As reactions continue to tlood in over the judgement of Federal High Court, Abuja, on the Rivers State fund; the National Democratic and Change Coalition (NDCC) has called on Governor Siminalayi Fubara, to cough out all monies spent without appropriation to the state cofers.

The Coalition, while expressing satisfaction over the ruling, said the people of Rivers have been vindicated, and the long awaited justice has been served to the Governor.

Recall that, a Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, barred the Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN), from disbursing further monthly allocations to the Rivers State Government, citing alleged constitutional violations by Governor Fubara.

In her ruling, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik found that Governor Fubara’s presentation of the 2024 budget to a four-member House of Assembly breached constitutional protocol.

The court order further restricts the CBN, the Accountant General of the Federation, and the state’s accounts at Zenith Bank and Access Bank from releasing any funds to Fubara.

Reacting via a press release Wednesday afternoon, signed by John Uloko Esq,
President of the Coalition, the group hailed Justice Abdulmalik, for holding that, since January 2024, Rivers State has received and spent allocations based on an “illegitimate” budget, thereby describing it as a “constitutional aberration.”

The statement said, “the NDCC, made up of a group of lawyers, has always been of the view that what is going on in Rivers State is a theatre of the absurd that persistently violates the constitution, stands logic on its head and even defies mathematical reasoning to the extent that four members were allowed to constitute themselves into a House of Assembly that is meant to have 32 members”.

“We, therefore, commend Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja for holding that Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s presentation of the 2024 budget before a four-member Rivers House of Assembly was an affront to the constitutional provision.

“This ruling is a victory for democracy and will teach rogue governors the bitter lesson that the Constitution of the Federal Republic must be respected and the sanctity of our democratic institutions upheld irrespective of their political desperation. Operating an illegal State Assembly of four men by any Governor is something everyone should condemn in totality and welcome the court’s judgment.

“In the wake of this judgement, NDCC urges Governor Fubara to immediately reverse all his decisions and actions based on the illegitimate Assembly since they all suffer the same defect as the budget the court threw out.

“The Governor must also strongly consider refunding all the Rivers States’ funds illegally expended from January to date.

“We further advise Governor Fubara to urgently do the needful by resubmitting the state’s budget to the legitimate Rivers State House of Assembly for due process to be followed so that governance is not truncated and the people plunged into more misery than they have already endured from the Governor being absorbed in his political sabre-rattling.

“Finally, Governor Fubara must allow Rivers State to breathe by stopping all the unnecessary squabbling that has served no useful purpose”, the Coalition added.

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The magistrate, Kuje Magistrate Court, Abubakar Umar Sai’id has adjourned the case between Alex Mascot Ikwechegh and Uber driver to November 8, 2024.

Ikwechegh was recently caught on camera assaulting a Bolt driver.

A viral video showed Ikwechegh slapping the driver who delivered an item to the lawmaker in his Abuja residence. The incident happened last Sunday evening.

Many Nigerians condemned the development as the video of the incident went viral on social media.

The lawmaker was later arrested and questioned by the police for the action for which he later apologised on Tuesday

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, nominated by President Bola Tinubu as the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, narrated her experiences as Nigeria’s ambassador to Spain during her Senate screening.

She revealed the challenges she faced, including living in a hotel for a year due to the poor condition of the Nigerian embassy in Madrid.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu expressed concern that the embassy’s dilapidated state did not reflect Nigeria’s image abroad.

She began an extensive refurbishment project aimed at restoring both the embassy and the ambassador’s residence.

Bianca said, “I would like to say that my past records speak for me. As an ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain, I spent an entire year in one hotel room because when I got to Spain, the mission building was in such an appalling condition.”

She recounted that the building’s ruin was particularly embarrassing given its location.

She recounted that the building’s ruin was particularly embarrassing given its location.

“The embassy was located very close to the upscale estate of Galagao, where people would pass by on their way to various events and matches.

“It was disheartening that this decadent structure represented Nigeria in such a prestigious area,” she stated.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu explained that she took immediate steps to address the issues, organising significant repairs and preservation efforts to overhaul not only the mission building but also the ambassador’s residence and other Nigerian-owned properties in Spain.

“The Nigerian embassy in Madrid that you see today is the product of my time in that country,” she said, noting that her focus was to restore Nigeria’s image to one that “truly deserves a designation of outstanding.”

She also highlighted the ongoing challenges Nigerian embassies face worldwide due to limited funding, which often constrains ambassadors in performing much-needed maintenance.

She added, “In most missions, because of no more funding, most ambassadors are constrained when it comes to carrying out refurbishments.

This shortage of funds, she said, ”prevents embassies from showcasing Nigeria’s stature, impacting the country’s standing on the global stage.”

“It is unfortunate because a lot of embassies are going through this situation, and it has, to a large extent, diminished our standing around the world,” she added.

Emphasising the importance of respectable diplomatic representations, Odumegwu-Ojukwu urged the Nigerian government to prioritize embassy maintenance under the current administration.

She cited the nation’s foreign policy objectives of promoting democracy, development, and the Nigerian diaspora as critical areas that require embassies with dignified facilities.

“This is something that the government, under this president, should look into,” she said, pointing out that embassies often host international delegations, study tours, and exchanges, making respectable surroundings crucial.

“It is imperative that when you are in those exchanges, you meet your patrons and colleagues in environments that reflect Nigeria’s true standing,” she said, concluding her remarks with a plea for urgent intervention.

After her response, she was thereafter asked to take a bow and go.

Bianca is one of the seven ministerial nominees currently being screened by the Red Chamber.