. Numerous media organisations provided thorough and timely coverage of this reprehensible incident, bringing attention to the severity of the situation.”
He noted that the incident spilled into Keana town and more lives were lost.
He added, “In what was described as a reprisal, innocent, law-abiding Tiv persons in Keana were attacked by persons suspected to be Alago. At the last count, at least four persons lost their lives in this attack. The corpses are still at the mortuary to this moment and two of the bodies are yet to be identified.
“That incident was widely condemned by all well-meaning citizens of the state. Security agents were also mobilised to the location to prevent any further degeneration of the situation.
“Predictably, the youth were outraged and infuriated by the unwarranted and unjustified assaults, which sparked a strong reaction from them. On our part as an organisation, we were able to calm the angry nerves of the Tiv people, especially the youths, in the hope that the government, security agencies and traditional institutions will swing into action to apprehend the perpetrators of the dastardly act and bring them to justice.”
He expressed disappointment that, up until the point of addressing the press, their desire for justice had not been met, and instead, the situation had worsened with additional attacks on innocent Tiv people who merely wanted to go about their daily lives and businesses without fear of harm or loss.
“On Tuesday, July 16, 2024, Adaga a Tiv village was attacked and lots of valuable properties were destroyed.
“Also, Obosidoma, another Tiv village in Keana was attacked in the early hours of Saturday, July 20, 2024. Two Tiv persons needlessly lost their lives in this attack with many more valuable properties lost,” he disclosed.
He, however, called on the Tiv people across the state especially the youths to remain calm despite the undue provocations, adding that the organisation was committed to collaborating with all relevant stakeholders to collectively work towards achieving sustainable and enduring peace in the area.
The youth president therefore, made a passionate appeal to the Nasarawa State government to, as a matter of urgency, bring to an end to the wanton killing of his kinsmen in Keana LGA of the state.
Meanwhile, the President of the Alago Ikweyi Ggayi Development Union, Mohammed Oshafu, has denied that his kinsmen were behind the violence which recently sparked off in the area.
Speaking with journalists in Lafia on Thursday, the AIGDU President alleged that the Tiv farmers in the area had planned to forcefully take over their ancestral lands across their communities.
He said, “Before the farming season in Keana, the Alago people usually go to clear their farmlands in preparation for the farming season. But this time around, surprisingly, the Tiv farmers emerged from nowhere, stopping and threatening our people and claiming that the Tivs have decided to start farming in the area because it is not part of Nasarawa State.
“Our people suffered several intimidation and molestation throughout this period from the Tiv people, and at various times, forcefully taken to Daudu in Benue State and illegally locked and tortured in local cells, claiming that the land belongs to Benue and not Nasarawa State,” he said.
He, however, appealed to the Nasarawa State government to make more efforts towards proffering a lasting solution to the unwarranted killings and unending crisis in the area.
Meanwhile, Governor Abdullahi Sule, who spoke through his Commissioner for Humanitarian, Special Duties, and NGOs, Margaret Elayo, expressed concern over the unfortunate incident during a visit to the Internally Displaced Persons camps in the area.
While promising to investigate the remote cause of the crisis, the governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to adequately secure the lives and property of the residents across the 13 LGAs of the state.
BREAKING: 8 children rescued from ghastly accident in Kogi
Eight school children have survived a ghastly motor accident in Lokoja the Kogi State capital.
Eyewitness account told TVN that the children are pupils of Kingdom Heritage Nursery and Primary School Lokoja.
TVN gathered that the children were returning from school when the sad incident occurred on Thursday at the popular Lokongoma market in Lokoja.
It was further gathered that a heavy-duty truck carrying a container load fell on two small vehicles which trapped the Children.
Through the combined effort of the Nigeria Police, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and other relevant agencies, the children were rescued.
The Kogi State Security Adviser Commodore Jerry Omodara Rtd. who was on ground to ensure the rescue of the school children confirmed this to our Correspondent on Thursday.
As of 5:17PM, efforts are still in place to ensure that the truck is evacuated from the road to ensure free flow of traffic.
BREAKING: 8 children rescued from ghastly accident in Kogi
INEC capable of conducting LG elections
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, has affirmed that the electoral body can conduct local government elections in the country if provided with the necessary resources.
He made this statement on Thursday when he appeared before the National Assembly Joint Committee on INEC and Electoral Committees.
Responding to a question from members of the National Assembly joint panel on the commission’s stance regarding the Supreme Court verdict on financial autonomy for Local Government, Yakubu acknowledged calls for the unbundling of INEC or the creation of a new federal agency for conducting council polls.
