News

Tinubu Does Not See Any Need for Protest, Says Info Minister, Idris Mohammed

Published

8 months ago

July 24, 2024

Eric

President Bola Tinubu has said that he does not see any need for a planned protest, scheduled to hold between August 1 and 10, 2024 across the federation while urging the youths to exercise patience as he is already addressing the issues raised, assuring that government will promptly react to all their grievances.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, made the revelation while briefing newsmen after a routine meeting with the president at the State House, Abuja.

He said: “Mr President has asked me to again inform Nigerians that he listens to them, especially the young people that are trying to protest.

“Mr President listens to them; he takes what they say seriously and he is working assiduously to ensure that this country is good not just for today but also for the future.

“On the issue of the planned protest, Mr President does not see any need for that; he asked them to shelve that plan and he has asked them to await government’s response to all their pleas; he has listened to them like I said.”

The minister further disclosed that intervention measures had been taken by the Bola Tinubu administration including the new minimum wage of N70,000 already passed by the National Assembly, trucks of rice already dispatched to all the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as well as the Student Loans Fund launched recently by the president.

His words: “A lot is happening, only today, the National Assembly has expeditiously passed the bill on national minimum wage; you can see how the president is working. It was transmitted only yesterday, today, it has been passed.

“A lot of other interventions that the president has also put in place are also going to be looked at expeditiously in the interest of Nigerians. So there is no need for strike. The young people out there should listen to the president and allow the president more time to see to the realization of all the goodies he has for them.

“Highlights of other policies to cushion the effect of hardship Nigerians are feeling are in town. For example, you saw that the Federal Government approved grains and rice for state governments, it was delivered to them expeditiously.

“Also, the Federal Government, like I said that time it is just the necessary first step. Government is going to continue in that direction, supporting them and assuring them that whatever intervention the Federal Government has put in place go to those that should benefit, it is very important that is being put out.

“The Federal Government is looking at strategies that every intervention would go directly to those who benefit from those interventions, not middle men intervening along the way.

“You heard about the Student Loans Board launched by Mr President. Mr President is very passionate about the fact that everyone will have the opportunity to go to school. It is no longer a time for all of us to stay back and see our able bodied young men and women that have passed the examinations to go to tertiary institutions that have not been able to do that because their parents are not able to pay for their fees. This is now a thing of the past, government is very very desirous to ensure that happens.

“You know the provision that was made to the NELFUND already; we have in excess what is required today and the more that people are requiring that the more the president will also give.”

Idris also disclosed that government will soon come up with a scheme that will accommodate all unemployed graduates nationwide, while stressing the fact that President Tinubu was committed to running an inclusive government.

According to him, “There is also the intervention the president is making for young men and women who have finished school and who are yet to get employed post NYSC. For example, there is a scheme the government is perfecting now and that will be pushed very fast so that all those young men and women who have finished school, graduates of universities and polytechnics that are not able to get jobs, they will continue to be supported by the government until such a time that those jobs are offered to them.

“The whole idea is that no one is left behind. It is an all inclusive government and the president is determined to ensure that no one is left behind in this attempt to march Nigeria towards progress.”

News

Sack Wike Now, Niger Delta Youths Tell Tinubu

Published

1 day ago

March 15, 2025

Eric

The youth chapter of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Nyesom Wike, to retract his publicly disparaging remarks against the Ijaw nation and the leaders of this socio-political body.

According to the youths, it is embarrassing that Wike insulted the late former Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark, even in death without respecting him.

Addressing journalists on Saturday, the National Youth President of the Youth Wing, Doben Donyegha, who gave the ultimatum, said that it was annoying that Wike abused the leaders of the South-South geopolitical zone less than 24 hours after its delegation met with the President at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Wike, during a media chat on Thursday, described PANDEF as “the worst organisation anybody can rely on”, while also calling the board of trustee members of the body “political merchants”.

Donyegha, who also urged President Bola Tinubu to immediately sack the minister from his cabinet, said that the youth wing no longer had confidence in him and that keeping Wike in his cabinet may affect the president’s re-election chances in the Niger Delta come 2027.

The President of the PANDEF youths also asked the Code of Conduct Bureau to investigate the minister, alleging land-grabbing activities in the FCT.

News

Ahead Budget Presentation, Amaewhule-led Rivers Assembly Adjourns Sitting Indefinitely

Published

2 days ago

March 14, 2025

Eric

The Rivers State House of Assembly has adjourned its sittings indefinitely.

The decision to adjourn legislative duties indefinitely was reached during plenary, presided over by the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, in Port Harcourt on Friday.

The development comes hours after the State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, wrote to the Speaker, informing him of his intention to visit the House to present the 2025 Appropriation Bill for consideration and approval.

The governor, in a letter dated March 13 and addressed to the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, said he intends to present the budget on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, or any other day within March that the House may deem fit.

Fubara said his decision is in compliance with the Supreme Court judgment and in response to the lawmakers’ request for him to re-present the budget.

He recalled the bitter experience of visiting the Assembly Quarters with his entourage, where the lawmakers were temporarily sitting to present the budget, but he was denied access to the complex.

News

Suspension: Natasha Sues Akpabio, Others for Contempt

Published

3 days ago

March 13, 2025

Eric

The Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has filed contempt charges against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and others over her six-month suspension without pay from the Senate.

Others listed in the Form 48 contempt charge, filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja and sighted on Thursday, include the Clerk of the National Assembly and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct, Senator Neda Imasuen.

It will be recalled that Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, on 4 March, while delivering a ruling on an ex parte motion filed by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan through her legal team led by Mr. Michael Numa (SAN), restrained the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct from proceeding with any investigation against the plaintiff/applicant.

This investigation related to alleged misconduct following events that occurred during the Senate plenary session on February 20, 2025 and a subsequent referral on February 25, 2025.

The court’s order was to remain in effect pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for an interlocutory injunction.

The court also issued an order directing the defendants to show cause why an interlocutory injunction should not be granted to restrain them from proceeding with the purported investigation against Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan for alleged misconduct, as such actions would affect her privileges as stipulated in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the Senate Standing Order 2023, and the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act.

Additionally, the court declared that “any action taken during the pendency of the suit is null, void, and of no effect whatsoever.”

The Court granted Akpoti-Uduaghan permission to serve the originating summons and accompanying documents on all defendants through substituted means, such as delivering them to the Clerk of the National Assembly, cited as the 1st Defendant, or by pasting them on the premises of the National Assembly and publishing them in two national dailies.

However, just two days after the court’s ruling, the Senate proceeded to suspend Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months.

In response to the court order, the Senate President contested the power of the court to interfere in the internal affairs of the legislature, arguing that the court lacked jurisdiction to intervene in Senate matters.

In her contempt charge, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan argued that her suspension constituted wilful disobedience to the subsisting court order issued on March 4 stating that an enrolled order of the interim injunction issued by Justice Egwuatu was duly served on the defendants on March 5.

According to Form 48, the defendants/contemnors “deliberately and contumaciously disregarded” the binding directive of the court and “proceeded with acts in flagrant defiance of the authority of the court.”

The court, in a notice of disobedience of a court order signed by its Registrar pursuant to Section 72 of the Sheriff and Civil Process Act 2004, informed the defendants/contemnors of their wilful disobedience to the court order issued by Justice Obiora Egwuatu.

It warned that defying the subsisting order rendered Akpabio, Senator Imasuen, and the Clerk of the National Assembly liable for contempt of court, which could result in their committal to prison.