POLITICS
Executive Order #10: We’re Resolving Implementation Issues – Governors
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum NGF (NGF) says parties involved in Executive Order #10 are working earnestly to resolve the issues surrounding the implementation of the order.
The forum said this in a communiqué issued on Wednesday night after its 30th teleconference.
President Muhammadu Buhari in 2020 signed into law Executive Order No.
10 of 2020 for the implementation of financial autonomy for state legislature and judiciary order.The forum in the communiqué signed by it Chairman and the Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, said talks on the Order had reached an advanced stage with the Ministry of Labour, conference of Speakers and the National Judicial Council.
“There are, however, legal aspects of the order that need to be tied up, but which cannot take place if officials responsible for these final processes are on strike.
“Governors are happy to implement the demands of the judiciary and the Legislature,” he said.
The NGF, however, resolved to call for the immediate dissolution of the Presidential Implementation Committee on the Autonomy of State Legislature and Judiciary.
The forum said the presidential committee was now acting as a permanent committee “basically misguiding and overheating the relationship between state governments and the other arms of government.”
The NGF also agreed on the need to continue to maintain COVID public health guidelines and vaccination protocols to ensure that the transmission of the virus was kept at the lowest level possible.
The communiqué noted that the Governor of Delta State, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, who is the NGF Chairman, Sub-Committee interfacing with the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19 provided an update to the Forum on the activities of the PSC.
It stated that Okowa informed the forum’s members of the expected commencement of the administration of the second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine in the country, starting with those who received the first batch of the vaccine.
“The Governor noted that the PSC is currently working to get additional vaccine doses for the country.
“He urged his colleagues to continue to maintain COVID public health guidelines to ensure that the transmission of the virus is kept at the lowest level possible,” the communiqué stated.
It added that Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai, gave a briefing on the appropriate pricing of PMS in Nigeria, calling for full deregulation.
It quoted el-Rufai as noting that between N70 billion and N210 billion was estimated to be spent every month to keep petrol price at N162/litre, “a situation that is completely unsustainable.”
It noted that el-Rufai also briefed his colleagues on the labour crisis in Kaduna State.
“The NGF noted that it stands with the Governor of Kaduna State in his quest to improve the productivity of workers and their rights for a better quality of life.
“NGF recognises that what is happening in Kaduna State, will reverberate in each of the states.
“The forum encourages the governor of Kaduna and all other governors to remain steadfast in the pursuit of human rights protection while ensuring that actions taken do not undermine the safety and security of lives.
“NGF appeals to both parties in Kaduna State to resolve the issues in the interest of the state as the protection of human rights for the collective good of all citizens and growth of our dear country, Nigeria, is what matters most.”
The teleconference was the 7th of such in year 2021. (NAN)
The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee, has issued a 21-day ultimatum to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC) to reconcile the N45 billion unremitted operating surplus recorded from 2007 to 2021.
Chairman of the committee, Rep.
Bamidele Salam, gave the directive on Tuesday in Abuja, during the committee’s public hearing on leakages of government revenue.The FRC dragged SEC before the committee for not responding to its report issued in 2022, where N45.
013 computed liability of unremitted funds was recorded against the SEC.“We have written SEC on December 20, 2022 intimating the commission of our computed liability for the period 2007 to 2021 and the said liability amounted to N45,013,010,229 only.
“Up till now, we have not received any response from them, so as far as we are concerned they have accepted the liability and that is what we have recorded against the commission,” Mr Bello Aliyu, a representative of FRC, told the committee.
He added that between the period and now, the SEC had not made any attempt to reconcile the figure as contained in the report.
Aliyu said by law, balance of any operating surplus should be paid into the consolidated revenue fund of the Federal Government in less than one month of the statutory deadline of publishing any corporation account.
Mr Lamido Yuguda, the Director General, SEC, while reacting to the allegation, however, said that the commission had reconciled its operating surplus with the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation(OAGF).
“I think if the FRC had actually done a little more work, they would have really seen from the OAGF all the efforts that we have made to reconcile the surplus figure from 2007 when FRC came into being,” Yuguda told the committee.
In his comment, the committee chairman said the FRC was empowered by law to ensure that all agencies and government corporations listed in its enabling Act behave responsibly with regards to remittances and management of their revenues.
“I don’t know why SEC is more comfortable with the Accountant General office and I don’t want to insinuate anything, but I want to assure the FRC that from now on, all that will stop.
