Governor Ahmad Aliyu of Sokoto state has inaugurated a six-member Judicial Commission of Inquiry on the sales, auction and allocations of government assets by the immediate past administration of former Governor Aminu Tambuwal.

The commission has retired Justice Mu’azu Bindiga, a former acting Chief Judge of Gombe state, as Chairman and a lawyer Nasiru Binji as Secretary.

Other commission members are Jecob Ochidi, Ibrahim Dingyadi, Usman Abubakar and Lema Sambo.

Addressing the gathering on Thursday, Governor Aliyu reiterated his commitment to ensure maximum transparency and equitable dealings in his government.

He said the commission would look at land allocations, sales and auction of government houses, official vehicles, plants and machineries and related assets.

“I made a pledge during my campaign and inauguration as elected governor, my administration will ensure justice and accountability in all dealings.

“I acted on the grievances expressed by people of Sokoto state on the suspicious nature of dealings with government belongings, and lawful powers conferred on me as a Governor to checkmate excesses,” Mr Aliyu said.

The governor said members of the commission were chosen after a transparent process, adding that the chairman was from faraway Gombe, having no affiliations and knowledge of the happenings and situations in the state governance.

Speaking to reporters after the swearing in, Justice Findiga said the commission will work within the ambits of law and will be guided by the constitution and stipulated mandates.

He said their mandate covers the quantity and valuable nature of assets, sales and accrued revenues as well as whereabouts within the stipulated period of two months.

The Katsina government has set up a committee to investigate the killing of the Dabaibayawa village head in Batagarawa local government area of the state.

Isah Miqdad, an aide to Governor Dikko Radda, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Katsina, saying the incident happened about two weeks ago.

“Enraged by the kidnapping and subsequent murder of the Dabaibayawa Village Head, the government set up a committee to investigate the flagitious act.

“The committee would be chaired by the deputy governor, Malam Faruk Lawal-Jobe,” according to Mr Miqdad.

Inaugurating the committee on Thursday, the deputy governor directed them to investigate the kidnapping and murder of the village head, and fish out the culprits.

The deputy governor said the committee comprised representatives of the Police, State Security Service, and Nigeria Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Others are from the Ministry of Justice, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, and the Katsina Emirate Council.

He also clarified that the committee has two weeks within which to submit its report for subsequent consideration by the government.

The Katsina Emirate Council thanked the governor for constituting the committee and assured of its support to achieve the objectives behind the committee formation.

Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno has approved the appointment of Barkindo Saidu as Director-General of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).

The governor also appointed Abdulkadir Harun as Executive Secretary of the Borno State Arabic and Sangaya Education Board (BOSASEB).

The two appointments are contained in a statement issued by Mr Zulum’s Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Isa Gusau, on Friday in Maiduguri.

Mr Barkindo, 54, hails from Gwoza local government area of the state, while Mr Harun, 59, hails from Ngala local government area.

Until his appointment, Mr Barkindo was the Executive Secretary/Programme Manager of Borno State agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS & Malaria (BOSACAM).

He holds a PhD in Strategic Management from the International Business Management Institute in Berlin, Germany, which he obtained in 2019.

He obtained an M.Sc. in Information Technology (IT) Project Management from the Royal Academy of Economics and Technology in Switzerland in 2013.

Another M.Sc in Ecology & Environmental Studies from the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, Nigeria (2012) and another M.Sc in Medicinal & Poisonous Plants also from Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, Nigeria (which is in View).

Governor Zulum said that Mr Barkindo’s appointment was based on excellent credentials and an impressive record of public service.

He congratulated the two appointees and said he looks forward to their continued service with excellence to the people of Borno and humanity.

The immediate past Interior Minister, Rauf Aregbesola, has advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to link voters’ registers with the National Identification Number (NIN) database in order to maintain the integrity and transparency of the country’s elections.

He went on to explain that by doing so, the era of underage voting and numerous registrations would come to an end.

Aregbesola, made the remarks while presenting the lead paper, “Towards Free, Fair, and Credible Elections,” at the 7th International Conference of the Professional Statisticians Society of Nigeria (PSSN) at Nasarawa State University, Keffi.

“I am suggesting a more seamless registration system that will be continuous and terminate only a few weeks before the election, to allow for compilation and printing of cards. This registration should be synced with the NIN.

“It will automatically eliminate underage voters and the possibility of multiple registrations. More importantly, people should be able to do the registration online, on their own, just like most application processes we have today.

“They should only go to the INEC office for biometric data capture and card collection only,” the former governor said.

