COVER
Reps Lack Authority to Summon Zamfara, Benue Govs, Says Shinkafi
By Eze Okechukwu, Abuja and Attah Ede, Makurdi
Former National Secretary of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Dr. Sani Shinkafi, has condemned the House of Representatives’ decision to summon the governors of Zamfara and Benue states, asserting that the move is unconstitutional.
He spoke to journalists in Abuja yesterday ahead of the scheduled appearance of the governors and the state assemblies’ leaders on May 8, following a press release from the House Committee on Public Petitions. Shinkafi emphasised that the House of Representatives lacks the constitutional authority to intervene in the internal affairs of state governments.“Certainly, the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petition has no constitutional power to summon democratically elected governors or State Assembly leaders to a public hearing on strictly internal affairs of their states,” he stated.He criticised the petition from the civil rights organisation, Guardians of Democracy and the Rule of Law, as politically motivated and aimed at undermining democratic structures in Zamfara and Benue.He pointed out that the National Assembly’s investigative powers, as outlined in Sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution, do not extend to summoning state governors for matters strictly related to state governance.“The principle of separation of powers by the executive, legislature, and judiciary is equally enshrined in the constitution for effective governance,” Shinkafi noted.He emphasised that the ongoing activities of the Zamfara State House of Assembly demonstrate its ability to function effectively, with 15 out of 24 members still actively conducting legislative business despite the recent suspension of some members.Furthermore, Shinkafi rejected the notion of declaring a state of emergency in Zamfara, asserting that the state is not facing a clear and present danger that warrants such drastic measures.“There is nothing whatsoever that warrants the House of Representatives to summon the governor and Assembly leadership for a public hearing,” he said, commending Governor Dauda Lawal for his achievements in transforming the state within two years.He urged the House of Representatives to engage with security agencies rather than pursue what he termed a ‘frivolous’ petition.Shinkafi called on the House of Representatives to reject the petition and uphold the principles of democracy and rule of law, noting that genuine grievances should be addressed through the judicial system rather than political pressure tactics.“Nigerians expect the House of Representatives to have invited service chiefs and the Inspector General of Police who have the constitutional mandates to safeguard the nation,” Shinkafi added.Benue Assembly Directs Speaker, House Leaders to Shun Reps’ InvitationThe Benue State House of Assembly yesterday, passed a resolution calling on its Speaker Hyacinth Aondona Dajoh, to disregard the summons from the National Assembly Public Petition Committee.The house argued that the summons contravene the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) as amended, adding that they are already planning to take legal action against the National Assembly.The house further requested the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Inspector General of Police to investigate the individuals who signed the petition.The Benue State House of Assembly also called on the National Assembly Caucus from Benue State (Senate/Reps) to come for proper engagement with the house to ascertain while the State is portrayed in bad light at the National Assembly.Lending his voice to the petition sent by the National Assembly summoning the Speaker and leadership of the Assembly to appear on Thursday 8th May 2025, Majority Leader of the House Saater Tiseer said the notice sent by the National Assembly is out of ignorance.He said, by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Benue State House of Assembly is not answerable to the National Assembly, saying section (101) has given the house the powers to legislate on its business without external control.Member representing Katsina- Ala West State Constituency Hon. Bemdoo Ipusu accepted the decision of the house to take the National Assembly to court and added that the house should include the Guidance of Democracy for misleading the National Assembly.Hon. Ipusu noted that the group in mentioning the names of the suspended members mentioned Hon. Peter Uche which shows that the group lacks knowledge of what transpired on the floor of the house that day.He wondered why the National Assembly would want to take over the functions of the Assembly that is vibrant and performing its duties effectively, noting that the three arms of government in the State are not fighting each other.Members including Micheal Audu and Hon. Peter Uche condemned in totality the decision of the National Assembly and urged the Speaker and the leadership not to appear.A statement by the chief press secretary to the speaker, Terver Zamber, quoted Uche as saying he is still performing his duties in the house as elected and expected by his people and wondered why the group included his name alongside those suspended, saying the act clearly shows that the National Assembly was not properly informed.Senate Sets up 18 Member Committee to Oversight Rivers AdministratorThe Senate yesterday set up an 18-man Committee to oversee the implementation of the state of emergency declared in Rivers State nearly two months ago by President Bola Tinubu with Senate Leader, Bamidele Opeyemi as Chairman and Rufai Hanga, Deputy Minority Whip as the Vice Chairman and Charles Bala, Clerk of the Committee.This was even as the Benue State House of Assembly yesterday passed a resolution calling on its Speaker Hyacinth Aondona Dajoh, to disregard the summons from the National Assembly Public Petition Committee.The Committee which was set up by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio during plenary yesterday was tasked with the monitoring of governance in the south-south state.While announcing the Committee, Akpabio said there was a need to have a Committee like the House of Representatives to oversight the state of emergency rule in which the Sole Administrator, Ete Ibas was already sworn into office.Speaking further, Akpabio said, “if there is need for a review, it will be after further consultation with our colleagues. But in the meantime, they have to get to work immediately. This effort is to enhance democratic principles and ensure good governance in Rivers state “.However, other members of the Committee are Senators Adamu Aliero (PDP, Kebbi State), Osita Izunaso (APC Imo), The distinguished Senator Osita Ngwu (PDP Enugu State), Senator Kaka Shehu APC Borno Central), Iya Aminu Abbas (PDP Adamawa), Tokubo Abiru (APC Lagos), Adeniyi Adegbonmire, (APC Ondo), Mohamed Sani Musa, (APC Niger), Simon Lalong, (APC Plateau), Asuquo Ekpeyong, (APC Cross River), Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole (APC Edo), Ireti Kingibe, (Labour Party FCT), Onyekachi Nwaeboyi, (APC Ebonyi State, Idiat Adebule (APC Lagos State), Ede Dafinone (APC Delta), Mohamed Maidori, (APC Jigawa).
