POLITICS
PDP Cautions Matawalle over Plans to Impeach Deputy
By Jude Opara, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has warned Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State against allegedly inducing violence in the State by manipulating the State House of Assembly to commence impeachment proceedings against the Deputy Governor of State, Aliyu Mohammed Gusau.
The party noted that the state governor is pushing the process of impeachment despite a subsisting order of the Federal High Court, Abuja in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/ 650/2021, warning that such portends grave implication for peace and security not only in Zamfara State but the entire North West region and the sustenance of democracy in the country.
This is as the Zamfara State government in its quick reaction on Sunday described the position of the PDP as ‘rash and baseless’ saying that Governor Bello Matawalle has no hand in the travails of the Deputy Governor.
National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba in a statement at the weekend said the impeachment plot is a clear panic move by Governor Matawalle which he said is induced by his realization that the mandate of the PDP which he stole away into the APC is at the verge of being recovered through the legal processes of the court and restored to the Deputy Governor.
Ologunagba said; “Matawalle, having violated the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) in recklessly moving to the APC when there is no division in the PDP.
“Any attempt to strip the Deputy Governor of the mandate of the people on the grounds of baseless and unfounded allegations is a recipe for serious crisis that can result in the complete breakdown of law and order in the State.
“The State House of Assembly is therefore cautioned not to allow itself to be pitched against the people and destroy the State because of the bloated ego of Governor Matawalle whose political career is at its twilight.”
The PDP further called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to note how Matawalle, has constituted himself into a security threat in Zamfara State and the entire North West region, where he is alleged to be threatening the lives of members of the PDP and other well-meaning citizens of Zamfara State.
“Our Party alerts Nigerians of how Governor Matawalle has been hounding members of the Zamfara State Working Committee of the PDP particularly, our State Deputy Chairman, Prof. Kabiru Jabaka, who has been forced to relocate out of the State over threats to his life.
“Moreover, the PDP notes with consternation, Governor Matawalle’s well-known connections and negotiations with bandits and terrorists and calls on Nigerians to hold him responsible should any harm befall our party members in the State.”
The equally implored President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC to call Matawalle to order and ensure that this action which is a great assault on democracy especially the principle of Separation of Powers and peaceful co-existence in Zamfara State is halted forthwith.
Meanwhile, the Special Adviser on media and public enlightenment to the Zamfara state governors, Hon. Zailani Bappa while cautioning the PDP said the accusation of trying to cause the breach of the peace in the State was an empty propaganda that cannot hold any water.
Bappa said; “The Governor has no intention to join issues with the PDP on these baseless allegations. It is pertinent enough to draw the attention of the PDP to understand the workings and dynamics of our democracy. The Governor is in no way responsible for the actions of the legislature in any State.
“The PDP members are power drunk, so they do not believe in the working of our democracy in Nigeria. The PDP must be informed that the Constitution of Nigeria does not empower Governors to impeach their deputies.”
Governor Matawalle fell out with his Deputy when his subordinate refused to follow him to join the APC last year.
POLITICS
Assembly Passes Edo N675bn 2025 Budget for Assent
The Edo House of Assembly on Monday passed the state 2025 budget of N675 billion for assent.
The passage followed the adoption of the report of the House Committee on Budget and Project Monitoring at plenary in Benin.
Presenting the report, the chairman of the committee, Sunday Fada, (PDP Esan Central) said the budget was made up of N225 billion recurrent expenditure and N451 billion capital expenditure.
Fada noted that the committee came up with the increase in the budgetary allocation to enable the governor carry out his five points agenda in the state.
The House at the committee of Supply, considered the budget clause by clause and subsequently, approved the increase from N605.