According to him, the second factor in the electoral process, “is the delineation of voting constituencies and polling units. This should be population-based.

There is also always chaos on election day as voters will be running helter-skelter, trying to find their polling units.

“There should be a system of notification or personal checks to avoid this confusion,” he added.

The former governor of Osun also advised INEC to train political parties on the precise roles they wou play in elections, as well as to ensure smooth and seamless distribution of electoral materials.

A federal capital territory high court has ordered the Department of State Services (DSS) to charge Godwin Emefiele, suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), to court if they have criminal allegations against him.

The presiding judge, Hamza Muazu, said the former CBN governor should be released on bail if he is not taken to a competent court within one week.

Recall that President Bola Tinubu suspended and asked Emefiele to transfer his responsibilities to Folashodun Adebisi Shonubi, deputy governor, operations directorate on June 9.

The day after, the DSS announced that Emefiele was in its custody for “some investigative reasons”.

Through his lawyer, Joseph Daudu, Emefiele filed a suit against the DSS and the attorney-general of the federation (AGF) seeking to enforce his fundamental rights.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday asked the Kano State Governorship Election Tribunal to allow it to take the 21 BVAS machines it brought as evidence back for recharging.

An INEC employee, Mr Ocheka, told the court that the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System machines required protection because when their batteries run down codes would have to be sent from China before they could be reactivated.

“Owing to safety reasons, let me go back with the BVAS to INEC office and whenever the court needs them I will bring them back,” Mr Ocheka told the tribunal.

The BVAS machines were used in 21 polling stations in 10 Local Government Areas (LGAs), namely Tudun-Wada, Gaya, Gezawa, Bunkure, Bebeji, Ungogo, Ajingi, Warawa, Karaye and Garko.

The petitioner, the All Progressives Congress (APC), on April 9, filed a petition challenging INEC for declaring Abba Kabir-Yusuf of the NNPP the winner of the March 18, 2023 gubernatorial election.

The respondents are INEC, Governor Kabir-Yusuf and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

Recall that the tribunal on June 6 granted leave to the petitioner to access and inspect the BVAS machines used by INEC in the governorship election.

At the resumed sitting, counsel to INEC, E.A. Oshayomi led Mr Ocheka to present the machines to the court.

Counsel to the petitioner, Nureini Jimoh, tendered the 21 BVAS to the tribunal to support their petition and objected to the machines being returned to INEC.

Counsel to Mr Kabir-Yusuf, R A Lawal, and Counsel to NNPP, John Baylesha, did not object to the admissibility of the BVAS machines in evidence.

“Once the petitioner tendered the machines, it is now left for the tribunal to decide where to keep them for safety reasons,” he said.

The petitioner has so far presented 18 witnesses to testify before the court to prove its case.

The three-man panel led by Justice Oluyemi Akintan-Osadebay adjourned the matter until July 12 for the continuation of hearing.

Gov. Peter Mbah of Enugu State, on Tuesday, solicited for partnership with the Nigerian navy to tackle the menace of insecurity in the state and the South East.

Mr Mbah made the call during a courtesy visit to the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Rear Adm. Emmanuel Ogalla, at the Naval Headquarters in Abuja.

He said the visit was to identify with the naval chief who is from the state as well as appreciate President Bola Tinubu for the honour of appointing a son of the state as CNS.

He said his administration had outlined measures to achieve exponential growth in the state through sound economic policies, adding that such policies could only succeed in a secured and peaceful environment.

The governor called on the Nigerian navy to expand its operational activities to the state, adding that his administration was ready to partner with the navy and other security services to put an end to insecurity in the South East.

“If we must deal with the root causes of insecurity, we must adopt both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches to dealing with insecurity and we felt that the big elephant in the room was to address those activities that may be an inhibition to bringing in investors to our state.

“We felt that it was a clog in the wheel of our continued development, which was why immediately I took over as the governor, I convened the security council meeting.

“Following from that we made an announcement that we wanted the Monday sit-at-home to end, because we have zero tolerance to that.

“We needed to heighten our security architecture and to mobilise all the security agencies in our state to be able to deal with this, and thus far we are getting the required support we need from the various security agencies.

“We are also hoping that we are going to invite the Navy on board to join hands with us to be able to deal with these big elephants in the room,” he said.

Responding, the CNS, Mr Ogalla, said that the relationship between the Nigerian navy and other stakeholders like state governments had been instrumental to the successes they have been achieving.