However, he asserted that INEC, under his leadership, possesses the capacity, competence, human resources, and experience needed to conduct local government elections across Nigeria’s 774 councils.
He supported his position by citing the commission’s successes in the six Federal Capital Territory Area Councils and its frequent off-season and bye-elections.
Yakubu emphasised that INEC’s consistent conduct of federal and state elections is proof of its capability to manage council polls.
Yakubu stated, “So if this responsibility for the conduct of local government elections is transferred to INEC, can INEC cope? The answer is yes, INEC can cope. What are we? By definition, INEC is the Independent National Electoral Commission. Right now, we do national elections, state elections, and local government elections.”
He elaborated, “A national electoral commission may be expected to implement only the presidential and National Assembly elections.
“We also conduct governorship elections, state assembly elections, and area council elections in the Federal Capital Territory. Our track record proves that we can do it. In the Federal Capital Territory, there are six area councils, 62 wards, and councillorship elections.
“This is one part of the country where INEC has conducted local government elections regularly, without caretaker committees, ensuring stability and security of tenure. The recent amendment of the Electoral Act provides a four-year tenure for area councils in the FCT.”
Yakubu noted that no single political party has won all the constituencies in the FCT, with the six chairmen evenly split between the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party.
He highlighted that the FCT councils comprise urban and rural communities, demonstrating INEC’s adequate experience in conducting elections nationwide.
He further stated, “So in terms of capacity to do it, we can do it, we have been doing it in the Federal Capital Territory.
”However, if the National Assembly decides to amend the constitution, we need to engage with the National Assembly for certain amendments to handle additional responsibilities. For instance, will the Federal Government fund the elections for state and local governments?
”Alternatively, there is a proposition for a new federal electoral commission for local government elections.
”Some argue against state electoral commissions conducting local government elections in the spirit of federalism but should improve their conduct.”
Yakubu reminded us that the current constitution creates both INEC and state-independent electoral commissions. Thus, it is up to the National Assembly to amend the law to transfer that responsibility to INEC.
He reaffirmed, “If that is done, can INEC cope? Yes, we can.”
He mentioned that INEC should not be unbundled beyond its electoral activities, suggesting that some responsibilities could be handled by other agencies, a point made by various committees since 2008, including the Justice Mohammed Uwais Commission.
Yakubu assured the joint panel that the commission had made adequate arrangements for the two off-cycle elections in Edo and Ondo States.
He also noted that INEC had prepared budgets for outstanding by-elections in seven federal and state legislative constituencies.
Additionally, he explained that the agency’s 2024 Budget is being adequately funded by the Ministry of Finance, with monthly releases of N23.3bn out of the N40bn appropriated for the year.
The According reports that the December 5, 1998, local government elections were conducted by INEC.
Ohanaeze President General, Iwuanyanwu, dies at 81
25th July 2024
The President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, has died.
His passing was confirmed in a statement on Thursday by Jide Iwuanyanwu, the son of the late Chief Emmanuel.
More details later…
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Death toll in Lagos collapsed building rises to five
The death toll in the building collapse at Arowojobe Estate in the Maryland area of Lagos State has increased to five.
Three site workers were earlier confirmed dead when the building located at No. 13 Wilson Mba Street, Arowojobe Estate, Maryland, collapsed at about 4:00 a.m., on Thursday.
The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed this in a statement in Ikeja.
He said five persons have also been rescued from the rubbles by emergency responders.
He said: “The first three victims that were rescued were taken to the Gbagada General Hospital.
“The other two victims who were rescued were ferried to the Trauma Centre at Gbagada after they were stabilised.
“In all, the five adult male victims who were recovered dead have been handed over to the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit for further processing.
“A search and rescue operation is still ongoing to ground zero.”
The post Death toll in Lagos collapsed building rises to five appeared first on Latest Nigeria News | Top Stories from TVN.
DSS warns against nationwide protest
The Department of State Services has warned the organisers of the planned nationwide protests against proceeding with them.
The service said it uncovered a plan by some criminal elements to hijack the protest and cause unrest in the country.
The military and police have also warned against the protest scheduled to be held from August 1 to 10 in response to the economic hardship experienced in the country.
The DSS, in a statement on Thursday by its spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, described the motive behind the protest as political.
Afunanya added that the plotters of the protest intended to use the violent outcome of the protest to smear the federal and sub-national governments.
He said, “The DSS has followed the discourse on planned protests in parts of the country in the coming weeks by persons and groups yet to identify themselves in public as leaders of the plot.
“While peaceful protest is a democratic right of citizens, the Service has confirmed a sinister plan by some elements to infiltrate the protest and use it to cause chaos and extreme violence in the land. It has also identified the reason behind the protest as political.
