COVER
Rivers Crisis: APC Vows to Begin Impeachment Proceedings
From Alice Onukwugha, Port Harcourt
The political crisis rocking Rivers State may be far from coming to an end as the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State, Chief Tony Okocha said the lawmakers who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to APC will commence impeachment proceedings on the state Governor, Sir Siminilayi Fubara.
This is even coming as the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Rivers State, Prof.
Zacchaeus Adangor, on Thursday resigned his position.Adangor’s resignation may not be unconnected with the crisis as a result of irreconcilable differences between former governor and FCT Minister, Chief Nyesom Wike and his successor, Fubara.
Adangor, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), served in the administration of Wike from 2018 to 2023, after the death of Emmanuel Aguma who was former AG, before he was reappointed to serve in the current executive cabinet under Fubara.
In a letter dated November 14, 2023, addressed to the governor through the Secretary to State Government (SSG), the former AG, said his resignation was for personal reasons and thanked Fubara for his appointment.
The letter read in part: “I hereby give Your Excellency notice of my resignation as Honourable Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Rivers State with effect from the date of this letter.
“For avoidance of doubt, my resignation from the said office is based purely on personal principles.
“I wish to thank Your Excellency for the opportunity and privilege granted me to serve in your administration as a member of the cabinet.
“My family and I are indebted to your Excellency in gratitude.”
Meanwhile, APC Acting Caretaker Chairman in Rivers State, Okocha, told newsmen in Abuja that the party will do everything possible to protect the 27 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers who defected to the APC.
He insisted that the defected lawmakers will sit elsewhere to make decisions since they are in possession of the mace, which is the symbol of authority.
Okocha, who also represents Rivers State on the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), stated that the APC will petition Justice M.W. Danagogo before the National Judicial Council (NJC) for issuing the interim order upon which the governor proceeded to demolish the Assembly structure.
“Although I am not a member of the state House of Assembly, impeachment is a democratic process. Impeachment is not a coup d’etat.
“So, we are telling the governor that he cannot thrive on illegality, we will petition the judge before the National Judicial Council (NJC) for giving that jankara order against our members.
“So we want to appeal to our party to join us to defend our members who are being ill-treated by the Rivers House of Assembly.
“You cannot place something on nothing and you expect it to stand. Illegality is illegal. Let me also let you know that what makes an assembly is not the structure, but the human beings in that assembly.
“So, an assembly can be moved to anywhere, provided the mace which is its symbol of authority is there. As at yesterday, about 27 members sat and took far-reaching decisions on state matters.”
“We will fight illegality, we will not allow illegality to fester in our state. It is our duty now to defend our 27 members who are members of the State Assembly,” the APC state chairman said.
He further stated that the defection of the lawmakers was in line with the mandate given the party by the National Secretariat, to reach out to members of opposition parties in the state, saying he was already wooing the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike to cross over.
He therefore, appealed to Wike to come to the assistance of the party in the state.
“I have wooed him personally, we have told him publicly to come over and help us. He is a political juggernaut not just in Rivers, but in Nigeria at large.
“He is a force, and that is why we won the presidential election after losing the three senatorial seats and all the State House of Assembly members,” he stated.
However, the Rivers State governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara has assented to the N800.3 billion naira appropriation bill which was considered by the State House of Assembly loyal to him on Wednesday.
The governor signed the 2024 Appropriation Bill at the conference room of the governor’s office, at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Thursday.
Speaking, Fubara reiterated the commitment of his administration to carrying judiciously utilise the monies for infrastructural development in the state.
He further assured that with the budget now signed into law, his administration would undertake notable critical road projects like the phase 2 of the Trans-Kalabari road and the Elele-Omoku road projects.
The budget was signed in the presence of the state cabinet and other stakeholder, including, the Deputy Governor, Prof. Ngozi Odu, members of the State Executive Council, the House Speaker, Rt Hon Edison Ehie, former and present lawmakers who have thrown their weight and support the governor, as well as a number of Local Government Areas (LGA) chairmen of the PDP.
Meanwhile, reactions have started trailing the resignation of Adangor.
A civil rights crusader and social commentator, Prince Wiro, while reacting to the development, posited that it was in the best interest of the former attorney general and the state.
He said: “For me, the Attorney General of the State has done what is right. It is better to resign than to involve yourself with a political crisis that is affecting the general wellbeing of the state. Because as it is now, nobody knows how that crisis will end.
So it’s good that he resigns so that at the end of the day he will not be part of the crisis indirectly or unknowingly.”
Wiro, who is the National Coordinator Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign, said, as a professor, Adangor, would not want his name to be dragged into the mucky waters of the Rivers State political space, hence his decision to resign.
He said until the former Attorney General comes up with a different reason, it is only right that the reasons averred by him in the resignation letter be taken.
“You know that the attorney general is a professor, he is well read and would not want his name to be associated with some crisis in the state so that posterity will not be harsh to him.
“I think that there is nothing wrong, if he can no longer continue with the government for him to resign”, he posited.
On whether Adangor’s decision has anything to do with his allegiance to Wike, the human rights activist said; “I read the resignation letter. For now, all those ones are just assumptions and we cannot conclude that it’s because he does not want to hurt Wike. Whatever it is, he has the right to resign if he thinks he does not want to continue with the government considering the political happenings in the state.
“Until he states otherwise, that he resigned because of his allegiance to former governor Wike, for now, let us take him by what he said in the resignation letter.”
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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