Mr Ogalla said the current security challenges facing the country required the whole government approach, adding that the navy had extended its operations to cover a good part of the region.

He said the naval base and the special forces deployed in the South East had been contributing to the security apparatus in the region and promised to extend those operations further.

The CNS said the navy would continue to partner with state governments and other stakeholders to provide an enabling environment for businesses to thrive for the overall economic well-being and progress of the country.

“I want to assure you that the Nigerian navy will continue to support and collaborate with you for mutual benefits and progress of our dear country, Nigeria and Enugu State,” he said.

The Sokoto State House of Assembly confirmed on Tuesday the appointment of 17 special advisers to Governor Ahmad Aliyu.

At a plenary session, the Speaker of the House, Tukur Bala, presented the governor’s letter requesting the House to approve and confirm the appointment of his aides.

According to him, the request is in accordance with Section 196 and other relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.

“This is on the appointment of any person to the post of Special Advisers, following due consultations in line with relevant procedures as contained in the enabling regulations.

“This is also in consideration of the government’s desire to fast-track developmental programmes across the state, which will require more hands of assistance,” he added.

The lawmakers, thereafter, adopted the request when the speaker put the matter to a voice vote.

The federal government has outlined its plan to make use of technology to monitor revenue collection in real time. 

Zacchaeus Adedeji, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Revenue disclosed this during an interview on Channels Television.

He said they will be integrating the activities of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and other revenue collection agencies.

Adedeji also said they will be able to increase the country’s total annual revenue which is currently below N15 trillion, without imposing extra taxes.

He said; 

“The current administration needs to increase the nation’s revenue not through taxation but by addressing indiscipline in national spending and technologically monitoring revenue collection when agencies like FIRS and Nigerian Customs are harmonised.

“The law is very clear as to how to collect revenue. In Section 162 of the Nigerian Constitution, it is clearly stated that there shall be an account called the Federation Account and all government revenue must be put into that account.

“When we talk about harmonisation, we are just saying integration of all collecting agencies, that on one platform, we can know what is happening in NIMASA, NPA, NCC, Customs, Federal Inland Revenue (Service)…We will make use of technology to know everything going on in realtime.”

Adedeji who also disclosed that the harmonisation or integration exercise does not mean the Tinubu-led administration will merge revenue collection agencies, added; 

“We are not collapsing. NNPC will be NNPC because it is limited, Federal Inland Revenue (Service) will be but the collection of all revenue will be technologically driven by data…Why there seems to be government within government is because of the law because there is no real law that specify what they should do.”

Adedeji also sympathized with Nigerians over the hardship caused by the removal of petrol subsidy, while further revealing that the economic pain and inflation currently suffered by Nigerians is for a short while.

Miss Nkechinyere Umeh, the candidate with the highest score in the 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) has been offered scholarship by Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra state.

The gesture followed the recent JAMB declaration of Umeh from Anambra State as the highest scorer with a cumulative mark of 360 in the examination.

Soludo’s chief Press secretary, Mr Christian Aburime, said the Governor has congratulated her for making the state proud with her exceptional performance.

The statement read;

“In further celebration of Miss Umeh’s feat, Governor Soludo has announced a well-deserved scholarship for her to study any course of her choice at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University in Anambra State.

“The scholarship will not only serve as a token of the state government’s appreciation for her hard work but also provide her with the opportunity to pursue her dreams and contribute to the development of the state in the future.”

The Sokoto government says it commenced payment of three years’ arrears of tuition fees for its students studying at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto (UDUS).

The government had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the university to pay the tuition fees of students from the state admitted to the institution.

However, the Sokoto government had failed to remit the money for three years, which made UDUS bar the affected students from sitting for examinations.

Nasiru Dantsoho, chairman of the screening committee, said on Monday that the verification had been completed, and the remittance of the outstanding fees had commenced.

He said the intervention followed reports that UDUS had threatened to send the students home unless the fees were paid in full.

Mr Dantsoho said the money for those screened would be paid to the university to enable the students to sit the semester examinations and subsequent academic sessions without distraction.

The committee chairman recalled that Governor Ahmad Aliyu had expressed concern over the situation, which had forced the institution to contemplate rejecting students from Sokoto.

He said the former Governor Aminu Tambuwal left huge debts for the new government, especially in scholarships for students within and outside Nigeria.

“The situation in which our students were rejected warrants us to embark on the screening to make sure only Sokoto Students benefit from the payment,” stated Mr Dantsoho.

The chairman added that the panel had screened all students from the 23 local government areas of the state studying in UDUS and that a similar exercise will be undertaken in other institutions if the need arises.