“The plotters desire to use the intended violent outcome to smear the federal and sub-national governments, make them unpopular, and pit them against the masses. The long-term objective is to achieve regime change, especially at the Centre.
“The Service has also identified, among others, the funding lines, sponsors, and collaborators of the plot. However, it does not think that aggression should be the first line of action in handling the emerging scenario.
“It has instead, variously applied non-kinetic and conflict resolution strategies, including moral suasion, stakeholder engagement, and other multi-track diplomatic shuttles, to dissuade the planners from actualising their undesirable objective.”
Afunanya warned the protesters to eschew any form of anarchy among others in the interest of peace.
He said, “Based on the foregoing, the Service wishes to warn all the protest groups to eschew any form of proposed rage, anarchy, and spoliation. While the different levels of Government have routinely explained their agenda to ameliorate alleged harsh economic conditions, the Service urges the prospective protesters to listen to the voice of reason and good conscience and patiently engage with the authorities in the interest of peace.
“This has become important given that violence begets the destruction of lives and property as well as serves as a distraction to governance. The agitators are encouraged to use ample ways available to them to channel their grievances without resorting to violence.”
He also called on all citizens to turn down the invitation to participate in any form of violence.
Afunanya said, “The Service calls on people of goodwill, leaders of thought, captains of industry, labour unions, student associations, youth leaders, civil society, clergy, NGOs, women’s groups, civil servants, and politicians to shun any invitation to participate in any orchestrated violence, deliberately designed to cause disaffection in the country.
“Similarly, parents, guardians, and heads of traditional and academic institutions are urged to advise their children, wards, subjects, and students not to take part in the planned protest. Let us all join hands to build a nation without rancour, bitterness, or stained banners.
“The Service will work with other sister security and law enforcement agencies to maintain peace. It will, where necessary, apply all legitimate methods to achieve this.”
INEC has capacity to conduct LG elections – Mahmoud Yakubu
Following the Supreme Court’s verdict on financial autonomy for local government councils in the country, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof Mahmoud Yakubu, on Thursday declared that the electoral body has the capacity to conduct elections for the third tier of government if provided with necessary resources.
Yakubu, who spoke when he appeared before the National Assembly Joint Committee on INEC and Electoral Committees in Abuja, maintained that the electoral umpire, under his leadership, has the capacity, competence, human resources and adequate experience to conduct local government elections across the 774 councils of the country.
He justified his position with the successes already recorded by the commission in the six Federal Capital Territory Area Councils, including frequent off-season and bye-elections conducted by the INEC.
The Chairman said the fact that the commission had been conducting elections at the federal and state levels over the years successfully was an indication that it has all it takes to conduct council polls.
He said: “So if this responsibility for the conduct of local government elections is transferred to INEC, can INEC cope? The answer is yes, INEC can cope. What are we? By definition, INEC is the Independent National Electoral Commission.
“Right now, we do national elections, we do state elections, we do local government elections.
“A national electoral commission may be expected to implement only the presidential and National Assembly. We also do governorship elections, we do state assembly elections, and we do area council elections in the Federal Capital Territory.
“Our track report actually proves that we can do it. Take the case of the Federal Capital Territory. I would like to say one or two things about the FTC local government elections.
“There are six area councils of the FCT. So there are six chairmen of area councils, and there are 62 wards in the FCT. Each ward has a councillor for the election of councils.
“This is one part of the country where INEC has conducted local government elections and it has resulted in the following.
“First, it is perhaps the only part of the country where local government elections are held regularly.
“Second, there has never been a caretaker committee for any Area Council in the FCT. INEC has been conducting the elections regularly.
“Thirdly, there is stability of tenure or security of tenure. It used to be three years, but in 2022, the National Assembly amended the Electoral Act to provide for a four-year tenure for area councils in the FCT. So, they enjoy the security of tenure.
“No single political party has ever won elections in all the constituencies in the FCT, not one.
“In fact, what is interesting now is that out of the six chairmen of the FCT, actually the council and the constituencies are evenly split between the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party which won three councils each.”
Yakubu also noted that FCT councils are made up of urban and rural communities, an indication that it has adequate experience to do so in any part of the country.
“So, in terms of capacity to do it, we can do it, we have been doing it in the Federal Capital Territory.
“However, if the decision of the National Assembly is to amend the constitution. I need to put that responsibility back to you (that) we need an engagement with the National Assembly.
“There are certain special amendments that are to be done for us to be able to handle those additional responsibilities.
“For instance, will the Federal Government continue to fund the elections for the states and the local government will fund this?
