Hardship: Woman seeks divorce over husband’s inability to provide food

Published

4 months ago

July 13, 2024

Admin

A housewife, Kafayat Ajoke, begged an Ilorin Court for divorce over husband, Aminullahi Ibrahim’s inability to provide food for his family.

The petitioner also sought custody of the two children and N100,000 monthly as maintenance and feeding allowance.

“I noticed that my husband changed after he lost his job one year ago.

“He does not provide enough money for food for the family,” she said.

Responding, Ibrahim agreed to the divorce application.

Ibrahim said he can only afford to give his wife N2,000 monthly for the maintenance and feeding of the two children.

“I don’t have a job, so I don’t have money. This is the main reason my wife wants a divorce,” he said.

The presiding judge, Idris Etsu adjourned the case until July 30, for judgment.

NUJ National President Says December 4 FCT NUJ election remains sacrosanct

Published

12 minutes ago

November 20, 2024

Gloria Ikibah

The National President, Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, Dr Chris Isiguzo, has stated that the December 4, 2024, Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, Federal Capital Territory, FCT, council election remains sacrosanct.

Dr. Isiguzo who stated this during a chat with some journalists who visited to make enquiries at the NUJ National Secretariat in Abuja, said the process was going on smoothly and everything to make it hold has been put in place.

He said: “The situation in the Federal Capital Territory Council of our union, I don’t think there’s any problem.

“The processes for election are going on smoothly because the FCT Council leadership, in line with the constitution of NUJ, made their nominations through their Congress and they sent the list to us.

“It is the responsibility of the National Secretary to go through the list they have sent to ensure that it complies with the relevant sections of the constitution, and that we did.

“We wrote to the FCT Council to avail us with the details of the people they nominated as electoral committee members.As we speak, two weeks after, they didn’t write to the National Secretary. And I don’t know what they were trying to achieve by that.

“However, he said the National Secretariat received some petitions from some members of the FCT NUJ Council, but all three petitions lacked merit and were dismissed.

“We, of course, subjected their petitions to the internal mechanism of the union, and we found out that the petitions lacked merit, and they were accordingly dismissed completely. So the three members of the electoral committee were revalidated.

“So I can tell you for sure that whatever they are doing in the council has the implicit endorsement of the National Secretary of the union.

“We have a constitution that has been reviewed. In the past, it was not explicitly stated that the National Secretary should be the supervisory body for councils in terms of elections, electoral committee, and all that.

“But now it is clear, it makes it a lot easier. So that has been done, and I think they are going on smoothly. Of course, the elections will still go ahead as scheduled”, he said.

According to the National President, a lawyer also wrote the National Secretariat saying all the process should be halted as the matter is now at the Industrial Court, but he (Isiguzo) said the lawyer do not have such powers to stop the election, which he pointed out that the court is yet to mention the supposed matter nor given hearing.

“Some three days ago, they brought court processes to the National Secretary, which, of course, as a law-abiding institution, we receive, we don’t decline.

“And the only thing is that when we went through, we discovered that a lawyer was writing us and asking us to stay in action. I don’t know when lawyers started doing that, playing the role of the judiciary. If you have gone to court, you also allow the court to make pronouncements.

“And as we speak, there is no court pronouncement. The date for, before hearing this, what is called mention has not even been listed. So the matter has not even been listed. When it is listed and given to a judge at the industrial court, that a date will be assigned for mention.

“After that, another date will be assigned for hearing. But the lawyer immediately wrote us and was like, don’t do anything, whatever you do will be sub-judice. I don’t know when lawyers started dispensing interlocutory or injunction or interim injunction as the case may be.

“I have never heard that before. I am not a lawyer, maybe that is the new normal. Where lawyers now write and tell you once they have instituted a matter at the court, they now tell you don’t do anything?

Then it makes no sense of the court. If a lawyer can write and say don’t do anything, that means there is no need for the court to hear the matter anymore.

“So as we speak, there is no injunction anywhere that stops the election of the FCT. But the last communication we had was that they should go ahead and do their job, and you know that the election must take place on the 4th of December”, he affirmed.

On members who drag the union to court, the National President stated that “if you go to court without exhausting the internal mechanisms, the union has spelt out what should be done. I swore to protect and defend the constitution of the NUJ and I am not going to input my own words. The constitution of the union is very clear. And I believe the union has its own way of ensuring the constitution of the Nigeria Union of Journalists is not turned to a tissue paper.”

News

Nigerian Children Urges FG To Channel Savings from Subsidy Removal to Education

Published

28 minutes ago

November 20, 2024

Gloria Ikibah

By Gloria Ikibah

The Nigerian Children’s Parliament has called on the Federal Government to reinvest a significant portion of the savings from the removal of petroleum subsidies into the education sector.

The children also emphasised the importance of prioritizing infrastructure development, capacity building, and hiring qualified educators to ensure better access to quality education for all Nigerians in the 2025 budget.

The Parliament also recommended allocating 50 per cent of the savings to revitalize the healthcare sector, particularly focusing on maternal and child health services, as they argued it would reduce mortality rates and provide affordable, accessible healthcare for vulnerable populations.

These were the resolutions at the session, presided over by Deputy Speaker Ibrahim Zanna, a highlight of the National Children Leadership Conference organized by the Children of Africa and Values Development Initiative in Abuja.

The Children’s Parliament advocated for the creation of programs targeting nutritional, psychological, and social needs to address broader welfare concerns, and suggested funding school feeding initiatives, child protection services, and promoting child rights. They emphasized that these measures would enhance the lives of Nigeria’s 58 million vulnerable children who currently face challenges like malnutrition, lack of healthcare, and limited access to education.