7 billion to N675 billion.The Speaker, Blessing Agbebaku, thereafter directed Mr Yahaya Omogbai, the clerk of the house to forward clean copies of the budget to the governor for his assent. (NAN)
POLITICS
Poverty, Behind Deadly Stampedes Across Nigeria, says Falana
By Mike Odiakose, Abuja
Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, on Sunday attributed the deadly stampede that claimedmore than 105 lives in stampedes during food and cash distribution events to “poverty-induced neoliberal economic policies” and “criminal negligence.
”In a statement released on Sunday, Falana, who chairs the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond ASCAB, demanded justice for victims of the tragic events, saying, “These tragic events are a national shame, the victims were not just statistics but human beings driven to desperation by systemic poverty and the gross incompetence of those entrusted with their safety.
”On December 21, 12 people died and 32 others were injured in Okija, Anambra State, during a scramble for rice distributed by a philanthropist.
On the same day, a stampede at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja, resulted in the deaths of 10 individuals, including children, as over 3,000 people jostled for palliatives.
Just two days prior, on December 19, 35 children lost their lives in a stampede at a Christmas funfair at an Islamic High School, Basorun. in Ibadan, Oyo State.
“The loss of these innocent lives is heart-wrenching,” Falana lamented.
“It underscores the indignity that poverty imposes on our people.”
Falana also criticized the elite for their treatment of the poor during such events, stating, “No member of the elite invites others to lunch by throwing the food,” and condemned what he termed “class prejudice” in the distribution of humanitarian aid.
He also announced plans to mobilize lawyers to pursue civil suits against the organizers of these events.
“We will ensure survivors and families of the deceased are adequately compensated,” Falana affirmed. “Those responsible for these avoidable tragedies must be held accountable.”
POLITICS
2025 budget: LP Chieftain Lauds Tinubu for Diving Priority to Security, Others
Dr Ayo Olorunfemi, National Deputy Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) ,has commended President Bola Tinubu for giving priority to security and other key sectors in the 2025 Appropriation Bill .
Olorunfemi gave the commendation while speaking with newsmeon Thursday in Lagos.
NAN reports that the President had on Wednesday presented the N47.
9 trillion 2025 Appropriation Bill , christened “Budget of Restoration, Securing Peace and Rebuilding Prosperity” , to a joint session of the National Assembly .The President listed highlights of the 2025 budget allocations to include: defense and security: N4.91 trillion; infrastructure: N4.06 trillion; Health: N2.
48 trillion and Education: N3.52 trillion.Reacting , Olorunfemi described security as an enabler of development.
He called on the President to ensure proper implementation ,saying budgets had always been well-crafted but usually lacked monitoring and implementation.
“There is nothing that can happen if there is no security. This is good if the budget is properly utilised for the purpose.
“Our problem is not about policies and budgets, it is about monitoring and implementation.
“There is nothing wrong in bringing a budget proposal forward in terms of expectation, what we want to do, how we want to do it, and how much we want to spend.
“Now, the most important thing is the implementation,, budgets in Nigeria have always been properly crafted,” the LP boss said.
Olorunfemi called on the President to build strong institutions to prevent sabotaging of his policies.
“If this government wants to do anything, it must wake up to the responsibility of monitoring policies and ensure severe penalty for anyone who attempts to sabotage such policies.
“We need institutions that no one will be able to interfere with. We must allow these institutions to work, that is what we expect.
“Once we have strong institutions, most of our problems are solved,” he said.
He also called on the President to take steps to address the problems experienced by Nigerians in the banking sector.
Olorunfemi decried the inability of many Nigerians to get cash at bank’s Automated Teller Machines and the high charges paid to get cash from Point of Sales (POS) operators.
The LP boss also urged the President to devise ways of ending multiple taxations and high fuel price, describing them as major causes of hardship .
Recalled that the President said that the budget was a demonstration of government’s commitment to stabilising the economy, improving lives and repositioning the country for greater performance.
He also said the budget sought to consolidate the key policies instituted to restructure the economy, boost human capital development, increase the volume of trade and investments and bolster oil and gas production. (NAN)