”We are going to ensure that all agencies make FRC the major body of government that should ensure compliance with the provision of the act,” Salam said. (NAN)
From Attah Ede, Makurdi
Ahead of the National Executive Committee and Board of Trustees meeting of the main- opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), slated for April 18, some leaders of the party in the north central region under the platform of North Central PDP Stakeholders Forum, have again, endorsed former governor of Benue State, Senator Gabriel Suswam for the position of national chairman of PDP.
The endorsement event took place at Ibeto Grand Hotel Abuja Monday, with several prominent political leaders and other stakeholders in attendance. The event further attracted former and serving members of the State and National Assembly, former ministers, appointees and party elders women and youths, and observers from the zone.Speaking during the occasion, former senator representing Benue north west, Sen. Emmanuel Yisa Orker-Jev alluded that, in line with the constitution of the party, it was only right to return the position of the national chairman to Benue State.He maintained that the chairmanship position currently subsists in Benue after the unfortunate suspension of the National Chairman Sen. Dr. Iyorchia Ayu about a year ago.Also, a former minister from Plateau State, Dr. Damishi Sango totally threw his weight behind Senator Suswam and aligned with the submissions of Sen. Orker Jev. He expressed confidence in the ability and capacity of Sen. Suswam, saying that with Suswam as National Chairman, the party will be revived in no distance time.Those who spoke from the Seven States and the FCT, Abuja that make up the North Central zone were unanimous in their speeches and said the choice of Senator Gabriel Suswam was a wise one.Thereafter, Sen. Orker Jev moved for the endorsement of Senator Gabriel Suswam as the candidate of the North Central zone for the position of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, and was seconded by ten others.The convener of the group, former Benue Governorship aspirant and business mogul,. Dr Paul Ubwa who gave a vote of thanks, said Suswam is not knew to the PDP.However , the national chairmanship aspirant was absent during the event.
By Johnson Eyiangho, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the 2023 general election in Nasarawa State, Dr. David Ombugadu, has said he is duty-bound to abide by party decision regarding the contest for the PDP National Chairmanship position, but maintained he was yet to throw his hat into the ring.
Ombugadu said, “In view of the fact that I have a lot to offer and have always responded to clarion calls by our people to serve in different capacities, I’ll like to inform the general public that though my hat is not in the ring, I have heard your voices loud and clear but I have not succumbed yet to the calls to run for the position of National Chairman of our party. ”Ombugadu, who made his position known in a statement he personally signed and made available to newsmen on Monday, acknowledged calls for him to be given responsibility by the party at the national level.The PDP is expected to hold its 98th National Executive Committee (NEC) on Thursday, April 18, where the issue of replacement of the party’s Acting National Chairman, Amb. Iliya Damagum, who stepped in over one year ago after the PDP National Chair, Dr. Iyorcha Ayu, stepped aside following a court order are among other issues that will be discussed.The issue of whether or not to replace Damagum has further brought the rivalry and division between the PDP Presidential Candidate in the 2023 General Election, former Vice-president Atiku Abubakar and former Rivers State Governor, Nysom Wike, who led other four governors to work against Atiku.Others whose names have featured to replace Damagum are former Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswan and former Niger State Governor, Aliyu BabangidaAccording to Ombugadu, who represented Akwanga/Nasarawa Eggon/ Wamba Federal Constituency from 2011-2019, lately, various groups of well-meaning members of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have intensified a clarion call, for me to be given a responsibility by the party at the national level.”I feel humbled that much of these calls emphasize our antecedents, especially with keen references to our creativity, stamina, innovation, the populist enthusiasm that was aroused as well as the dividends of democracy that our mandate yielded all over Nasarawa state; worthy attestations from the good people of Akwanga/Nasarawa Eggon/ Wamba Federal Constituency whom I represented between 2011-2019 and the very positive impacts of our keen pursuit of the gubernatorial ticket of Nasarawa state in 2019 and 2023 remain very relevant.”Please do not feel disappointed but let me restate that when duty calls for me to undertake any other assignment for our party, I will not hesitate to serve; suffice to say that I remain loyal to our party and its leadership at all levels.”As things stand, I want to thank our leaders and party loyalists who endorsed the various calls and would urge them to keep hope alive because surely, a better future awaits our party’s current challenges. I am firmly convinced that with our unity of purpose, God Almighty will grant us good direction and eventual triumph.”He thanked the PDP BOT, NWC, NEC, state governors and state chapters, LGA and ward level members as well as all exco members of the PDP across the nation, especially the Nasarawa state PDP “for consistently standing with us with such remarkable focus towards achieving victory”.
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