News

Like Saraki, Dogara Must Resign or be Impeached – APC

Published

7 years ago

September 15, 2018

Eric

The All Progressives Congress has said the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, like the Senate President Bukola Saraki, must resign or be prepared to be impeached.

Saturday Punch reported that the APC acting National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena and the National Vice Chairman (South-South), Hilliard Eta, said the Speaker was obviously aware of the implications of his decision before he took it.

Nabena said, “It should be obvious to Dogara that his various anti-party activities have reached a final destination with his reported decision to leave the APC.

“He became Speaker because he was a member of our party -even though he has not formally told us of his defection, now that he is reported to have left, the right thing for him to do is to vacate the seat.”

Speaking in a similar vein, Eta said the framers of the Nigerian constitution did not intend for a member of a minority party to superintend over the affairs of legislators of a party that has a clear majority.

He explained that it was against the law of natural justice for the minority, in this case, to preside over the affairs of the majority.

Eta said, “It is not in the intention of the framers of the Nigerian constitution that a member of a party that does not enjoy the majority in the National Assembly should head any of the arms of the National Assembly.

“We are going to impeach them and they will have their day in court. It is a directive of the party to members of our party in the National Assembly to impeach them and then they will have their day in court.”

According to him, the decision of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party which was in power in 2014 not to take issue with the defection of some of its members in the National Assembly from the PDP to the APC, does not prevent the APC from insisting that the right things should be done now.

Dogara is yet to make his decision to leave the APC official but he has kept away from the party’s activities over time. He neither participated in the party’s last congress in his constituency nor did he attend the last National Executive Council meeting of the party.

The Punch

News

Police Invite Sanusi for Questioning over Sallah Day Violence

Published

22 hours ago

April 5, 2025

Eric

Commissioner of Police, CP Olajide Rufus Ibitoye, acting on the orders of the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, through the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in-charge of Force Intelligence Department (FID) Abuja, has extended an invitation to the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, for an “investigative meeting with regards to an incident that occurred during the Sallah celebration within your domain”.

The said incident is in connection with the violence that broke out during the recent Eid-el-Fitr procession in Kano, which resulted in the death of a local vigilante member.

The incident happened as the Emir’s entourage moved from the Eid prayer ground to the palace in a traditional procession. The clash, which marred the otherwise peaceful celebration, led to the tragic loss of life of a vigilante member, Surajo Rabiu, and left one other injured.

The invitation was conveyed in an official letter dated April 4, 2025, and signed by Commissioner of Police, CP Olajide Rufus Ibitoye, on behalf of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in-charge of Force Intelligence Department (FID) Abuja.

Emir Sanusi II

The letter reads: “I have the directives of the Inspector General of Police, through the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force Intelligence Department (FID), to invite you for an investigative meeting with regards to an incident that occurred during the Sallah celebration within your domain.”

The Emir has been requested to appear before the Force Intelligence Department in Abuja, opposite the Police Headquarters, Area 11, by 10:00am on Tuesday, April 8, 2025.

This development comes amid heightened tensions in Kano State following the earlier decision by the State Police Command to ban the annual Durbar festival due to security concerns. The ban, announced days before the Eid-el-Fitr celebration, was intended to prevent any possible breakdown of law and order during the festive period.

However, despite the suspension of the Durbar, a motorcade procession of Emir Sanusi II still took place on the third day of the Eid-el-Fitr celebrations.

The Kano State Police Commissioner, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, had also inaugurated an eight-member Special Investigation Panel (SIP) to investigate the violence.

As at the time of this report, there has been no official response from the Emir Sanusi II’s palace regarding the Police invitation.

News

Hakeem Baba-Ahmed Dumps Tinubu’s Appointment As Political Adviser

Published

2 days ago

April 4, 2025

Eric

Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the political adviser to President Bola Tinubu, has resigned his appointment.

Reports say the former spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) tendered his resignation about two weeks ago.

Further reports quoting presidency sources did not, however, provide details of the reasons for his decision, but only stated that it was on personal grounds.

Baba-Ahmed was appointed in September 2023 as Special Adviser on Political Matters in the Office of Vice President Kashim Shettima.

Over the past 17 months, he had represented the presidency at several public fora, including a recent national conference themed: “Strengthening Nigeria’s Democracy: Pathway to Good Governance and Political Integrity”, which held from January 28 and 29, 2025 in Abuja.

News

Court Stops Pro-Wike Rally in Bayelsa

Published

2 days ago

April 4, 2025

Eric

The High Court of Bayelsa State sitting in Yenagoa has issued an order restraining associates of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, from holding a mega rally in the South-South State pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

The proposed rally was scheduled for Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, on April 12, 2025.

Hon. Justice I. A Uzakah granted the motion ex-parte in Suit No. BYHC/YHC/CV/133/2025 was filed by the state’s Attorney General, Biriyai Dambo (SAN).

“An order of the interim injunction is hereby made or granted restraining the 1st and 2nd Defendants, whether by themselves, their agents, associates, privies, representatives (or any person whatsoever acting at their behest), from conducting, convening, coordinating, engaging in, organizing, participating in, holding, hosting, or facilitating any political assembly, rally meeting, or gathering within Bayelsa State, for the purpose of solidarity, hosting, and celebrating the 2nd Defendant in Bayelsa State, pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction,” the court order read.

The matter has been adjourned to April 11, 2025, for hearing.