Ailing Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo has extended his medical leave abroad indefinitely. Mr Akeredolu’s notice was contained in a letter forwarded to the House of Assembly recently.

Speaker Olamide Oladiji, while reading a communication from Mr Akeredolu, said that the governor would no longer resume to office as previously scheduled when he sought a 21-day leave abroad last month.

On June 5, 2023, Mr Akeredolu informed the lawmakers that he was proceeding on a “medical leave” with a promise to resume work on July 6, 2023.

Mr Oladiji said the extension was due to Mr Akeredolu’s “doctor’s advice on the need to take adequate rest after recuperating.”

He confirmed that the House of Assembly already received the letter of extension on medical leave from the governor. The Nigerian Constitution allows Deputy Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to continue to act as governor until Mr Akeredolu returns and notifies the parliament.

Mr Oladiji expressed confidence and appreciation to God for Mr Akeredolu’s condition, which he said was improving, without supplying evidence as to the source of his disclosure.

The country where Mr Akeredolu was moved to last month was not disclosed, even though the state covers his bills.

He also didn’t publicly disclose the nature of his ailment, which his wife has characterised as partly caused by his mistress.

The mistress denied the allegations. The Nigerian Constitution is silent on how long a governor could stay away so long as there is a transfer of executive powers to a deputy.

Last week, Mr Akeredolu disclosed that he was recovering from his health challenges which have incapacitated him for several months.

The governor, in a message replete with emotions, specifically affirmed that he was in high spirits and would soon be back on his feet.

The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court has stopped the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from prosecuting the suspended Adamawa Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Hudu Yunusa-Ari, over his declaration of Aisha ‘Binani’ Dahiru, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, as governor in the March 18 poll.

Justice Donatus Okorowo gave the order after Michael Aondoaka, SAN, counsel to Ms Dahiru, moved the ex-parte motion to the effect.

In the ex-parte motion marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/935/2023, the APC candidate in the poll sued INEC, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and another as respondents.

Mr Aondoaka, while moving the motion on Monday, argued that until the election petition tribunal decides his client’s fate per section 149 of the Electoral Act, 2022, the prosecution of Mr Yunusa-Ari cannot be valid.

He said the decision of INEC to file an action against any person involved in Ms Dahiru’s April 15 declaration as winner of the supplementary poll in the state when the tribunal was yet to determine the petition of his client would deprive her of section 285(6) of the law which gives 180 days within which the petition filed on May 6 should be dispensed with.

The senior lawyer informed the court that though a similar suit was filed before Justice Inyang Ekwo, where a judicial review of INEC’s action was sought, the sister court ordered Ms Dahiru to approach a tribunal with her suit, having been an election-related matter.

Mr Andoaka said an undertaking had been signed to prove to the court that the present suit was not frivolous.He said in the undertaking, they were ready to face any cost should the court find the case to be frivolous.

After listening to Mr Andoaka, Justice Okorowo ordered the parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum pending the hearing and determination of the matter.

The judge, who adjourned the matter until July 18 for a hearing, ordered the respondents to show cause while the reliefs sought by Ms Dahiru should not be granted.

A former president of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), Samuel Nzekwe, has advised President Bola Tinubu against appointing sycophants as ministers to prevent his administration from failing.

In an interview on Monday in Ota, Ogun State, Mr Nzekwe said the advice became necessary for Mr Tinubu to select the best hands to help him move the country forward.

The former ANAN president urged Mr Tinubu to select serious-minded people with the country’s interests at heart.

“Not having capable ministers to assist in discharging the necessary responsibilities means that this administration has failed,” he said.

Mr Nzekwe appealed to Nigerians to be patient with the president in appointing ministers, as selecting good hands across the six geopolitical zones was not easy.

He stressed the need for the president to appoint detribalised persons who share the same set goals with him.

Mr Nzekwe commended Mr Tinubu for removing the fuel subsidy and unifying the exchange rate.

Governor Nasiru Idris of Kebbi has relieved his Special Adviser on Youths, Babangida Sarki, of his appointment sequel to an inappropriate post he made on his WhatsApp status.

This is contained in a statement by the governor’s chief press secretary, Ahmed Idris, on Monday in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital.

“The governor, who was enraged by the obnoxious development, said the aide trampled on the moral and social ethos of the Kebbi society, which is largely Islamic.

“Mr Idris promised that his administration would not condone any of such acts that denigrate the morality and integrity of the people of the state,” the governor’s spokesman said.