“The second proposition we have had is that there should be a new federal electoral commission for local government elections.
“Sadly, there is another argument that does not want the state electoral commissions to conduct local government elections in the spirit of federalism, but they should find a way of ensuring that they improve on the conduct.
“Right now, the law has not been amended. The same constitution that creates INEC also creates the State Independent Electoral Commissions.
“So, it is up to the National Assembly to amend the law to transfer that responsibility to INEC. If that is done, the question is can INEC cope? Yes, we can.
“We have said that we should not be unbundled beyond the conduct of electoral activities rather than elections. There are two activities we handle. That is what is called electoral activities, not necessarily related to elections.
“We believe that some of these responsibilities can be handled by other agencies. And this point has been made consistently since 2008 by committees established to reform our electoral processes beginning with the Justice Mohammed Uwais Commission in 2008, that some responsibilities should be removed from the Independent National Electoral Commission.”
The chairman, while assuring the joint panel that INEC had made adequate arrangements to conduct the two off-cycle elections in Edo and Ondo States, also said the commission had prepared budgets for the outstanding by-elections in about seven federal and state legislative constituencies.
Yakubu also explained to the federal lawmakers that the agency’s 2024 budget is currently being adequately funded by the Ministry of Finance.
In terms of the performance of the N40 billion appropriated for the commission in the 2024 budget, he said the Ministry of Finance broke the INEC budget into 12 tranches.
“Every month they give us one-twelfth of the budget for the year. And for the last seven months, since the beginning of this year, the Ministry of Finance has been releasing the sum of N23.3 billion to the Commission, which is one-twelfth of the 40 billion as of yesterday (July 24)
“The monthly releases to the Commission, this year, is now N23.3 billion out of 40 billion. That is 58.3%. What is outstanding is N16.6 billion amounted to 41.67% not released,” he stressed.
INEC has capacity to conduct LG elections – Mahmoud Yakubu
873 complete NYSC in Gombe, three abscond
A total of 873 Batch B stream II Corps members in Gombe State completed their one-year mandatory national youth service, while three absconded, and one received an extension of service.
The state coordinator, Chinwe Nwachuku disclosed this on Thursday at a low-key passing-out ceremony at the Gombe Zonal Office.
He said, “A total number of 873 deserving Corps Members were issued with certificates out of the 877 expected to have completed the national service but four fell short of the Byelaws hence, three abscondment cases for re-mobilisation and one extension of service were recorded.”
Nwachuku lauded the 873 corps members for their selfless service to their host communities, the state and the nation at large, urging them on self-discipline in their future endeavours.
She introduced a reward system to recognise outstanding Community Development Service leaders who have worked tirelessly to achieve the desired CDS goal hence, letters of commendation and cash awards were issued to the pioneer winners; Dr Inuwa Bazallahi Hassan GM/23B/1571 of Medical / Health Aids CDS group and Asiya Abdullahi Muhammad GM/23B/2624
Also, sample presentations of Certificates of National Service were presented to a few deserving Corps members at the occasion as well as commendation letters to Corps Liaison Officers of the LGAs for dedication to duty.
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August 1: Tinubu moves to avert nationwide protest, engages traditional rulers in Aso Rock
Moves to avert a planned protest over economic hardship being faced by citizens may have prompted a meeting between President Bola Tinubu and traditional rulers from across the country at the State House, Abuja.
The meeting is being held after the President’s meeting with the Progressive Governors’ Forum, PGF, also in the villa.
The monarchs, led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III and the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, arrived at the Forecourt of the State House in a single bus which conveyed them for the meeting in the Presidential Villa.
No details could be confirmed before the commencement of the closed-door session, but multiple sources say that the meeting is in connection with the desperate moves by the administration to appease those planning to protest over the prevailing untoward situation in the country.
Recall that ahead of the August 1 hunger protests in Nigeria, the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) had initiated consultations and instructed its 104 affiliated youth organisations to remain on standby.
NYCN in a statement said “We recognise the challenges faced by our country and the need for urgent action to address these issues. As we prepare to address the nation, we call on all stakeholders to support our efforts and to work together towards a better Nigeria.”
This is just as a group representing the Rebuild Arewa Initiative for Development (RAID) has warned against plans to stage a protest against President Bola Tinubu, urging those involved to refrain from taking actions that could destabilise the country.
Meanwhile, Vice President Kashim Shettima; the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; and the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, also joined President Tinubu at the meeting ostensibly to stem the planned protest.
Also seen among those called for the meeting were the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, and the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State.
More details later…
August 1: Tinubu moves to avert nationwide protest, engages traditional rulers in Aso Rock