They further urged the government to establish a transparent framework to track and publicly report the expenditure of subsidy savings. This would involve setting clear targets and measurable outcomes to build trust among citizens, especially children. Collaboration with civil society organizations, international partners, and local stakeholders was also recommended to maximize the funds’ impact and achieve sustainable, inclusive development.

The Parliament further called for functional Children’s Parliaments to be established at all levels of government. They proposed adopting the CALDEV Africa National Children Leadership Conference as a model program to nurture leadership skills among young Nigerians.

These resolutions were part of a motion titled “Urgent Need for the Nigerian Government to Reinvest Savings from the Removal of Petroleum Subsidy into the Education, Health, and Welfare of Children for Sustainable Development,” moved by the Leader of the Parliament, Ubkongyamba Hassan.

The Parliament acknowledged that removing the petroleum subsidy was a necessary step to alleviate fiscal pressure on the economy. Before the subsidy removal, over 95% of Nigeria’s revenue was spent on debt servicing, with the government expending over ₦10 trillion annually on subsidies.

The motion presented by the Parliament noted:

– The removal of the subsidy presents a unique opportunity to redirect resources toward sustainable development.

– Nigeria’s education and healthcare sectors are in urgent need of improved infrastructure, human resources, and funding to address existing gaps.

– Vulnerable children face significant challenges, including food insecurity, out-of-school rates, and health issues, which could be mitigated through strategic reinvestment.

Reinvestment, they argued, would support long-term development goals, addressing issues like extreme poverty, hunger, and child mortality.

The founder of CALDEV, Rep. Bamidele Salam, emphasised the importance of engaging children in shaping the nation’s future.

Rep. Salam described the leadership program as a platform to foster national cohesion, unity, and patriotism among children from all regions of Nigeria.

“The underpinning philosophy of this program is to create a diverse gathering of child leaders across Nigeria, promoting integration and unity,” Salam said.

Chairman House Committee on Women Affairs, Rep. Kafilat Ogbara, stressed the need to involve young people in governance and societal activities.

“We must be deliberate in elevating the younger generation. This leadership conference in Abuja is a step in the right direction,” she stated.

Country Director of Plan International Nigeria, Charles Usie, emphasised the importance of education and urged children to build positive relationships while avoiding harmful associations.

The event featured a panel discussion where children explored the theme, “The Role of Young People in Promoting Sustainable Development”. Participants discussed innovative ways to involve youth in addressing national challenges, highlighting their potential to contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s progress.

The Nigerian Children’s Parliament has articulated a clear vision for the effective use of subsidy savings. By prioritizing education, healthcare, and child welfare, the Federal Government has an opportunity to address long-standing issues and invest in Nigeria’s future.

Through transparency, accountability, and collaboration with various stakeholders, the savings from the subsidy removal can be a catalyst for sustainable development that uplifts millions of children and transforms the nation.

News

JUST IN:Senate sacks Danladi Umar as chairman CCT

Published

2 hours ago

November 20, 2024

Naijablitznews

By Francesca Hangeior

The Senate has invoked the provisions of Section 157 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended and sacked Yakubu Danladi Umar as the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT for what it described as unacceptable acts of misconduct.

According to the Senate, it became imperative to remove him from that sensitive position because his actions were unbecoming of a holder of such an office and his level of gross misconduct no longer acceptable.

The sack of Umar as Chairman of CCT was sequel to two third of Senators as 74 members signed, 10 senators present, totally 84 Senators.

The Senate had at 1.17pm gone into a closed door session on the matter that was listed as the first motion in the order paper and soon after the came out of the closed door session at 2,36pm, the Senate Whip, Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno, APC, Borno North moved that the action can be carried out in line with Section 157 (1) of the Constitution.

The motion to sack Umar as CCT Chairman was moved in the Order Paper by the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, APC, Ekiti Central.

It was titled, “Invocation of the provision of Section 157 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended for the removal of the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal.”

According to Bamidele, ‘The Senate: Notes that the Code of Conduct Tribunal is one of the key components of Federal Institutions in the country, saddled with the sacred statutory responsibilities of maintaining high standard of morality in the conduct of government business and to ensure that the actions and behaviours of public officers conform to the highest standards of public morality and accountability;

“Also notes that a statutory institution of such magnitude is expected to be an epitome of moral rectitude and should be seen to uphold the virtues of integrity, probity and accountability. However, the conduct of Mr. Yakubu Danladi Umar, who is the Chairman of the Tribunal has fallen short of the requisite standard of a public officer to conduct the affairs of such Tribunal;

“Concerned that the Senate has been inundated with series of petitions and allegations of corruption/misconduct against the Chairman, a situation that necessitated the 9th Senate, through the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions to invite him to series of its investigative hearings in order to unravel the circumstances surrounding those allegations.

However, he appeared before the Committee only once and thereafter avoided subsequent invitations;

“Also concerned about his alleged absenteeism from office for more than one month, without permission and recuse to his position, coupled with preponderance of corruption allegation, misappropriation, and physical street brawl with a security man in the FCT vis-à-vis his current investigation by the EFCC, ICPC and the DSS. All these are tantamount to acts of negligence and gross misconduct, unbecoming of a Chairman of such a reputable Tribunal;

“Aware of the series of overwhelming allegations against the Chairman, Mr. President, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, forwarded the name of Mr. Abdullahi Usman Bello to the Senate for confirmation as the new Chairman of the Tribunal, and at the Plenary Sitting of the Senate on Thursday, 4th July, 2024, his appointment was duly confirmed, hence the need for the erstwhile Chairman to vacate the office for the substantive Chairman to officially resume office.”