He added that the governor had cautioned all public officers in the state against making such indecent postings on their social media handles and other public fora.

The State Security Service has freed Senator Abdulaziz Yari after three days in custody for disrespecting President Bola Tinubu.

He was asked to go home around 12:00 a.m. Sunday, a source familiar said, adding that it was unclear whether or not the lawmaker would be returning to Yellow House soon for further questioning.

Mr Yari, 55, was arrested on Thursday over claims he shunned a series of calls from Mr Tinubu last month.

The Nigerian leader was trying to get the Zamfara West senator on the phone to pressure him to stand down his ambition to be Senate President.

Mr Yari, a former governor of Zamfara, lost his fierce contest for the office to Mr Tinubu’s candidate Godswill Akpabio last month in a 63-46 result.

But he has been seeking to overturn the outcome, with his allies alleging non-compliance with Senate standing rules during the leadership vote.

Mr Yari’s conduct, sources said, has infuriated the president, prompting the SSS to move against him.

The national intelligence office also raised corruption claims against Mr Yari when he was held, including charges that he received funds from Godwin Emefiele, the ousted central bank governor, another political adversary of Mr Tinubu’s who has been in detention since June 10.

Mr Yari admitted transactions from Mr Emefiele-led central bank but said they were all legitimate proceeds.

A federal court granted his plea for an order restraining all federal law enforcement agencies, including the SSS, from arresting him last month.

A spokesman for the SSS has been evasive with questions about the service’s steps against Mr Yari.

Gov. Mohammed Bago of Niger has advised the people of Kagara Emirate to be more security conscious by restricting their own movements and cooperating with security operatives.

Mr Bago gave the advice when he paid Sallah homage to the Emir of Kagara, Ahmed Garba Gunna ll, at his palace in Kagara as he rounded off his emirate tour.

This is contained in a statement by his chief press secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, and made available to newsmen in Minna on Sunday.

Mr Bago noted that the emirate had been affected by banditry attacks and that restricting their own movement would help the security operatives in combating the menace.

According to him,

“A lot of our rural dwellers do a lot of occupation in the hinterland and you find them gathering for weddings and on market days which is not very good for this situation as it affects security surveillance and operation.

“So we are encouraging them to restrict their movements unless it is very necessary they should remain within their enclaves so that bushes can also be cleared.”

The governor also said that his administration would ensure the construction of a dual carriageway in Kagara, in line with his urban renewal policy and also ensure the reconstruction of Minna/Tegina road.

He encouraged farmers to take advantage of the fertilizers government would provide at subsidised rate, to engage in farming.

Mr Bago also called on the citizens to support his administration to succeed.

The governor urged the people of the emirate and others to continue to live in peace and tolerate one another, irrespective of their affiliations, for development to thrive.

Earlier, the Emir, Mr Gunna, appreciated the governor for his efforts so far in ensuring that the people of the emirate enjoyed relative peace.

“This made us and others observe durbar during the Eid celebration,” he said.

The emir also disclosed that each of the traditional title holders in the emirate had acquired at least one hectare of land to engage in agricultural activities, following the strategies evolved by the present administration to promote national policy on food security.

The statement stated that the high point of the visit was the conferment of the traditional title of Gorozon Kagara on the governor and the presentation of instruments of power to him.

Twelve others were also conferred with traditional titles.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has announced Opeyemi Bamidele (APC-Ekiti) as the majority leader of the 10th Senate.

Mr Bamidele is a ranking senator representing Ekiti Central and chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters in the 9th National Assembly.

Mr Bamidele, who is the Founder, Principal Attorney & Head of Chambers at the Law Office of Opeyemi Bamidele & Associates, is a New York Attorney, Member of the 7th House of Representatives and three-term Member of the Lagos State Cabinet between 2000 and 2011 when he served as Honourable Commissioner in different ministries and under two Governors.

He served as the senior legislative aide to then-Senator Bola Tinubu in 1992.

Mr Bamidele graduated with honours in 1986 from the University of Ife (Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile-Ife, with a Bachelor of Arts degree and, subsequently, from the University of Benin, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) degree with honours, in 1990.

After his call to the Nigerian Bar, Mr Bamidele launched a full-time legal career in 1992.

He obtained a Master of Laws (LL.M) degree from the Franklin Pierce Law Centre at the University of New Hampshire Law School, Concord, New Hampshire, U.S.

He specialised in Intellectual Property Law, with a bias in International Patent, Trademark and Copyright Law, including the Licensing of International Transfer of Technology.