News

Bill to Strengthen Local Government Administration Passes Second Reading In House

Published

3 weeks ago

March 26, 2025

By Gloria Ikibah

A proposed amendment to Nigeria’s Constitution aimed at improving governance, efficiency, and accountability in local government administration has passed its second reading in the House of Representatives on Wednesday at plenary.The bill, one of 42 considered during Wednesday’s plenary, is sponsored by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu and eight other lawmakers.According to its explanatory memorandum, the bill seeks to restructure the legal and administrative framework governing local councils. Its goal is to establish a stronger system that enhances local government operations, ensures efficient service delivery, and promotes transparency and democratic values at the grassroots level.

A copy of the draft indicates that Section 7 of the Constitution will be revised, replacing the existing provision with a new framework to support these objectives., “There shall be for each Local Government a democratically elected Chairman and a Vice-Chairman, who shall be qualified for election if he is an indigene of the local government; has attained the age of 25 years; and has been educated up to at least the first degree certificates or its equivalent.

“(2) A person elected to the Office of Chairman shall not begin to perform the functions of that Office until he has declared his assets and liabilities as prescribed in this Constitution and has subsequently taken and subscribed, before the Chief Judge of the State or his nominee, the Oath of Allegiance and the Oath of Office as prescribed in the Seventh Schedule to this Constitution.”

Election of Chairman

The bill provides in Section 7 (1b) that “An election to the Office of Chairman shall be held on a date to be appointed by the responsible electoral body which shall be held on a date not earlier than 150 days and not later than 30 days before the expiration of the term of Office of the last holder of that Office.

“(2) A candidate for election to the Office of Chairman shall be deemed to have been duly elected where the candidate is the only person whose name was submitted to the electoral body for election; and there is more than one candidate, the candidate with the majority valid votes cast at the election.

Tenure

The tenure of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and the Council shall be four years, and they may be eligible for a second term of four years and no more, as the bill provides in Section 7C.

Procedure for removal of Chairman and Vice-Chairman from Office

In Section 7D, the bill provides that “The Chairman or Vice-Chairman of a Local Government may be removed from office in accordance with the provisions of this Clause.

“(2) Whenever a notice of any allegation in writing signed by not less than one-third of the members of the Local Government Legislative Council, is presented to the Speaker of the Local Government Legislative Council, stating that the holder of such office is guilty of gross misconduct in the performance of the functions of his office, detailed particulars of which shall be specified.

“The Speaker of the Local Government Legislative Council shall within seven days of the receipt of the notice, cause a copy of the notice to be served on the holder of the office and on each member of the Local Government Legislative Council, and shall also cause any statement made in reply to the allegations by the holder of the office to be served on each member of the Local Government Legislative Council.”

“(3) Within 14 days of the presentation of the notice to the Speaker of the Local Government Legislative Council (whether or not any statement made by the holder of the office in reply to the allegation contained in the notice), the Local Government Legislative Council shall resolve by motion without any debate whether or not the allegation shall be investigated.

“(4) A motion of the Local Government Legislative Council that the allegation be investigated shall not be declared as having been passed unless it is supported by the votes of not less than two-thirds majority of all the members of the Local Government Council.

“(5) Within seven days of the passing of a motion under the foregoing provisions, the Chief Judge of the State shall at the request of the Speaker of the Local Government Legislative Council appoint a panel of seven persons who in his opinion are of unquestionable integrity, not being members of any public service, legislative house or political party, to investigate the allegation as provided in this clause.

“(6) The holder of an office whose conduct is being investigated under this Clause shall have the right to defend himself in person or be represented before the Panel by a legal practitioner of his own choice.”

“(7) A panel appointed under this clause shall have such powers and exercise its functions in accordance with such procedure as may be prescribed by the Local Government Legislative Council; and within three months of its appointment, report its findings to the Local Government Legislative Council.

“(8) Where the panel reports to the Local Government Legislative Council that the allegation has not been proved, no further proceedings shall be taken in respect of the matter.

“(9) Where the report of the panel is that the allegation against the holder of the office has been proved, then, within 14 days of the receipt of the report, the Local Government Legislative Council shall consider the report and if by a resolution of the Local Government Legislative Council supported by not less than two-thirds majority of all its members, the report of the panel is adopted, then the holder of the office shall stand removed from office as from the date of the adoption of the report.”

Permanent incapacity of Chairman and Vice-Chairman

The Chairman or Vice-Chairman shall cease to hold Office if, “By a resolution passed by a two-thirds majority of all the members of the Local Government Legislative Council, it is declared that the Chairman or the Vice-Chairman is incapable of discharging the functions of his Office; and the declaration is verified, after such medical examination as may be necessary, by a medical panel established under this part of the Constitution.”

