News

Court stops Gov Alia from probing Ortom

Published

4 months ago

May 30, 2024

A Benue State High Court has restrained the Benue State Government from probing the administration of the former Governor of the state, Chief Samuel Ortom.

The Benue State Government recently set up a commission of inquiry into the funds (income and expenditure) of Benue State Government from May 29, 2015, to May 28, 2023, to probe the immediate past administration of former Governor Ortom in the state.

The order stopped the panel from sitting, pending the hearing and determination of a motion on notice filed by former Governor Samuel Ortom.

Justice T. T. Asua gave the order while ruling on a motion ex-parte seeking leave of the court to issue the prerogative writ of prohibition on the Benue State income and expenditure commission of inquiry from sitting or taking any action in respect of the terms of reference, paragraph 3(a)-(o), listed in the Benue State of Nigeria Gazette No. 17, Vol. 49 of February 27, 2024, by the Governor of Benue State.

Counsel to Chief Ortom, Oba Maduabuchi, SAN, told the court that the grounds of the application are that the Auditor General is imbued with powers under the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to investigate and probe the finances of the state.

According to Ortom’s counsel, the Auditor General had already investigated, probed, audited, and certified the accounts of the Benue State Government and had submitted his reports to the Benue State House of Assembly as authorized by the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

He stated that the Benue State House of Assembly has also acted on the said report of the Auditor General, as also authorized by the constitution, and all the terms of reference listed in paragraph 3(a)-(o) of the Benue State Gazette No. 17, Vol. 49 of February 27, 2024, have already been investigated and probed by the Auditor General, who wrote reports and submitted to the State Assembly, which also acted on the same.

He further stated that the said report of the Auditor General was published in several Benue State Gazettes, which are public documents.

According to Maduabuchi, SAN, in view of the above facts, the Governor of Benue State lacks the powers to constitute the income and expenditure commission and the commission lacks the jurisdiction to sit and investigate matters listed as items in the gazette, and the action of the governor constitutes a gross abuse of office and vendetta.

After listening to Maduabuchi, SAN, Justice T. T. Asua granted the motion as prayed.

He stated that the applicant has shown sufficient interest in the matter to warrant the grant of the leave sought.

He added that the motion on notice shall be entered for hearing within 14 days after the grant of leave, pursuant to Order 40, Rule 5(4) of the Rules of the court, and further restrained the commission of inquiry from taking or further steps in respect of the matter to which the application relates until the motion on notice is heard and determined.

News

Rupture In PDP Governors’ Forum deepens

Published

1 hour ago

September 20, 2024

Austin Ojomah

By Ojomah Austin.

The evolving fall-out, which comes barely days to the contentious National Executive Committee (NEC) of PDP, followed a back and forth between the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike and the Governors forum, who declared support for Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara to be made leader of the party in the state.

After a meeting with some members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) in Bauchi on Wednesday, Governor Mohammed, said “According to our party’s constitution, any leadership vacancy should be filled by someone from the region where it originated,” stressing that Damagum would be replaced soon considering that he hails from North East and not the North Central.

Same day, Makinde, during the groundbreaking of the upgrading of Ladoke Akintola Airport, Ibadan, to an international airport, which was attended by another set of NWC members, led by Damagum, said he would support whatever decision the Damagum-led NWC would take to reposition the party.

Damagum, who is considered a close ally of Nyesom Wike, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, was appointed acting national chairman after the removal of Iyorchia Ayu in June 2023.

Meanwhile, the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the PDP led by Senator Adolph Wabara, met with members of the National Assembly caucus in Abuja.

The close door meeting comes barely hours after the BoT met with Wike in Abuja.

While Wabara refused to comment on the essence of the meeting with the lawmakers, it was noticed that most of the lawmakers didn’t honour the invitation.

News

Tears As Man Takes Own Life Over Tinubu’s Govt Hardship

Published

1 hour ago

September 20, 2024

Naijablitznews

By Mario Deepromoter

Sad development in Marika village, Kiyawa Local Government, Jigawa, where a 40-year-old man, Jibrin Adamu, committed suicide by hanging himself.

According to eyewitnesses, Adamu’s lifeless body was discovered in a classroom at Miftahul Khairat Islamiyya and Primary School Gurdiba on Thursday.

Police spokesperson DSP Lawan Shiisu Adam confirmed the incident, stating that preliminary investigations revealed Adamu had struggled with mental health issues.

“Police received a report on Thursday that at about 1830hrs, a tragic incident was reported at the Command headquarters that one Jibrin Adamu ‘m’ age 40yrs of Jigawar Maroka village, Kiyawa LGA has committed suicide by hanging himself over the ceiling at Islamiyya school,” the Police spokesperson told Daily Post.

The Jigawa State Commissioner of Police, CP AT Abdullahi, has instructed officers to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.

News

Just in: Dangote Petrol Now Available at N765.99 Per Litre

Published

1 hour ago

September 20, 2024

Naijablitznews

By Mario Deepromoter

11plc, Total Energies, AA Rano, and other marketers have begun lifting Dangote Petrol through Nigerian National Company (NNPC) Trading Limited for N765.99 to retail outlets nationwide.

Findings showed some petroleum marketers who were able to complete their payment process on the NNPC trading payment portal commenced the lifting of petrol earlier this week under the existing agreement between marketers and the refinery.

Tunji Oyebanji, managing director, 11Plc confirmed to BusinessDay on Thursday evening that some marketers have started lifting the products at N765.99 from Dangote Refinery through NNPC who remain the sole off-taker of product.

“We were among the first marketers to complete the payment on the NNPC portal. We have no direct arrangement with the refinery,” Oyebanji said.

It was gathered that NNPC Retail, 11plc, Total Energies, A.A Rano are among the marketers that have picked up products from the refinery.

He added, “We don’t know the contractual financial arrangement between NNPC and the refinery but what I can confirm is we are buying at N765.99 from NNPC to lift Dangote petrol”.

Efforts to get the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) to confirm if its members have picked up products at the Dangote Refinery proved abortive at the time of writing this report.

See also Nigeria’s Petrol Landing Cost Revealed
Adedapo Segun, executive vice-president, downstream at NNPC said marketers cannot purchase petrol directly from the refinery because the product is still sold at a subsidised rate.

“That is the same thing happening with Dangote. I said earlier that Dangote is a company and it is going to sell at market price,” he told Journalists.

According to Segun, “The market value of PMS is still higher than what N766 or N765 or N799 that NNPC is selling.

“The situation has not changed there. So, NNPC’s off-taking is only because the others would not buy at the price Dangote will be willing to sell, which is reasonable.

“As soon as the price allows for it, you will see the marketers go to Dangote and buy.”