By Laide Akinboade, Abuja
As part of efforts to reposition the newspaper for optimum corporate performance, the management of Asset Newspapers Limited, Publishers of DAILY ASSET, has announced the appointment of David Torough as the Editor of the Abuja-based national daily.
A statement by the management said the appointments were part of the company’s new strategy to further penetrate the various states in the country and raise its readership and patronage.
“DAILY ASSET is widely acceptable across the country and to maintain our leadership position, we need to increase management presence, hence the need to create new Bureau offices in some locations outside Abuja and Lagos,” the statement quoted the Publisher/ Editor-in-Chief, Dr Cletus Akwaya to have said.
In a statement yesterday, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the fast-growing daily, Dr. Cletus Akwaya said the appointment was part of the new strategy to properly situate the paper for better productivity.
“DAILY ASSET has a commitment with the Nigerian people. We are determined to weather the storm and give Nigerian readers a Newspaper that satisfies their yearnings and reading pleasure and we can only do that with the right set of professionals,” the statement said.
Akwaya, a former Commissioner of Information from Benue State said the difficult times being faced by Nigerians posed a great challenge to the media as the people deserved credible information with which to make choices.
“We have a bond with the people, to offer credible information at all times in the best tradition of the Nigerian Press and on this scale of objectivity, truth and fairness, we pledge to remain steadfast no matter the challenges,” Akwaya was quoted to have said.
He said the newspaper will maiantin its daily print run and circulation to all states of the federation and urged advertisers to take advantage of the deep penetration of the Daily Asset brand to send their messages.
Torough, the new Editor has had a steady rise in the Newspaper in the last five years.
A graduate of Mass communication of the Benue State University, Makurdi, Torough joined the company in 2022 as Benue State Correspondent. He was spotted for his brilliance and redeployed to Abuja the following year and promoted to Deputy News Editor. He was subswuently named Deputy Editor of the paper, a position he held until the recent appointment.
Torough has attended several journalistic workshops and trainings to properly equip himself for the task ahead.
The statement also said the Management named Eze Okechukwu as Deputy Editor.
Before his elevation as Deputy Editor, Eze has been Deputy Politics Editor and DAILY ASSET Newspaper correspondent covering the Senate, having joined the organization in 2021.
Born on March 10, 1975, Eze holds a Masters Degree in Mass Communication from the Enugu State University of Science and Technology.
Eze began his journalism career with Daily Star, Enugu and later worked with Daily Trust Newspaper, Abuja as sports reporter.
Aside from his journalistic excellence, he has a great deal of passion for sports.
From Ngutor Dekera, Kaduna and Aliyu Askira, Kano
Northern governors and traditional rulers yesterday called for the suspension of mining activities across the region for six months, blaming illegal mining for worsening insecurity in many states.The resolution was contained in a communiqué issued after a joint meeting of the Northern States Governors’ Forum and the Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council held at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna.