“(2) The panel shall be appointed by the Speaker of the Local Government Legislative Council and shall comprise three medical practitioners in Nigeria, one of whom may be a medical practitioner of the choice of the concerned Chairman or Vice-Chairman and two other medical practitioners.

“(3) Where the medical panel certifies in its report that in its opinion, the Chairman or Vice-Chairman is suffering from such infirmity of body or mind which renders him permanently incapable of discharging the functions of his office, a notice thereof signed by the Speaker of the Local Government Legislative Council shall be published in a Journal of the Local Government.

“(4) The Chairman or Vice-Chairman shall cease to hold office from the date of publication of the notice of the medical report.

“(5) Where the office of the Chairman becomes vacancy by reason of death or removal, the Vice-Chairman of the Local Government Council shall hold the Office of Chairman and in the absence of the Vice-Chairman, the Speaker of the Council shall hold office for a period of not more than 3 months, during which there shall be an election of a new Chairman, who shall hold Office in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.

“(6) Where the office of Vice-Chairman becomes vacant by reason of death or resignation or removal or for any other reason, the Chairman shall nominate a candidate to the Local Government Legislative Council and upon the confirmation by two-thirds all the Members of the Local Government Legislative Council, such candidate shall take office as the Vice-Chairman to complete the unexpired term of office.”

Death of Chairman-Elect before Oath of Office

In 7G, the bill provides that “If a person duly elected as Chairman dies or withdraws before taking and subscribing to the Oath of Allegiance and the Oath of Office, the person elected with him as Vice-Chairman shall be sworn in as Chairman who shall then nominate, and with the approval of a majority of the members of the Local Government Legislative Council, appoint a new Vice-Chairman.”

Recall

“A member of a Local Government Legislative Council may be recalled if there is presented to the electoral body a petition on that behalf signed by more than one-half of the persons registered to vote in that member’s constituency alleging their loss of confidence in that member, and the petition is thereafter approved in a referendum conducted by the electoral body within 90 days of the date of the receipt of the petition.”

News

Court Orders Fast-Tracked Trial Of 15 Workers Held In Prison For 6 Yrs Over Patience Jonathan’s Missing Jewellery

Published

37 minutes ago

April 18, 2025

ADMIN

The Bayelsa State High Court has ordered a fast-tracked trial for 15 domestic workers who have spent nearly six years in detention at the Okaka Correctional Centre, Yenagoa, without conviction, over missing jewellery belonging to former First Lady Patience Jonathan.

SaharaReporters gathered that the order came after the prosecution and defence teams reached a rare consensus during Thursday’s proceedings to fast-track the case, which has suffered deliberate and serial delays allegedly masterminded by Patience Jonathan’s private legal team.

“The court proceeded well today, and both parties have agreed to finish the case as soon as possible, with an accelerated hearing. So victory is coming,” a source close to the defence told SaharaReporters.

The 15 accused persons, most of whom were part of Mrs Jonathan’s domestic staff, were arrested in 2019 and have remained in detention without bail, with the case dragging on endlessly for years amid reports of consistent manipulation of court processes.

A previous report by SaharaReporters exposed a pattern of intentional court delays reportedly orchestrated by Mrs Jonathan’s private prosecutors, Ige Asemudara and Samuel Chinedu Maduba, both of whom have been consistently representing the former First Lady since 2019.

“The prosecutors are Ige Asemudara and Samuel Chinedu Maduba,” one of the sources confirmed.

“One of them comes from Lagos while the second travels in from Port Harcourt. They’ve been handling this case from day one, presenting witnesses who come to tell lies. One witness took almost two years,” a source earlier told SaharaReporters.

Sources alleged that Mrs Jonathan gave direct instructions to delay the proceedings.

“The aim is to frustrate the process and keep these innocent people in prison as long as possible. It’s an abuse of the legal system,” a source close to the courtroom told SaharaReporters.

The delay tactics reportedly included health excuses, unreachable witnesses, and repeated adjournments based on flimsy reasons. “Sometimes, Ige Asemudara would claim he is sick or his witness has work. Other times, he just asks for long adjournments,” said another insider.

Shockingly, the judiciary itself was not spared from complicity allegations. A source revealed that the presiding judge initially delayed hearing the bail applications, claiming she wanted to listen to some of the prosecution’s evidence first to determine the nature of the charges.

“When the case started in 2019, they all applied for bail,” the source said. “But the judge told their lawyers to wait so she could hear some evidence. After that, she shockingly denied bail, saying the offences were capital and therefore not bailable.”

Meanwhile, the Bayelsa State High Court has denied any involvement in the delays, recently restating its commitment to speedy justice and dismissing reports of suspects’ trials being delayed.

