Police barricade Rivers PDP secretariat amid leadership tussle

Published

7 hours ago

January 16, 2025

By Francesca Hangeior

Tensions flared in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, on Thursday as police barricaded the road leading to the People’s Democratic Party’s secretariat on Aba Road.

The move followed reports that the Acting Executive Committee, formed after a court nullified the elected executive, planned to take over the secretariat complex.

A Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt, the state capital, on Monday nullified the ward, local government, and state congresses of the PDP conducted in 2024.

Although the planned takeover was suspended, both factions held separate press briefings to assert their authority, underscoring the deepening crisis within the party.

Crowds of party supporters gathered both inside and outside the secretariat, reflecting the charged atmosphere, Channels TV reports on Thursday.

Aaron Chukwuemeka, leader of the restrained executive, “criticised the growing number of court cases involving the party and appealed to Governor Siminalayi Fubara to prioritise peace.”

State Legal Adviser Kingsley Chuku (SAN) revealed that “while the party had yet to receive the court ruling, it planned to appeal the decision once the records were available.”

Chukwuemeka and Chuku also accused members of the Acting Executive of being affiliated with the All People’s Party, claiming they had no authority to lead the PDP.

At a separate event, Robinson Nname-Ewor, Acting Chairman of the PDP, announced that the “planned takeover of the secretariat had been suspended to avoid escalation.”

However, he laid out demands for resolving the party’s crisis, including reinstating leadership under Fubara and recognising the Acting Executive at the state level.

Nname-Ewor also “disclosed plans to establish a disciplinary committee to investigate alleged anti-party activities, particularly those linked to the 2023 general elections.”

Despite the suspension of the takeover, the unresolved grievances and escalating tensions highlight that the Rivers PDP crisis is far from over, it reported.

The crisis within the Rivers PDP intensified on Wednesday with the emergence of factional leadership.

The Chairman of the PDP in Rivers West Senatorial District, Robinson Ewor, declared himself as the acting chairman of the state chapter of the party.

Related Topics:chairman Court Fubara PDP Police

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NASS Threatens Zero Allocation If CEO Of Agric Agencies Fail To Appear For Budget Defense

Published

1 hour ago

January 16, 2025

Gloria Ikibah

By Gloria Ikibah

The National Assembly Joint Committee on Agricultural Production and Services has issued a warning, stating that agencies under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security could face zero allocations in their 2025 budgets if their Chief Executive Officers fail to appear in person to defend the proposals.

Chairman Senate Committee, and Bello Kaoje, his counterpart from the House of Representatives, expressed their dissatisfaction with the absence of agency heads, particularly given President’s directive that all heads of agencies should attend the budget defense sessions.

Their frustration was specifically directed at the absence of Dr. Vincent Isegbe, Director General of the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service, during the budget defense for the agency.

Senator Mustapha told the DG’s representative that there was no valid reason for the absence of the accounting officer, and insisted Dr. Isegbe must appear to defend the budget by no later than Monday, January 20.

He said “We are not going to attend to you. When the President came to present this budget he made it clear that all heads of agencies must come to defend their estimates and should therefore call off any plan to travel. We are going to give him another time, but that may not be too convenient for him because we have a time frame to submit our report.

“We should all make this thing easy for ourselves. There is no need for us to drag what we don’t need to drag. Even if he is coming to take excuse, he should have been here to say these are the people that will do this thing on my behalf.

“At the end of the day, we will ask you certain questions and you will not be able to answer them. Are we supposed to be taking those kind of excuses? You may wish to excuse us and tell him that we are giving him 48 hours to report.

“The President made it very clear that nobody should travel when he came to present the budget and it is now that he will start traveling. So tell him that we are available tomorrow and the best we will give him to appear”.

Addressing the gathering earlier, Senator Mustapha said the projections by the World Food Programme that about 33.1 million Nigerians will be in acute hunger in 2025 is a clear indication that food security is not something that the nation should toil with.

“The projection by the World Food Programme that about 33.1 million Nigerians will face food insecurity in 2025 is an indication that food crisis is what we cannot allow to happen and we collectively need to avert.

“Given the critical role that agriculture play in ensuring food security, economic stability and rural development, it important that adequate budgetary provisions be made to address the challenges the sector faces today.

“The combined effect of climate change, desertification and other environmental challenges put agricultural productivity under severe threat necessitating improved budgetary allocation to the sector”, he asserted.

He reiterated the commitment of the National Assembly to passing the budget, but expressed concern about the sowering prices of agricultural produce across the country and the food is no longer within the reach of the average Nigerians, saying “this situation requires the readjustment of our focus and the policy we made and dedicate our energies to what will improve our yield and increase food production.

“Both the senate and House of Reps observe with concern the ratio of capital allocation to recurrent expenditure in the budget estimate before us. The responsibility and repositioning of the agricultural sector and returning it to its glorious days lies within us here”.

Also Speaking, Chairman of the House Committee on Agricutural Services and Production, Bello Kaoje warned against agencies failing to come forward to defend their budget.

Kaoje said “because of the importance of the budgetary provisions, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria appeared before a joint session of the National Assembly to present the budget. So, there is no reason for any Head of agency not to appear before the parliament at this critical time.

“You are not the accounting officer. If you are asked any question in the budget, can you defend it? We are giving your agency 48 hours to appear before the parliament or else, you will have zero allocation in your budget”.

Kaoje said food security is one of the challenges facing the country today, leading to the president declaring a state of emergency on food security in 2024.

He said “Sometime last year, Mr. President declare a state of emergency on food security. We have had a robust discussion with the Minister of Agriculture who enumerated alot of challenges before us and we assured him that the two committees will do something to make sure that the budget is enhanced.