The meeting, chaired by the Gombe State Governor and NSGF Chairman, Muhammadu Yahaya, had in attendance the 19 northern governors and chairmen of the 19 states’ traditional councils. The Forum expressed concern over the escalating violence in parts of the North, including the killings and abductions recently recorded in Kebbi, Kwara, Kogi, Niger, Sokoto, Jigawa and Kano states, as well as renewed Boko Haram attacks in Borno and Yobe.“The Forum extends its deepest condolences and solidarity to the governments and good people of the affected states,” the communiqué said, noting that the attacks on schoolchildren and other citizens had become “unacceptable tragedies” that required urgent collective action.It commended President Bola Tinubu for what it described as the Federal Government’s “firm response” to recent abductions and insurgency threats, especially the rescue of some abducted pupils.The governors also saluted security agencies for their sacrifices on the frontlines.“We resolved to renew our support for every step taken by the President and Commander-in-Chief to take the fight to insurgents’ enclaves in order to end the criminality,” the Forum stated.A major highlight of the meeting was the North’s renewed push for the establishment of state police, with governors and traditional rulers insisting that decentralised policing had become inevitable.“The Forum reaffirms its wholehearted support and commitment to the establishment of state police,” the communiqué added, urging federal and state lawmakers from the region to “expedite action for its actualisation.”On illegal mining, the governors said criminal mining networks were fuelling violence and providing resources for armed groups.As a corrective measure, they asked Tinubu to direct the Minister of Solid Minerals to impose a six-month suspension of mining activities in order to allow for a full audit and revalidation of licences.“The Forum observed that illegal mining has become a major contributory factor to the security crises in Northern Nigeria. “We strongly recommend a suspension of mining exploration for six months to allow proper audit and to arrest the menace of artisanal illegal mining,” it said.To strengthen the fight against insecurity, the governors also announced the creation of a regional Security Trust Fund.Under the proposed arrangement, each state and its local governments will contribute ₦1bn monthly, to be deducted at source under an agreed framework.They said the fund would help provide sustainable financing for joint operations, intelligence-driven interventions and coordinated security responses across the region.At the end of the meeting, the Forum reaffirmed its commitment to unity and collective responsibility.“Only through unity, peer review and cooperation can we overcome the pressing challenges before us,” it declared.The Forum agreed to reconvene on a date to be announced.Meanwhile, Nigeria’s worsening security crisis took a grim turn on Monday as bandits launched fresh attacks in Kano State, abducting 25 villagers, even as the Federal Government raced to secure the release of more than 300 Catholic school children kidnapped in Niger State.In the early hours of Monday, armed bandits invaded Unguwar Tsamiya—popularly called Dabawa—in Shanono Local Government Area of Kano State, whisking away nine men and two women after shooting into the air and assaulting residents. The attackers also rustled two cows.A resident lamented the community’s helplessness: “We cannot do otherwise; most of us cannot leave because we have nowhere to go. This is our place, our land and everything is here.”The assault came less than 24 hours after a similar attack on Yan Kamaye in Tsanyawa LGA, a community along the volatile Katsina border.In Niger State, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu has assured distraught families of St. Mary’s Co-Education School, Kontagora that the more than 300 students and staff abducted on November 21 will return home “soon.” Ribadu, who led a high-level federal delegation to the school on Monday, said the abductees are safe, though he offered no specifics on their location or the status of rescue operations.According to Daniel Atori, spokesman for the Catholic bishop overseeing the school, the NSA reassured officials: “The children are where they are and will come back safely.”The St. Mary’s attack is part of a worrying resurgence of mass kidnappings reminiscent of the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction. Security analysts warn that banditry has evolved into a “structured, profit-seeking industry,” with hundreds of Nigerians abducted in November alone.The Kontagora school abduction occurred the same week 25 girls were kidnapped in Kebbi State—victims who authorities say have since been rescued through “non-kinetic” means. About 50 of the St. Mary’s hostages have also managed to escape.Ribadu’s delegation, which included the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), reaffirmed the government’s commitment to securing the freedom of all abducted citizens.As communities from Kano to Niger continue to bear the brunt of these violent incursions, the escalating spate of kidnappings underscores the urgent national demand for a more decisive and coordinated security response.
By David Torough, Abuja
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said former Attorney‑General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, will face a team of interrogators at its office daily throughout December.A credible source in the EFCC said on Monday that the daily appearance was part of an ongoing investigation into the whereabouts of an alleged 490 million dollars Abacha loot secured through a Mutual Legal Assistance (MLAT) request.
The source said that Malami, who was summoned for interrogation by the EFCC on Saturday, was barred from leaving Nigeria for the next one month.According to the source, one of the conditions for his release on Saturday was that he should report daily to the EFCC Headquarters in Abuja for further interrogation.The source said Malami would have to appear daily at the anti-graft office due to the volume of the investigation and the seriousness of the charges against him.”We seized his passport, it is the normal routine during investigation, but he has to report at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja every day for the next month.”He will be reporting for further investigation throughout December.”He will be reporting every day, starting from Dec. 1st to Dec. 31st.He will appear before the team of investigators for the entire month of December.”He will be reporting to EFCC for investigation for the period because of the volume of the investigation and the seriousness of the charges against him,” the source added.According to the source, a fact sheet on the former minister revealed that Malami had several issues to clarify with the EFCC within the coming weeks.“We have asked him to explain the whereabouts of the $490 million Abacha loot secured through MLAT.“We didn’t say he stole money, but he should account for the loot. This is one of the issues he will clarify to our investigators.”The commission cited the large volume of documents he must review and the need for extensive interviews as reasons for seizing his passport.The source said EFCC would not engage in a war of words but would release its findings after a thorough investigation.Malami, in a statement by his media aide, Mohammed Doka, on Monday in Abuja, however, described the EFCC investigation as a political witch‑hunt.He confirmed he honored an EFCC invitation on Nov. 28, describing the engagement as fruitful and expressing confidence that the probe would vindicate him.Malami described the EFCC’s allegations as baseless, illogical and devoid of substance, insisting they collapse under factual scrutiny.
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