The court, in a reaction to reports that alleged that the trial of 15 domestic workers facing trial for burglary and theft of jewellery, was being delayed, said the claim was false.

It claimed that, according to available records, the matter had suffered delays due to multiple defence lawyers who must cross-examine witnesses, which had slowed down proceedings. It added that the case had also suffered several adjournments at the instance of counsel.

The delays have left the defence team and families of the detainees stunned, particularly since the prosecution reportedly failed to produce any convincing evidence to support the capital charges.

The affected persons are Williams Alami, Vincent Olabiyi, Ebuka Cosmos, John Dashe, Tamunokuro Abaku, Sahabi Lima, Emmanuel Aginwa, Erema Deborah, Precious Kingsley, Tamunosiki Achese, Salomi Wareboka, Sunday Reginald, Boma Oba, Vivian Golden and Emeka Benson.

They have remained behind bars without justice, caught in the web of power, influence, and a compromised legal process.

With the court finally conceding to an accelerated hearing, hope has once again sparked for the victims of this legal nightmare.

News

Catholic Church gives Anambra APC guber candidate rigid conditions for support

Published

39 minutes ago

April 18, 2025

ADMIN

Barely 10 days after he emerged as the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial standard bearer for the November 8 gubernatorial poll in Anambra State, Prince Nicholas Chukwujekwu Ukachukwu has been given rigid conditions to receive the support of the Catholic Church in the state.

Sources told The Guardian that the basic conditions set before the APC governorship candidate include the selection of a deputy from the Catholic fold, and also that 60 per cent of his cabinet must be Catholics.

This is just as the APC governorship hopeful has been inundated by lobbyists for the position of running mate, even as he engaged with concerned APC stakeholders in the state in a bid to find common ground with various women groups agitating for gender parity.

The Guardian learned that the race for Ukachukwu’s running mate had been narrowed down between two former female Senators, Dr. Uche Lilian Ekwunife and Dr. Margery Okadigbo, who hail from the Central and North Senatorial Districts of the state, respectively.

Although both female politicians are Catholics, the factor of zoning is said to be impacting their chances, because while the more politically active Ekwunife hails from the populous Anambra Central District, Mrs. Okadigbo is from Anambra North, which has just served out eight years of governorship through Willie Obiano.

Also, the fact of her maiden community, Igboukwu in Aguata Local Council, and influence as the current Director General of South East Governors’ Forum is ticking in Ekwunife’s favour, as her candidacy is expected to help slice the votes in Old Aguata Union from where the incumbent Governor Chukwuma Soludo hails. (The Guardian)

News

NJC investigates 18 Imo judges over suspected age falsification

Published

6 hours ago

April 18, 2025

Admin

The National Judicial Council has launched a probe into 18 judges in the Imo State judiciary over allegations of age falsification, in a development raising fresh concerns about integrity and transparency within Nigeria’s judicial system.

The NJC, in a statement on Thursday by its Deputy Director of Information, Kemi Ogedengbe, confirmed that the allegations were being treated with utmost seriousness and were currently under review.

“Allegations of this nature require detailed investigation before any action can be taken,” Ogedengbe stated.

“The NJC is investigating the allegations and may take a decision by the end of the month. For now, we cannot act without completing our inquiries. The council will convene and make decisions on the matter.”

The investigation follows a petition submitted by a civil society group, Civil Society Engagement Platform, which described the matter as an “unprecedented breach of judicial integrity.”

The group alleged that the judges deliberately manipulated their birth records to either prolong their tenure or gain appointments within the judiciary.

In a letter addressed to the NJC Chairman and Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, the platform cited discrepancies in the judges’ official documents, including Law School registration forms, Department of State Services reports, and Nominal Rolls.

The petition, signed by CSEP’s Director of Investigation, Comrade Ndubuisi Onyemaechi, included what it described as compelling documentary evidence marked as Exhibits 001 to 018.

Among those named in the petition is Justice I. O. Agugua, who reportedly has two different birth dates—May 10, 1959, and May 10, 1960—and is also facing separate allegations of misconduct.

Justice C. A. Ononeze-Madu is alleged to have birth records stating both July 7, 1963, and July 7, 1965, while Justice M. E. Nwagbaoso is accused of presenting conflicting dates of birth—August 20, 1952, and August 20, 1962.

The remaining 15 judges also reportedly have varying inconsistencies in their personal data, a revelation that has intensified public scrutiny of the judiciary’s accountability mechanisms.

The NJC, which is constitutionally empowered to discipline judicial officers, is expected to reconvene soon to deliberate on the findings of its inquiry and take appropriate disciplinary actions where necessary.

The unfolding development comes amid mounting calls for institutional reforms to restore public trust in the judiciary and reinforce ethical standards across all arms of government.