“We will do everything possible to ensure that where you have challenges, we can assist. We will put our heads together with the appropriation committee to make sure that the renewed hope agenda of the President is achieved in the area of food security”.

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You don’t have credible officials to explain policies-Sanusi tells Tinubu

Published

1 hour ago

January 16, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, says President Bola Tinubu-led government lacks credible individuals to explain the administration’s policies to Nigerians.

Sanusi, a former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, said this at the 21st Memorial Lecture of Gani Fawehinmi, organised by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikeja Branch in Lagos, on Wednesday, January 15, 2025.

Sanusi, the chairman of the event, said he would no longer offer advice to Tinubu’s administration on how to tackle the country’s economic challenges.

He stated that he had initially tried to help the government but had now resolved not to do so again.

Sanusi said: “I have decided not to speak about the economy or the reforms, nor to explain anything regarding them. If I explained, it would only benefit this government, and I don’t want to aid this government.

“I choose not to help this government. You see, they are my friends. If they fail to act like friends, I will not act like one.

“I observe their actions, and they lack credible individuals who can effectively explain their policies. However, I’m not here to assist them. I began by offering support, but I’ve decided to stop.

“I will not discuss the matter any further. Let them come forward and explain to Nigerians why the policies they have pursued have been implemented. Meanwhile, I am enjoying a nice movie with popcorn in hand.”

The Emir further stated that he would not offer advice to the federal government or comment on ongoing reforms.

He added: “I will say one thing. What we are going through today is at least in part, not totally, at least in part, a necessary consequence of decades of irresponsible economic management.

“People were warned decades ago that if they continued down this path, this is where they would end up. They chose not to listen.

“Is everything being done today, correct? No.”

The event was attended by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, (SAN); the NBA President, Afam Osigwe (SAN); the Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Lawal Pedro (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN); among others.

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Abuse of office: Group faults NAHCON’s director of admin over reappointment of Mr. Kumo after resignation

Published

1 hour ago

January 16, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

…demand thorough probe disciplinary measures

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Civil Integrity Initiative and Transparency, Accountability and Democracy value in Nigeria has petitioned the Director of administration, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Mr. Babagana Bukar for gross misconduct and abuse of office regarding the return and posting of Mr. Usman Kumo to the federal civil service and NAHCON after resignation from office.

Spokesperson of the group Comrade Musa J. Kumo in a recent press release expressed with dismay the reinstatement of Kumo who had resigned from the civil service on two separate occasions to pursue political ambitions to be brought back by Mr. Babagana Bukar.

Kumo described the act as not mere procedural oversights but total gross misconduct, blatant violations of the Public Service Rules (PSR), and a direct betrayal of the trust Nigerians place in the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).

His words: “Mr.Kumo resigned from the Federal Civil Service to engage in partisan politics, first under the All-Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in 2019 and later under the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2023.These campaigns stand in clear violation of Public Service Rules 030402 (g) and 030423, which categorically prohibit serving civil servants from active political engagement.

“The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) formally posted Mr. Kumo to the North-East Development Commission (NEDC) around 2022. Following his resignation, the NEDC confirmed in writing to the BPP -via a letter dated April 18, 2022 ,with reference number NEDC/SS/PER/025/1/33-that Mr.Kumo was no longer in service. Notwithstanding this unambiguous communication, Mr.Bukar,who was then Director of Administration at the BPP, ignored or otherwise concealed this information, effectively paving the way fo Mr. Kumo’s eventual (and improper) return to the civil service. In other words, Mr.Bukar was fully aware of Mr.Kumo’s resignation and subsequent ineligibility for public service yet deliberately took no action to finalize his separation.

“Despite incontrovertible evidence of Mr. Kumo’s resignation and political engagements, Mr. Bukar- now serving as Director of Administration at NAHCON- arranged for Mr. Kumo to be posted to NAHCON from the BPP on November 22, 2023. This contravenes not only standard civil service protocols but also basic ethical standards.

“Furthermore, Mr. Kumo’s CV lists Mr. Bukar as a referee, indicating a personal connection that calls into question Mr. Bukar’s impartiality.* By any measure, this scenario raises serious concerns about whether official channels were sidestepped to benefit Mr. Kumo.

“It has also come to our attention that since Mr.Kumo’s posting in September 2023, he has effectively been absent from duty without leave, discipline, or any form of censure. Rather than address this glaring non-compliance,Mr.Bukar has turned a blind eye-an omission suggesting complicity and underscoring a disturbing lack of accountability within NAHCON. As it stands, Mr.Kumois”working in absentia,” yet appears to remain on NAHCON’s rolls. By failing to address or report this infraction, Mr.Bukar has effectively granted Mr.Kumo a free pass to shirk his responsibilities, further undermining public trust in the Commission.”he added.

They however demanded a comprehensive investigation into Mr. Kumo’s return, disciplinary measures against Mr.Bukar, and immediate review of Mr.Kumo’s employment status with blatant actions if demands are not met within 7 days.

“We respectfully request that you address these issues and commence the stipulated investigations within seven (7) days of receiving this petition, and make the outcomes public.

“Failure to do so will leave us no alternative but to pursue all available legal remedies.We stand prepared to initiate litigation to hold each complicit party accountable, protect the public interest, and ensure that no one in NAHCON or any federal agency can arbitrarily circumvent established guidelines for personal or political gain.

“Your prompt response or lack thereof will send an unmistakable message about whether NAHCON upholds-or undermines-the transparency, integrity, and accountability that form the bedrock of our nation’s civil service.”. they added.